Best manual gearbox you have ever used?

[Brooksay]

My old 'F' plate Nissan Sylvia. A satisfying click with every shift.

[s m]

Looking back, I’d definitely say the 4-speeder in my Mk2 RS2000

[fiju]

Accord type R.

What I want to know - will every gearbox feel the same if the gear selector was the same? I.e. if I fitted a honda gear selector to let's say an Astra (purely hypothetical), would it give the same feeling or is it also a combination of the gearbox internals?

[Gad-Westy]

Roboticarm said:

I find the box in the abarth 500/595 and the fiat 500 for that matter to be great, I love the position of it and the simple but precise action.

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

Yep, never driven any manual BMW with an acceptable gearbox. All seem a bit vague.

All of my favourites have been mentioned I think.

MX5
Caterham 6 speed (I think loosely related to the Ford Type 9 which is also a decent box)
Ford Rocket Box
Quite liked the Ferrari 355 for the sense of occasion but wouldn't necessarily say it was great.

[otolith]

1. Honda Civic Type-R (2002)
2. Mk2 MX-5 5-speed

[hammo19]

Mk2 Skoda Octavia VRS just felt lovely.......smooth click click.

[ericmcn]

Legacy 6MT, mechanical, concise and engaging to drive.

Six-speed
Impreza WRX STi and Legacy spec. B
There are several six speed manual transmissions currently available for USDM Subarus, found in the STi, Legacy Spec B, and 2015 WRX. The STi's 6MT has undergone various changes throughout the years, but have always had a limited slip front differential with Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD). In 2006, The STi's 6MT underwent some changes that included making the center differential a limited slip unit and a slight lengthening of some gears. The Spec. B's 6MT has different gear ratios (specifically 6th gear being longer) than the STi's unit, does not have DCCD, and neither the front nor center differentials are limited slip units. The Spec B's 6MT ratios are highly prized by some due to its longer ratios than those found in the WRX STi, while still retaining much of the STi unit's robustness.

Gear Ratios : 1st 3.636 2nd 2.375 (or 2.235) 3rd 1.761 (or 1.590) 4th 1.346 (or 1.137) 5th 0.971 (or 0.891) 6th 0.756 (or 0.707) Rev 3.545 (This only applies to either the 04-05 STi or the 06+ STi, not both, and not the Spec B.).
Usage: 2004+ Subaru WRX STi and 2005+ Subaru Legacy spec. B

[aeropilot]

A1VDY said:

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

Yep, 3rd vote here for the 2000E box.

Nicer to use than the later Type E gearbox used in the RS2000.

[anonymous-user]

Ford Puma

[CABC]

VW 1303 Fat Chick with 4 speed. i guess part of the charm was the mechanically simple H pattern that was lost once we moved to 5 or more gears.

[Athlon]

MX-5 5 speed is superb
2000e box was better!

I have never driven a Ferrari with a decent shifting 'box to date.

[spyder dryver]

I fitted an AISIN AZ6 six-speeder to my Spyder Silverstone kit car to replace the fragile Toyota T50. The AZ6 is found in a number of cars including MX5, RX8 and the Lexus RS200 and IS200 which is where mine came from. It is mated in my car to a 3SGE 16V Rev3. First gear is a little low but the following five gears are perfectly and closely spaced for my application. I've shortened the lever by half and had to move it forwards five inches to suit. The change is super quick, snick-snick. The T50 was a tough act to follow but the AZ6 is much stronger and has better ratios.

[cerb4.5lee]

While I wouldn't describe it as a fantastic gearbox the one gearbox I've enjoyed using the most was the one in my Cerbera.

I'd love a go in a MX5 or S2000/Civic Type R though because I only ever read great things about those gearboxes.

[MrOrange]

I would say the quickshifter U/D sequential box on my Ducati is hard to beat - lightning fast, no need to cut the throttle or dip the clutch up and down the box (except when pulling away). Even does the auto-blip on downshift which when linked with the slipper clutch you can just bang away on the downshifts without upsetting chassis dynamics.

Anything else seems cumbersome, slow and rubbery.

[AmosMoses]

Lamborghini Murcielago for me. It’s a gated shifter which is such a rewarding mechanical object to use. Then you have that thumping great V12 behind you that just sings with each gear.

[stuthemong]

I love a borg Warner t5 in a tvr cerbera.

I love the short lever. Rifle action. Height of transmission tunnel so your arm just rests there. Aghh. Perfection.

[Ardennes92]

generationx said:

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

In fact most Ford RWD ‘boxes from the 70s

Another vote for ford although prefer 60’s version, ran a Corsair 2000E

[The Brummie]

Thales said:

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?

Yes.

Collected a 288 from the factory back in 1985 & drove it through Europe back to the UK. And many hours behind the wheel of an F40.

[anonymous-user]

My 2WD Sapphire Cosworth had a lovely shift, same box in my Westfield ZEi220 with a shorter throw was very nice. Next closest road car wise is probably the 5 speed Impreza STi box in my STi5 RA 555 WRC Ltd, then the 6 speed JDM STi.

Fastest shift i've used in anger is the Samsonas 6 speed sequential dog box in the TA car i drive, linked with the Syvecs ECU doing the torque cuts it shifting in 0.07s from starting to cut torque to applying it again using a manual lever to shift.

[Pica-Pica]

Fabia 1.2 TSi 5 speed. Also easy to block change, just wish SWMBO could learn to properly.