[rpc180]

I went to work for the first time in my 3s 5-spd today. This is typical Brooklyn Queens Expressway 8am traffic (what you'd expect from most). The car was an absolute pleasure to drive! I dunno if its the drive by the wire system, but in 1st gear for most of the way I didn't have to clutch more than 4 times. The car wouldn't stall unless it was a dead stop all the way down to the wheels just barely turning! When just coasting in 1st the car seemed to slightly rev when it got close to stopping and would only stall if the brakes were used to force it to a stop. What's up with that? A totally welcome surprise! Was such a surprise that I took the highway home at rush hour just to check if it was fluke!

 

[Killer Chickens]

Actually the Protege can do that too . But that is a characteristic of manuals. I used to drive an old Sentra and it did the same thing. This can be very nice when there is heavy bumper to bumper traffic, but saddly this doesn't work so good on the snow.

 

[birdy]

hmm the reason i got an auto was because i deal with dallas traffic everyday just about. I hate 5 speed during rush hour.

 

[Butters]

ditto on the auto.... I can't stand 5speed in traffic

 

[hotptato]

ya i understand ya, but theirs nothing like racing up through the gears when you hit open road, thats why my wife dont let me drive after watching nascar...lol

ditto on the auto.... I can't stand 5speed in traffic

 

[vaBooM]

i dont find it too bad. actually i enjoy it. its fun to race from stop light to stop light.

espcially if you own the competitor hehe

 

[Finprof]

in 1st gear for most of the way I didn't have to clutch more than 4 times. The car wouldn't stall unless it was a dead stop all the way down to the wheels just barely turning!

In one of the other topics - "What don't you like about the Mazda 3" I complained that first gear is too low to be useful. Now I realize the value of a very low first gear in traffic. You can inch along in first gear without using the clutch. I hadn't thought about that benefit. The other benefit is that my wife can learn to drive a stick now since it is almost impossible to stall the car in first. You don't need to use the gas pedal at all. Just dump the clutch.

 

[Kazbaeden]

Gaaah. Why would you let someone learn on your precious new 3?

 

[dugrant153]

Wow!! A 5-spd that doesn't stall??

No more jack-rabbiting for a newbie like me?

 

[SyChO]

I will be learning stick on my Mz3 when I get it. But don't worry I got the racing blood so I should learn quick, har har har! (I am so full of myself)

 

[neoriffic]

The other benefit is that my wife can learn to drive a stick now since it is almost impossible to stall the car in first. You don't need to use the gas pedal at all. Just dump the clutch.

This is great news! My fiancee is very scared about me getting a 5spd and the possibilities of her having to drive it. I had a '93 MX-6 and it was almost impossible to stall. You could feed the clutch out w/ 0 gas from a stop light and it wouldn't stall.

I can't imaging having anything other than a manual in this car, come to think of it, I've never had a car that wasn't a manual. They are just so much more fun to drive, I can put up w/ the little annoyance.

 

[cowtown]

In it's "defense" the Auto is quite fun to drive, especially with the Manumatic, you can tear it up pretty good with that. I stomped on an a riced up Integra the other day with my manumatic, quite a bit of fun holding it in 2nd and toying with him before tearing off.

 

[mounty]

I was surprised by the response on the manumatic! It was quick without fuss, and a clutch. I like it. I too can't stand MT in traffic. Red light to red light is ok, but stuck on an interstate going 5mph stopping and going is what I can't stand.

 

[budgy]

Actually pretty much every car made can be launched without using the throttle. But only if you let the clutch out slow enough, but honestly you roll along so bloody slow it seems pointless to do it and I would think it wears on your clutch if you are feathering it out all the time.

I have never driven a standard that stalls in first gear once it is rolling though, seems to be impossible unless going up a hill.

 

[PhillyM3]

learning to drive 5 speed

I just pickup up my M3s 5-speed last night, and I am very rough around the edges when it comes to driving a manual trans. 1st gear is nice, you can go very slowly without stalling. I feel sorry for my clutch though, I better get smoother soon...

 

[USCMazda3]

I'm really truly seriously looking forward to using my 5-speed in bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic. It's fun. Helps pass the time. Having a manual in any situation makes the experience all the more interesting and engaging.

And as someone said, with an auto, you simply STEER. If you've got a manual you DRIVE.

 

[neoriffic]

I'm really truly seriously looking forward to using my 5-speed in bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic. It's fun. Helps pass the time. Having a manual in any situation makes the experience all the more interesting and engaging.

And as someone said, with an auto, you simply STEER. If you've got a manual you DRIVE.

Well put!

 

[Bombadil]

Anyone seen any performance times on the manumatic yet? On most cars the auto gives up 0.8 to 1.0 seconds, sometimes more, in the 0-60. The Mazda6 2.3L 4-spd automatic gives up about a second. But the Mz3 seems to be geared differently, so maybe its a bit closer.

 

[PaPa]

ya, its the first thing i noticed when i took it for a test drive, its very difficult to make it stall..

fantasmagorical.

 

[USCMazda3]

I just don't understand the concept of an automatic, especially in a 4-cylinder compact. You're paying more money for a decrease in performance and driving excitement.