# Buying new car as first manual transmission car



## BMWFanboy (Apr 27, 2008)

So I learned to drive on a manual transmission car 10 years ago, but have been driving automatic ever since. I am looking to lease a 335xi so was wondering if you guys thought it would be stupid to lease a manual transmission. None of my friends have manual transmissions so the only other thing I could do is buy a beater car and practice on that for some time but I'd rather not...


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## Just Bryce (Sep 23, 2005)

BMWFanboy said:


> So I learned to drive on a manual transmission car 10 years ago, but have been driving automatic ever since.* I am looking to lease *a 335xi so was wondering if you guys thought *it would be stupid to buy *a manual transmission. None of my friends have manual transmissions so the only other thing I could do is buy a beater car and practice on that for some time but I'd rather not...


:tsk:


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## BMWFanboy (Apr 27, 2008)

Fixed the post, but does buying vs leasing really affect the decision? And yes, I realize the subject of the thread still says "buying".


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## Desiboy (Apr 1, 2005)

My current 08 335i is my first MT. I learned on a Saturn a while ago, but wasn't all that good, just able to get by. Two weeks in and I'm much more comfortable with it. I wanted to lease my first MT, because if I do mess it up too bad, I've only got it for 3 years. I'd lease if I were you. You'll question your decision for the first few days, but now, I'm at the point where I don't even have to think about it most of the time, I just feel it. The car's much more fun to drive too. 

Just do it .


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## GBimmer (Mar 26, 2008)

I was born driving a manual transmission, but I'm more of an exception....

If you're leasing the car, go with the manual. If you're buying the car and plan to keep it for a long time, get a really, really cheap beater ($500-1000) to learn on before buying the car. 

my wife's IS250 was a pre-leased vehicle. We bought it with 32,000 miles on it. Within the first month, I noticed the clutch was giving out and took it back in to have it changed. My wife can drive stick, so obviously the last person couldn't... Other than that, the car is perfect now that the clutch is new. The PO probably went on to buy a real car with a real stick shift afterward.


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## BMWFanboy (Apr 27, 2008)

I'm definitely leasing for 24 months. What kind of damage could I cause other than to the clutch that makes it a bad idea to buy a manual rather than lease it? Thanks for the advice, guys.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

BMWFanboy said:


> I'm definitely leasing for 24 months. What kind of damage could I cause other than to the clutch that makes it a bad idea to buy a manual rather than lease it? Thanks for the advice, guys.


I would have said unless you can't smoothly accelerate from a stop and shift gears without expensive, metal on metal noises coming from the transmission within 15 minutes, you will have no problem.

If, on the other hand, you can't master this fairly simple foot-eye coordination in that amount of time, you should probably be taking the bus to work. :bigpimp:

Just kidding: you will be fine. Buy the MT, you'll never regret it. :thumbup:


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## BMWFanboy (Apr 27, 2008)

wingspan said:


> I would have said unless you can't smoothly accelerate from a stop and shift gears without expensive, metal on metal noises coming from the transmission within 15 minutes, you will have no problem.
> 
> If, on the other hand, you can't master this fairly simple foot-eye coordination in that amount of time, you should probably be taking the bus to work. :bigpimp:
> 
> Just kidding: you will be fine. Buy the MT, you'll never regret it. :thumbup:


Haha, great advice. I'm definitely going with the MT, just trying to decide if I should wait for the "facelifted" 3 series or not  .


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## ktc (Jan 10, 2005)

GBauer said:


> My wife can drive stick


:eeps:


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## ifox (Feb 25, 2008)

OP: I'd say go for it. I had the same "problem" when I ordered my 335i. I learned to drive MT and then didn't have any practice for almost 8 years. I had 335 for 3 weeks now. The first couple days were most horrible (especially one of them when I got into huge traffic jam on my way to work): I stalled the car a few times (fortunately, at very slow speed) and clutch-brake-accelerator-clutch-... got me very nervous. But. After couple days it all came back. And now I can't get enough driving the car


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## BMWFanboy (Apr 27, 2008)

Awesome, I am feeling more confident of my decision to go ahead and get the MT .


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