What is the Best Manual Transmission Car you have ever driven or owned???

I've owned plenty. Favourite was my '88 Toyota Supra with the 7MGE, W58 and 4.30 limited slip. Just a great driving experience, I had it for 10 years. The turbo cars had the R154 box which was tougher, but not nearly as nice to row.

Current daily is a '10 Frontier Pro-4x 4.0L 6spd, it's not so satisfying (dual mass flywheel, rev hang, rubbery shifter) but still great fun. Gearing is perfect with the exception of reverse which is a little steep. There's a few short throw options for it and the rev hang can be tuned out, I'm just so used to it now.

 

VW Golf R

Total sport, unassuming, fun AF.

 

2003 Audi A4 1.8TQ

A truly badass car...unless it breaks...then it’s it’s expensive AF.

 

1999 Miata Green with tan leather, LSD is the best.
Oddly enough 1973 F100 with three on the tree made me grin like a lunatic though. Manual steering, L6, huge bouncy bench seat, wing vent windows, and I just laughed and had fun everyday I drove it to work. It was green, but had been painted with latex white house paint. Rusted out ragged piece o junk that I just still smile when I think about it.

 

I learned how to drive manual in an 89 spider. Not the veloce, graduate. Car was a pos. If you didn’t pull out the clutch just the way it wanted going into 2nd, it thumped pretty bad. Bonus points for the shifter being in a never seen again spot
I’ve mostly owned a bunch of vag... all manual 84 GTI, 86 4KQ, 95 f-150 4.9L 01 Jetta tdi, 11 jsw tdi, 15 Jetta tdi, and 19 GTI rabbit edition. This ones the nicest. Pick up happens so quick, shifting is precise. Brakes are big too.

 

I've had a lot of stick stickshift vehicles over the years, but the funnest to drive for me had to be the wife's 2006 Mustang GT. Had an SCT chip in it, custom exhaust and a Hurst shifter. That thing was FUN! If you pushed the button that turned the traction control off it would get sideways all over the place! After I showed the wife this feature, I and anyone else she let drive it was sternly warned "DON'T push the button!"

 

I have a Tri-Ax Shifter in mine, it is similar to your description of being spring loaded towards 3rd gear.

 

I liked the ‘69 because the harder you drove, the better it behaved. But it was snug, I wouldn’t want to crawl into it daily now. Never drove or even sat in any later models and wasn’t interested anyway so wouldn’t know about changes in layout.

 

Very Cool! I am doing a track day in the STI at Autobahn Country Club here in Illinois. I forgot I drove 1 evo but it was an EVO 10! Those cars are a riot! I actually wish I had access to one to compare now to my STI.

 

I had a couple Scion tCs before my 04, both manual. First was a 5 speed the 2nd was a 6 speed, very easy manuals to learn on and drive. Can't say the same about my 04 Tacoma esp with the bigger tires and weight I've added lol.

 

I never drove an older STI but switching to a weighted shift knob for whatever reason seemed to help with that 2-3rd gate. They still do not feel like the Hondas at all but I am getting more and more used to it. I have the factory short throw with a Grimmspeed 675G shifter vs the stock 255G shifter. My biggest gripe with the STI is the clutch to be honest. Once again these are things you adapt to but that engagement being so close to the floor it almost feels like 70% of the pedal travel does nothing. I am used to it now though but I just wouldve designed it differently.

I need to drive a manual 3rd gen. My one good friend has one and raves about it and I see the general consensus on here that they are pleasant to drive. I just wish they would give us the 6' bed and the manual... Makes life better for the dirbikes.

 

I need to drive a manual C7. I have heard from many people it is a great gearbox.

 

I actually am taking my STI to a my first track event May 8th. I plan on driving it like it is being paid for... not like I stole it...but You Only Live Once!!.... I feel like I will be riding a slippery slope into a MX5 track car slowly and surely as this seems to happen to everyone that gets into driving at the track and is really the best option for putting lots of seat time in!!

 

2002 Nissan Sentra SER Spec-V
Fun little car to drive, tons of torque steer.
It was black with the "Lava" interior.

 

In my personal opinion.....

Evo IX > STI > Evo X.

The X was around 450lbs heavier than even the heaviest Evo IX and didnt use the 4G63. So they got kind of fat and soft. The STI of any gen is a much more nimble car.

 

Probably either my 1991 MR2 SW20 N/A or my 2008 Scion xD R.S. 1.0

Definitely not my 2010 Tacoma.

 

Shelby gt350 has been one of my favorite manual cars to drive. Shifter feel is great and the clutch was always super forgiving. Also this 911. I think it was an 87?
Edit:I was talking about this car with someone at work today. It is a 91

 

I drove a P car with the 7th overdrive gear and it was wild! Can not even imagine in the 6.2L that has to be like 1600prm idle on the highway at 70 mph haha.

That is a beautiful Porsche!! 8250rpm in the GT350 had to be unbelievable to drive fast! Great input! I really want to experience a a GT350 and a Cayman GT4