[JeffSpeed25]

hey ppl,

this is my first post and i do not have a M3 yet but will be looking for somthing soon. I am 24 and only heard of the M3 on comercials till i saw it and fell in love this past weekend scrolling around different dealerships.
well one year ago, i bought a brand new 03 si and totaled it with 700 miles on it. i was stopped on a hill waiting for traffic to clear, there was a truck coming at the end of the pack (compared to a flat bed tow-truck) with his signal on, i was thinking he was turning where i was pulling out, so i pulled up and stalled it in the intersection and the truck didnt turn either
.................bammmmmmmmm. he hit me at my drivers door at 50mph, my car flew across the medium (4 lane highway) and rested on the other side of the highway. the truck went on its side.
i was knocked to the passenger side, the drivers door was crushed all the way on the drivers seat (only 3 inches was showing next to the center council(sp). if i had my seatbelt on, i would have been killed.

I only had fractred ribs and a partial collapse lung as the extent of my injuries. i was also knocked out and came to when an emt was putting a neckbrace on me.
all this said, I do not want a a/t for performance reasons but am scared of getting a m/t. i am currently driving a 03 ZX2 auto which i hate in everyway but got it b/c there was a $4000 rebate on it, lowered it to $11k financed.
anyways.........what would you guys do. :?:

 

[Cleeve]

...what would you guys do. :?:

Practice!

 

[mnemonicj]

If you aren't confident with driving a manual transmission, find one to practice on in an open parking lot. If you can't feel confident driving a manual transmission in a parking lot then you shouldn't be driving it on the road yet. It's not worth your life to have a faster 0-60 time.

 

[gentle]

If you aren't confident with driving a manual transmission, find one to practice on in an open parking lot. If you can't feel confident driving a manual transmission in a parking lot then you shouldn't be driving it on the road yet. It's not worth your life to have a faster 0-60 time.

I concur... and if you need to drive around in an auto for a few years to get past the fear (which is obviously justified in your case), so be it. its not the end of the world, and odds are you weren't planning on going to the dragstrip anyways.

 

[TellyDSP]

go auto. There really isn't a big loss. The manual option will be a happy medium for you. I understand the psychological effect of accidents as I experience some after totalling my 3. I'm very cautious of people on side streets now. If your not confident wiht the MT, you won't enjoy driving the 3(or any car). If you're not dead set on a MT(many people grew up with and live for them), then there is no reason to get one if you don't want it. If you're worried about performance, take one for a test drive(get a color or combo that you're not buying so you can beat it up and not be stuck with a newly beat up car )

 

[edgaress]

go auto. There really isn't a big loss. The manual option will be a happy medium for you. )

Couldn't agree more. There were no automatics when I started to drive, and drove a truck ('36 Dodge 3-ton stake) as a summer job where, if you couldn't double clutch, it would be a long trip in first gear. So, I like the control of the manual but bride, who can drive manual, insisted on the auto, which means the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

To the point - I use the sport shift a lot on winding back roads, and for me, it is a reasonable substitute. And mileage is not much affected if you are reasonable on acceleration rate. And it wil give you opportunity to practice selecting shift rpm ranges - next car you can add the clutch!

 

[zephyrantes]

JeffSpeed25: get the M/T. $hit happens, and you can't let that hold you down. I remember my first experience driving standard; one of the plastic bushings that connected the clutch pedal to the slave cylinder broke off. Obviously I freaked out, and I don't know how I got home, but I fixed it the next day and I've never regretted driving standard since.

I don't know how much parasitic drivetrain loss the A/T has over the M/T, but it WILL be there. But beyond that, also remember that the A/T weighs more than an M/T, and you'll have more options to improve the M/T over an A/T

 

[TheMirror]

the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

Yes, BMW's system is very very good.

 

[mnemonicj]

the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

Yes, BMW's system is very very good.

Haven't heard this discussion before... :roll:

 

[M3-GT]

the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

Yes, BMW's system is very very good.

Ok now...thanks for your unnecessary input. This has been discussed many times. This is a Mazda 3 board so if by M3 you think BMW, you're a moron. If not than you just want to be a smart ass. We don't like smart ass here for your info. :roll:

 

[TheMirror]

I'm not a troublemaker by any means, but correct model designation is correct model designation. I will continue to poke with a sharp stick at those who get sloppy.

-Mirror

 

[M3-GT]

I'm not a troublemaker by any means, but correct model designation is correct model designation. I will continue to poke with a sharp stick at those who get sloppy.

-Mirror

Yeah you do that....continue to educate us :roll:

 

[TheMirror]

the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

Yes, BMW's system is very very good.

Haven't heard this discussion before... :roll:

Got a link to the original discussion? I'd be interested to read it.
-Mirror

 

[M3-GT]

the M3 with sport shift was an easy choice (in addition to other factors).

Yes, BMW's system is very very good.

Haven't heard this discussion before... :roll:

Got a link to the original discussion? I'd be interested to read it.
-Mirror

Do a search.