The first time i drove a manual, it was a 1985 bmw 3 series, stalled about 2 times, and although for some thats terrible, i thought it was pretty good, but when i went on vacation, i drove an isuzu fuego, basically like a tacoma i guess.I put the car in nuetral, started it it, put it into first pressed a bit on the gas and let go of the clutch, the car stalled, about 7 times, eventually i got it going and got to second, got to fourth then when coming to a stop, i pressed on the brake, shifted down, but stalled agian. That being said, as much as some of you may like driving manual, i really don't and i need to work on it haha, unless of course i want to get an automatic porsche, im just saying though, do driving different manual really differ, because i had it a lot easier driving the bmw then i did the fuego, and the bmw was my first time

 

Dude dont worry! Sticks are for chix!

 

i have never driven a manual. i just never got the chance to. my family does not, nor has never bought one.

if i did, i hear its tricky on hills, so with me living in san fran and all, i dont think that equals a good time

 

I laughed at that picture.
It just takes time and practice....and a few clutch jobs j/k

I'm sure you will get the hang of it.

 

Agreed, my mom taught me on a '91 MR2 Turbo without power steering (perfect beginners car, I know). It just takes a lot of patience, just don't get upset. Learning to use a clutch effeciently is difficult, but once you get it you'll develop that muscle memory and becomes second nature.

I love driving manual transmissions, I don't hate automatics but there's just an extra appeal to a car that lets me to row through the slushbox.

 

Once you become good at that, try rowing through gates. That is fun.

 

I remember my first attempt to drive a manual transmission car when I was 14 - it was my Grandmother's '48 Nash, and despite my Dad's patience, I could barely get it around the block. Yes, I proceeded down the street in a series of lurches as on engagement of the clutch I panicked and lifted off the gas, killing the engine. A few weeks later I drove a friend's new Volvo 544 with considerably more success. I guess that confidence inspired my love of "foreign" cars.

I don't know why I'm surprised when people don't know how to drive a stick today, but with automatics so common, I guess it's possible to survive to middle age never haven driven anything else. I remember pulling my new '72 Opel into a carwash and a few minutes later having one of the attendants come inside to get me to move the car to the wash rack. Out of a dozen guys on the driveway, not one could drive a stick.

 

i guess it's like fishing, you need a lot of patience, haha. But like i said earlier, the main reason i want to learn to drive manual is that i do not want a automatic porsche, or if i get the chance, be able to drive a super car or any car thats a manual thats worth it. although tiptronic isn't that bad

 

LOl, my first attempt was a Nissan HArdbody truck I could only get out the neighborhood once b/c the entrance/exit is an incline and I would stall out.

 

besides the car, you history is basiclly the same as mine. the first time i drove a manual i was 14 to haha. and i guess thats what i did, i panicked and let offthe gas, or didn't gas it enough. being used to automatics, i thought i knew how much to press the pedal and that if i pressed to much, id fly off, but i guess i thought wrong

 

Every man should know how to drive a manual transmission car. PERIOD. If it's not a man law, it damn well should be.

On top of that, I personally believe that everyone should learn how to drive a manual transmission... Makes you more aware as to what's going on with the vehicle.

 

Interesting picture, i thought the Levinson Logo was on the other side of the radio.... pre-production unit??

 

That might be the only reason not to know how to drive a manual. I've driven in the hills of San Francisco and it was not fun with a manual. I think I burned up half that clutch in the two weeks I was up there (years ago).

 

I learned on my sisters Corolla, didn't drive a MT again for a year and then had to drive my bro's Impreza one night. So what I did was went to some steep hills in my neighborhood and practice starting from a dead stop. Now its a game for me when Im on hills to see how little I can roll. I am actually kind of turned off to Lexus because they offer so few MTs.

Oh and I have little respect for drivers of Mustangs, Corvettes, Wranglers equipped with autos. Unless you are missing a limb.

 

The key is slipping the clutch out slllooowwwlllyyy to first get a feel for the clutch. I learned to drive stick in my friend's beat up Supra with the W58 tranny. But when it came time for a Civic with a new OEM Honda clutch, I kept stalling out - but now I'm pretty good at it. Some cars like VWs need a quick jab on the gas while letting the clutch out.