Yup.

Fortunately for me, they seem to be available on compact/sub-compact end of the market, so I can use wanting a manual transmission as an excuse to be a cheapskate and get sub-$15k cars  
 

Manual.

And OP arguing about something like this? This has to be the most surprising thing I've heard all week.

When I got my 2015 Honda Fit, they said they didn't have any manuals in stock, but could get one. I said "I'll just keep calling dealerships til I find one", they tried upselling me to a different model, but I stood firm, and imagine to anyone's surprise, they found one in inventory. They claimed it was a return or some such, but with 20 miles on it, I somehow doubt it.

They do seem more readily available in the smaller cars, but even then they're still limited as the resale value for them is incredibly low, but command a good price in the used car market.

Oh, and I've always called it a manual, or stick shift. I've never heard anyone use anything different when referring to the type of transmission.

Using speeds is stupid. Automatic transmissions have speeds, so that tells you nothing of the type of transmission. Just like when some says they have a clutch. It's not descriptive enough to say if it's a cable or hydraulic clutch.

I enjoyed this story, thanks for sharing!  I drove a Prowler for a Car Dealership on order once and I was concerned about messing it up but that's a far cry from a McLaren!

I also would say manual.  Then stick(shift).  Then #speed.

I am also with manual. When I ask someone in person, I do revert to knowing how to drive stick....  

I drive a standard.

Also hear it called "clutch" around here.

And if you are searching for one to buy, I wouldn't call it anything and just look at all the cars. Some people may not think to list transmission info if its not a pre-filled selection box.

I'm pretty sure those hippies invented the test when smog became a problem that could no longer be ignored, so they can call it whatever they want.

Not all manual-only sub-compacts are economy slowpokes... Focus ST, Focus RS, Fiesta ST, Fiat 500 Abarth, etc.  

Yeah, but at least they're not a Ford  
 

He was picking on me about something so I jokingly picked on him about something from an earlier conversation.   His defensiveness caught me off-guard.

No friggin' way I'd be driving that thing up onto a dyno. Even though just driving it onto a dyno is an amazing story lol. One scratch and my life would officially be in peril  .
 

Standard or manual.

As long as it's not an automatic  

That's what insurance is for  

 

Yes but insurance doesn't remove embarrassing poo stains from pants. Who am I kidding, I'd take any excuse to say I drove an F1  
 

I usually say stick or manual. I said standard in the past until I noticed that auto's are actually the standard selection for transmissions for the last decade. My '06 Dodge Ram has a 6 speed manual, so I'd sound pretty stupid calling it a 5 speed. The one thing that is probably keeping me from buying a new truck for the next several years is the fact that they all come with auto's except for a Ram with turbo diesel then a 6 speed manual is optional. I enjoy driving a manual car/truck. As far as autos having a "stick" style shifter, that is becoming a thing of the past. Knobs and buttons are replacing shifters in new cars.

i learned to drive a standard shift in my first car. 48 plymouth coupe special deluxe. had a three on the tree. clutch took a bit more lbs to push in but i learned quick. seems like shifting any standard to me just on the colom instead of the floor. 
 

Some random thugs would probably show up to ensure you're in no condition to ever scratch a McLaren F1 again.
 

Yeah apparently built-in MRT (McLaren Reputation Thugs) is a standard feature for even the base-model McLaren F1.