Question to the manual drivers in montreal..

[mineroller]

For past few weeks..i have been having this great urge to change my car to a manual tranny one..i have been driving auto ever since i got my license and i really want to drive with shifting when i am still young..instead of bumper-car automatics which i can drive any time later in my life..

first of all, is manual really worth it in montreal?
i mean, we are full of friggin'-steep hills (university, atwater, cote-des-neiges..everywhere) all over the city and it would be my first real manual driving so i don't want crash into car standing behind me..how much do i have to practice in order to start on OUR hills safely?
and plus the winter driving..i am really worried about driving on snow with manual..is there any issues or cautions i have to take?

second of all..what is the best way of doing this?
i want to do this with as least money spent as possible..
would any of the used-car dealers agree to a direct exchange with one of their protege stocks?
is there a good place to try such?

if i sell my car, how much would i be able to get?
2000 silver protege, with everything powered, windows tinted, and even have a remote starter. i got MP3 deck too. only problem is that the bumpers have scratches..

Please lend me some advise..

 

[SKY]

It will be around 9k for a 1.8L Pro.
Just sell your car privately and buy one someone else. Don't let the dealership make $ from you. I have no problem driving manual in winter, just drive safe and slow in winter.

 

[snooky]

man driving stick in montreal, is the same as anywhere else, the car will seem a bit quicker than the automatic one, u'll be saving on gas bills... dont worry about hills that was one of my fears when i had my first manual car, but to tell u the truth i dont even think about it any more. Driving in the snow with a manual car to me is better than an automatic one, i feel the car more, i feel i have more control over the car, u might feel a bit skidding, but thats cuz ur pushing the gas to much. the only b**** i can honestly think of and the moment is traffic, if its really bad traffic ur legs are gonna KILL! good luck man!

 

[Metal MP5]

driving in traffic or up steep hills isn't that bad as long as you have a stock clutch

i got stuck in REALLY bad traffic twice in the past 2 weeks (once took me 1h30 to get out of old montreal on a saturday night) and my left ankle hurt a bit at the end of the night + my leg was tired, but it wasn't that bad

don't let that stop you from getting a manual. it makes driving more fun

 

[mineroller]

Thanks everyone for good advices..
i put my car up for sale..hoping to sell it for around 8000..if that's possible..
although i am worried if i can find a good car again..things like my remote lock/starters and tinted windows are all too nice for me to give up..

MetalMP5, I think i have seen your car couple times when i drive around in montreal..
A big shiny yellow MSP right? i am like.."Hey..that must be his car!"

there's also someone who drives an orange MSP in cote-des-neiges area..i think..
I have seen it many times parked on the street..wonder who it is?

 

[Metal MP5]

there are a lot of yellow MSPs in montreal =\ (3 on the street where i live)
can you name a place where you think you saw me ? my car looks stock from outside except for my muffler but it's not one of those big shiny stainless pipes, i painted it black and it's not sticking out. but maybe it was me =)

i work next to decarie close to the julep ... in case that's close to where you think you saw me

 

[mineroller]

Oh..maybe it wasn't you then.. i saw them mostly around downtown area..
once i saw one parked next to concordia..

what and where is this "julep" btw? i wanted to ask this for a long time..(eek2)

 

[Metal MP5]

its the big orange thing next to decarie's service road. corner of decarie and par

restaurant where people meet every thursday night

 

[mineroller]

oh..so that's what it is..
i would like to visit there someday

 

[snooky]

oh..so that's what it is..
i would like to visit there someday

O man u should hurry cuz the summer is almost over. its soo wiered i cant believe u've never seen the big O.J HAhahaha, its all good man, the first time u see it on a thursday nite it looks like an organized car show, but its FREE!, and ppl all over the city come to show off thier cars, even if they look like sh!t ...

 

[Metal MP5]

there are more cars at the Julep on a thursday night than there was at the car show i went to on saturday hehe