Ideas on learning to drive a manual?

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: spidey07
What???

These are your friends. You are allowed to ask them to teach you stuff. As long as you don't leach off of them then what is problem?

I'm just saying I wouldn't feel comfortable having someone (even a friend) learn to drive in my manual car, if there's a risk of ruining something.

meh, I schooled many a friend on how to drive a manual (it's how I learned at age 14). It's not that hard.

1) go to a parking lot and show them what is up/teach them for about 30 minutes
2) let them take the wheel and critique what they are doing
3) all done, take her out onto the road

These are your friends. They are supposed to hellp you.

you're not gonna ruin anything unless you hit something.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: spidey07
1) go to a parking lot and show them what is up/teach them for about 30 minutes
2) let them take the wheel and critique what they are doing
3) all done, take her out onto the road

These are your friends. They are supposed to hellp you.

you're not gonna ruin anything unless you hit something.

Newbie drivers tend to put a lot of wear on the clutch. I would teach people back when I drove a beater, but the clutch in my MR2 is a PITA to change, and expensive besides.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: spidey07
1) go to a parking lot and show them what is up/teach them for about 30 minutes
2) let them take the wheel and critique what they are doing
3) all done, take her out onto the road

These are your friends. They are supposed to hellp you.

you're not gonna ruin anything unless you hit something.

Newbie drivers tend to put a lot of wear on the clutch. I would teach people back when I drove a beater, but the clutch in my MR2 is a PITA to change, and expensive besides.

Yeah, but not all THAT much...it's not like they're going to have to drive it for weeks to learn. Like a lot of people are saying, I picked it up in an afternoon of driving around in my buddy's 1972 (I think) VW Bug.

Maybe spidey and I have a different definition of "friend" than you guys do, I don't know...but putting a little extra wear on my clutch to help a friend learn stick isn't something I'm going to loose a lot of sleep over.

 

[razor2025]

Originally posted by: linkgoron

Originally posted by: eos

Originally posted by: linkgoron

Originally posted by: teckmaster
I learned very quickly how. I had learned on and always drove automatics. Then I saw a brand new car I wanted that was manual. So I went inside, bought it and drove it home. Didn't even test drive it. At the time, I lived a good 20 miles away.

errrr, isn't that ilegal?

How would that be illegal?

Where I live you can't drive a manual car if you get your license on an automatic. It's a different type of license.

Let me guess. You live in Japan right? I used to live there with my parents, and my dad got a license while we were there. They give you an option to take the exam on automatics, but the license restricts you to automatics.

As for OP, if you feel bad about wearing out their clutch and what not, just offer to pay for their gas. After the lesson goto a gas station and offer to fill it up. That's what I did. I filled my buddies Mustang (from near empty) for about $35. It's not too expensive, and I'm sure they'll appreciate the gas (since you did use their gas for the lesson).

OTOH, make sure you don't learn manual on high HP cars. My first (2wk ago) lesson was on my buddy's V8 Mustang Coupe. The clutch took a good bit of effort to depress. After an hour or so, you get a good workout on your left leg. He warned me ahead of time about it, but he was the only person I know that drove manual. He said Japanese clutch are much easier to handle, so take note of that.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Didn't read the whole thread, but if you have real interest in buying a car with a manual, tell that to the salesman. I've heard stories about how they will teach you to drive a manual

 

[Garet Jax]

My brother and I shared a manual car through university. Everyone of his friends and mine learned to drive standard on this car. It had 6 years of hard driving before the clutch failed. Learning to drive on a standard isn't going to kill the clutch right then and there.

 

[ArchCenturion]

The clutch will be fine especially considering you don't have any hills. Just don't sit on a hill with the clutch half way in for too long or you will smell it.

My dad taught me in a parking lot when I was 15 its easy. Just do it its not rocket science. One foot goes down other foot comes up not hard...

 

[Ika]

Alright, sounds like this isn't really a big deal. I think the phrase "'grinding' the clutch" affected me the most, because when you grind something, you usually take a good bit off. Good to know it's nothing to sweat about, though. I'll probably ask a friend once I get some more free time.

Side thought: jeez, I thought this thread was dead.

 

[clamum]

I agree with spidey... just ask a friend for some help. They should verbally explain how to do it and tell you some pointers on what NOT to do. I would let a friend learn the basics on my car in a parking lot. I mean you'd have to be a real prick not to. Then just buy a manual car that you want. It does not take long to learn how to drive a stick (as others have said).

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: razor2025


OTOH, make sure you don't learn manual on high HP cars. My first (2wk ago) lesson was on my buddy's V8 Mustang Coupe. The clutch took a good bit of effort to depress. After an hour or so, you get a good workout on your left leg. He warned me ahead of time about it, but he was the only person I know that drove manual. He said Japanese clutch are much easier to handle, so take note of that.

QFT. i learned (or tried to learn) on my dads 540i @ 325lb ft and very short and touchy clutch throw. but damn, after i got the hang of that....

 

[BD2003]

Definitely get a friend to help. The hardest part is getting going from a stop, figure that one out, and the rest is cake.

 

[wasssup]

i didn't learn how to drive stick until i bought my car...

my parents did anything they could to get me into an automatic instead, they thought i would frustrated trying to learn/get bored after a few weeks and want to get rid of it...

(oh, and i still drive it)

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: linkgoron

Originally posted by: teckmaster
I learned very quickly how. I had learned on and always drove automatics. Then I saw a brand new car I wanted that was manual. So I went inside, bought it and drove it home. Didn't even test drive it. At the time, I lived a good 20 miles away.

errrr, isn't that ilegal?

Smoking weed is illegal too.

 

[theeedude]

Just buy the manual car. You'll learn in your time.
If you want to practice launching smoothly, you can pretend that the brake pedal is the clutch on your automatic car (brake torquing) Just give it a little gas with your right foot, and slowly release the brake pedal with your left foot.
Just do it till you are launching smoothly.