Dead

When I bought my 97 I went with the V6 because the 1.8s were "only" available with an automatic ,so I was told. It seems that this was not so , as I see that John/XR4Tic has a 97 1.8t 5spd. I feel violated. I could have waited until the next year but I had worked out such a sweet deal(U wouldn't beleive it if I told U)that I would have had to start all over again for one that far down the road.The dealer made a "slight" mistake when "doing" my deal and If I had to renegotiate a new deal that mistake would have been corrected.I'll have to say this for the dealer when they realized the mistake they took it pretty good, I'm sure someone got an @$$ chewing but what the hey.

Longwolf (Christian)

They only want to sell you what they have on the lot....so if they only have an automatic 1.8t, they will tell you that is all that is made at the time. I have a '97 1.8tqm, and have another friend in town with a '97 1.8tqm.

JayP

All the early 1.8Ts were automatics-- the manuals came in the spring of '97.

SMOKINA4TURBO

I got a 97' 1.8T 5-speed!

Delta-9

I bought mine in May 1997. January 1997 was the first production date of the 1.8t with a manual transmission in the US. I believe they had the 1.8t with manual elsewhere, but it took longer to get all the customs/DOT approvals on the second transmission. (Or at least that was what I remember being told or reading).

So if you had bought the car in late 1996, the dealer was not lying to you. But if you bought it in early 97, he was definetly lying to you.

I settled for a FWD b/c the manuals were *VERY* hard to find at that time. I would've had to wait 6 months for them to order one. The alternative for the dealership to do a locate and trade with another dealership was out of the question.

Jon
01 1.8tqmsxpb

CP

Me, me.

DocWyte

Early early as I have an 'M' ECU in mine...

SirScott

Me too!

bugbbq

97' 1.8T, Man, Pearl white.

RKJ

May of 97, Gossett Motors calls, first 1.8t 5spd in Memphis in stock. I bought it! :-)