I too have a sample size of one - an e90 m3. I thought the gear shift sucked. It was the worst part of the car. The irony is that car had very little low end torque and needed to be wrung out. The shifter was both notchy and rubbery. 

Wow! What car is this?

This is really well done. You’ve hit alot of the high notes. Just add some stuff about healthcare and you’ll nail it. 

Over the years, I’ve randomly re-read this speech. It’s so beautifully written.

Looks way better with those wheels - it would probably look even better with a more aggressive offset wheelset. Maybe someone will be brave enough to remove those ambers from the headlights.

Like I said in the other post - Vettes have outgunned 911s for awhile. The 911 is just a different car than Corvettes. Different look, feel, heritage, etc. People aren’t just looking at specs when buying a sports car. It’s an emotional purchase. If someone wants a 911, they’re getting a 911. A Corvette won’t…

Cool. I still think there is room in the world for two sports cars.

Not really

Under $60k. Wow. Game changer

I don’t love it. Proportions are a little awkward, like many mid engine sports cars. Doesn’t look like it will age very well, but it looks better than an NSX, so I guess that’s something?

I think the concern is that a hurricane will completely overwhelm the drainage. Not necessarily that NOLA is in an active and persistent state of flood.

That’s a nice looking car.

Looks like a Chris Bangle style flame surfaced Camaro. So complicated and unnecessary. Whatever happened to pretty cars? Does everything have to look like fucking Rambo drives it?

This is one of those times you should have kept your thoughts to yourself. Maybe take ten seconds to think things over before you post next time. This kid will be facing a kind of complex social and racial dynamic that no one will possibly be able to totally understand - someone who I assume will be the first mixed…

That’s an automatic transmission. We were talking about difficulties in mastering a manual transmission. Seems to me if you are having trouble with an auto box arbitrarily deciding on shift points, having full control with a manual or paddle shifter would completely resolve that problem.

Hmm. Sounds like there is a fundamental error going on here. For one, I suspect you aren’t downshifting, which will keep the engine in its powerband.  When at a stop, I take the transmission out of gear. When I start, I resume in first as always. The technique for 1st gear is the same. Keeping a manual car in idle is…

What happens when you stop?

I’m not sure if you’re joking - it’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of because driving stick is not really an inherently logical skill. I don’t know why, but I feel compelled to share my tips. Maybe it helps someone.

This is the only real solution.

I was in the market last year for one of these luxo-barge things. I had to pass on the s8 because it was hopelessly out of date at the time. Ended up getting an M5 competition. Boring styling is kind of the point of a Q-ship. People in this segment want a tasteful looking car that’s luxurious, spacious and stupid…