*sigh* I bought an IIP 5-speed 2 weeks ago and now I'm having second thoughts. It's really fun to drive, don't get me wrong, but the stop-and-go driving I have to do in my part of San Antonio is becoming a big hassle. Driving on the freeway is no problem when the traffic is moving along, but there are times that people come to an almost screeching hault because there is a car on the side of the road or something insignificant like that. San Antonio drivers are among the worst I have seen (if not THE worst), and you have to be able to react at a moment's notice. Yes, it is easier to use the engine to slow down fast if need be, but the whole stop-go-stop-go thing every day is becoming tiresome.

What do you think I should do?

I think I would ultimately be happier with an automatic, but won't have the control of a manual, or the fun in downshifting for a boost of power. I really don't know what I should do, but I do know that I'm having major second thoughts about getting a 5-speed.

I talked to a dealer today for a couple of minutes and he told me that he would "of course give me top-dollar" for my car. How much do you think it has depreciated in the 2 weeks I've owned it? I know it depreciates in value as soon as you drive it off the lot. Also, I have nearly 500 miles on it. Any insight you all can give me would be appreciated, as well as reasons that I should get an automatic or keep the 5-speed.

Thanx so much...
- Desi

 

im really not sure how much it would depreciate... ive always been told that the moment u take it off the lot it goes down $5000... I would be surprised if it cost you more than $3000 total to make the switch... I know it is more fun to have manual but I have the xact problem as u here in cali and that is why I am getting an automatic... lemme know how it goes for u

 

Thanx a lot. I guess I never really realized what a pain it was gonna be with the traffic here. Hopefully a dealer will be able to work with me on the issue.

- Desi

 

At this rate I wish I had a $ for every time I've said I'm glad I got the AUTO instead. Just think everything else I own is a stick but this time I got the auto what are the odds :?:

 

man that sucks....if it really bothers you then go for a trade...but the of coarse the economical thing to do is to live with it....and i know how u feel about that traffic...i live in LA and its NASTY!...hope things turn out okay

 

Just remember about the taxes and the licensing factors... $$$$

If you trade in your tC... and get another one... I think you still have to pay taxes (again) for the full price of the new tC. Can anyone verify this?? On top of that you would have to pay (again) for the dmv registration fees... etc. This is on top of the $$$ you will lose by trading it in..

 

And you want to be in California???????? j/k

IMO, I'd try to get used to it.... I'm so used to driving a 5-speed that I don't even notice what my feet are doing anymore, including in traffic. At this point in my life, I wouldn't give up driving a stick-shift. But like I said, just my opinion

 

Don't know in Cali but in TN tradins are deducted from the purchase price before the taxes are figured and sometimes the down payment as well!

 

you can downshift in automatic just like manual... it just takes a sec longer. if you anticipate the need for a boost and preemptively downshift, youll be fine. thats what i do in my auto civic.

also... if you mash the gas the car will downshift for you but u might actually be wasting more gas that way.... iono.

as far as getting rid of the car itself... keep in mind that there are people still waiting for a 5spd iip. put up an ad somewhere ... someone wont be able to take the wait and will buy urs. iip seems like a hard color to find around here.

good luck

 

If it is fully paid for yes your correct, if he financed itm then no they will use the trade in money to pay off the loan and hell double pay taxes.

 

Yep had BMW's and the were stick, a pain in the butt in the city

 

I've always considered myself a driving enthusiast, but it's gotten to the point, with traffic and such, that I prefer an automatic. All of my sports cars have always been (and always will be) manuals, but for daily driving, there's nothing better than an auto. Nothing like getting to work with my clutch foot numb from all the stop and go driving.

 

I have never understood why anyone would want a manual in a city. It's such a pain to have to shift while in traffic or in the middle of an area with a lot of stop signs and traffic lights. I can understand wanting one if you life in the middle of nowhere with big open roads, but there it would actually be fun.


Honestly, unless you are well off I would just keep the car and consider it a leason learned. a couple grand loss on selling the car this soon is a lot of money.

 

I live in the tampa area, so I have a nice mix of highway and city driving. After a year of driving manual, I have no problem with driving in city stop and go. Although there was one time when there was an accident, and we would inch forward at 5 mph then stop for a minute, then repeat. That sucked, but overall I've really enjoyed driving a manual. Makes me feel like a man! Seriously though, it's a matter of taste. If this is your first manual car... I would have said buy a beeter to learn first and enjoy how little resistance the tC's clutch has compared to most.

 

hey dulanic, that might be what happens in IL but in TN you are given credit for the tax you already paid on the trade in and given bluebook value for it.. you then only pay tax on the amount that is the difference on the new and the tradein.. have done this for the purchase of 4 cars. all in TN.

 

Bunch of babies whinning about stick...lol, jk.

Seriously after driving my cars here in DC, it does begin to be a pain in the ___ with a manual. Yet I get over it, and think about once I get my tC, and getting my suspension right, I will take my baby down the Dragon's Tail which is where I ran my friends Mini S. That is such a blast, and you just can't have the fun as you will with the stick to be able to control the gears and what not.

Auto = great for city driving
Manual = quicker, and more fun for performance aspects.

Oh yeah, in case ppl do get the auto and all, how will it hold up to the TRD SC kit coming out?

 

I tried to convince my girl to get a standard and she told that its fun but shes going to eventually get annoyed with it. So she got an auto. After letting her drive my MT tC... she was right... I dont really have a problem driving a standard even on traffics... I use to live in Camp Pendleton/Oceanside Ca and it didnt bother me. To me driving an auto in traffic is boring and annoying

 

i agree with waterdragon... in the beginning when i had my IS300 5spd, i couldn't stand traffic... i'd like wait an hour after work to drive home to avoid it just because i wasn't confident of my stop and go stick skills... now, i don't even notice and i'm glad that i get stick for every car i own. i think even in those few moments where you can really open the car up on the freeway and use your 5spd to it's potential is worth to me alot more than during those times when stuck in traffic and thinking "maaaaybe i should've gotten auto".

secondly, i think the financial processes involved makes it DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT to switch to auto... it's going to cost you a pretty penny because although you might get lucky and get market value, maybe a LITTLE more if you factor the demand for 5spds, you still will have to pay another 5gs maybe for a brand new car plus taxes all over again. i dunno, you have to REALLY regret getting stick to go through all that in my opinion...

 

Make sure to call me up when you plan to go to the Deal's Gap - my tC is pretty much ready suspensionwise ;)

tC is my first 5-speed, but I used to live in eastern europe and everybody drives stick there, and traffic is worse than here sometimes. People survive. I guess it's not that bad after all.

 

why not just try to sell it outright... its a popular car put it on ebay or autotrader.com or something.... at least then you probably wont loose as much as if you were to trade it in...... imo!