how to learn to drive stick - Newbies Forum
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i'm 27, and have always driven a an auto. no one in my family had a stick i could use to learn...
but now every car i'm looking at getting at next: mazdaspeed3, 08+ wrx, maybe a si civic, gti, volov c30. etc, i'm looking at alot of cars.
But they are all stick. so i need to learn how to drive one... how hard is it? anyone learn at an 'old' age like me.
any schools have stick cars i can learn on?
you have got to know someone who has one. see if they will let you learn on their car. if not, just ride with them at watch how they do it. or become a valet parker lol. thats how i learned, on other peoples cars
* * BIG FOR SALE POST * *
i learned at the auctions. Some auctions have the keys in the cars and you can take them for test drives around their lot.
your over 25 you can rent a car.
go have some fun for a couple days.. better then paying for lessons... cause you can beat the piss out of it.. for just 15 bucks a day on insurance..
uh... idk.. the clutch just went bad in 2 days..
give me another.
ahahah
i tired to find a rental with a stick, so far no luck in wisconsin.
Buy a car with a manual 100+ miles away. Have someone drop you off and leave you there with the car. You'll figure it out.
1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
you cant really teach it to someone. im assuming that youre 27 and know the concept behind changing gears.
the only thing you need to practice is getting started in 1st gear.
no one rents 5 speeds. find a friend or just buy it and practice in the parking lot.
even my girlfriend bought her VW vr6 and tought herself on the way home.
I know the concept behind it... Just need something to pratice on.
anyone want to lend me their rides
ill lend you my car if you give me a core charge of 500 bucks. if you dont burn out the clutch you get your money back
It's easy. It only took me like 3 - 1 hour sessions. but that was because I was horrified of ruining the clutch in my dad's then-new 2005 Tacoma XRunner.
Now, it's easy. I hadn't drove stick in a year and just got to drive it again and it came right back to me. Once you get it down, you will never forget.
good luck on learning. im 17 and i just learned i thought i was going to give my boyfriend a heart attack, lol.
www.Myspace.com/louigirlxo
Any one can learn,even my brother did and he wasent mechanically inclined whatso ever, The real question is will you like it and be able to live with it after running automatics all your life.If you drink coffee and smoke its a pita lol.
YEah go out by yourself. have someone drop you off and just teach yourself. someone telling you will get you frustrated and not happy so just do it yourself. I did.
I was taught in my moms 95 Altima back when i was about 16.
Fast forward 4 years till i got my 05 Cavy and I could still remember how to drive. It's like riding a bike, you'll never forget.
As far as tips go..all sticks that i have ever driven can actually "take off" without any pressure on the gas pedal. just by letting the clutch out slowly and letting the idle r.p.m's "push" your car along. It's kinda hard to explain, but my wife picked up the concept in just one night so If she could do it, trust me...ANYBODY can learn. Just learn your car, and find that point where it can "take off" with no gas pedal - I believe its called the engaging point or something.
When you learn where your cars clutch engages, then knowing the point when you should start to give it gas is simple. Good luck bro, and grats on the new car - whatever you may choose.
P.S. When your starting out ALWAYS push your clutch in when your about to break..it will save you lots of embarrassment at stoplights and stop signs during rush hour traffic.
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P.S. When your starting out ALWAYS push your clutch in when your about to break..it will save you lots of embarrassment at stoplights and stop signs during rush hour traffic.
ha i found that out the hard way
If you lived closer to me I would let you drive my truck. I learned out of necessity, my neighbor was offering to sell his truck for $400 but it was a stick. Need less to say I learned how to drive it in a few days. First couple of day you stall out but like it has been said once you get the hang of it, its like riding a bike.
If this helps you at all.. im 15, and i learned how to drive a stick... the first stick i ever drove was a little geo storm GSI cause the guy didnt really care if i tore it up lol... then a Saturn SC2.. and my friend has a full show neon he let me drive FINALLY... but the whole point in me learning is the car im building is a 5 speed... so i thought it might be kinda important... but like everyone said, not too hard to learn, and youll never forget it... good luck!!
"Hondas are like tampons, every pussy has one!!!"
Once you know how it all works, the only way to get better is practice.
Buy a car with a stick and learn, like I did.
Takes an hour to learn and a lifetime to master.
Dan Trump
2004 Cavalier LS Sport - Victory Red
When my dad and I pick up my very first car (89 z24), we went to pick it up, he drove it home, and I drove his truck home. When we got home, he took the keys to his truck, and threw me the keys to the car, and said... "you have to be at work in an hour, don't be late." and went in the house.
**there is only one true love in my life... and my girlfriend has learned to live with it**
I bought my car, and told the guy i could drive a stick, he asked how much experience i had, i said none (besides computer games... G25 + Live for speed ftw!). He laughed and said "well its your car now". Drove it about 130 kms home, not one problem, never stalled. You just have to let the clutch out untill you feel/hear the engine sputter a bit. Its when the clutch is first engaging, then apply abit of throttle and release the clutch a little more. Changing from 1st to 2nd to 3rd is as simple as pressing in the clutch, putting it in gear, and releasing the clutch while pressing slightly on the throttle. Seeing that you have more driving experience, i think you should be fine. Dont be nervous. Also, burning out a clutch is NOT that easy. Just dont lt the rpms go about maybe 2000 if your not moving. I think learning to drive a stick feels almost as good as driving for the very first time. Everyone remembers how and when they learned.
the way my stepdad learned: his father drove him to the steepest hill in the county, got out, said "see you at the top" and walked to the top of the hill.
My car may run 18s, but I can do your taxes in 10 seconds flat.
JBO lube - they would never have enough in stock and we'd never see RodimusPrime again
If you know anyone that owns a stick tractor (most of them are), drive that. I learned it off my grandparents' when I was 12, diesel is a LOT more forgiving if you pull the clutch out too early.
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I always wanted to drive a stick. I had a couple opportunities to try when i first got my drivers license. However, because I didn't know anyone that lived close by that had something I could practice on over and over. It just never stuck. Well I eventually bought a cheap car with a 5speed in it and drove it home. I live in a small town so I used to go out at night when there was no one on the streets and cruise around and learn. We also have a few facilities with large parking lots, I used those. Then about two weeks later I had to be in the city for an appointment. There are some lights where you are parked on a good 40 degree incline. I happened to be on it and vehicles behind me, the last thing you want is to roll back and hit them. It forced me into getting it right fast. I do however work well under pressure.
Since then I have had the opportunity to drive several different vehicles with manual transmissions and have to say they are all different. Each setup has a feel to it when you are shifting. And you will get to know the sound of the car and you can use that to shift. It just takes practice. But it was fun.
Wide open parking lots and an e-brake can be fun
Cheers
Yeah I had to teach myself.
I still stall out from time to time, and hills scare me.
But I'd safely say I can drive a stick enough to keep one.
It took me about 3 days of maybe an hour a day.
The first day I just practiced finding where the clutch started to engage.
And then apply a little gas.. and let out the clutch the rest of the way.
Just don't think about it.. or you'll hesitate.. and jerk jerk stall
The other 2 days were just learning how to stop and go, switching gears.
Tho I still can't get into 2nd without jerking.
<img src="http://www.majhost.com/gallery/HCAJosh/crap/shooshined.jpg">
- putting the pieces back together -
A side note to when you learn: You should pull the clutch out gradually to make sure you don't kill the car but don't ride it too long because you can burn out the clutch doing so. It'd be easiest to hold the revs at about 2500-3000. (I've learned this from teaching people to drive my car)
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