FC's right - it's a hobby just like any other. There is, of course, a huge difference between those that modify their cars and those who decide to drive around like assholes on the street. I've spent three years building and repairing DSMs, and I feel that I'm a better person for it. Sure, I've lost thousands of dollars on aftermarket parts that hold their resale value about as well as an Olsen Twins movie, but I've learned a great deal about technical matters in general, and about not allowing myself to be intimidated by things that I don't yet understand. It's not an experience to be completely written off just because of the conduct of most of the participants.
Oh, I don't mean that they aren't rather quick in stock form and capable of a hell of a lot more - rather that - well - they don't move that fast with snapped rear halfshafts, worn-out synchros, crankshafts that move in three directions, slipping clutches, extremely weak FPRs, too-small MASs which, by necessity, are placed at the beginning of a charged intake, rubber charge pipes...
I think that above all else, I hate the brass synchros. With the cars getting as old as they are, especially with the 225mm clutches for a car with 203/214 ft/lbs tq from the factory, it's getting really hard to find one that hasn't had GL5 fluid in it at one point or another, and I'm damn tired of tranny swaps and rebuilds.
That being said, my personal record for an AWD tranny removal/install is 2:45 for a basically stock 92 Laser AWD w/ ABS, using only hand tools and without a tranny jack. 😄 That's out and back in, not counting the three minutes it took for me to replace the clutch fork pivot (the reason for the drop) or the ~15 minutes it took to refill the tranny. I'm rather proud of that.