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Old 05-25-2019, 08:23 PM   #1
JST
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The World Has Won

It’s been happening for a while now, but I don’t think we appreciated that 2018 would really be the last year of the performance manual family car. Certainly I didn’t, not really. I thought there’d always be *some* option for the diehard three pedal fan, that someone, somewhere would keep the fire burning.

But, no. As I look around for options to replace the VW (goddamn that car and all of its offspring, forever), I see...nothing.

Performance 4 doors? Nope. Nary a one. They are all gone. And no, the STI doesn’t count, and VW is dead to me, and a four cylinder Genesis? Please.

Performance coupes with real back seats? The M2, I guess. The M4, for as long as those are available. Otherwise...zip. Nada.

I should have bought an SS or an M5 or an M3 while those were still available. Even an ATS-V. Or a prior gen S4. Something. Now I’m stuck looking at used car ads for unicorns where dealers seem to delight in calling flappy paddle gearboxes “manuals.” As if.

So. Not sure where this leaves me. Maybe just knuckling under and leaving this whole “enthusiast” thing behind? I can’t get excited about slushbox or flappy paddle performance cars. I tried to like the Giulia. I really did. But I just can’t get past the transmission knowing better than I do—or thinking it does. And all of the ZF 8 speeds out there just feel kludgy and gross after the Tesla.

Maybe I’ll spend the money on an M2 if I can find one, as the last hurrah. Like buying a ticket on the SS United States, it will be the last gasp of a dying age.
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Old 05-25-2019, 10:21 PM   #2
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Used F80 M3? Are the 997 / 991 back seats that bad?
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Old 05-25-2019, 11:03 PM   #3
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I mean, maybe on the F80. But it’s a used car and not terribly easy to find, at least with a stick and in an interesting spec.
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Old 05-26-2019, 05:50 AM   #4
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I went with a CPO 340i xdrive (due to my AWD requirement), it's certainly no M car, track handling package notwithstanding, but it's a pretty good daily. Not sure what I'll do next time around.

The m3 sedan seems to be the only one left.

The 340i manuals were getting snapped up and there was little flexibility in pricing. Conversely, my 535i is languishing. If the Roundel print edition, doesn't do it, I'll have to go to BaT.
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Old 05-26-2019, 09:42 AM   #5
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I was going to say the Genesis G70 being I just saw one last week and was really impressed with it but I get what your saying about it. If only it came with the manual and the bigger engine it might fit what you’re looking for.

Buying used is such a pain in the a** being we are all a pretty picky group but if you keep searching you’ll eventually find what your looking for. At least this is what I tell myself when searching

Is the clutch problem something that is really going to happen again ? It wasn’t just a defective clutch that now that it’s replaced will be fine ?
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Old 05-26-2019, 09:45 AM   #6
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Honestly I don’t know abt clutch. The stories on the boards are pretty bad.

But honestly I had such a bad taste from the service experience that I also just don’t want to deal with that anymore.
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Old 05-26-2019, 09:53 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JST View Post
Honestly I don’t know abt clutch. The stories on the boards are pretty bad.



But honestly I had such a bad taste from the service experience that I also just don’t want to deal with that anymore.


I surrendered awhile back because it was too hard and I lost this battle also.

Just drove the 987 this morning and that reminds me again of why we love cars. Shifting is fun, intuitive and immersive. The roads were still slick from overnight storm and the car wiggled on the on and off ramps. Shifting the gears really makes the driving experience superb.

But obviously in rich hour traffic it’s a “chore”.

Hope you find your way to make it work.
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Old 05-26-2019, 10:50 AM   #8
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Mazda 3 and Hyundai Veloster too small?
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Old 05-26-2019, 11:04 AM   #9
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Quote:
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I mean, maybe on the F80. But it’s a used car and not terribly easy to find, at least with a stick and in an interesting spec.
I have a saved F80 search that I check pretty frequently - 6spd F80s are easier to find than you might think (certainly way easier than F10 M5s, which are all tagged as "manual" but 99% are DCT). Also easier to find in F80 compelling spec than 997s in my experience.

You definitely want Comp. package. Beyond that, there aren't that many options for these things - leather, leather dash, sunroof, and a few other doodads and that's it. Many of the comp package cars are pretty loaded.
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Old 05-26-2019, 12:08 PM   #10
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Mazda 3 and Hyundai Veloster too small?
3 is too gutless for him especially compared to his r.

Veloster N might be a decent option , supposed to be good based on the reviews. I have Hyundai bias so I would have a tough time getting one.

Honda type r is supposed to be a blast but how it looks. Maybe the refreshed version will fix the looks issues
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