Hey, I'm thinking about trying to trade in my 5AT if I can find a comparable 6MT. I had read on this board that the transmission on these cars can be a little funky and just wondering what I should look out for. I can drive a stick pretty well since it's what I do for a living but I've never driven anything sporty that was a manual.

 

Mt's are a lot of fun but you need to know what to listen for and how they
feel when they're working correctly. When you start the car listen for sounds
like chattering, can you feel it on the shifter....probably throw out bearing.
Starting off in first gear where does the clutch engage, (although every car
is different) it should engage within 2 to 3 inches of the floor. Is the transition
from one gear to the next smooth, if you know how to use a MT there shouldn't be any grinding. Down shifting, from say 4th to 3rd at 40 MPH
should be very easy, again without grinding. I suggest never down shifting
from any gear into 1st while rolling, that puts major stress on the whole
drivetrain. A good MT/Clutch should
operate smoothly without noise and be a kick is the azz to have fun with!