[Aaron37]

I really don't care what other people think about the car, i just want something safe and reliable. A car that handles well in snow and if I have to go up a hill, it will make it. Sometimes i fear hills in my Corolla. A snowy hill would be ever worse i'd imagine.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by Aaron37

Sometimes i fear hills in my Corolla. A snowy hill would be ever worse i'd imagine.

Does your Corolla have an automatic transmission? If so, I rescind my original recommendation to keep it. Others may disagree.

[KNOTTE]

Do what makes you happy. Besides, the Impreza doesn't carry nearly the "stigma" that Outbacks do. Not that either should carry one! It's just a car after all.

Good luck with your move.

[flu189]

All of my cars have always been standard transmission and it really does help when dealing with twisting incline roads.

[KNOTTE]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

Does your Corolla have an automatic transmission? If so, I rescind my original recommendation to keep it. Others may disagree.

I agree with Sheryl, stick definitely gives you better control than automatic in the snow. It's the only time I wish I hadn't gone to the mommy van, but my Toyota Sienna does handle quite well regardless.

Again, best of luck on your car shopping and your move.

[Aaron37]

I have an automatic Corolla. I don't even know how to drive a stick.

[KNOTTE]

Oh, you don't know what you're missing. Driving stick is A LOT of fun, especially on the curvy VT backroads.

Find a friend that drives stick, have them show you the basics (1st and Reverse), have them bring you to a deserted parking lot, a large yard or even a cemetary and just practice, practice, practice (that's where I taught my husband to drive stick - he'd practice while I watered the flowers on his father's grave - not as morbid as it sounds).

Once you drive stick, you won't ever want to go back to automatic (unless you have to give in and buy a family van). You've never driven until you've driven a stick.

Good luck.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by Aaron37

I have an automatic Corolla. I don't even know how to drive a stick.

I moved to New England in 1988 never having driven a stick in my life. I drove my automatic Colt sedan for a year. One day I headed west on Route 9 heading for a concert at Saratoga Springs. As I drove up a steep hill, the Colt got slower and slower, even though I had my foot on the gas -- practically on the floor! I actually pulled over thinking my engine had died, but it was just my underpowered car with no manual low-gear option to assist the climb.

I made it to the concert, but the very next week I traded up to a new 5-speed Jetta. I learned to drive stick as I drove my new car off the dealer's lot. And . . . WOW!

Originally Posted by KNOTTE

Oh, you don't know what you're missing. Driving stick is A LOT of fun, especially on the curvy VT backroads.

This is the truth! A little 4-cylinder car handles and passes immeasurably better with 5 manual gears to choose from. It was awkward at first and I didn't always shift smoothly several months. (Only ground gears once or twice. ;-)) But it was soooo much better than an automatic that I never looked back. In fact, when that Jetta finally died, there were no good used 5-speed Jettae available locally so I bought a very clean used automatic-transmission Jetta. A week later, I sold it and bought my 5-speed Merc Tracer wagon.

Here's where things get weird: My 2006 Honda Civic, which I enjoy so much that it's embarrassing, is an automatic. When my Tracer drowned in NH and we went car shopping, I intended to buy a Prius. But test-driving it turned me off so much that I headed for Shearer Honda in Rutland (a non-negotiation dealer who supports VPR, and who holds Humane Society pet adoptions in their repair space & offices).

My husband & I did our research and realized that, contrary to our assumptions, the 2006 Civic EX automatic gets better mileage than the manual 5-speed! The automatic also got great reviews from former stick-only drivers. I value saving energy over the joy of driving stick so I went for it. The Civic automatic runs fabulously, shifts smoothly, and passes anything I need, even going uphill. And we average 42 mpg on the highway. But I believe the modifications that make the automatic Civic superior were introduced with its redesign in 2006, so this may not apply to earlier automatic Civics, but you could check.

Originally Posted by KNOTTE

Find a friend that drives stick, have them show you the basics (1st and Reverse), have them bring you to a deserted parking lot, a large yard or even a cemetary and just practice, practice, practice

Unless you're going to buy one of the newer, better designed automatics, I agree that this is the way to go. Driving stick is great fun and gives the driver much greater control and additional options over automatic. An automatic Corolla won't guarantee that you get up the hills or pass as needed. A 5-speed manual transmission Corolla would.

[tkln]

The current crop of eastern LI yups are probably keeping up with their western Nassau contemporaries in the vehicle dept. Big, monsterous gas sucking SUVs with luxury nameplates or high end European and Japanese luxury sedans -- right?

Yup, now THAT'S pretty accurate.

[Aaron37]

There are two problems with driving a manual for me...

1) Literally nobody in my family and none of my friends have a manual. I can't even tell you the last time I was in one. I guess that is what happens when you live in a city.

2) My fiancee doesn't drive a manual either and we will be sharing the car.

When you say "newer" automatics, what do you mean?