Lease a manual?

Some random thoughts as someone who only owned manuals (and grew up in a household full of them), until I leased one and every subsequent lease has been automatic:

  • if you have never driven one, drive 1 American/Japanese/European new car that is a manual, I promise you will have opinions
  • I know people have broken-in a new clutch on a new car, as a new manual driver: I wouldn’t want that for myself, now or ever. I was driving manuals for about a decade before I got my WRX. Even in a lease which is under warranty and not my problem after disposition, hellz-no. If you really do want to lease one, you’re on the wrong cars.
  • in OP’s scenario, where I might keep it 1 month/1 year/10 years: I’d buy a Jeep or a Subaru with a manual - those demographics always have shoppers who want used.
  • Tell the person selling a 2012 CC Manual that I’m sorry their hair plugs didn’t graft
  • pretend you never saw a 2007 Mustang manual with almost 100K on it, there are better ways to vaporize $ (I’m sure a little only lady only drove it to church and the occasional outdoor event it could run pedestrians over)

You know there is helpful Vhooloo and Troll Vhooloo? Could troll Vhooloo please take his “helpful poster” medication, because this stopped being funny a long time ago.

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search is your friend

hundreds

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That is true, hundreds of people selling it. But the maintenaince on such an old car is incredible. Most ‘fast car people’ don’t remember that a 17 yr old racer is $$$$ to upkeep.

Especially to someone who leases their cars are go ‘Whats Maintenance?’

Well, I went to the #1 Lexus dealer in the world (by volume) yesterday evening and the best offer I could get once negotiated down was $400 inc’l tax on 36 months / 7.5k miles per year, on a lexus UX 250h. Not inc’l about $3000 in acquisition fee, dealer fee, title & registration. Didn’t take the offer, as I didn’t feel it was quite the best nor close enough to the 1%. Good offer but still.

The broker I consulted on a Mazda cx-30 just got back to me and the vehicle is available to lease today, so I can sign today and it comes out to about $285 monthly effective, inc’l all dealer and acquisition fees rolled into the payments so $0 down, for 24 months and 12.5k miles per year. I think I’m going to take that.

As for the manual idea, I’ve come down to about three listings nearby me for ‘beater’ manual cars, I’ll link them here, if anyone thinks any of them is worth considering and won’t be a potential money pit. I’d post more about it but I figure, this is a forum on leasing right, not on buying old cars lol? Is there any forum that would be ideal for that sort of advice?

The three cars are:
$2500 2007 Honda Civic Si 93k miles
https://www.ohreallyautosales.com/inventory/honda/civic/d701706/
Edit: just called, the civic was sold
$3500 2012 Volkswagen CC 100k miles
2012 vw cc - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive sale
$3500 2003 Nissan 350Z 12k miles (but questionable use, and motor/mechanical changes/issues)
[Redirecting...](super long facebook URL link)

These both sound like money pits.

Buy a Japan-built Toyota product such as a Scion Xa or Xd. Quite possibly the most reliable post-2000 cars ever built.

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That Civic looks awfully cheap.

Volkswagens are not well-known for long term reliability, especially if it has a FSI engine.

Nissan 350Zs are usually driven very hard, if it already had a replacement motor who knows about any of the other components.

Best of luck on your search for a manual!

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One thing to remember about pre 2006 cars, there is no bluetooth or it is crappy. As much as you think that may not be important, when you get a phone call from work or family and cannot answer it, good luck. I had a 2004 Sienna. It made it to 167k miles and could have gone more but needed major updating and the lack of communication was frustrating

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Well, I’m not too off-put by this considering that I could install an aftermarket infotainment system with bluetooth and microphone. Saw it on the ford mustang I linked earlier this thread. Maybe a few hundred extra but not a deal breaker. What does have me concerned is crappy interiors of hard plastic, crappy sound systems, and none of the modern safety features that come standard in so many vehicles now. Even lacking some safety tech that were made a legal requirement in the late 2000s.

I’m about to move forward with the Mazda CX-30 base lease for $288 a month, 24 months / 12k miles, 0 down - obtained through autoleaseninjas. The only alternative I can see now is leasing a kia forte FE manual, if I can get a quote near that of the Mazda CX-30.

As for the beater idea, the last vehicle I looked into was a 2001 toyota celica 1zz with 170,000 miles, for $1500. Not a bad idea, but my relatives are persuading me against it.

Unless you’re in a hurry, keep looking for that manual. It takes time to find the right car, with the right owner. But it will be worth the wait. Since your model breadth seems to be quite wide, you’ll find a ton of options in manuals, particularly in the Japanese models. Everything from most Subarus to Toyota’s Corolla, Camry, FRS, etc. and Many Mazdas. Even Lexus. If you have time and really want a fun manual, keep looking.

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