Thinking of buying my first manual trans car tomorrow. Looking at 2 civics. Any advice and should I do it...

Thinking of buying my first manual trans car tomorrow. Looking at 2 civics. Any advice and should I do it? My mom is against it because she says it's bad for snow despite it snowing at most 5 times a year where I live. I think she just thinks I'll crash it or something.

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Also I'm in college if that matters. So not looking for anything super nice

No bullshit answer skip the civics they are all over junk yards for a reason get an older Chevy truck or a 4runner. Manual dose suck on hills exspecialy snow covered ones because of the roll back but in general manual transmissions last longer and you have better control over. Just make sure your engine is tubed up and they do amazing.

theres an automotive board for a reason

manual transmission is fine in the slow, I'd say its better. I have a 2001 BMW 325Ci, its real wheel drive and I live in the midwest, I have yet to have an issue. Civics are front wheel drive, so you are gucci.

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Lol I actually own a 4runner right now but the guy before me ran into the ground. I have to junk it. But I thought about it and I really don't want a big car again. It's not necessary for me to have. I just want something cheap to own I can have fun with if I want.

Fyi bought a 1990 4runner decked out for $2500 and a 1988 Chevy c/k2500 for $1500 recently a lot of times older is better.

What year is your 4runner even dead ones are worth quite a bit.

Why the fuck would you want a manual trans car? Are you a faggot who has no pussy to touch while driving? Get some pussy to finger and show some appreciation for automatic transmission.

That's a car !

I already made 2 threads there about this and they barely got replies. Pretty sad considering you would think people would like to see a new manual owner.

What tires are you running though? I'm not planning to run two sets of summer/winter tires on my car. I'm just sticking to all seasons. I just thought it was kinda funny because I don't drive when it snows anyway.

2000, it has some shit going on with the fuel system that the mechanic said isn't worth fixing. Tbh I hate that car anyway. I feel like a fucking idiot driving around in that thing. I've been waiting for an excuse to buy a new car for awhile now.

Get a well known reliable 4 wheel drive truck. I swear to god you'll love it after a few months

Honesty? Because they're fun as fuck to drive. I'm not really a "car guy", but Ive been wanting a manual car for awhile now. I'd say at least 2 years. As for why civics I just think it makes sense for me given my situation. Cheap, reliable and I can give it power when I need too. Can't do that with auto trans.

Well there is a Subaru impreaza for sell near where I live. But I dunno. I've had my 4runner for 2 years and I can count on one hand how many times I've used the 4x4. I never need it.

Mercury Marauder

Do they even make those in manual?

manuals are better in snow. snow driving is 90% tire choice.

I figured that as well. It's not like it matters anyway since I hardly drive on snow roads. I found it annoying though because at the end of the day, I'm the one who has to drive this thing.

>trans car
Liberals have gone too far.
Also your mom doesn't know shit about cars and snow

As long as it's in good shape when you buy it, and don't smoke the clutch when you're learning, it'll be fine. Spend as little time as possible on the clutch. As soon as the car starts to move, compensate with gas and let the clutch go.

>I can give it power when I need too. Can't do that with auto trans.
Yeah you can, just press the gas pedal a little harder.

Pick something that you like and test drive it. See if it fits your needs and if your complacent driving it or not.

I have some regular hankook optimo tires. Nothing crazy. in snow, keep the gear low and make sure to have sand in your trunk

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Sand in the trunk is for RWD cars. In a FWD car, it just makes it harder to pull.

its for when you get stuck in the snow, you need weight anyways in those conditions.

Do you have a problem typing the correct spelling, you confusing fuck?

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I think she's just saying that because she thinks it makes sense in her head. In reality she just hates manuals for whatever reason, or thinks I can't drive one.

Yeah I plan to learn as much as possible how to properly drive one. I don't want to fuck this car.

>press the gas pedal harder
OR I could just rev up the engine while staying in gear, which you can't do in an auto

I don't have high expectations given it's a civic. But I am hoping they'll be in fairly good shape given they're manuals.

Thanks user

Only put weight in the trunk for a rwd car.

Civic is fwd so does not apply.

Driving a stick in the snow is fine and in some cases, better.

It might help on ice. Wouldn't do anything in snow. If you're serious about keeping emergency snow gear in your trunk, get grip mats and jam them under the drive wheels.

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I mean, if you're that mattered about it you may as well get winter tires

worried about it

faggot

>Yeah I plan to learn as much as possible how to properly drive one. I don't want to fuck this car.
Take it directly to an empty parking lot and practice going through the gears. I learned at a stop light and it was pretty embarrassing trying to start in 3rd, kept stalling and pissed off everyone behind me.

I've driven stick before, but it was with an 18 wheeler through a CDL school. I'm not completely new to it. But I am still worried about making an ass of myself during the test drive since I've never driven a regular stick shift car.

A manual transmission is IDEAL for snow. It gives you much more control than any slushbox.

Winter tires have to be changed out, which means you need two sets of rims, if you have anything nice. All seasons are where its at. Traction mats are twenty bucks and last forever. Much smarter than carrying bags of sand and all sorts of stupid-fuck wives tales. Besides, winter tires sound like HMMMMMMMM going down the highway, which is kind of annoying.

if you can drive that you'll be fine maybe stall once or twice just when you're getting the feel for it

Its easy. Just do a 2-count letting off the clutch while adding gas. Too quick and it'll buck, too long and it'll be a bad habit and eventually burn the clutch. Within a day, you won't even think about it.

You should buy it because every man should be proficient with manual transmission and you want a good cheap car that works
>worried about making an ass of myself during the test drive
Be a man and get over your embarrassment. Ask the seller to drive it while you ride it as passenger. Tell him why, and don't bother telling him "but I can drive an 18 wheeler...". That's what I dd buying my first motorcycle. It went fine.

One thing I'm wondering, once I'm in 3rd gear do I leave it there or shift to nureual? And for down shifting, do I need to rev the engine when I drop gears? I remember having to do that for 18 wheelers

That was my first thought when she said that.

That's what I'm hoping. Especially since I don't have to worry about a trailer behind me or double shifting. But it has been a while since I drove manual.

Nah, let the clutch out smoothly and give it gas when you feel the first hint that it is starting to grab.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid to drive the car or anything like that. I just am not sure what im suppose to do or not do. Both cars are at dealerships. I would prefer driving it myself though so I can get a handle of how to drive it.

> They're all over junk yards for a reason

Yes, and that reason is that they're well-made, long-lasting, reasonably priced cars that sell in ridiculously high volumes, which means that there are lots of them on the road, lots of them crashing and ending up in a junk yard.

Something "being in a junk yard" doesn't necessarily mean that every other thing like it is a piece of shit.

> get an older chevy truck

And pay shitloads of money on gas and maintenance.

> Manual does suck on hills

Said somebody who's never driven a manual for more than 10 minutes. If you can't figure out how to hold on a hill and not roll backwards with a manual, you probably should just turn in your license.

They're really not that much more expensive. You can buy 4 donuts for like 100 bucks. I'm just saying doing all this extra shit isn't needed. If it snows that much where you live but winter tires and be done with it.

Stay in the gear that keeps your speed appropriate around 2500 rpms while cruising. This car will be a 5-speed, so you step up to the next gear when you hit about 4500 under normal driving. You shouldn't downshift cold into a lower gear, you should blip the throttle to match the engine idle as to not make the car scream. In serious driving, downshifting like that can lock up the drive wheels and lose control from engine compression. Or, you can simply blow a gasket. When slowing down, I don't drive like a fancy guy, I just put it in neutral and use the brakes.

>do I need to rev the engine when I drop gears
Don't worry about this for now. It won't usually matter and you can practice this later. Most people don't even know this.

You can get a handle on how to drive it better when you are not under pressure or embarrassed.

I have no idea why that guy even said that. Do you know how many own a fucking Civic? They're bulletproof cars and hard to kill. It's like saying Toyotas are shit because they're in junk yards. Yeah because millions of people drive those cars lol.

Thats what I said. It takes a second or two to let the clutch go, and you add gas during that process. Explaining the grab is hard in text, but he'll figure it out. If he's lucky, it'll grab at the top of the clutch, and not the bottom when it's worn to nothing. I had a step-side Chevy that had so much torque, you didn't have to add gas at all. It would just start moving when you let the clutch go, like a tractor.

Just to make sure I'm understanding this. Say I'm in 3rd gear, I'm coming to a red light. Clutch in, shift to neutral, slow down and shift back to 1st? Like that?

How should I do it for the test drive?

True but I have to drive it anyway. May as well use that time to learn.

I just goog'd honda accord snow tires, and they're about $80 each. If you buy used tires, and swap them on your existing rims seasonally, expect a flat. Thats not accounting for a spare set of rims, or the garage fees. All seasons are where it's at, unless he lives in eskimo-land. (which he said he doesn't).

First car I ever owned was a manual transmission. Thought it was annoying at first, but eventually loved it. You're not really "driving" unless it's a manual transmission, IMHO. Now I only drive to get to work and spend a lot of time in stop-and-go traffic. Got an automatic cause I'm lazy and don't want to deal with it in rush hour. Still miss it sometimes.

Found the civic kiddie, lol

>Just to make sure I'm understanding this. Say I'm in 3rd gear, I'm coming to a red light. Clutch in, shift to neutral, slow down and shift back to 1st? Like that?
Yes. I would come to a stop in neutral, foot off the clutch. Then clutch it, put it in first, and go. Winding down through the gears is for squids and show-offs. Besides, every time you do that, it's a slight bit of wear on an expensive fix. The less you use the clutch, the better. Going 5-4-3-2-1 as you approach the light is five applications of the clutch unnecessarily.

#trans rides are human rides

Yep, only reason to downshift to slow down is coming down a steep mountain or some shit and wanting to save your brakes.

Actually, you have better control over the RPMs of the vehicle in a manual. They are actually better for the snow.

Advice for test drives, if the clutch catches the gear immediately, it's good. If it catches the gear after having to let out the clutch for awhile, it's bad and that's a few hundred dollars job

Just use logic. Low miles, carfax, one to two owners, and it's running solid.

Have an honest mechanic inspect it and test drive it before buying and make sure you know the market and you're not spending too much

As for civics, they are great engines as long as you don't diminish the reliability with stupid cheap ricer engine mods, and the manuals are better. With Honda, auto transmission is very bad and unreliable but manuals are much more dependable

Lastly, just make sure you have a clear record of the history of maintenance and you go to an honest reputable dealer

Good luck brother.

Thanks for contributing to keeping manuals alive

Nice, this is what I'm hoping my first experience is like

Okay, thanks for the advice. Anything I should look for as far as red flags go?

Eurofag here.. buy manual most ppl.in usa cannot drive it so they wont stole it

Thanks man. From the pics they both look pretty clean and mod free. They're both base models, one is 2002 and the other 2008. One around 160k the 2002 is about 122k miles but given the price im fine with it. I just don't want to buy another lemon like I did the car I have now.

Manual is better in snow and ice, you can push in your clutch and the wheels just match your speed so you get control of a slide quicker. And the civics are fine, I've had 3 with over 300k miles.

Unless I find it. It's automatic transmissions that I hate.

It sucks Eurofags are condemned to such tiny shit boxes, unless you are a millionaire, but as an Amerifag, I say I prefer manuals over autos. Not all of us are lazy lol

What is the point of driving a manual car if you're not going to appropriately downshift as you decelerate

>Okay, thanks for the advice. Anything I should look for as far as red flags go?
I don't think so. You know the basics from CDL. The only thing I left out is, if you park facing downhill, turn your wheels to the curb and put it in reverse, and use the E-brake. E-brakes can slowly roll, and you can find your car elsewhere the next morning.

From what I understand, the newer 2008 has far more miles? The 2008 is the 160k?

Consider too, mileage to year ratio.

A car only 11 years old with 160k was obviously driven a lot more and thus could have more wear and tear, but if the 2002 is the one with 122k, then that vehicle was driven a lot less over its lifetime.

But bare in mind that a low mileage vehicle with poor maintenance can be worse than a high mileage vehicle with proper maintenance.

Like I said in my first reply, makes sure you have a clear record of the vehicle's history.

I would examine further on the 2002

Downshifting is a technique to keep the trans and engine engaged in sport driving, so you can give gas and haul yourself out of a turn by pushing forward and killing a skid.. If you're driving like a normal person, you don't need to do that.

This guy knows whats up

Mind if I interject?

The reverse thing I have seen fail more times for hills

Just, the gearing, with 1st being the most torque, it is a small gear vs a larger gear and 1st has a larger gear than reverse, so the bigger gear from 1st will hold the vehicle better.

it's so you have optimum control over the vehicle you don't need to drive like it's a race what do you suggest instead lugging along in high gear with no response or driving with the clutch in?

If you say so, I'll believe you. I just stuck with what I was told. No argument here.

just...fuck you and your MUH CONTROL shit, nobody here is a race driver, you will have no use of manual when you start slipping. I have had automatic for 6 years, no problem with snow or ice, drive at appropriate speeds.

I suggest driving in a gear appropriate to the speed. OP is talking about approaching a total stop. If you're coming down a hill at 35mph, of course you want an appropriate gear so the car isn't screaming or bogging. But coming down a hill when neutral would be perfectly fine, and you're only braking -- going 5-4-3-2-1 is nonsense.

Not gonna lie I am kinda worried about the civic being stolen. I'm hoping at least one of them or both have alarm systems.

Does this also apply to drive ways? My drive way has a slight uphill to it

I just checked now. The 2008 has 169k and the 2002 has 124k. But both look like they're in good shape body wise. Obviously though I cant tell how well they've been maintained without looking at them in person. I am kinda leaning towards the 2002 but I notice that the radio has been removed from the car. Which tells me it was either a trade-in or maybe brought from a junk yard. At this point as long as they're no major problems with the car I don't really care that much about mileage. Even with 169k I know I'll still get plenty of life from that car. Especially since I don't drive a whole lot at the moment and the school I go to is 2 miles from my house.

This is the most American thread I have read for ages.

One time, my cousin went to CVS Pharmacy for some Munchies. He had a v6 Tundra manual, he parked on a small incline and set it in reverse. He came out, the truck was gone. It rolled into a snowbank at the bottom of the incline. It was funny as fuck mu dude. It is still a legendary story to this day. Happened maybe 6 years ago

don't want to deal with what? I thought shifting gears is fun, you loved it, no? Fucking stickboys, manual is only slightly more useful if you live in mountains or something.

yeah, you're just stupid

>Does this also apply to drive ways? My drive way has a slight uphill to it
Yeah. Another user here says 1st is better. I'm willing to believe him. I just always used reverse because it made sense to me, and nobody ever corrected me. If the guy is willing to quote the physics of gear ratios and such, I'll go with that. But yeah, always park in gear. E-brakes are unreliable.

yeah again that assumes you're only going to be braking all kinds of shit can happen I've never wore out a clutch and had to swerve away from people cutting me off numerous times

I like Tundras. Thats my next truck. Same thing happened to a buddy once, he had his truck at a party and was leaving. Shut it off, put it in gear, and stood around shaking hands in the driveway. Then someone says "DUDE!" and his truck is rolling across the yard, over a ditch, across the road, and into a corn field. We were laughing like it was the very first time we smoked pot. Fuckin rolling on the ground laughing.

I bought a BMW Z4 manual shift and I love it! I’m in Los Angeles with a pretty rough commute so I do get a little sick of riding the clutch in start/stop traffic. Sport mode on weekend drives and driving home at night on the freeway make it worth it.

My car has “hill assist” which prevents roll back on hills going from a stop into first gear. I’m not sure if that’s a standard feature in all modern cars or not, but it sure does help.

so you like to yank something big and throbbing with your hand all the time? I have bad news for you...

OK. Maybe you drive like your hood is a bullseye. The only place I downshift where I live is on a steep highway where they have runaway truck ramps. Otherwise I'm in a gear appropriate for the speed of the vehicle. I mostly travel roads I'm familiar with, so the placement of the stops doesn't surprise me. I can always go from rolling neutral to a gear, it's not that complicated. But again, my point is, going 5-4-3-2-1 at every stop is pretty fuckin gay.

So always put it in 1st gear with E-brake?

I dunno about most cars but I doubt civics this old have that. I'll worry about that another day though.

Most newer cars have hill assist. Even my modest automatic Subaru has it.

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>So always put it in 1st gear with E-brake?
When parked, yes. Obviously not when you're just sitting at a red light.

>Even my modest automatic Subaru has it.
Why would you need that for automatic?

That's what I meant to say, thanks. Glad it was mentioned though since i hadn't thought of it.

It came standard. I dunno. Probably if you're pulling a trailer.

I'm not being a smart-ass troll, I'm just being very specific because after all, we're here. People like to nit-pick shit. I really do hope you enjoy it. I've had probably a half-dozen sticks. They're fun.

Missing radio and car dealership is definitely not a good sign. Might still be worth looking at though.

To me, missing radio (at the age of the car) means the previous owner had an aftermarket CD player installed, and took it with him upon trade-in. No big deal. Get a new one put in at Sound Boyz.

No I definitely appreciate it. I want to get this car buying experience right this time.

That's kinda what I'm thinking. I just found that kinda weird you would take the radio out for a trade in or whatever. It's like 100 bucks to replace if that.

Because they roll backwards on hills too until you raise the RPMs enough for the torque converter to stop slipping

Yeah I have an aftermarket radio on my 4runner I could put in there. Looking at the pics though they did also replace the rear lights. Other than that I don't see anything aftermarket.

Op look at both cars and see how you feel about each one. It's a Civic, it's nothing special anyway unless it's a SI. However if one has mantainence records and the other does not, take the one with records. I doubt they will have it but you never know.

Thanks, pajeet

Let's be honest, none of you soyboys can actually drive a manual car.

Just sayin-- each car has a different shaped hole in the dash, you need a specialty faceplate for it. I'm sure you can do the wiring harness, but the mounting can be weird. But check under the speaker grills, he might have left decent speakers in there. Or they might be gone also. A lot of places do free installations, so it might be worth the extra hundred bucks to buy a new set of fronts and rears, and haggle out the installation where you provide the head unit. (stereo). Or get a new deck that can attach to bluetooth, then you can take calls hands-free and play tunes from your phone.

That's pretty much the plan right now. Honesty if the 08 isn't complete shit I might just go for that given it's newer.

That's a good point I didn't think of that. I would hate to buy that shit only to find out the speakers are gone with it. I think I paid like 75 to have the radio replaced in my 4runner. I really don't want to put a lot of money into this car right off the bat. Just a oil change and tune up with a wash if I can get away with that.

Also since the thread is dying down I think I'm gonna head off to bed soon. Thanks for all the anons that helped me unlike those faggos from /o/.

Buy the 02 if it's a body style you like, besides that I'd just say save for longer and look for something you like more.
Don't buy an old Honda if you live around a big city / high crime rate lol
Honestly though a good V6 accord will be oodles and oodles more fun
/o/ hasn't been helpful for a long time