That does it for this week’s Manual Minute, see you next week!

Don’t forget the new Ram, which is a media darling consistently winning the new truck comparisons. Has even overtaken the Silverado (though not the combined GM trucks) in sales.

Worked for 2 different domestic OEMs for a few years and knew people that worked at Japanese OEMs. This checks out, Japanese OEMs tend to be very lean and expect their workers to work hard. A lot of people at domestic OEMs get complacent and are either heavily overworked, or bored as all hell.

I might get burned for this, because I’m watching this auction, but there’s a 1990 Toyota Celica All Trac on BaT right now.

I was wondering where you were going with that...then you brought it home beautifully. Gold Star. COTD contender right here.

I had a manual 6 gen Camaro SS before my Golf, so launching the AWD hatch instead of a 455hp RWD monster is like a cakewalk by comparison. I’m by no means perfect but I took to it pretty quickly.

That was my thinking exactly, but I do know a guy that went with the DSG because of tuning. I just factor it into the cost of a tune to put a new clutch in, which I’m definitely thinking about now.

No doubt, if I’m unable to get a manual in a fun car, Dual Clutch is easily the next best thing. As fast as a lot of traditional automatics are getting, there’s a certain crisp feel that dual clutches give you when you are in manual mode that I haven’t seen replicated in traditional autos.

I was told around the time I bought my Golf R that it has around a 50% manual take rate even though the Dual Clutch can take to tuning much better and is a pretty highly regarded transmission.

Yea I’ve been looking at 17s. I have 17" winter wheels, and the ride/look is so much better.

Agreed on the wheels thing. I think the 19s on my Golf R are too big, so when they wear out I’ll probably get 17 or 18 inch wheels which make the ride even better. Easily solvable problem but modern cars with well tuned suspensions should handle it fine. I’ve had a Dart with 17s bubble a tire over a small pothole and…

Now introducing Lift+ and Uber^2, premium, no ad, ride sharing experience.

Yup. This. A chosen few cars will be able to handle more than a few laps on a full race track. Brakes are the big thing, but you’re going to generate a lot of heat. 

I’m a big fan of the Porsche Macan, so I looked hard to find one in that price range...and I did. you can get a used 2016 S in your price range. Enjoy.

Yup, I imagine the take rate being pretty low in the states...some cars will survive with them but a lot of the more “normal” cars will be dropping them because of how bad the take rates are.

the Blazer was (apparently) cool in the 80s, but I only remember the late 90s, early 2000s blandmobile.

San Diego...have you been to Stone? Not nearly as in depth as the Dogfish tour, but their tasting and pub there are on point.

Sam Adams, while not terrible, is one I almost never go back to. It’s a really good gateway beer into the craft brewing world. But as stated here, a beer like Yuengling can have flavor and still be easy to drink. I also feel, much like what happened to Dogfish 60 min IPA (topical), those beers were good when they…

There can only be one...08 Highlander Hybrid. Done and done.

Unfortunately even when the US gets cool stuff people don’t even know it. Too easy to roll into a dealer and get the blandest SUV possible.