Best manual gearbox you have ever used?

[A1VDY]

Another for the 2000e gearbox as in my lotus cortina..

[donkmeister]

nickfrog said:

S2000

Yes.

Very precise, positive action. Very short throw. No discernible slop. Every other manual I've driven feels like a big floppy thing by comparison.

The gearshift mechanism on the S2000 is almost as direct as it is physically possible for a gearshift to be. The only way it could be more direct is if they put the stick about two feet further forwards and had the selector forks welded to the business end of it.

Anything with a cable shift (every transverse-engine application I've ever seen under the bonnet of, whether it be fwd, 4wd or rear-mid) is going to be floppy and imprecise by comparison. If you think "well mine seems OK", try an S2000 and be prepared to reconsider everything you've ever known about manuals.

Best transverse gearshift I've ever experienced was my old MG TF. That was a cable-shift but pretty decent. Definitely no S2000 though!

[SidewaysSi]

Caterham 6 Speed or Elise S1 with upgrades cables, Quaife gearset and quickshift.

Both are better than the Honda DC2 Integra I had.

[SebringMan]

Two or 3 cars come to mind:

-1990 Mazda MX-5 1.6 : A superb shifter. Loved it! Slick and rifle like!
-2000 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec: Again, wonderful
-2008 Ford Mondeo : Yes, really! It's not as good as the Focus was but it's not miles off. It's delicate, swift and with superb clutch actuation, just like the Focus had.

Some of the single-rail Triumphs I drove were surprisingly good, albeit Spitfire 1500 based (My '77 1500 and my MG Midget 1500s). The downsides were that the syncros seem to shot on most of them I've driven.

I can think of some manuals I've not been too keen of!

[SebringMan]

Roboticarm said:

Never got on with the tunnel mounted BMW box in the E46 BMW

You're not alone there .

[E30M3ZONE]

generationx said:

4 speed Mk2 RS2000. Like a rifle bolt - perfect.

In fact most Ford RWD ‘boxes from the 70s

Gets my vote

[J4CKO]

Rover 200 BRM.

[The Brummie]

Ferrari 288 GTO.

That click when the lever slots into the awesome gate.

Nothing else like it. Apart from the gearchange in an F40.......

[Grumbly]

Another 2000e vote. Used in the Elan amongst others, and of course the Inspiration for the excellent MX5 box.

[smileymikey]

Mk1 Ford Escort and very surprisingly I drove a new Robin Reliant in period and the gearbox was like a rifle bolt.

[Down and out]

Another for the MK1 Focus.

[ChevronB19]

Ford ‘rocket’ box

MK2 MX5 (never driven a Mk1, gearshift in Mk 3 and 4 a significant downgrade)

Weird one: Mk 3 transit (honest!)

[dunc_sx]

From what I can remember the 306 gti6 and cayman were best of what I've had.

Oh and my transit custom is pretty decent.

All 6 speed boxes strangley.

Dunc.

Edited by dunc_sx on Sunday 8th December 19:49

[tex200]

Whatever Fiat fitted to the 1300cc X 1/9 was pretty perfect.

[GravelBen]

Tough to call between the Mk1 MX5 and late 90s Impreza STi-RA close ratio box.

[BeirutTaxi]

Ford Puma. Plus the steering was better than any other mainstream car.

[Thales]

The Brummie said:

Ferrari 288 GTO.

That click when the lever slots into the awesome gate.

Nothing else like it. Apart from the gearchange in an F40.......

Have you driven both?

[Tickle]

DC2 or Exige 350

[Mr-B]

Drove a mates Puma, lovely snickety thing! I had a MK2 Escort 1600 sport, that was very nice too, very slick. My current MK4 MX5 is really good too. Drove a Caterham with a 5 speed box which I think was from an early MX5 (someone correct me if I am wrong on this) also really good. All had well defined gates, rifle bolt feel to them, very unusual to get the wrong gear.

[WelshRich]

S2000

If MX5 is the answer to every thread, this is the exception that proves the rule...