Automatic FRS or Manual Fiesta ST?

Curious which you guys would choose given those two options. A pure sports car in an auto, or a physics challenged Fiesta ST manual. Unfortunately I can't find a manual FRS with decent mileage in my budget, so I'm pretty torn. My main goal is a fun autocross/daily. I'll be trading in my DSG GTI. It's great, but I want something with a sportier feel, numb chassis' and steering bores me.

FWIW, a lot really, the FRS is my best financial decision as well. I just don't know if the chassis is good enough to overcome the AT and lack of power to be fun. Looking to swap within the next few days. Thanks.

Have you driven both? I'm generally inclined to take manual over auto, but if we're going to give it a fair shot, it depends on the automatic.

The only automatics I've driven recently are both from the BMW family, but were wildly different; The E90 328i was crisp in its shifts and put power down firmly, lacking a lot of the mushiness I associate with autos. The Mini Clubman S on the other hand, was everything I hate about autos. Mushy, laggy (My DD is a contemporary Mini hardtop, so I'm pretty sure turbo wasn't factoring into the laggy feeling)... I'd hate to own any vehicle with that trans in it.

Fiesta ST.  

Keep looking.

I've only driven a Fiesta ST for about 15-20 minutes but it was a ton of fun. No FRS experience but auto would immediately mark it down a lot.

If you're not big on either car, keep looking.

Took me over two years just to find a wagon that checked the majority of my boxes local to me.

Either that or I'm extremely picky/cheap.

where do you live?  long weekend coming up?  expand your search net.  

If you really want the FRS don't settle for an auto if that's not what you want.  There's plenty of FRS manuals out there.  A quick search of AutoTrader shows 109 manual trans equipped FRS' under $16K nationwide, so put some miles on that GTI and get out there.  

Both cars are really fun. Auto kills the FRS for me. I'd look harder for a manual FRS. I really like FiST it's one of the most fun cars I've driven. I'm partial to RWD and the ergonomics that a low sports car provides. 

I love my FRS, but an auto would ruin it for me. I'm in the keep looking camp. 

Having driven both, there really is no "wrong answer" . . . except an automatic.  Personally, I like the FiST better, but I'm one of those weirdos who actually likes throwing a FWD car into the corner, begging it to please turn, then flat footing the gas as soon as you can get the wheels straight.  I've also always loved the utility of a 4 door hatchback. 

Manual Fiesta ST all day long. I've driven both cars (Auto FRS) and the Fiesta was much more engaging. 

Fly and buys are cheap. Don't settle. 

Sorry, why would you ever even consider the FRS in automatic? They are garbage. 

In reply to goingnowherefast :

Really wanted to love it, don't hate it,but wouldn't buy it. Fiesta st all day

What part of the country are you located? Maybe we can help!

In reply to rustybugkiller :

This.

I looked too. I'd let him take the habu out for a spin. 

I feel like 'RWD elitism' is the only way this becomes a plausible question. But of all the things to hold a hamstrung auto RWD up against.. I get the impression the Fiesta ST is an overdog among FWDs when it comes to comparing things based on fun factor.  Maybe if the FRS had turbo torque to compensate for its auto and the Fiesta ST lacked it, it'd be a fair fight.   I say Fiesta ST by a mile. 

Fiesta ST.  As long as you aren't autocrossing with R-comps.

Long trafficky daily commute, that and some boost could make the auto FRS appealing. I know sombody who uses one with those two qualifiers and is happy with it.  There are worse autos than that one.

I'd get a used Coyote Mustang.

Even with a manual in the FRS, I'd still take the Fiesta ST.  You won't miss much about the chassis if you go with the FiST...the car is about as much fun as you can have on real roads and will dominate HS with nothing more than tires.  But you will miss the torque if you get the FRS.  Its what you will miss every day, every on ramp, every passing situation, every blast down a country road.  Remember, 0-60 in 6.8 for the FiST isn't great, but the FR-S does it in 8.1.  And 2nd gear pulls from 30 are the FiST's real forte, important in an autocross.  (forget the 30-50 and 50-70 numbers you see, who accelerates in top gear anyway?) 

A well-tuned FRS on good rubber is faster than the FiST all day long on the autocross.  Faster than a lot of cars in fact.  But as a daily, its no contest.  

pinchvalve said:

Even with a manual in the FRS, I'd still take the Fiesta ST.  You won't miss much about the chassis if you go with the FiST...the car is about as much fun as you can have on real roads and will dominate HS with nothing more than tires.  But you will miss the torque if you get the FRS.  Its what you will miss every day, every on ramp, every passing situation, every blast down a country road.  Remember, 0-60 in 6.8 for the FiST isn't great, but the FR-S does it in 8.1.  

There is no way this is true, is there?

On topic, Fiesta ST is the better daily.  For competition use, keep looking.  I want to love the ST, but I'm paranoid about rollover. 

Automatic is the way this is true.

Quite true I’m afraid, 150ft/lb of torque through a slush box is not a recipe for acceleration.  

Ive autocrossed and tracked the FiST and have no worry about a rollover.  Lowered, caged, and stripped to race car spec, they are plenty stable for even racing duty.  Check B-Spec.  

I don't have any good pics yet, but I brought this home a couple nights ago:

Glad you guys talked some sense into me, I don't think an auto FRS would have kept my interest for very long. Especially at its power level.

The FiST has been a blast so far, while it isn't as communicative as the FRS, it's close enough and is light-years better than my GTI so I'm happy. Definitely a fun car. This clutch though, is a lot more vague than I expected but maybe I have to get used to it still.