Yahoo Autos Here's $18,000. Buy somebody their first manual transmission
The art of driving a manual is not dead — at least not yet. But with new manual-equipped cars disappearing left and right, it's getting a lot tougher to snag seat time in a stickshift, let alone purchase one to drive long-term. And whether you begged, borrowed, stole or sneaked away, we all had to learn to drive a manual transmission on something. Well, now it's time to pass that down to the next generation (whatever age they may be) of car people.
Keep this in mind before we get to the formal rules: This week's challenge is as much about the car you choose as the person you choose it for, and your selection will say a lot about the relationship you have with that person. If you pick a Mazda RX-8, for example, you're either saying you trust this person to pick up the process quickly, or that you hate their guts and hope they stall on an onramp and die. There's really no middle ground, so tread carefully.
Anyway, here are your guidelines:
Your choice can be new or used.
This is not necessarily the beneficiary's first car, just the first one they've owned with a manual transmission.
The gearbox has to actually be a traditional manual transmission with three pedals (or any reasonable equivalent) and a gear lever. It's of no consequence where the latter is mounted so long as it exists. No sequential or automated units, period.
No swaps. Factory applications only.
You may spend less than $18,000, however no points are awarded for frugality.
The points aren't real anyway.
Now, on to the staff picks:
2019 Volkswagen Golf Wagon
Senior Editor James Riswick: Volkswagen manuals are very easy to drive. Torquey, turbocharged engines generally make for an easier row-your-own experience (there's a reason recent Honda Civics have become even better), while VW's clutch takeup and engagement point are incredibly forgiving. The gearbox may feature longer throws than a driving enthusiast would prefer, but they're precise and the general rubberyness makes it, again, forgiving. That's what you want from a manual when you're learning. Or when stuck in traffic. Or just driving around mundanely. All of this is consistent with cars that hail from a place where people still opt for manual transmissions in cars that have zero performance potential (or, you know, at all). Now, to be perfectly honest, I originally thought about finding a previous-generation Honda Civic, but the Golf selection had fewer miles and were newer. And this one is a wagon! Asking price is $16,997 and it has 59,232 miles on it. And if we're talking "first manual transmission" because it's also a teen's first car, the excellent fuel economy and cargo versatility should come in handy at college and beyond.
