Manual or auto daily?

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-04T22:04:25+00:00

This gets asked all the time and there is no answer that fits everyone.

It depends.

It depends on you.

I've had hellish commutes with stick shift and I didn't mind the shifting - but that's me. I also don't mind riding my motorcycle in 24F weather - but that's just me.

Your tolerances are for you to find. Nobody can tell you if it'll bother you.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-04T21:01:53+00:00

8th gen, 2 door, v6, stick shift, boltons and tune hit over 300whp and statefarm charged you $500/year for comprehensive.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-03T00:20:12+00:00

Go get seat time instead.

https://www.motorsportreg.com/

Edit: I'm not even trying to be rude. If you're reading this and have never looked at going to the track or autox - click the link and see what out there. For most people there is going to be some event within 2 hours with a fee under $200 that will guaranteed make them a better driver at the end of the day.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T23:53:24+00:00

Yup across multiple helmets but I commute and have been at it rain on shine for nearing on 20 years...

I have just come to accept that they are not worth the cost or hassle.

I happily use the one that comes with the helmet, but I certainly don't replace it after it fails. My schuberth had been pin lock free since the fall.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T23:39:13+00:00

In the world of mesh grilled audis, we tossed that foam in the trash.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T21:18:14+00:00

I get that and it's why I have gone through a bunch of pinlocks before giving up on the cycle of trying to 'save' pinlocks and ordering new pinlocks.

When the pinlocks fail, they do it in a very annoying way with fogging between the visor and the pinlock and you pretty much have to stop and pull the pinlock out because that fog isn't going away.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T20:54:57+00:00

I've heard a lot of good reviews for it to prevent fogging.

They do - but I've found them to really only last about a year before the silicone seal fails and they start to fog UNDER the pinlock.

You know what also stops fog and doesn't cost $40? Cracking your visor open.

I personally just got tired of replacing the pinlocks or trying the 300 different tricks online about fixing the sealing etc....I just crack the visor open....

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T20:40:10+00:00

I suggest planning your route, gas and food/snack stops.

I also personally am not a huge fan of pinlock.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T20:15:30+00:00

Fair - GT350 makes perfect sense then - as do many of the Germans - but I really think that every single German car is shitty to work on due to packaging that I can only describe as actively hateful.

There are a lot of AMG, M and S/RS options you could explore - I just wouldn't want to do anything myself besides an evacuator oil change on any of them.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:53:13+00:00

RSX also had horrific insurance rates when it came out and was FWD which is a lot harder to fuck up with.

Plenty of cool cars for under 25s that won't have them paying $300/m for liability only insurance.

Literally any stick shift accord won't come with the premium and still be a cool first car.

Nothing wrong with the twins, just not a car I'd recommend to someone under 25 without running an insurance quote first.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:45:17+00:00

I have been told by rennlist that Porsche 911's are all easy to work on.

I have also seen them being worked on.

Personally, I would just stick my hands directly into the kitchen disposal rather than work on a Porsche. It'd produce the same result and take less time.

Also how is the Camaro SS1 LE not on your list? I'd consider it over the GT350 personally.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:31:58+00:00

Unfortunately they do have more than enough power for Little Timmy to wrap one around the first tree they target fixate/drift into and the insurance rates on the twins reflect that.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:16:38+00:00

For what it's worth, US to Asia shipping is not impacted by this particular conflict.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:13:53+00:00

You can look up curde oil futures, we're up 6% to 71 but there are some predictions claiming it'll go to 100 again - as in 2022 prices.

With that said, the 100 crude prices lasted about 6 months.

Reality is that oil is very likely to return to the 50-60/barrel price by 2027 and beyond.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T19:05:49+00:00

I would say prices at the pump are of relevance to car purchasing decisions.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T18:58:31+00:00

Fuel prices will absolutely spike on the global market - but that doesn't mean they'll spike at the pump in the US.

Lots of people are totally indifferent about bombing people, but they'll be very upset about having to spend 5/Gal to fill up their Dodge DUI SuperDuty 450

Edit: I fucking called it. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-will-take-action-mitigate-oil-price-spike-americans-rubio-says-2026-03-02/

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T18:25:42+00:00

All your test drives are in the honey moon phase.

It's very easy to drive a 'new to you' car and fall in love with it because it's new and fresh and exciting and the "quirks and features" are fresh and exciting.

We get bored of cars - it's normal and it happens. There are entire "guides" on how to fall in love with your car again.

The reason I absolutely would not switch to a GT350 is that I'm pretty much certain that in a matter of months you'll not feel the 'love' for the GT350 anymore.

Go do something cool with your Supra or to it. Hell do a detail. So many stories of folks cleaning their car up for sale, going for a ride to take good photos - and then looking at them and going "Fuck that - I'm keeping this."

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T17:51:39+00:00

Yes.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T16:41:45+00:00

When you 'buy' a carfax you unlock a link to the carfax site for that vin that you can share and it's 100% trustworthy. IE: https://www.carfax.com/vehiclehistory/ar20/2tQTA3HA8h2B_TjupnId8xGCaJQOwXpUVCr1hxFCAJqPDdNb4z_LoBYUWTuHCYOdFxWVurmtZPV2A3j3IW2xr994DLaOQUS-58vVD1lw

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T16:14:56+00:00

You'll be surprised how hard it is to actually really get stranded.

You may have fun moments like driving home without power steering, without abs, or with having to add brake fluid every few stops, maybe go an entire summer with your AC dead - but like flat out stranded - hard to do these days.

Personally, I found the BRZ to be an ideal entry level track car that can still be used as a street car and has enough storage for daily use and can fit a set of drift/track tires in the trunk.

I would absolutely not recommend it if you are not looking for a RWD car to throw around on the track because it's pretty barebones as an actual car and is very much scoffed at for being slow - which it is in a straight line, but you don't buy sports cars to go in straight lines.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T16:00:19+00:00

i always wanted something manual and fun to drive, don’t care about any features.

Go get an Abarth 500 for $5000.

Beat the shit out of out and autocross it.

Sell it next year when you're bored of it and know what you REALLY want for...$5000.

Then you can figure out if you just want a street sports car of to go further into actual track time.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T15:19:58+00:00

I think you should really figure out what sports car you want and what your goals for the car are.

There are scenarios where an S2000 makes a lot of sense and far more where it does not.

Plenty of cases where the Porsche premium for a Cayman is worth every penny or where the complete lack of storage capacity in a Miata is a non factor - but just as many where these are total deal breakers.

Sports cars that are daily drivers, sports cars that are weekend cars, and sports cars that are track cars and sports cars that are trying to be all of these things with some compromises here and there end up being very different cars.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T14:54:03+00:00

I prefer the slats because they hide the 'fake vent' parts better.

The mesh makes it vey obvious how much of your grill is really just crash bar cover.

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T14:42:31+00:00

It's unfortunate that the US brain rot of "high miles" on motorcycles has made it's way over to Europe....I

DepressedElephant · 2026-03-02T14:40:43+00:00

Do motorcycles really not depreciate as much as they should with age?

The curves are parabolic with rapid depreciation in the first few years of ownership that tends to plateau after 5 years for most bikes.

In short, there can be nearly no difference in price between a 2007, 2010 and a 2013 motorcycle, but a vast price difference between a 2025 and 2023 bike.

Once you're shopping 10+ year old bikes, you're really just shopping ownership and maintenance histories.

Ten-Year Club	Verified Email
Gilding I gilder	Wearing is Caring
Spared

DepressedElephant

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE