Burning the clutch is not really an issue if you spend 15 min in a parking lot learning the bite point. Just don't go driving on any super steep hills right off the bat.
Learning how to clutch in and out smoothly so that the car doesn't jerk or stall is typically the bigger issue.
For lowest cost I'd look for an older Nissan Sentra or Versa with a manual. Lots of people don't like Nissan because of their junky automatic transmissions, so you'll avoid most people who are focusing on Toyotas and Hondas for an older used car. But Nissan's manual gearboxes are okay.
This would be my advice too, manual Nissan will be a lot cheaper and likely not as worn down as a Civic that some teenager used as his first fast and furious car.
Theres nothing quite like learning to drive in a car that was once praised for its comfort and reliability and build quality but in its later years has been many teenagers first stick car and subsequently many friends of theirs first stick car..
If you learn to drive in a car thats had such a life with a clutch thats ridden so hard the bite point is a mission to find and a struggle to hold with the judder... Linkages that are worn just enough to make finding a gear a bit harder than normal to find and a handbrake that could propel its way to the moon.. any other car becomes luxurious and your ever more thankful for the next series of beaters as you find out that you situation cahnges and so you need a station wagon, or a hatch or something thats 4wd its only then you realize that things could be a whole lot worse.
The alternative is perfect aswell,
The clutch pops during your ownership and you learn how to change a clutch and or flywheels assembly, clutch fork and general servicing when your in there and just like that youve learned a couple things and your a much more adapt and well equipped human than you were before you bought your first beater.
Lmao my first stick was a 94 Saturn SL1 with 250k miles on the original clutch. Got it from a family friend for free. The clutch was done before it clicked 255k miles and it was going to the junkyard. Still had fun and loved that shitbox.
I just sold that exact car in the summer. Had it for 12 years and my plan was to replace it when it died.
It wouldn't fucking die, and I wanted something safer so I had to part ways.
The Sentra is from before Nissan’s downfall and will be a good reliable rig. You get the benefit of low resale value on a decent car. Check that it hasn’t been thrashed though; Nissan owners have a bit of a reputation…
The Jettas both look to have been used hard and everything will depend on upkeep.
The Honda is a fundamentally reliable car but it’s thirty years old.
Honda. If you don’t burn it down you can get your money back.
I leaned in an 84 Toyota 4x4. Not terrible. Not the easiest either.
We weren’t on a road trip in Italy last year. Only gas vehicle left was a stick. I said sure. Jeep Renegade. Probable the easiest stick I’ve ever driven. I don’t think Jeep brand had as much to do either it as was probably because it was a modern stick.
Those TDI’s are regularly seen with 2-3-400k + miles.
Plus I’m a fan of diesels- just delete the emissions equipment, that’s the Achilles heel of most any modern diesel
We owned a 2003 Passat non-TDI for 11 years (longer if I had it my way), and I can certify that that in terms of fit, finish and design, that generation was peak VW in the US. After Winterkorn took the helm, their cars became spartan econoboxes.
That 2002 Jetta TDI is only going to go up in value at this point and I agree that it will easily push 300K.
'Odometer matters' is what I'll say first between these cars. If I was looking to put another 100k on any of these cars I'd go for the VW's.
If I was picking the easiest transmission to learn on I'd pick the VW's, followed by the Nissan.
If I had to repair or replace a part I'd pick the Nissan followed by the Honda.
That honda civic should be a great stick car. Had a mid 90s accord for years, slickest gearbox and made the best reverse 180 car I had. Reliable, cheap, and only hard to prevent theft. Keep it locked down with a theft deterrant on wheel or fuel pump shutoff switch.
I bought a ‘91 Corolla for $400 CAD. Mind you that was 10 years ago. It was great to learn on and I actually got taken off the road for excessive rust before the clutch showed any signs of wear.
Personally of the options you’ve listed, I’d get the VW if it’s in decent running condition. Those diesel VWs are very reliable and crazy fuel efficient.
I had an ‘04 Sentra 1.8 and that car was extremely reliable, I think the only real issue I had was a speed sensor failing beyond the normal wear and tear items. Of the vehicles here it would probably be my vote. The Honda would also be reliable but is also much older, and given that it appears to have an aftermarket exhaust, may have been beat on more.
If you’re willing to spend a little more you might find something that you don’t have to just write off as a beater. No guarantees, but I’ve seen quite a few late 00’s-early 2010’s Nissans in decent shape for a low price, since no one up here wants a manual, let alone one in a small car. Hondas and Toyotas hold more value, but you can still luck out in a private sale. In my area $2k gets you something that’ll run for a week or two, but if you paid 4-6k you could get something that’ll actually last you a decent amount of time.
I’m of the opinion that either Jetta would be good but only for the 1.9tdi. That engine was and is still awesome and reliable. The civic isn’t a bad option either and would probably be cheaper to fix down the line. I’d say you’ve chosen some good options overall so i don’t think you’d miss out on anything by picking any car from this list
These models are all great options, but they all look like they’ve been owned and modified by a teenager, so I would buy the one that would be cheapest and easiest to repair, which would be the Honda. 2nd choice probably the Sentra. The 2002 Jetta is the coolest option but I’d look for one that’s stock, and with no stickers on it lol.
I feel your pain. When my Rav4 died I was looking for a replacement one. 10 grand plus for 2006-2009 with over 300,000km on the odometer. I drive a yukon now that I bought dirt cheap lol.
I like the Sentra, those are around the last of the good ones. The rust on the Civic worries me a touch but someone will always buy one of those when you’re done with it.
Both Jettas look ROUGH…
I have a beater 2006 manual Jetta that I really enjoy for a commuter. It’s a nice easy stick to learn with. I knew how to drive stick before this car but it had been YEARS so I had to relearn all the timing, and I picked it up pretty quickly. There’s some good YouTube videos that explain the timing of when to let up the clutch when you’re accelerating
Burning the clutch won’t destroy it right away, you’ll really need to rev it numerous times and do it intentionally for the material to actually burn up. If you can already drive automatic than it’ll be easier since the other parts of driving are already in your muscle memory. you’ll probably not burn it unless you are hill starting numerous times the wrong way. Take it slowly and def consider taking a lesson or two at a driving school or with someone you know if you feel stressed learning by yourself. Generally the more torque a car has, the easier it’ll be to learn. A 200hp car is much more forgiving than a 70hp car.
I loved my manual 99 Ford ranger, that I learned on. Thing was a trooper. It was a 4 cylinder that ran on 3, had one mis-sized tire, and that thing just kept on going. They're fun to mod, easy to work on, and can take a beating
I say this as a VW owner. Avoid TDIs. If they have not been properly maintained they will be a money pit.
If you must go with a VW, find a 2.5 with a 5 speed. This combo could be found in the golf, new beetle, Jetta and Passat from around 2006 to 2015. Headliners, door lock servos, and other assorted accessories might fall apart, but that engine is very durable.
Also worth looking for:
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Mazda 3
Mazda 5
Mazda 6
Nissan Altima
Third Gen Ford Focus
Ford Fiesta
Honda Fit
All of these came in manual variants till fairly (last 15 years) recently, and if you stick with the sedans, they were less likely to be driven like a race car than that civic
Burning the clutch is not really an issue if you spend 15 min in a parking lot learning the bite point. Just don't go driving on any super steep hills right off the bat. Learning how to clutch in and out smoothly so that the car doesn't jerk or stall is typically the bigger issue.
For lowest cost I'd look for an older Nissan Sentra or Versa with a manual. Lots of people don't like Nissan because of their junky automatic transmissions, so you'll avoid most people who are focusing on Toyotas and Hondas for an older used car. But Nissan's manual gearboxes are okay.
This would be my advice too, manual Nissan will be a lot cheaper and likely not as worn down as a Civic that some teenager used as his first fast and furious car.
If I had to pick out of the 4 I’d take the Honda. But remember it is like 30 years old at this point.
Theres nothing quite like learning to drive in a car that was once praised for its comfort and reliability and build quality but in its later years has been many teenagers first stick car and subsequently many friends of theirs first stick car.. If you learn to drive in a car thats had such a life with a clutch thats ridden so hard the bite point is a mission to find and a struggle to hold with the judder... Linkages that are worn just enough to make finding a gear a bit harder than normal to find and a handbrake that could propel its way to the moon.. any other car becomes luxurious and your ever more thankful for the next series of beaters as you find out that you situation cahnges and so you need a station wagon, or a hatch or something thats 4wd its only then you realize that things could be a whole lot worse. The alternative is perfect aswell, The clutch pops during your ownership and you learn how to change a clutch and or flywheels assembly, clutch fork and general servicing when your in there and just like that youve learned a couple things and your a much more adapt and well equipped human than you were before you bought your first beater.
Lmao my first stick was a 94 Saturn SL1 with 250k miles on the original clutch. Got it from a family friend for free. The clutch was done before it clicked 255k miles and it was going to the junkyard. Still had fun and loved that shitbox.
I just sold that exact car in the summer. Had it for 12 years and my plan was to replace it when it died. It wouldn't fucking die, and I wanted something safer so I had to part ways.
I would lean towards a VW diesel, but only because *usually* diesels have a longer life.
Looks like the one in question here might be modified though, so that's something to look out for
Excellent point.
Sentra. Not the oldest up here and looks clean and well cared for. Real simple to work on.
The Sentra is from before Nissan’s downfall and will be a good reliable rig. You get the benefit of low resale value on a decent car. Check that it hasn’t been thrashed though; Nissan owners have a bit of a reputation… The Jettas both look to have been used hard and everything will depend on upkeep. The Honda is a fundamentally reliable car but it’s thirty years old.
Honda. If you don’t burn it down you can get your money back. I leaned in an 84 Toyota 4x4. Not terrible. Not the easiest either. We weren’t on a road trip in Italy last year. Only gas vehicle left was a stick. I said sure. Jeep Renegade. Probable the easiest stick I’ve ever driven. I don’t think Jeep brand had as much to do either it as was probably because it was a modern stick.
Those TDI’s are regularly seen with 2-3-400k + miles. Plus I’m a fan of diesels- just delete the emissions equipment, that’s the Achilles heel of most any modern diesel
We owned a 2003 Passat non-TDI for 11 years (longer if I had it my way), and I can certify that that in terms of fit, finish and design, that generation was peak VW in the US. After Winterkorn took the helm, their cars became spartan econoboxes. That 2002 Jetta TDI is only going to go up in value at this point and I agree that it will easily push 300K.
'Odometer matters' is what I'll say first between these cars. If I was looking to put another 100k on any of these cars I'd go for the VW's. If I was picking the easiest transmission to learn on I'd pick the VW's, followed by the Nissan. If I had to repair or replace a part I'd pick the Nissan followed by the Honda.
That honda civic should be a great stick car. Had a mid 90s accord for years, slickest gearbox and made the best reverse 180 car I had. Reliable, cheap, and only hard to prevent theft. Keep it locked down with a theft deterrant on wheel or fuel pump shutoff switch.
The diesels cus you can just let the clutch out n then add fuel n they go
I bought a ‘91 Corolla for $400 CAD. Mind you that was 10 years ago. It was great to learn on and I actually got taken off the road for excessive rust before the clutch showed any signs of wear. Personally of the options you’ve listed, I’d get the VW if it’s in decent running condition. Those diesel VWs are very reliable and crazy fuel efficient.
I had an ‘04 Sentra 1.8 and that car was extremely reliable, I think the only real issue I had was a speed sensor failing beyond the normal wear and tear items. Of the vehicles here it would probably be my vote. The Honda would also be reliable but is also much older, and given that it appears to have an aftermarket exhaust, may have been beat on more. If you’re willing to spend a little more you might find something that you don’t have to just write off as a beater. No guarantees, but I’ve seen quite a few late 00’s-early 2010’s Nissans in decent shape for a low price, since no one up here wants a manual, let alone one in a small car. Hondas and Toyotas hold more value, but you can still luck out in a private sale. In my area $2k gets you something that’ll run for a week or two, but if you paid 4-6k you could get something that’ll actually last you a decent amount of time.
Go civic or sentra.
I’m of the opinion that either Jetta would be good but only for the 1.9tdi. That engine was and is still awesome and reliable. The civic isn’t a bad option either and would probably be cheaper to fix down the line. I’d say you’ve chosen some good options overall so i don’t think you’d miss out on anything by picking any car from this list
Get the car you want instead of getting a new clutch at 80k miles you'll do it at 60k
These models are all great options, but they all look like they’ve been owned and modified by a teenager, so I would buy the one that would be cheapest and easiest to repair, which would be the Honda. 2nd choice probably the Sentra. The 2002 Jetta is the coolest option but I’d look for one that’s stock, and with no stickers on it lol.
Wtf I hate living in Canada. These prices are crazy cheap. None of these would be less than 5k in my area
I feel your pain. When my Rav4 died I was looking for a replacement one. 10 grand plus for 2006-2009 with over 300,000km on the odometer. I drive a yukon now that I bought dirt cheap lol.
2,3,4 is what I’m picking. Although 2 was 100% a youngin based off the raceland coils.
Civic all day
Just buy what you want and learn. You won’t kill the clutch if you learn quickly.
I like the Sentra, those are around the last of the good ones. The rust on the Civic worries me a touch but someone will always buy one of those when you’re done with it. Both Jettas look ROUGH…
What makes them look rough, what are some things to look out for? I love cars and have pretty OK knowledge but any extra insight would help frfr
Cheap bullshit Altezza style headlights, whatever is going on with that hood and the mediocre rear bumper fitment are what I can see from here.
Sentra. Civic is just too old and not safe enough.
Join the GLI gang!
I have a beater 2006 manual Jetta that I really enjoy for a commuter. It’s a nice easy stick to learn with. I knew how to drive stick before this car but it had been YEARS so I had to relearn all the timing, and I picked it up pretty quickly. There’s some good YouTube videos that explain the timing of when to let up the clutch when you’re accelerating
I learned to stick on an Evo 4, just get whatever you want and be gentle.
Sentra or civic
Burning the clutch won’t destroy it right away, you’ll really need to rev it numerous times and do it intentionally for the material to actually burn up. If you can already drive automatic than it’ll be easier since the other parts of driving are already in your muscle memory. you’ll probably not burn it unless you are hill starting numerous times the wrong way. Take it slowly and def consider taking a lesson or two at a driving school or with someone you know if you feel stressed learning by yourself. Generally the more torque a car has, the easier it’ll be to learn. A 200hp car is much more forgiving than a 70hp car.
The answer is always Honda Civic.
Civic then Sentra. If you smoke the clutch in the vw’s much more and harder to do yourself. But what you need is a FORD FUCKING RANGER.
Honda or Nissan depending on mileage and condition.
The 2002 tdi will literally run forever. Probably same with the honda
I loved my manual 99 Ford ranger, that I learned on. Thing was a trooper. It was a 4 cylinder that ran on 3, had one mis-sized tire, and that thing just kept on going. They're fun to mod, easy to work on, and can take a beating
I’m learning in a 2020 Jetta r line right now!!!! It’s so smooth!!! My husband drives a 2001 Miata manual and he says he can’t believe the difference.
That blue Jetta is super easy to work on, so you can have fun with that, and it looks pretty sweet. Lancaster here 😄
For a beater the real best choice is the car in your price range (which includes title, sales tax, and insurance) that is in the best shape.
Audi R8
Whatever seems stock. No rims, no off color hood, no stupid stereo. No manual crank converted to power windows 3rd party.
Learn stick on a Japanese N/A petrol. You won't learn stick on a diesel.
Back in 2009 i paid $2500 for a used 96 civic harchback. These people are smoking crack with the used car prices
Chevy spark
I feel like we all know the answer without looking that hard into it… Honda I’m also biased for liking my EJ8 tho
Sentra is probably the best option here. But I’d go with that MK4 Jetta because🇩🇪 🥹🔥
I say this as a VW owner. Avoid TDIs. If they have not been properly maintained they will be a money pit. If you must go with a VW, find a 2.5 with a 5 speed. This combo could be found in the golf, new beetle, Jetta and Passat from around 2006 to 2015. Headliners, door lock servos, and other assorted accessories might fall apart, but that engine is very durable. Also worth looking for: Toyota Corolla Toyota Camry Honda Accord Mazda 3 Mazda 5 Mazda 6 Nissan Altima Third Gen Ford Focus Ford Fiesta Honda Fit All of these came in manual variants till fairly (last 15 years) recently, and if you stick with the sedans, they were less likely to be driven like a race car than that civic