wanna learn to drive stick

[Gibson486]

I am thinking baout bitin gteh bullet and trading in my mazda 3 auto for a mazda 3 stick. One problem....I do not know how to drive stick. I starte dlearning when I was 16, but I never really took off with it since I ended up buying a car that was an automatic. I know the basics, but I never reallt put them to use on teh road. Is there any place that will teach you how to drive stick? Anyone here wanna teach me for a nominal fee?

 

[Zenmervolt]

So you have a car right now that you're paying on and you want to trade it for the same car with a manual? That's a really stupid financial move. You'll take more of a hit on the loss of value on your current car than you can get back from the manual transmission.

Just keep the automatic. There's no real compelling reason to worry about swapping.

ZV

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
So you have a car right now that you're paying on and you want to trade it for the same car with a manual? That's a really stupid financial move. You'll take more of a hit on the loss of value on your current car than you can get back from the manual transmission.

Just keep the automatic. There's no real compelling reason to worry about swapping.

ZV

It is something I am only thinking about. I did ask the dealer and basically i will loose $300 after everything is said and done (my car only has about 850 miles on it). While I will loose $300, I could make it up easily because the car is simply sipping too much gas (getting only 18 MPG mixed 50/50). everyone else in the city I know who drives a 3 manual gets about 21 city. I am not sure I want to do it any way (I am actually leaning towards sucking up teh bad gas mileage and keeping the auto) because I am not even sure I can get accustomed to driving stick since I have been driving auto all my life.

 

[imported_Imp]

The resell value will probably be worse for a manual since not as many people can drive them properly (or at all). Well, that's what people told me when I said I wanted to learn to drive on stick...

But if you want to do it, go for it. I don't want to learn on automatic cause if I learn auto only, I'll grow up like you😉. Honestly, I'll be stuck with cars forever. A lot of heavy machinery and trucks that my future line of work (construction related) may involve will be off limits. That, and I'll know more than Jane soccer mom...

 

[RedArmy]

I would teach you, but I live too far away. <3 5 speed

 

[ponyo]

Best way to learn is just buy and drive it. Then you have to learn. 😉 I did that with my motorcycle and car. Big empty parking lot nearby helps.

 

[yelo333]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
I am thinking baout bitin gteh bullet and trading in my mazda 3 auto for a mazda 3 stick. One problem....I do not know how to drive stick. I starte dlearning when I was 16, but I never really took off with it since I ended up buying a car that was an automatic. I know the basics, but I never reallt put them to use on teh road. Is there any place that will teach you how to drive stick? Anyone here wanna teach me for a nominal fee?

First, how you live in Alberta, United States...? 😀

Anyway, I got a friend to let me practice for a couple hours in his car, just to make sure I enjoyed it. Then I went out & bought my car...Kinda been learning on the fly since then. (I've only got a couple hundred miles under my belt, so things aren't exactly smooth yet)

No idea about it financially, but I've definitely found manual to be much more enjoyable than auto so far. Highly recommended. 🙂

I've heard of people working out a deal with the dealership that the salesman will give you a couple lessons if you buy the car. Maybe you could mention that to him once you work out a good price?

 

[woodie1]

You could find an old clunker with a 4 or 5 speed tranny and buy it. Try it out for a few months and see if that's what you really want.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: woodie1
You could find an old clunker with a 4 or 5 speed tranny and buy it. Try it out for a few months and see if that's what you really want.

Cost of car + registration + insurance... too much $!

If you're only gonna loose $300, I'd say do it. However did you consider you may have to pay more fees to the state, or is that an all-inclusive number the dealer gave you? Frankly, if you enjoy driving in the least, get a stick. My wife hated her 06 Civic's auto transmission, the damn thing wasn't predictable in shifting in the least, so when she went to upgrade to an Accord and I told her to get a 5-speed, she was weary about the whole shifting all the time & the hassle in traffic, etc.

She picked up the stick quickly and has no qualms over it at all. She loves driving it every day and especially the fact that she can now pass on the highway without dropping two gears (like the Civic).

The four banger's are easier to pick up too, much more forgiving as you're learning the clutch. My GTO on the other hand...she's a bit of a rough ride till you get the hang of it 😉

 

[mb]

argh.. loose != lose

Also, you only have 850 miles.. you won't be getting that great of mileage just yet while you are still breaking in the car. You're probably still on the factory oil, too.

 

[alimoalem]

i'd take that dealership recommendation yelo333 gave in his last paragraph.

i was lucky in that both my parents knew and we have a MT car. i know not everyone's so lucky so i've taught a lot of my friends using our car (it's a '97 mazda protege so i don't feel bad financially and it has a very forgiving clutch). what you can do is try and find a friend that is willing to let you use their car and a four banger (like fbrdphreak mentioned) would be better to learn on.

also, if you got your license before you turned 18, you took driver training. call up some places; some of them have manual cars but they charge a little extra iirc. something like $75 for 2 hours i think.

 

[Gibson486]

Thanks guys.....I appreciate the suggestions. I am leaning towards just keeping the auto and seeing how it goes. I forgot all about taxes....so yeah, it would be more than $300. I am probably gonna wait a year and see how everything goes (car is already 1/2 the way paid, so I can easily pay it off in a year).

One thing that I am actually considering though is buying an old used miata next year for a summer car.....so maybe learning stick now may come in handy. i was on craigslist and I saw a bunch for $3k and most were under 100k in miles.

 

[Aikouka]

Just get a manumatic car so you can feel 😎. It's almost like you're playing an arcade game when you switch it into manual mode 😛.

 

[Tachyon74]

Originally posted by: Naustica
Best way to learn is just buy and drive it. Then you have to learn. 😉 I did that with my motorcycle and car. Big empty parking lot nearby helps.

QFT. You said you knew the basics so the only way to really get it from there is to practice. Either find a friend who is stupid enough, err... willing to let you borrow their car, or just get it and take it right to a big parking lot.

You could always try and test drive too. See if you can get the dealer to drive you somewhere with it that you can practice. Not sure any dealers are that understanding, but it might be worth asking

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
Just get a manumatic car so you can feel 😎. It's almost like you're playing an arcade game when you switch it into manual mode 😛.

the 3 has that by default. it sucks. so do all "manumatics" in this range.

Originally posted by: mb
argh.. loose != lose

Also, you only have 850 miles.. you won't be getting that great of mileage just yet while you are still breaking in the car. You're probably still on the factory oil, too.

factory fill is standard 5w20 motorcraft semi-syn. perfectly fine for most people.

as for the miata... go for it. that's my goal in addition to my 3.. a 2nd gen miata in a few years... it'll be my dedicated autocross/fun car 🙂

 

[exdeath]

I wouldn't expect to save gas with a manual if you are new to driving stick. You probably won't shift or rev as conservatively as the automatic when you are just learning and will most likely consume MORE gas.

 

[ayabe]

I learned by just doing it, it's really the best way. the only thing hard is getting start in first gear. Try to find an empty area and when you are brave try starting on a hill, that's when you know you are getting better.

 

[IGBT]

..sometimes the stick gives you the shaft when it comes to maint. I found automatics to be cheaper and trouble free in the long run.

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: IGBT
..sometimes the stick gives you the shaft when it comes to maint. I found automatics to be cheaper and trouble free in the long run.

? the only thing we've had to do in terms of maintenance for our car was replace a clutch at 110k miles.