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Old 08-10-2012, 01:09 PM
 
Location: O'Hara Twp.
4,359 posts, read 7,487,518 times
Reputation: 1611

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Starting to look for a car, can be either sedan or hatch, but it has to have 4 doors. Want a manual transmission car that is sporty and midsize. Kind of like the Jetta GLI but bigger. So, does this car exist?

I really don't want to spend money on a luxury car, like Infiniti or BMW. The Buick Regal GS is overpriced. Prefer not to buy another Subaru Legacy GT. Also, it has to be FWD or AWD.

Thoughts?

Last edited by robrobrob; 08-10-2012 at 01:17 PM..
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Old 08-10-2012, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
3,135 posts, read 11,827,363 times
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Not much out there. The latest gen Subaru Legacy GT is nice and only comes in a manual, but it's hard to find. A new Audi A4 would be my choice if you had a mid $30k budget.

Last edited by PokerMunkee; 08-10-2012 at 02:16 PM..
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Old 08-10-2012, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
13,715 posts, read 31,022,960 times
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The Honda Accord is available with a manual, but only in 4 cylinder cars. Same story with the Mazda6.

One nice sporty sedan available in a manual is the Acura TSX. Although the 6 speed manual is only available with the 4 cylinder, that is a sportier 4 than in the Accord.

Not many manuals available these days, which is a bummer. Of course you can find them more often in the upscale sports oriented brands. Some cool cars like the VW CC only offer manuals with the 4 cylinder engines.
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Old 08-10-2012, 03:15 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,550,109 times
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You want to buy a new manual around here? Nutso. (I've been driving sticks my whole 20 years here.)

To get more choices you really would have to go into something more expensive. Cars the size and price you're talking about are the least likely to have a stick. When you step up to the BMW/Audi and competitors, then you get sticks available again even in the same size cars usually.

Drive a 4-cyl Accord (the 2013 will be new design) and Mazda 6 (not sure when they're changing this but 2013 would be the 5th year if it's the same) and see if they are adequate. Of course if you can find one. Mazda is more likely to have a stick on the lot methinks. TSX is fine too but you might find it smallish still depending upon what you're looking for. Of course you might also find the entry lux ones small as well which would really push the price up if you need A6 or 5-series size car.
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Old 08-10-2012, 03:17 PM
 
Location: Whittier
3,004 posts, read 6,245,025 times
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WRX. It's not a Legacy!

I think that's the WRX's slogan.
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Old 08-10-2012, 03:22 PM
 
Location: New England
242 posts, read 349,388 times
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Go to Autotrader.com and do a search for cars in your area. Go to the bottom of the search page and expand on the Search by mileage, color, engine, features & keyword link and you can then specify 4door manual transmission cars that are on sale in your area, whether new or used. I'm partial to the A4s myself
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Old 08-10-2012, 03:23 PM
 
Location: Poway, CA
2,698 posts, read 12,122,086 times
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TSX?

Mike
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Old 08-10-2012, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
3,135 posts, read 11,827,363 times
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Dodge Dart and Chevy Cruze
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Old 08-10-2012, 04:22 PM
 
Location: SW France
16,555 posts, read 17,325,077 times
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How about the new Ford Focus ST?

Okay, it's front wheel drive but the Car and Driver report below seems to rate its handling and steering pretty well;

2013 Ford Focus ST First Ride - Feature - Car and Driver

I expect there are better and more up to date reviews out there.
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Old 08-10-2012, 07:15 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,550,109 times
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I think he's looking for something bigger than the Dart/Cruze/Focus, if not also the TSX.

I checked Billco and they have a couple of Mazda 6 in stock with a manual, so you'd be able to drive one. Baierl only has manuals on the V6 coupe Accord looks like. That's the extent of the dealers I checked as they're the ones closest to me, maybe not quite closest to you but still pretty close.

Dunno if you want to look used, that would be another way to get into the more expensive brands without ponying up the cost of a new one. You have to dig though because apart from the Audi those things are more often rear drive instead of AWD or front. And there are some impossibilities, like I just looked up a Lexus IS, and you can only get the manual in the rear drive, not the AWD, and only with the 4cyl again.

The Acura TL still has a manual available and in this case only in the AWD version (not in the front drive) and has a V6. The new-for-2012 nose and tail are not quite as bad as the 2009-2011. This car is larger than the TSX, although it is derided in some cases as being just a fancied up Accord. The TSX is based on the smaller European accord as I understand it.
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