Fuck car prices these days. The cheapest new car on the market today (in the US) is the 2025 Nissan Versa at $18,330. This is a manual transmission version. So you need to be able to drive stick.
An automatic transmission will cost extra for a grand total of $20,150.
Oh, starting on a hill is absolute shit if you’re not good wth a clutch.
The hardest I ever drove was a '72 VW Super Beetle and it would roll backwards the millisecond I took my foot off the brake… You couldn’t slip the clutch and have it grab fast enough. Did learn how to heel-toe the clutch and brake on that and the last year I had it, got so good with shifting by ear, I seldom used the clutch once the car was rolling. That was cool. Could downshift w/o the clutch as well. It was a 4-speed so it had a wider wheel speed/motor speed range to play with in each gear.
Was almost as good with the no-clutch shifting on my '82 Celica (I really, really loved that car… rear wheel drive so it was drift city before I even knew that was a thing… and you BET I did… Sport Rally 5 transmission for the WIN!)
Now I’m on my third Impreza and they have such grabby clutches, tight transmissions and small shift windows for no-clutch, that I’ve never really made inroads with it.
New furniture for my den and a new wardrobe.
Or maybe trade my car in with the 20k and get a car that’s only a few years old.
Fuck car prices these days. The cheapest new car on the market today (in the US) is the 2025 Nissan Versa at $18,330. This is a manual transmission version. So you need to be able to drive stick.
An automatic transmission will cost extra for a grand total of $20,150.
Wait… wat? You mean you can’t?
Dude, driving a stick is fuuunnnn. Also, kids that steal cars don’t drive sticks so it’s waaaay less likely to be stolen by some damn 13 year old.
Driving a stick is fun on flat land. On hills it’s a pain in the ass.
Oh, starting on a hill is absolute shit if you’re not good wth a clutch.
The hardest I ever drove was a '72 VW Super Beetle and it would roll backwards the millisecond I took my foot off the brake… You couldn’t slip the clutch and have it grab fast enough. Did learn how to heel-toe the clutch and brake on that and the last year I had it, got so good with shifting by ear, I seldom used the clutch once the car was rolling. That was cool. Could downshift w/o the clutch as well. It was a 4-speed so it had a wider wheel speed/motor speed range to play with in each gear.
Was almost as good with the no-clutch shifting on my '82 Celica (I really, really loved that car… rear wheel drive so it was drift city before I even knew that was a thing… and you BET I did… Sport Rally 5 transmission for the WIN!)
Now I’m on my third Impreza and they have such grabby clutches, tight transmissions and small shift windows for no-clutch, that I’ve never really made inroads with it.
I still drive like a maniac however.
I can, just haven’t for almost 20 years…
And it is fun.