It's a GTI... Worth it? I'm not doing too much long distance driving, my commute to work is montrose to galleria.
I just went back to a manual a month ago after 2 1/2 years in an auto. The first two weeks had me wondering wtf I was thinking but I'm fully back to unconsciously shifting and no longer regret my decision. My commute is a nightmare. West Spring/Woodlands to downtown Mon-Fri.
Worse mistake I ever made living in Houston. It's great in a fun weekend car but if you plan on commuting in it then the fun will wear out
I've had a manual for the last 8 years. The key to driving a manual in Houston is not driving in traffic. So... yeah.
Key is to just drive slow in traffic. Leave a lot of space so you don't end up stopping and going. Your goal should be to keep moving. That makes it less of a pain.
I drove a manual for 5 years in Houston traffic every single day and do not regret my decision to go auto with then new ride. It's much easier to drink my tall boy on the way home without having to hit the clutch, etc. Now I just glide in comfort.
If you've never driven one as your main car before, budget for the posibility of replacing the clutch fairly soon. Even if you know 100% what you are doing in theory, people manage to burn through the first clutch until they get the practical experience. The big.problem.is having people follow to closely in stop-and-go on hills. When you go to drop into gear, you roll back into them. No hills in Houston = no problems. If you eat in your car, manual is a b****. If you talk on the phone a bunch, get a bluetooth earbud.
I've driven manuals most of my life, in Los Angeles and Houston, and never really had an issue. If you drive them enough it's just second nature after a bit.
It is for me, but I got sick of having slave cylinders go out every 6 months on the Z that had over 500rwhp. Pain in the ass driving in traffic when you're stuck in second gear with this set up. I finally gave up.
At this point I feel no difference driving a manual vs driving an automatic. It's such an unconscious response. Traffic is awful in any vehicle, a manual wont change that either way.
my corvette is manual, and i don't have any problem driving around houston. stop and go traffic is annoying, but not terrible. but if i didn't have a race car i wouldn't want a manual. i've just moved to austin and the roads and traffic there are a nightmare though
You can't imagine it, but it does become second nature to drive it through traffic. Happened all the time driving to UH from Sugar Land in the morning. You get used to what speed your 1st gear can handle without pushing itself and keep just above it so you can cruise in 2nd at a low rpm. And if it's really stop and go you still shouldn't be braking that much.
