Driving a Manual

Ever since my first car, a BMW 320i with a manual transmission, arrived at our home, I’ve been driving it pretty often. It’s hard to believe, but it’ll soon be a year since I took delivery.

This 320i isn’t an M Sport or any other performance-focused trim—it’s a completely standard model. Once I got used to driving it, I found myself thinking, “This is a little underwhelming…” more and more often. The engine is quiet and the ride is comfortable, which makes it a great family car. But after driving the Boxster, I’d often get back into the 320i and think, “Wow, they really are in completely different leagues.” (Though I know I shouldn’t compare them in the first place.)

Still, there’s no denying that a manual car is fun. After driving the 320i for almost a year, I’ve come full circle: even if it’s not a sporty model, driving a manual is a pleasure. Every now and then, my husband says, “I’m not taking the NISMO to work today, so you can drive it if you want.” I think it over—and end up taking the 320i after all.

Finding Joy in Everyday Driving

We used to take family drives over moderate distances and head to places like Fuji Speedway and Hakone Turnpike, so we had regular chances to enjoy driving somewhere out of the ordinary.

Back then, I didn’t feel the need to seek out driving excitement on everyday errands or school pickups. But I’m pregnant now, so I won’t be able to go on long drives for a while.

I’m in the stable middle stage of pregnancy, so it’s not that a long drive is completely out of the question. But when I was pregnant with my older daughter, my husband and I decided that being past the early stages meant it was a good time to drive all the way to Mount Fuji (we had an SLK 350 back then). We came home via Nagano and Ishikawa, and the trip left me so exhausted that my morning sickness came back.

Needless to say, my doctor gave me a stern talking-to at my checkup (-_-)

I’m not as young as I was then, and I’d rather avoid long drives while carrying a baby.

So lately, aside from grocery runs and picking up the kids, I hardly drive at all. I spend each day navigating traffic lights on the same city streets, covering maybe five kilometers round-trip. But making those familiar roads as enjoyable as possible has become really important to me.

And that naturally makes me want to drive a manual.

I’d love to take the Panamera out, but using it for slow city driving feels like overkill—and I don’t want to add miles to the odometer just for the sake of it. The Boxster is out, too: with two kids, we’d be over its seating capacity. So the 320i is the obvious choice.

I drive the 320i every day now, and I’ve even got to the point where I can drive it perfectly well in rain boots or regular boots. (Though driving shoes would be better, of course.)

Why Driving a Manual Is So Much Fun

What makes a manual so enjoyable? An automatic is easier, smoother, and more fuel-efficient, so on paper it seems like the obvious choice. But I keep choosing the manual because I’ve fallen for the fun and satisfaction of being in control of the car myself.

It’s a little like playing a sport…

I used to be really into snowboarding for a while. At first, I fell constantly. But little by little, I learned how to shift my weight and move my body. When I finally managed to ride forest trails and advanced runs, it felt amazing.

Driving a manual gives me a similar feeling.

Getting through a gear change smoothly is especially satisfying, and I can’t help grinning. Being able to find little moments of joy and excitement in my everyday driving is really precious to me right now, when longer trips aren’t an option.

When we talked about replacing the Panamera with our next car, I did wonder, “They’d end up serving similar purposes—maybe we should sell the 320i instead…” But I’ve decided that, for now, I want to keep taking good care of my beloved 320i.

Ah, I’d love to drive an air-cooled Porsche again soon.