How long does it usually take to learn stick shift???

[L0ungeLizarD]

i might get a car with stick shift and always drove automatics so how long did it take you to learn stick or people you know???.......plus is it more dangerous

[LLaaUUrrYYn]

Fuck.. dont get me started.. I seriously cant get both my hands and feet to work together at the same time! Its impossible! I tried learning 3 times and failed miserably.. im just not meant to drive stick ;/

[L0ungeLizarD]

ok anyone else wanna share?

[stephen_c]

in an afternoon.
once u drive stick,
u'll never go back to auto

[L0ungeLizarD]

But is it hard to stop i mean u have to use 2 legs to stop and is it hard starting up a hill

[stephen_c]

Originally Posted by L0ungeLizarD

But is it hard to stop i mean u have to use 2 legs to stop and is it hard starting up a hill

u DO need 2 legs to stop.
if u only got one leg, stick to automatic.

for a novice, startin up a hill require the use of the parking brake.

it's not hard. like riding a bicycle... once u get the hang of it. it's fun.

[nipvicious]

i have a stage 3 clutch :D u'll like it if u learn it.. a day prolly the most

[L0ungeLizarD]

But dont u need to push clutch in with left and brake with right to fully stop??.......oh and driving schools teach this right????

[nipvicious]

ya but just get one of ur buddies to teach u its relaly easy.. i learned in a parking lot out in port moody.. u use ur left foot for clutch only.. and theres 1 2 3 4 5 n r... might have 6 gears iono but clutch in.. move into gear 1.. clutch slowly off and give a lil gas is how u do it...

[L0ungeLizarD]

Ok but what about up hill............................anyway the car i wanna get is an 86 pontiac fiero gt

[nipvicious]

uphills a bit more tricky cuz u roll back when ur goin to gear.. (when ur on full clutch in... ur in neutral) so u roll back and it may seem liek ur rollin back a lot and you'll get scared but its not that far back.. u just gotta learn how to engage into 1st quicker it takes a lil time.. every week u'll get better

[stephen_c]

Originally Posted by L0ungeLizarD

But dont u need to push clutch in with left and brake with right to fully stop??.......oh and driving schools teach this right????

learn how to operate a gearbox urself.
like someone else already said,
get a buddy to help u out.
goto some empty parking lot to start.
it's not hard. u'll see.

[L0ungeLizarD]

ok so just dont go up hill lol..............so how long did it take you to become good

[Cosmos]

i would recommend a professional driving school like the one BMW offers. a bit pricey, but you'll learn it the right way and won't embarass yourself when you can't break and plow into a line of cars.

i drive automatic, but mine [a mazda 3 sport GT] has this "manual overdrive" where it's the option of driving standard but without the clutch or something...i never quite understood it...mind you i've only had this new car for 2 weeks.

but yea, good luck on learning standard! may i recommend lots of insurance?

[L0ungeLizarD]

i dont know some people say dont worry its easy.......i mean how will i plow alot of cars if i use brake???

[Cosmos]

well, i guess the only way to find out is try it out for a while with one of your buds instruction and then if you're totally screwed over and don't get it. seek professional assistance.

being a dude, i bet you're probably predisposed to understand/do these things

don't worry :)

[frogprincess]

my car now is a standard, i think it took me a week to get it down

i would recommend having ONE teacher though, i had a few different ones and it was hella confussing because they all tried to teach me something different : S

[mapleleaf4ever]

Once you get the basics down it's just practice, practice, practice. Like anything really. I learned to drive on a Manual and took my Road Test in one as well.

mapleleaf4evers' Driving Tips Volume #3

1. Just take it easy and don't rush.
2. If it starts to bog down just put in the clutch.
3. In most Cars you should shift around 3,000 RPM
4. On a Hill, use the Parking Brake (If it's a Centre one) to hold yourself and then once you start to move, just let go.
5. Don't use 5th Gear (on the average geared Car) below 90. You don't need Overdrive then.

Hope these help... once you get it down you can move onto Power Shifting, keeping your Revs in the Powerband and then there's the almighty Clutchless Shifting.

[charly]

seriously, it's not that hard.

i never thought i'd be able to do it (seeing as how uncoordinated i can be) but it only took me an afternoon in an industrial park in pitt meadows. i drove myself home that night, and to work the next morning.

now that i've gotten even better, i love it. i had to drive my moms car not long ago (an auto) and it just felt so wrong. hah

[Soular]

Originally Posted by stephen_c

in an afternoon.
once u drive stick,
u'll never go back to auto

This is true. The hill thing takes some getting used to, in fact, I still hate doing it, but it's not that hard.

[Carrie]

I know how to do it, I just need to practice doing it.

at the moment I don't have a car to practice on, as mine is an auto.

[Carrie]

I can't wait to switch my BMW from auto to manual!

[DefJef]

Originally Posted by L0ungeLizarD

i might get a car with stick shift and always drove automatics so how long did it take you to learn stick or people you know???.......plus is it more dangerous

Just get the theory down..

if your clutch is on, your gas is off........
if your gas is on, your clutch is off........

Manual isnt dangerous.... who do you want regulating your car?? A mechanical device or commpuutah (probably not in the fiero), or your own judgement. You can stop quicker in a manual, and you can 'get up and go' quicker should you have to. They are cheaper to maintain, better for fuel economy, and FUN.

Fire up your PS2 and play some grand turismo full sim with a manual tranny; as stupid as it sounds, it works.

[MC Hammered]

I told my mom to take a couple of lessons in case she needed to use my car.

She learned how to drive stick after taking 2 lessons. She's not great at it but it just takes a bit of practise in order to get the timing and co-ordination down for the car.

You should be able to learn how to drive manual pretty easily.

Easiest tip I was given is pretend that the clutch is your gas pedal instead.

For example you engage the clutch and step on the gas which brings the rpm levels up. Now if you pretend that the clutch is a backwards gas pedal (the more you let is go up the more you move) you slowly release the clutch and away you go.

At the beginning I suggest you "ride the clutch" meaning you apply gas first and let up slowly on it until you feel where the clutch engages and the car starts to move. You do wear out the clutch faster doing this but you won't stall as much and this is only when you are learning how to drive anyway.

[Carrie]

good tips!