This a good idea....

[Gibson486]

My gf is selling her car. She got a new job in the city so she now takes public transit.

After selling her car, she wants to learn stick. Next summer, she wants to get a cheap used Miata as a fun car (the car being sold is a brand new corolla).

I have driven stick, but I am no expert. Last time I drove it, I was 17 and I just did it in a parking lot.

Is it a good idea to get a dirt cheap pos that has a standard tranny and to learn on it (Thinking around $500)? The way I see it...We will drive it until one of us kills the clutch. At that point, we will just junk it. What could I get for $500?

 

[PricklyPete]

My gf is selling her car. She got a new job in the city so she now takes public transit.

After selling her car, she wants to learn stick. Next summer, she wants to get a cheap used Miata as a fun car (the car being sold is a brand new corolla).

I have driven stick, but I am no expert. Last time I drove it, I was 17 and I just did it in a parking lot.

Is it a good idea to get a dirt cheap pos that has a standard tranny and to learn on it (Thinking around $500)? The way I see it...We will drive it until one of us kills the clutch. At that point, we will just junk it. What could I get for $500?

Why not just a really cheap Miata. Very easy to learn on, you're likely to only wear out the clutch if anything while learning and I can't imagine that costing much more than $500 to replace...no extra insurance.

If both of you really enjoy it, you can always sell that Miata if you end up wanting a newer/nicer one down the road. I think you would be more motivated to learn in a Miata.

 

[fbrdphreak]

No. Just buy the car you want, don't be a dumbass, and carefully learn to drive on it. I drove my 2006 GTO off the lot, having driven stick twice before. Once in an old Honda in a parking lot and the second time was another GTO.

With the help of a friend and lots of practice, I figured it out and didn't break anything. Nor was I really at a risk for breaking anything. As long as you don't smoke the clutch, you really won't break anything.

 

[Imp]

I learned stick with a driving instructor, and he told me his 2002-ish Golf had its clutch replaced at about 110,000 Km. Despite having new students pop the clutch and shift hard 100 times per day.

My plan is to get a slightly older Miata to play/learn on. Just need to get a place with a garage first.

 

[MaxFusion16]

sorry but your gf is manlier than you are, she actually wants to learn stick.

 

[StageLeft]

Too much effort. Just get the miata and if the clutch dies it dies. Reality is that only somebody who sucks ass is going to destroy a clutch learning on the car.

 

[T2urtle]

90-92 miatas run for like $2500 or so. Find a clean one and kill the clutch on it, clutch replacement should only run $300-600 parts and labor at a shop. You still have a good miata, or you two might be fast learners and not kill the clutch and drive happily ever after.


I want one, no place to store miata in winter time. Plus the ones i really want (smurf blue, hardtop, w/ AC and a 1.8 motor, no rust ) normally runs for about $5000. holding me back.

 

[skyking]

Get a clutch guru like me to give you lessons.

 

[StageLeft]

90-92 miatas run for like $2500 or so.

Seems in my area regardless of year a miata worth owning is about $4000-4500+. Easy to find one asking $6k for a 93. They are all garage kept, though.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Posted this in a similar thread in OT but here's my suggestion.

Find an old diesel truck with a manual. My brother had one and it wouldn't kill if you let the clutch out in first without giving it gas. So much torque you could start it in 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd. Basically impossible to kill. They're usually cheap too.

 

[43st]

I can't imagine many people destroy clutches learning to drive stick.. if they do they probably shouldn't be on public roads anyway.

The trick to learning a manual transmission is to NOT use the gas pedal. Once you get the clutch part down you're good to go.

 

[CraigRT]

I can't believe you want to buy a car just to learn stick on.. hah

It takes minutes.. Then the rest of the week is spent polishing up. After the week you're driving it like you would any other car.

You just don't have to go that far. I bought my Neon R/T brand new off the lot back in 2001, 5 speed, having never owned one before. I never had a problem with the clutch or trans the entire time I owned it.

 

[MiataNC]

Unless you drive stupid (dumping the clutch trying to drag race, or riding the clutch in traffic) you won't kill a clutch learning to drive stick.

Stick is easy to learn, but takes a little time to master. The Miata is a PERFECT choice. The two of you will be heel-toe shifting and drifting through corners in no time if you put the time and effort in to learning all of the tricks. Assuming you want to learn performance driving with a stick and rear wheel drive car.

 

[Paperlantern]

Stick is extremely easy to drive once you "get it". Think of it as a reverse brake, because essentially thats what it is, the brake stops a car with friction, the clutch makes the car go with friction. Virtually every stick is the same, the motor has a flywheel attached to it that is constantly spinning if the engine is on, mounted around the flywheel is a pressure plate, that pushes the clutch disc INTO the flywheel. The clutch disc is attached to the input shaft of the trasmission which of course then goes through your gears and to the wheels. What the clutch pedal does is release the pressure from the pressure plate from the clutch disc and allows it to spin freely from the engine's flywheel. At idle, there is not enough power to turn the wheels alone, hence, the car bucks, and stalls. Since the flywheel is analog, and not digital, meaning there is no point where it fully engages, like the brake pedal it applies as much friction as you allow it. Theres always a sweet spot, but as you learn where that sweet spot is, there really is a lot of play in how much gas you need vs how much clutch you let out, in almost any scenario if you rev the engine to about 2000 to 2500 rpm and then let the clutch out slow enough, the car wont stall.

Every clutch is different and like someone said, once you "get" that principal and learn how to not stall and how the clutch WORKS, then its just polish to be able to do it more smoothly and offer yourself and passengers a more pleasant ride with finesse.

 

[bruceb]

I agree, learning to shift is not too hard. First get used to where the clutch wants to engage as you raise the pedal. Also, play with the shifter (engine off) and locate
where all the shift gates are. Once you are certain where each gear is, try to drive it.

 

[speedy2]

Agree as well. Learn a stick. It doesn't take long. After that, it will be second nature for you. You won't even have to think about doing it. I bought a '94 Camaro V6. Drove it off the lot with no experience in a manual. I knew how it worked in my head, so I gave it a shot. 2 times around the parking lot and I was good to go. Hour drive home. No stalls.

 

[Paperlantern]

Yeah my issue when I learned what i didnt UNDERSTAND what the clutch DID, i thought it would fully engage at a certain point or something and was trying by trial and error to time it, like i would let out the clutch and try to give gas at the same time, i was always too slow and the car would buck... and stall... once i figured out you can give it gas BEFORE even moving the clutch and then ease it out, i was golden.

 

[MetalMat]

I bought "Vantera" (89 Ford Aerostar) back when I was in college for 500 dollars and it was a manual. Something like that would be perfect.

Hell I took out the back seats and put a loveseat

 

[PhoKingGuy]

My old roommate bought an STi and asked the salesman to teach him how to drive stick when he drove off the lot. He only stalled once on the 20 mile drive home, lol.