Originally Posted by Crowz

Bad part now is a new clutch and pressure plate for a bmw cost the same as a replacement automatic transmission and requires the same effort to swap them

Not to mention the banjo lever action on a bmw's shifter isn't going to hold up well to a newbie learning to shift gears for the first time. Expect a few wrecker trips or a call from the kid where they are stranded from the shifter not doing anything when moved

My first was a celica manual but like anyone else with stories of learning to drive a manual on Japanese cars they were top loader transmissions. You could grind on them all day with no damage and the shifters are practically indestructible within reason.

You can pop the shifter linkage off a bmw if you are rough with them.