Life with a manual in heavy traffic cities: possibly moving to LA.

[MyKmYk]

Hello Everyone,

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the Cali Regional forum, but I think its general enough to serve this forum as well.

It is looking increasingly likely that I will soon be calling Los Angeles my new home. I currently have a ZCP 6MT F80 on order and I am a bit concerned about life with a manual in LA. So, for those that have them and live in heavily congested areas and drive in the congestion regularly.... do you have any regrets?

Before you answer, a bit of background on me: I currently own a E36, E46, and E90 M3; the 2 former being MT, and the latter E90 DCT. I also own a E82 1 M Coupe, which is obviously a 6MT as well. I currently live in north Jersey, about 20 minutes from NYC on a good day... so I am no stranger to traffic. However, due to the location of my job and where I live, I almost never have to deal with driving on the highways and stop and go traffic - just local roads and back streets. Really the only time I deal with it is when I go to the city, which is almost always for pleasure and by choice. While I do intend to ultimately bring the E46 and E82 to LA, this is something that I may wait to do until I am more fully settled and established in LA. So its not as if I won't have the option of a MT at some point, but it could be about a year or so before I bring them. And finally the most important point, this F80 will be my daily driver.

I would much prefer to keep some extra change in my pocket and not go with the DCT option, as I am a proud member of the save the manuals club. And while I have enjoyed the DCT on my E90, I've always felt a bit less pleasure in driving the E90 than I have the other cars - the E82M being the
favorite car I've owned. But with me not knowing how much stop and go traffic I am going to be experiencing, in addition to not knowing where I am going to be living and how far I am going to be driving, I am so torn on what to do.

As I finish this post, I think I already know what to expect from this forum - SAVE THE MANUALS - but I am genuinely looking for some advice here. Any advice would be appreciated.

Oh, and one more thing. Since I have your attention, some of you may remember my E90 M3 if you spent time on the E9X Bimmerpost Forums back in the day... Well she's going to be for sale sometime very soon, if you think you might be interested...

[bmrwrld]

It will keep you proficient. You will learn a lot what you can really do with a MT. The DCT is the easy way out, don't do it.

[RickFLM4]

Here's what you are gonna hear back in this thread:
* Save the manual guys will say you should get the manual
* DCT guys will say get the DCT
* A handful of 6MT enthusiasts will say they always had a manual but switched to DCT and really like it, concluding DCT is really superior
* Another handful of people will say they switched from 6MT to DCT and then had to switch back because DCT sucks

The thread will spiral into yet another 6MT vs. DCT debate and migrate away from your original question.

All that said, I have DCT and drive to Miami often, where traffic is most times ridiculous. Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with that traffic in a 6MT. However, DCT isn't perfect in heavy traffic either. It can be lurchy and doesn't like creeping along so you'll probably want to use the paddles to manually change gears in heavy traffic. The car is just not a great car for heavy, slow-moving, bumper-to-bumper traffic. It's meant more for an open road or track. So, ultimately, I'd just option it the way you want it.

[M4RAUDR]

Not gonna lie... you'd be much more comfortable with a DCT.

Still though, a 6sp is not going to make you miserable. Yes, LA traffic sucks - almost all of the time - but you'll manage. I don't think you'll be regretting it, unless your commute keeps you stuck in traffic a couple hours per day. It also makes a big difference where you live and where you commute to.

What area are you considering?




/

[DrtyJrze]

LA traffic in a manual? Is this a real question?

Been there, done that. Get the DCT and make your shitty commute less painful. We do not need you going all Michael Douglas in Falling Down one day

[jmg]

I've lived in LA my whole life. Ive been an hour long commuter more often than not for the past 20 years and all of those years I've been in a MT. About 5 years ago, after being beaten down ft 15 years, I got an auto and now a DCT. Yes, it's easier, but I do miss the MT, and I only did it because I liked the DCT enough to ditch the MT. But, for 15 years I drove a MT, and it was fine. I think you will be fine... for at least 15 years. In other words, don't worry about it for now. Wait to get a DCT when you absolutely just can't handle the traffic anymore. That being said, I've had a nice break, and I'm ready to go back to a MT.

[Tanzanite18]

I have a new M3 but had a manual mini s cooper works in SF for 15 years. So not only traffic but add near verticals hills to the manual load (and traffic on hills). At no point did I wish for an automatic. Even in bumper to bumper traffic you have a connection to the car with a manual that you lose with an automatic. Plus once you do have time and space to get on it there is just nothing like a manual gear climb with authority in these cars.

[Red Bread]

I lived in Laguna Beach and drove up to LA frequently and never minded having a manual. In fact, my manual M Coupe was easier to drive in stop and go traffic than the wife?s 135i auto, which had such a heavy brake pedal. It was more work to keep that thing from creeping than to use the clutch in my car.

I live in Dallas now and still drive manuals only. I?ve always equated it to walking vs a Segway. Sure one?s easier, but it?s not like the original is difficult.

[LiquidMercury]

Personal preference for every reply here you'll read. My F30 is auto and is the first auto I've owned my entire life (been driving stick for over 25 years), but with my long commute, when it was time to change cars, auto was a no brainer for me because of freeway traffic and all the stop and goes that comes with that commute.

[UncleWede]

OR, get a 2-wheeled "manual" and cruise thru stopped traffic. If you have both, it will help balance out that much larger right arm (ASSuming)

[GuidoK]

I live in the most densly populated country in the world (except for city states like monaco etc), and have driven a manual all my life (I have my drivers licese almost 25 years now)
Had a 4 hour commute this morning to a customer, so yeah, there is some traffic here (roads completely blocked by accidents, broken lorries and whatnot); for my work I'm on the road a lot.
People who cant cope with a manual...well....they seriously need to man up.

Seriously, not once I thought in my life: "oh no! nooooo! now I need to shift again!"

[Banana Hammock]

I've both a manual car and a DCT car(Manual M3 and DSG VW GTI) and have driven through the worst of LA traffic with both and I think the answer to your question is "it depends". The clutch on the M3 is very easy to operate so sitting through 2 hours of stop go traffic isn't as painful as something with a heavier clutch. Yeah it's annoying but stop go traffic is annoying regardless so the point is moot. You sit through traffic long enough and everything just fades away and you sort of go into auto-pilot. You're gonna be in 1st the majority of the time so it becomes pretty mindless. A DCT M3 would be nice to have but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Plus I still enjoy driving stick rubbery-ness and all.

[PINeely]

If you're not sure then you should probably go with the DCT, manuals in traffic can get old fast. I mean really fast. And then there will come a day when you're sitting there rowing through traffic, you'll get frustrated and you'll say to yourself "why didn't I just get a DCT" and at that point there's no going back to the way it was before. Feeling like you bought the wrong car is pure shit.

On this forum you're going to get a lot more manual enthusiasts as you've already noted, but keep in mind that even some of us hung it up due to traffic considerations and I don't live in an area with traffic anywhere near as bad as in LA.

[tdott]

I guess it would depend on how long your drive is to work and how much driving you do.

I'd say get the manual.

[CANGRKE70]

I drove MT in Toronto for most of my life. Miss it once and awhile on weekends, but not in rush hour 2 hours a day.

[kprocivic]

I'm a save the manual kinda guy but no I would not daily a m/t in LA.

[Rik84]

I drive a manual, tuned, kind of full retard f80 in traffic every day.

It’s a lot of fun when you can actually drive it. In traffic, I want to murder babies.

[Lups]

Some day I will figure out how a manual is an issue...

[Banana Hammock]

Originally Posted by Lups

Some day I will figure out how a manual is an issue...

My left kick can knock out an elephant.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by pasghetti

My left kick can knock out an elephant.

My left kick can crush a forum filled with ball carriers.

[Rik84]

Originally Posted by Lups

My left kick can crush a forum filled with ball carriers.

I am more than just my sack and take offence that.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by Rik84

I am more than just my sack and take offence that.

Oh shut it you manist!