BEST & WORST stickshift you've ever had to use?

[3.0L V6]

Worst: Saturn S-series

Best: Honda Fit

[the Teuton]

Worst: Saturn S-series

Best: Honda Fit

wat

It's not that great, but I wouldn't call the S Series that bad. Okay, maybe it's about as smooth as sandpaper, and maybe it you're not exactly sure about fifth gear all the time....but if it's that bad, you really have no idea how incredibly bad the Shitfire/Crapalier really are.

[3.0L V6]

wat

It's not that great, but I wouldn't call the S Series that bad. Okay, maybe it's about as smooth as sandpaper, and maybe it you're not exactly sure about fifth gear all the time....but if it's that bad, you really have no idea how incredibly bad the Shitfire/Crapalier really are.

I was just answering the question from my experience. I've only driven a few stick-shift cars in my life. The Saturn shifter has long throws, sometimes a clunky/junky engagement into gear and finding the gate can be a pain. The Fit I drove was a wonder by comparison.

The other vehicles have been somewhere in between.

[the Teuton]

I was just answering the question from my experience. I've only driven a few stick-shift cars in my life. The Saturn shifter has long throws, sometimes a clunky/junky engagement into gear and finding the gate can be a pain. The Fit I drove was a wonder by comparison.

The other vehicles have been somewhere in between.

I'll agree with that.

[SVT666]

The Sunfire and Cavalier are nowhere near as bad as a lot of the vehicles listed here. 

[BimmerM3]

The Sunfire and Cavalier are nowhere near as bad as a lot of the vehicles listed here. 

Well, it's pretty hard to compete with anything that doesn't have synchros.

[2o6]

Best: Dodge Neon

Worst: ???

[TBR]

Best: 2003 Miata 6MT

Worst: 1994 Miata 5MT (I'm serious, I don't wtf was going on with that gearbox; it was just terrible)

[Rupert]

Something was wrong with that box, for sure.

[Mustangfan2003]

Not for sure if I would call this best or worst but I drove an old Ford truck once with a three on the tree.  Very interesting to drive.

[Morris Minor]

Best: 1970s Mk1 Ford Escort - Europe - on which I learned to drive. Easy, snick, snick gearshift and a smooth, forgiving, progressive clutch

Worst: 1970s Hillman Imp - my first car. Horrible rubbery gear shift and an on/off clutch.

Runner up Worst: 2007 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6MT. Slow heavy gear shift and a non-linear clutch action that defies all attempts at smooth take-ups.

[TBR]

Something was wrong with that box, for sure.

Definitely. That car was all kinds of sketchy. A mount of some sort must have been bent.

[2o6]

Best: Mazda 2- Great, easy to use shifter, short-ish throws, Clutch is progressive and forgiving

Worst: Toyota Yaris - Super long clutch travel, vague clutch, stiff shifter, shifter lever and knob in general is too short (I felt like I had to reach down to change gears)

[hounddog]

Worst was either the late '80s Escort-- like rowing a boat through metal shavings and cutting oil

Ironic, I was just thinking of our '86 diesel Escort we had.  Your post describes it almost perfecly.

Best; 2004 M3

[S204STi]

Most difficult: 1929 Chevrolet
Worst feeling: 3/4 Ton Silverados
Best feeling: I haven't driven many 6spds but I was pleased with the STI's. I also enjoyed the chunky 5spd in the GM Kappa cars. I find most cable-shifters to feel like little toys, I greatly prefer a notchy but tight mechanical linkage.

[93JC]

Hold on: '29 Chevy? Why and how did you manage to get the chance to drive a 1929 Chevy?

[S204STi]

My father-in-law has one of those and a Ford Model T in his garage. True story. :)

He hasn't let me drive the T yet, probably just because I haven't asked. He's a real generous guy with his stuff.

[93JC]

That's awesome. I'm totally jealous.

... one of my dreams, silly as it is, is to drive a Model T. I vaguely know the mechanics of it: two pedals for gears, one pedal for the engine brake (no wheel brakes), throttle lever on the steering wheel, and another handle for the parking brake/going into neutral/going into high gear. The fact that it's so different from today's standard M.O. is very appealing for some reason.

If I won the lottery I'd buy a new house, build a big garage with a big workshop, and then putter around working on something simple. Right now I think my lottery car would be a Ford Model T. It seems silly I know, but I want one.

[Rupert]

Well, at least you know it's silly.

[the Teuton]

I think he quote edited. I'm sure Dan deleted posts that old.

[BimmerM3]

I think he quote edited. I'm sure Dan deleted posts that old.

Dude, the date on quotes is a link. This particular one works, so obviously not.

I think the vast majority of the clean-up was the Chat Thread and ARBT.

[93JC]

I think he quote edited. I'm sure Dan deleted posts that old.

Click on the link, goof.

[93JC]

Well, at least you know it's silly.

[Cookie Monster]

Ok, now the best for me is my Miata. It's perfect. Everything else ive driven in comparison is mushy.

[Byteme]

Come to think of it the worst I remember was the stick in an International Harvester 4070 cab over diesel.  Shifting gears was like stirring spaghetti sauce with a long handled spoon.

[mzziaz]

Psycho

[Onslaught]

One of the Worst - 2001-2005 Sonata with a 5 speed. I had to drive a few of these at work. Nasty

[93JC]

Psycho

North by Northwest

[Rupert]

The Birds?

[93JC]

Rear Window!