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Where can I learn to drive a stick-shift?

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I've driven automatics all my life (I really wanted to get a stick in my first car but my parents don't know how to drive them so I had to get an auto). For my next car (I'm 18 years old right now) what can I do before then to learn to drive a stick?

I've had a couple friends offer to teach me, but one of them drives an RSX Type-S and the other drives a new Focus. I'd rather not grind and scrape their transmissions to hell trying to learn, so I think I'd rather pay for the instruction and be able to mess up as much as I want.

There's a Sears driving school in my city - I'm thinking about calling them to set something up over spring break. Questions: how much do you think it'd cost to spend a week learning to drive stick, and is there anywhere else I could go to learn?

I was thinking, if I was going to buy a new car, would the car dealer (salesman) teach me in return for me buying the car from that dealer? Seems far-fetched, but I've known car dealers to do more desperate things to make a sale...🙂
 
sears driving school is pretty expensive, I'd go with your friend's cars unless you just have horribly hand-eye-feet coordination. I personally haven't "learned completely" how to drive a stick but when I was considering purchasing a my first vehicle I test drove some sticks, and never stalled once. Just read up on what you're supposed to do beforehand and do it. Should get the hang in no time.
 
Yeah, if you are allright you will learn quickly enough that you aren't putting any damage on your friend's cars. With that being said, I would get in the Focus. 😛
 
When I learned to drive a stick. I didnt grind anything. The only thing I did was stall on startup once or twice, and once I forgot to use the clutch when stopping. It really isnt that hard to learn.
 
I say just use your friends' cars. You won't screw up their transmission if you're paying attention. The only thing you'll create some wear on is the clutch. If you do start to grind a gear, completely take your hand off the shifter and press in the clutch. I only drove stick 5 different occasions before I bought my car. I think I'm doing pretty fine for almost 5 months of driving stick now.
 
Driving a stick shift is easy. It's just a matter of practice and coordination. The best way to learn is by doing it (safely, of course). If you have a friend who has a stick, see if he/she will teach you. The best place to try is a flat area with a lot of room, such as a parking lot, with a lot of vacant space.
 
Well I have to say that I'm pretty well coordinated when it comes to manual dexterity. So from what you're all saying I shouldn't have a problem learning to drive stick. The problem is that I don't anticipate getting a new car for awhile, so I don't want to learn the skill and then forget it...I'll need some way to practice.

Honda Civic Si test drives, anyone? 😀
 
The popular driving school around my place charges $60 for two hours of instruction... pretty expensive... 🙁 practice on a beat up car if you can if you didn't wan't to grind your friend's new cars... the only reason it grinds is the clutch pedal isn't depressed all the way in or you let go too early... an hour later it should be second nature... good luck! Stick forever!
 
my uncle taught me up north this summer, i just drove around on this one road (was never busy and its a huuuuuuge straightaway) so i drove the last 24 miles up north and the first 24 coming back 😛 🙂
 
Labor day, 98 ... I went down back home from school, picked up my new 98 S10 in Ft. Lauderdale.

Had to learn before I went back up, took about 20 minutes till I was cool, the road was a little more difficult, 'cause when you stall people honk and wail.

However, I will say this. I've been driving it now for 4 years, and I know I shift it smoother than an auto would, with 73k ...

Don't listen to people who say "clutch down, gas off, start pressing the gas and letting off the clutch." They're LYING!!!!

Lift your foot off the clutch really slowly, until the car starts to move, or you see the RPM's dip. Then push the gas slowly and release the clutch, slowly. It's all about finding the release point. If you do that equal on equal off crap, you'll stall or hop 98% of the time.
 
I refuse to teach people to drive on my car. God knows the transmission has seen enough punishment from me. I think it's about time for a new clutch too...
 
the dealership taught my sister how to drive a stick before she bought her suzuki mini-suv type thing or whatever the hell that car is supposed to be.

-=bmacd=-
 
Don't try it in my car, it's not a good learner's car. Of course, it does have the benefit that you can get it into first gear and rolling w/o ever touching the gas pedal.
 
Originally posted by: notfred
Don't try it in my car, it's not a good learner's car. Of course, it does have the benefit that you can get it into first gear and rolling w/o ever touching the gas pedal.
Click to expand...

I can do that with my 155hp, 160lb-ft car....
 
I pretty much learned the day i got my car. The first time I went out on my own with it (my dad drove it home) I stalled it at an intersection and i could not get the stupid thing moving for anything. Start - Gas - Cluth - DIE. Start - Gas - Clutch - DIE. I went through that process for maybe 10 mins, and eventually a cop came and called my mom to come drive the car home 😱 . Just remember not to be nervous. I think most of the reason i couldnt get the car moving was because i was so nervous with all the cars behind me honking, and because it was about 97 degrees out and i had no A/C. After a few days it just became second nature, and dont worry about forgetting how to do it. Its like riding a bike, you'll never forget. Always remember this: When is doubt, clutch.
 
Originally posted by: Jellomancer
Originally posted by: notfred
Don't try it in my car, it's not a good learner's car. Of course, it does have the benefit that you can get it into first gear and rolling w/o ever touching the gas pedal.
Click to expand...

I can do that with my 155hp, 160lb-ft car....
Click to expand...

i can do that on my 75hp 20lb-ft car 😀 it's a POS basicly
 
Learn to drive stick with a POS. I learned to drive stick with a Lada. Prolly the worst POS ever to come out of URSS.
 
your best bet is to bring a friend along to test drive a persons car, take it out, and learn on their car. Just dont smote the clutch or try and be a risk taker. Best way to learn is to go on a slight hill, and let the car roll back wards, put it in first, and without applying gas, let out the clutch slowly, until you stop rolling, the lightly release the clutch as you apply more gas. Do that for like 10 minutes, and you are set. It will be rough your first couple weeks, but you will get much better at it, especially when you are in stop and go traffic =\
 
Originally posted by: gogeeta13
your best bet is to bring a friend along to test drive a persons car, take it out, and learn on their car. Just dont smote the clutch or try and be a risk taker. Best way to learn is to go on a slight hill, and let the car roll back wards, put it in first, and without applying gas, let out the clutch slowly, until you stop rolling, the lightly release the clutch as you apply more gas. Do that for like 10 minutes, and you are set. It will be rough your first couple weeks, but you will get much better at it, especially when you are in stop and go traffic =\
Click to expand...

I held my car on gentle hills with the clutch for a few weeks, even a while after learning to shift. It greatly improved my union with the clutch pedal.
 
Goto a rent-a-car place and rent one. Then "learn" for the day and return. You'll be glad you did!

Actually, I have a similar experience. When I was a Coop student at GM, we used to go back in the production lot where they parked the cars fresh off the assembly line and find a stick and proceed to drive it around. These lots were dozens of acres in size, so we had alot of room to "play". Sure we grinded a few gears, but it was all in good fun. Yes, all the cars had their keys in them, so it was no big deal. Never damaged any (that we know), but it was sure fun learning how to "speed shift"! (shifting without clutching!).
 
Good luck on it; I've tried driving stick several times. I never ground the gears - just stalled the car a LOT. I could get the thing moving about 1/4 attempts. The only time I use manual shifting is in Need for Speed - it's easier to outrun police and maneuver. On real roads, automatic is fine for me.
 
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