Is manual difficult to drive?!

[HappyFace]

I'm buying a car soon, and am trying to decide between a manual and auto transmission. I hear that stick is much more fun to drive, less expensive and perhaps even more fuel efficient - but on the other hand I've never driven a stick and am somewhat intimidated. I wouldn't want to ruin something or stall my new used car! I've seen tons of good deals on used manual Integras ... and a bunch of expensive crap auto tranny cars. Is driving a stick difficult to learn?! I'll need to catch on quickly, since I'm starting my new job soon. Wouldn't want to be late the first day due to incompetence.

 

[Sluggo]

NO big deal.

1-2 days to become OK at it

1 week to be good at it

1 month to not even think about it as you drive

 

[jhu]

Is a stick difficult to drive?!

nah, i taught her how last night.

 

[pillage2001]

Through experience. I do think that the stick is more fuel efficient. Especially when you start flooring the gas to get the torgue you want. It's much fun to drive to. Don't be intimidated by the stick. Practice makes perfect. IF you have been driving for a long time, it should not be a problem.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

nope, you don't even notice it after you drive for about a week

 

[Jzero]

<< I wouldn't want to ruin something or stall my new used car! >>


You'll be alright. Stalling is a part of learning to drive. Hellz...I've been driving stick for 4 years now and I still stall once in a blue moon. In fact, I did it tonite
As for ruining something, as long as you're not grinding gears, half-clutching, riding the clutch, or not clutching at all, you'd be hard-pressed to do any serious damage.

 

[Freejack2]

Let me put it this way.
Take 2 cars, identical in every way but...
One is Automatic, one is Manual.
A driver who knows how to drive stick will ALWAYS beat the automatic.
Also you get more power out of a stick. You can shift higher than the automatic. Also most automatics are 4 speed while manuals are 5 speed so more gears for better acceleration.

If your willing to learn, learn to drive manual. If you like to "drive" you'll never go back to an automatic.

 

[pac1085]

I have to agree - its hard for the first few times but after a dew days it becomes natural, really fun to drive too.

 

[PsychoAndy]

<< Through experience. I do think that the stick is more fuel efficient. Especially when you start flooring the gas to get the torgue you want. It's much fun to drive to. Don't be intimidated by the stick. Practice makes perfect. IF you have been driving for a long time, it should not be a problem. >>



it is more fuel efficient. less moving parts and the lack of a torqe converter make the difference.

 

[Thegonagle]

It's not hard.

Here's a hint to help you get the best car for the $4000-5000 you want to spend: don't decide. Chose the car based on the condition and upkeep, not on the transmission. Make sure it is a good car, and just take the transmission that it comes with.

 

[pillage2001]

Oh yeah, remember to let go the damn clutch when you want to move!

I was at a driving school once where a girl floored both the accelerator and clutch when she was going up the hill. Should have seen how funny it was! :Q

 

[AaronP]

its not hard once you get the hang of it, but I really don't like it. Its fine for long trips, but it gets to be a real pain the ass when there's a lot of stop and go driving like in a city with a lot of lights.

 

[d33pt]

i just bought a manual car today and i didn't even know how to drive it..had my friend drive it home and i just learned how to drive it in half an hour...not too bad..

 

[KokomoGST]

Another vote for the stick... you do get better gas mileage and power. Learning the clutch is the hardest part, but once you get to 4th/5th... you're good to go for your commute

Just don't grind the gears... stalling's not too bad. Oh, don't forget to practice your hills! I actually did hill instinctively, but it varies. Most of my friends had trouble with hills. Only a few got it instinctively.

 

[mithrandir2001]

Actually, it takes longer to master than some here are suggesting. During my first week, my attention was spent almost entirely on the shifter and clutch. I remember having to look at the shifter often during shifts. During my first month, almost all my shifting actions were deliberate...I had to think each time I wanted to shift and when/how to do it. I especially hated having to slow down from 60mph and making a right hand turn. It took a while to get the motions down. After 6 weeks, I drove from Philly all the way down to Dallas by myself without problems. Sure, it was mostly highway driving, but I had nobody with me to help if I got stuck. By the time I hit 6 months of experience, my actions were mostly natural except for special situations like starting on steep/icy hills and parallel parking. Now I'm at 2.5 years and manual shifting is completely second nature. I really don't want to go back to a clutchless transmission because using your hands and feet for shifting adds so much to the pleasure of driving.

Since you are considering Integras, I would strongly recommend a manual: small 4 cylinder engines essentially demand them and 10-year old automatics are known to fail and set you back $1500 for rebuild costs.

 

[Imdmn04]

manual is definitely more fun to drive, you feel more "in control" but you wont have a free hand to hold a burger or something if you go with manual
so its your call, but you should learn to drive a manual anyways even if you get an automatic because you will probably have to drive a manual one time or another in your life. and if you get a manual, dont learn it on the new car, learn it on your friends beatup car

 

[HappyFace]

<< manual is definitely more fun to drive, you feel more "in control" but you wont have a free hand to hold a burger or something if you go with manual
so its your call, but you should learn to drive a manual anyways even if you get an automatic because you will probably have to drive a manual one time or another in your life. and if you get a manual, dont learn it on the new car, learn it on your friends beatup car >>

hum, I would except that my friends don't have beat up cars. meh..

 

[mithrandir2001]

<< and if you get a manual, dont learn it on the new car >>


Heh, I learned on a new car and when I traded the car in with 29K miles, the clutch was still original and as strong as new. But third gear was a little f'd up from too much grinding.

 

[Turkey]

Yeah, definitely learn! I was with a bunch of friends at school once and a drunk guy needed his car to be moved to a parking lot 1/2 mile away so it wouldn't get towed. I was the only one who knew how to drive a stick... lucky for me it was a Porsche .

 

[FSUpaintball]

I don't know how to drive a stick either, but I have a great idea on how to learn without screwing up your new car.

I'm renting a manual transmission car to learn on for 2 days. Try budget rent-a-car.

 

[Scootin159]

Just got a beater car w/ a manual transmission. Had never driven stick before, but in about 2 days I was comfortable enough to prefer it for my daily commute. I still had to think about it & was annoyed with stopping for about a month, but after about 1 month it was second nature. At that point I wouldn't even notice I was starting on a hill, much less worry about it.

As far as damaging the car...it'll take a LOT to do soemthing devestating on accident...if you're as cautious as I'm sure you will be as you are learning I wouldn't worry about it at all. Just make sure you do still watch the road & not worry solely on your shifting. Once you get used to it, you only really risk it doing stuipd stuff (like shifting without the clutch).

 

[Imdmn04]

<< I don't know how to drive a stick either, but I have a great idea on how to learn without screwing up your new car.

I'm renting a manual transmission car to learn on for 2 days. Try budget rent-a-car. >>



do rental companies rent manuals? i have never seen one, all the one i have seen are automatics. but you cant blame the companies, since a large portion of the population in america doesnt know how to drive a manual.

 

[Scootin159]

<<

<< I don't know how to drive a stick either, but I have a great idea on how to learn without screwing up your new car.

I'm renting a manual transmission car to learn on for 2 days. Try budget rent-a-car. >>



do rental companies rent manuals? i have never seen one, all the one i have seen are automatics. but you cant blame the companies, since a large portion of the population in america doesnt know how to drive a manual. >>



I've heard yes, and it's a reccomended way to learn if you're thinking of buying manual...but good luck finding one (just call around). The friends meathod is a good one, but you said none of your friends have beatup manuals...so I guess that's no good to ya.

 

[FrustratedUser]

I am surprised that 80-90% of the cars in the US is automatic. Just moved from Sweden in Europe and there it is 95% manual (or stick).
Why is that? Is it the extreme heavy non-moving morning rush hours in cities like LA that makes people choose automatic. In that case I undestand because driving stick in slow moving traffic is no fun.

Learning to drive stick is easy and fun.




/Owner of a big American automatic car

 

[ETan]

another vote for manual. Much more fun to drive.

Although if u'll be driving mostly in the city, I'd advise to go with an automatic. I personally would still go with a manual because I like the control, and I can get more out of a cheap manual than a cheap auto...

I've managed to beat a friend of mine driving a '00 Toyota Corolla (auto) with a ~10 years old Mitsubish Galant.. (manual - really old car). Almost damaged the car though... from pushing the gears to the limit and then some ("chopping" the gear to accelerate faster)...

Now I only wish I can afford my own car.