Best Manual Transmission You Have Driven??? | FerrariChat

Best Manual Transmission You Have Driven???

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by bmwm3, Jun 27, 2018.

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  1. bmwm3

    bmwm3 Formula Junior

    Jun 6, 2005
    751
    Laguna Hills, OC!
    What is the best manual transmission you have ever driven?

    I don't know why always go back to the S2000.
     
    tifoso2728 likes this.
  2. SVCalifornia

    SVCalifornia Formula 3
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    Mar 28, 2011
    2,447
    Silicon Valley
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    Keith
    2006 Mercedes SLK350! Smooth as butter!

    SV


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  3. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Gated 550 Maranello.
     
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  4. David_S

    David_S F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
    11,260
    Mountains of WNC...
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    David S.
    Sure wasn't the 1980 Chevy Chevette that I learned on. After that? I could drive pretty much anything with a stick.

    Once I changed the trans oil on my old 1987 928 S4? It was probably the smoothest & most predictable manual trans I've used. Never missed a gear & shifted slick as snot.
     
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  5. definitelysomeday

    definitelysomeday Formula Junior

    Aug 7, 2009
    655
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Full Name:
    Tom Kavan
    Miata and then a BoxsterS is close 2nd.

    The shifter on current Golf R is not very good, even after adding an SSK and upgrading the shift bushings.
     
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  6. mclaudio

    mclaudio Formula 3

    Dec 13, 2003
    1,236
    Seattle area
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    Claudio
    +1 on S2000 and Miata.

    I’d add slightly modded 996/997 (Cup shifter/solid bushings/fresh engine mounts/gear oil). I have not driven 991 R or .2 GT3.

    I’m partial to certain Ferrari gated shifters, too; but a different experience than the above.

    Just for comparison, the other end of spectrum may consist of notch/vague 914, 70s/80s VW.
     
  7. JOEA2

    JOEA2 Formula 3

    Feb 2, 2006
    1,160
    Staten Island, N.Y./ Sea Girt,N.J.
    Full Name:
    Joe A
    2002 BMW Z8.

    Joe
     
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  8. sca037

    sca037 Formula Junior

    Mar 16, 2009
    520
    Northville, MI
    Full Name:
    Brian
    Another vote for the S2000, that Aisin unit is rifle-bolt smooth and precise!
     
    tifoso2728 likes this.
  9. BRADAN

    BRADAN Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 29, 2009
    22,661
    West Babylon, NY
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    BRADAN
    S2000 and Ferrari 550.
     
  10. bmwm3

    bmwm3 Formula Junior

    Jun 6, 2005
    751
    Laguna Hills, OC!
    I've driven the 360 and the 430 in a manual. How does it differ from the 550? I see a lot of responses for the 550...
     
  11. NbyNW

    NbyNW F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Gen1 NSX. Beautiful.
     
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  12. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    Vegas baby
    250 Lusso GT

    It’s the complete classic package. Quirky. Noisy. Awkward. Wonderful.

    Wih that engine and clutch and the rawness it’s completely unlike anything today. When want to understand how cars used to have “soul”, if you drive one you’ll understand what we have lost.
     
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  13. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
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    Nov 9, 2010
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    Muffin-Tops
    The most fun was the '72 Ghibli SS I romped about in. What a freaking Italian muscle car.

    The "best" though, I'd second Dale up there @Texas Forever on the 550. Click-clack GONNNNEEEEEEEE
     
    Texas Forever likes this.
  14. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Compare Lebron James to Pee Wee Herman.
     
  15. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
    15,055
    ny
    S2000 and ford gt
     
  16. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa

    Nov 2, 2003
    8,810
    illinois
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    mark k.
    1980 Honda Accord, smooth as butter.
     
  17. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    ny
    and i forgot the best of them all is my current drive. lotus elise. perfect mechanical feel, light clutch, short and solid throws.
     
  18. Scotty

    Scotty F1 Veteran
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    Oct 31, 2003
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    Scotty Ferrari
    2000 Datsun Roadster. Superb.

    P.S. I have an Exige 240S. Trans sucks relative to many others.
     
  19. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    ny
    surprising
    before the elise, I had Porsche gt3 w stock short throw 6sp that gets such great reviews and I thought it sucked. heavy clutch, always hit the gates on upshift. lotus is perfect for me. maybe its different than exige 240? cant imagine a better one. so mechanical in feel...
     
  20. Scotty

    Scotty F1 Veteran
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    Oct 31, 2003
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    Scotty Ferrari
    Lotus has cables--they can be adjusted and tweaked but still have a bit of slop. On the Datsun roadster the tranny lever stuck right into a solid piece of metal on top of the output shaft portion of the trans.
     
  21. joker57676

    joker57676 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 12, 2005
    23,767
    Sin City
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    Deplorie McDeplorableface
  22. kizdan

    kizdan F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2003
    5,505
    A 360 manual is one of my favorites - much nicer than a Maranello. A Maranello's throws are slightly too long, whereas a 360 is just about perfect.
     
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  23. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Ah, that makes mastering the 550 much more fun. (Disclaimer, I have never driven a F360 stick.)
     
  24. 05011994

    05011994 Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 1, 2004
    1,859
    Golden, Colorado
    Took the S2000 out for andrive on twisty mountain roads, the manual transmission is amzing, better than my old NSX, way better then my old E30 M3 and sadly better than my F355.
     
  25. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    May 27, 2004
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    FL
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    Sean
    997.2 Gt3.
     
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