SandyBeach

The reason I ask is I ordered an '82 Firebird with a manual transmission and the 2.5L engine to get better gas mileage but still have a stylish car. I later found out no dealer would take it in trade. That engine had major problems with vibration in the Firebird and the manual transmission made it almost unsellable.

Sometimes you order a car thinking you'll keep it forever. But, when problems arise, you may want to dump it without losing your shirt. I bought my first HHR off the lot. I want the SS to be my dream car!

nfboy

That is not necessarily true. Some people may be concerned about that but not everyone. Anyone who will buy this car as a used vehicle will more than likely want a manual shift. If they are buying used from a dealer rather than as a private sale, they will have a lot more confidence in the condition since most used car dealers offer some sort of warranty, inspection report, return policy and the like.

But the bottom line for you SandyBeach, is to buy the transmission that YOU want. Not everything is about resale value.

solman98

Way off base. More auto's get abused that manuals. Plus with a manual you can get an idea if it's starting to need a clutch. With an auto, you can't. They could even do a fuild change to hide color/odor. Top speed has nothing to do with it. It's the burried gas pedal on take off that does the most damage. Not what you wind it up to in high gear (as long as you don't wreck).

Harpozep

Resale value can be a factor, but we all lose if we sell in the short run. My SHo is only NOW starting to rise in value and it is from '89. Sold it long ago. Went for 26K
Paid 16K new , got ten grand off since it had a few thousand miles on it and was a Ford Executive car, loaded
Drove it for twelve years sold it for $1,600.00 to a friend who fell asleep while driving it one afternoon.

Now it is rising in value as a collector car.

So really, what ever we buy just plummets unless it's say a limited production car like the high end Corvette. I thought the recent Thunderbirds were going to be decent investments. Doesn't look like it.


As a buyer though, I know all used cars have been abused. It is really that simple. Nothing was ever babied all of its life. Well, OK, maybe a few, but just look at how all the fools around us drive each day and then pretend you were going to buy their car. See what I Mean?

Automatics are abused as are manuals. Just the way things go.
Now I do see folks revving their engines HIGHER with manual trannies a lot since that can be more easily done with a manual tranny.

Bottom line, I'd expect more trouble with a used manual tranny since folks ride the clutchs and wear the throwout bearing AND shift at inopportune times more often than in an automatic.

Best bet, buy new, take the loss. Get what makes you feel good.

solman98

Very true, but I'd rather spend under $500 for a new clutch, pressure plate, & throwout/release bearing than $2500+ on a new/rebuilt auto.

The last clutch I replaced was at 180K. All original. It's easy to get 100K out of a clutch unless you can't drive a stick. Which is very common these days. Most just don't want the "hassle" of shifting. Which IMO is half the fun of driving.

MOTRV8D

I would concur... since I drive a 6-speed which had to be replaced at only 41K miles! I think it's a lot easier to abuse a manual over the life of a car.

Harpozep

Good point I had an automatic give out in my 1975 Buick Park Avenue. It lost gears in consecutive order untill , at lone last all I had was reverse
I had limped it to the automatic tranny shop and lost gears all along the way. But going uphill in reverse was the last straw. It dies 500 feet from its goal


Now THAT was a bit rough on the engine..........
But joe average needs an auto since Joe Average shifts like a fool. I see it all day in the city I work in, oh plus Joe Above average adds a fart can and plays god with his tranny a bit too much too...
I used to always buy used, lately, I think I'll always buy new.

But then we are NOT Joe Average are we?

solman98

Been there done that, expect mine was the spider gears in the differential (Mustang). They would only engage in reverse. Had to drive home at midnight in reverse the whole way (lucky to be on base and living on base at the time). I went by a base cop getting gas, and he just stared at me. I was so shocked he didn't come after me.

Worst auto experiance I had was the same Mustang (old C4). Had the tranny rebuilt. Less than a year later I had to move two states over. Then I lost reverse, had to have it rebuilt again. Why? The previous shop left out the catch that engages reverse. It had been hanging up on the housing and engaging. Once the aluminum wore down enough, it slipped right by. No reverse. New tranny for a $3 part. That is the last car I buy with a auto, unless no standard is available, except for my truck.

Harpozep

I can feel you pain on that one. Cool base cop story though

As I'm going into my later '40's I should be wanting the simple exercise of a manual tranny But am in the frame of mind that automatics are keeping me happy-for now ( Darn 25HP decrease on the auto HHRSS )

One quick auto story. Our plymoputh Voyager went through six of them in its lifetime! one had been replace at 30 K, another at 75K, another 10K later, etc....
This is why I did not buy a Chryler for our new minivan. Oh, it used up if I remember four engines as well....
One has to know when to quit. I think I've learned form that one car Never again

Hotrodbob

I drive a stick because it's fun. I get better MPG and I'm board driving an auto trans.

However, resale value and only resale value is based on original selling price with all options added in or deducted from value if it's not there.

Go into NADA.com and just run a check on your vehicles value. No auto trans and you deduct value. May be $500-$1000, but it is less.

The other issue is not enough people enjoy a stick like some of us do. Most new sales are auto, because most people don't drive stick.

My other vehicle is a 2005 Colorado with a 5 spd. 4 cyl. 27mpg,fun and I love it. Can't sell it... No auto trans. GM no longer makes it. Not enough sales.

Bottom line though is drive what you want and will like.