driving manual transmission

[wingzero2309]

Does anyone know where I could learn to do so?  I don't really know anyone who drives manual (and those that know how to don't have a manual car).

Does anyone know if car dealerships will teach you?  Say i go to an Acura dealership and ask them if they'll teach me manual transmission on the Acura RSX Type-S (the car i'm currently looking to get).  Think they'll teach me?

Anyone know of any other places at where i could learn to drive stick?

[Swimmer]

rent one from a rental car company.. if they have any.. i doubt that a dealer is going to "teach" you on a new car.. that would just be bad!

[tm24ns58]

This site will give you a good idea of how it is going to go. Yea reality is a bit different but at least you will know how it is supposted to go.

http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp

[FallowEarth]

Get the car, then learn.  It might take you a day to get the hang of it.  Cars are easy to drive standard, they're forgiving.  I learned on an old pickup that was not forgiving, and it didn't take much time.

[Roco]

hi wingzero 2309

Hey, v. nice car, it just begs for stick shift, buy it, can the dealer give some lessons, on a old used car, ?

if not can you drive it on some back roads, just to get used to the clutch and shift, most learner drivers in the UK get the hang of it within the hour,

as you already drive it should be easier, Yeah,  bet you forget sometimes

I have had the same problem in reverse (stick shift to auto )

and at odd times I was feeling for the clutch pedal, LOL, you cant beat stick shift (manual gear change in the UK)  on a fast twisty road, TOTAL control,

If you would like to pay my air fare , I would be happy to teach you the art 

Regards

Roco  UK

     

[JimPrice]

Probably won't help, but is interesting nontheless.  When I was 15, my Father struggled to teach me to drive stick, and I just couldn't get the coordination down.  After a week or so of slow progress, I dreamed that night that I was driving a stick shift car, and when I woke up I remembered how everything felt in my dream.

The next day I drove stick like I'd been doing it all my life.  Very freaky.  Not exactly the best way to learn, but it worked for me.  I guess I'd been thinking about it so much it was bound to jump into my dreams.

[tommie gorman]

When teaching my step son to drive a stick (he had purchased a 65 mustang with 3 spd. Took him out on back  road in town.    Had him keep taking off from dead stop. He said it was boring. I told him if he could master taking off smoothly, the rest was nothing. The real art is to take off up hill without rolling backward. If you can do that you can burn up the roads. Later speed shifting is the next challenger. All this without grinding any gears. If you get it mastered you will only miss an automatic in town. Anybody can shift a stick when a car is already rolling. ;)

Rental car was a good idea, tear their clutch up, they do expect some wear and tear. Don't take any friends along that will antagonize you, You will need a little consentration, and they will not be goading you into rushing into it, ultimately embarrassing yourself at their expense. Really quite simple, should not take but part of a day.  ;)

[resopalrabotnick]

if you live in a rural or at least semirural place see if a farmer has an old tractor he'll teach you on. it's winter, so he won't have much to do in the fields and a case of beer or whatever will brighten his day. (plus an old tractor doesn't have that fancy schmancy synchronized tranny. you'll learn how to doubleclutch to match rpm's as well.)

i learned to drive a stick when i was six years old on an old john deer. 16-speed transmission. 12 forward 4 reverse. two shifters. one r-1-2-3 one 1-2-3-4 to split the first one. and you better match the tranny to the motor when you shift or all it would do is grind. hard. kick the shifter right out of your hand. (if you're a 6-year old anyhow. )

as for auto or stick... stick is fun, but i find it tedious after a while. especially in stop and go traffic. and modern auto trannies are just as good as a stick performancewise and probably better mileagewise since they shift 'smarter' than a normal driver in everyday conditions. yes, yes, yes, you can do better than an auto with a stick, but it's just too damned much trouble for the small improvement.

[tommie gorman]

What does a 6 year old troll look like on a John Deere tractor, any pic's? That would make a cute pic!!

By the way a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck would do ideall :D

[RAINMAKA]

i was lucky enough to have a large enough backyard to learn how to take off a few times, then i just headed out to the backroads of my town and learned how. it is alot easier than you would think. if you have ever drove anything with a clutch you are already ahead of the game.

[amc11890]

Most fast cars these days are stick shifts so learning how would be very beneficial.  Right know im learning to drive on a Lincoln Navigator which has a automatic transmission.  I personally think this a good car to learn how to drive on because it is very large and teaches u to learn how to watch out for cars in back of you very cautiouly.  As for manual transmissions, i need to learn how to drive a automatic first.  Im only 15

[dlewis23]

wingzero2309 just jump in and drive, as long as you push the clutch when your shifting you can't hurt it.

if you get nervous or feel like your going to break something then just pop it into 3rd and just drive.

you will never learn how to drive a stick , by reading. it takes experience.

and rember always shift before you get into the red. but in everyday driving its best to shift at around 3-5k depending on the car.

[pitbull481]

i learned to drive stick at my work. (this is the truck.picture is not one i took, but those are the exact city truck and trailer we use

[dlewis23]

i learned to drive stick at my work

I learned in a truck like that too.

[wingzero2309]

well, the problem is that i cant really get the car until i learn how to drive manual (my dad isn't really wanting me to get a manual car...but i found a 02 type-s for 13.5k with 39k miles...very good deal imo...i just gotta somehow learn stick so i can show my dad tht i <i>can</i> drive it. 

but yeah, i think i'll try the rent-a-car method

i have a pretty good idea on how to work manual..i've driven a big uhaul truck b4 (when i was around 11 or 12)...i dont think i had any idea what i was doing, but i rmr i managed to get it to accelerate a bit...so...now that i do have somewhat of an idea on what to do...how hard could it be, rite? =)

the only thing i'm really worried about is actually getting into first...that, and blowing the engine (i guess racing games kinda led to this paranoia,lol).

[tommie gorman]

You'll be fine, just rent the car this weekend, drive the car, turn on some light tunes, for your style and drive it. But get away from heavy traffic, and forgot video games, don't have to rev 5,000 or anything. There is nothing to it except fear itself! Enjoy!!

[richcornucopia]

Lol too much drag racing in underground.

[pitbull481]

You'll be fine, just rent the car this weekend, drive the car, turn on some light tunes, for your style and drive it. But get away from heavy traffic, and forgot video games, don't have to rev 5,000 or anything. There is nothing to it except fear itself! Enjoy!!

you forgot one main thing.  if you are a beginner in stick, dont drive nowhere close where there is a high uphill and you getting a red light with cars on back of you. you might end up rolling back and hitting the car on back of you.

the way do this, when i am on a redlight with an uphill, i dont press the brakes, i just hold the clutch and gas (hold so it wont forward or backwards)

just practice

[wingzero2309]

Lol too much drag racing in underground.

[resopalrabotnick]

What does a 6 year old troll look like on a John Deere tractor, any pic's? That would make a cute pic!!

By the way a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck would do ideall :D

pretty much stand on the clutch and brake pulling up on the wheel to depress the pedals, lol. and that was before digicams so no pics...

as for the method of just holding it on a hill with the clutch and gas, i've had several people do that here in puerto rico. each one of em almost managed to let it roll into me. the correct way is to set your parking brake. when you get ready to go release the brake so you're just holding it with your hand, let out clutch and give it some throttle till you feel it pulling against the brake and let the brake off. (this maneuver gets a lot more interesting if you have a ford truck or a mercedes (some others do as well) that has the parking brake as a foot pedal with a release like a hood release.)

one option, ask around at the drivers ed places in your area, they might have a manual car there, see how much they will charge for an hour or two of driving instruction.

[cholla]

wingzero2309:To start experience is the best teacher.I was taught to drive a stick by my grandfather on a non-synchronized 4 speed with the first gear a granny gear at 10.I have also been to professional truck driving school & I have driven semis for here to California & back.So much for credentials.

1. Start slow in as little traffic as possible

2.Easy with the clutch& when you push it in remember to let off the accelerator.So the engine doesn't over rev.

3.Easily push the accelerator as you begin to let out the clutch.

4.As previously said practice taking off & stopping.When you get good at this you can start using the rest of the gears(speeds).

5.For a beginning manual driver do not take the RPM over 3000.

6.Once in gear & rolling the car will accelerate & decelerate much like an automatic in low as long as the clutch is engaged .Try speeding up to 3000 & then leaving it in gear & decelerating to idle speed.then back up to 3000 again .just to get the feel of this.

7. Once you get this down smooth try stepping on the brake to slow the vehicle without pushing in the clutch.Until your speed is down to about idle .This will teach you that you can step on the brake at speed without pushing in the clutch.Of course if you don't push in the clutch when you get slow enough it will kill the engine.

8 This will help as you begin to learn to downshift to slow the car.

9.Watch the tach but also learn to listen to the engine & feel it through the steering wheel.In the beginning leave the stereo off.

I won't go into speed shifting or how to shift without pushing in the clutch except to takeoff by using the tach.No matter what anyone tells you about doing this its hard on the synchronizers no matter how smooth it feels.

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