I Want To Buy A Manual Before I Can't Anymore! What Car Should I Buy?

Vineeth lives in Chicago and loves to drive. He grew up overseas and spent most of his life shifting his own gears. Once he came to the states he bought "practical" cars, but he wants to get something fun with three pedals before they all go extinct. With a budget up to $40,000, what car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario:

I'm an auto enthusiast, grew up abroad and settled down stateside. Drove stick first 10 years of driving life I thought I'd have tons of fun in the US with cars. But the timing never worked out. I have always had compromise cars to accommodate what the wife can drive or growing family needs. Never really got to something fun. On the verge of I turning 40 and the world going EV, I'm looking to get something fun yet that can take two kids (6 and 1) safely. I've always desired for German cars, convertibles, stick shift etc. Manuals are harder and harder to come by so I feel like I need to get one now before they disappear. That being said, usable back seats are a must have. I live in the Chicago area so snow is a given but I can handle RWD with winter tires. I'd like some semblance of reliability, though with my choices, I may not be getting that. Maybe I'll get CarMax warranty :) Budget is no more than $40,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $40,000

Location: Chicago, IL

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: Manual, fun, real back seats

Doesn't want: Something boring

Vineeth, I was ready to take my usual track with these columns and suggest something that checks your boxes, but would be on the "safe" side, a newer car with a warranty remaining. But then I came across something in my search for a new-ish manual hot hatchback that made me realize that for you, this is not just about owning a manual before they all go away, it's about checking off your automotive bucket list.

This is a 2003 BMW M3 right in your zone and under forty grand. The universe is calling. Sure, it's a 23-year-old BMW that lacks any semblance of modern safety tech, but it is arguably the last great M3 before everything started to get too fancy and complicated. I don't even need to tell you the specs, as I bet you already know them. There is an accident reported on the Carfax, though it doesn't seem like a major one, and frankly, that is why this car is within your budget. With only 66,000 miles and a solid service history, this could be your opportunity to own one of the best BMW ///M ever made.

You want a reliable German convertible with a manual transmission and room for four. Vineeth, c'mon, I know what you're getting at here. You don't need to couch it in such terms. You want a Porsche 911 cabrio, a 997 or newer, and you're lucky that I happen to have found you the perfect example: This silver 2005 911 S in Northbrook, IL.

I know, 2005 is the gray area where the IMS issue may or may not have been fixed depending on who you ask, but this particular 911 is good — the seller claims a new Porsche-installed longblock with the updated IMS design. That's just one of a whole list of maintenance items linked in the ad, and that's only the stock stuff. This 911 also has coilovers, an aftermarket exhaust, and some nice interior accoutrements. It's clearly enthusiast-owned, and there's no one better to buy a Porsche from than an enthusiast.

Four seats, check. Manual, check. Capable in winter with good tires, check — there's a reason Porsche keeps putting all that engine weight over the drive wheels. Get yourself this 911 S, and enjoy your midlife crisis.

Tom is usually right, Vineeth, but in this case, I think he actually got it wrong. Now, don't get me wrong, he did get close. As great as the E46 M3 is, what you really need is an E90 M3. Or, rather, an E93. After all, you said it yourself — German convertibles have always caught your eye. And since the E93 is a hardtop convertible, it will probably be a little warmer than a soft-top E46 during those frigid Chicago winters.

There are definitely two-door cars with bigger back seats, but I would also argue that by getting a convertible, you'll be making it easier for your kids to crawl back there. I bet it'll also be easier for you to strap the one-year-old in, as well. A fixed roof would just get in the way. And then, when the weather warms up, you'll be able to enjoy the wind in your hair as you row through the gears, taking in that sweet V8 exhaust note.

With your budget, you should easily be able to find an E93 that you like. Here's a white, 2013 BMW M3 with about 71,000 miles on it for $38,800 that should be close and looks like a decent deal. Alternatively, if you want to save a little money, that same dealer also has a nearly identical 2008 M3 with 69,000 miles and carbon fiber wheels listed for $27,800. Personally, I'd probably spend the extra money on the newer car, since that was the last year for the E93 M3, and the listing says the rod bearings have already been done, but I bet you'll be perfectly happy with either.

Hey Vineeth, happy early 40th! If you were in my family we would get you a card made for a four-year-old and we'd draw a crude zero in Sharpie to make it say 40th. Anyway, you're stuck in a wonderful conundrum, but I think I've found the perfect car for you that's fast, fun, beautiful, and fitted with a good old fashioned six-speed manual: this 2017 BMW M2.

The first-generation BMW 2 Series had a more usable rear seat than the redesigned second-generation car, plus it fits nicely within your budget. This particular M2 is finished in white, which makes the blue brake calipers look even better. It's not the flashiest car around, but it's hard to find a modern car that's more fun and more involving than an M2. If you're really set on a droptop, and I totally understand why you would be, then you can find an M235i or M240i convertible with a manual transmission, and they even can be had with all-wheel-drive if that makes you feel better in those frigid Chicago winters.

CarMax doesn't currently have any manual M2s in your price range, but I say do some research on other extended warranties so you don't end up paying out of pocket for costly repairs. That said, this example doesn't even have 60,000 miles on it so it should still offer plenty of trouble free motoring. You can thank me later, but good luck with everything!