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Other than YouTube tutorials I have nothing. I'd have to have the owner of the car park it in some quiet residential neighborhood a few blocks from my house because my house has too many cars come every second,so learning to drive stick in the streets near me wouldn't work.
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Originally Posted by puginabug
Not too sure about amazed, (or manly, for that matter) but it does seem to be a disappearing skill. It would be good if someone could teach you a bit, rather than just youtube .
But it's not that difficult. I learned when I was 17 or so (on a VW Beetle--4 on the floor!) and can shift pretty much in my sleep even today. Like riding a bike.
I'm a 61 year old woman and I drive a 5 speed stick daily.
You made me laugh! I'm a bit younger....A nice person gave me a really, really old VW when I was 18 and first year univ. I loved that thing. It was actually an auto stick Karmaan Ghia. Hunk of junk, but fab! Later I bought a VW Van...with a big old stick in the floor. My fav car ever.................Wish I had him still!
It makes you focus more on driving then other distractions like phone calls, text, music, eating, and all the other crap people shouldn't do while driving. And for people that say it's terrible in traffic, you are just lazy and are probably the ones doing all the things I mentioned that you shouldn't be doing. Plus it's just fun to drive. I had to trade in my 6-speed mustang for an auto SUV once I had kids and I miss having that manual transmission every single time I get behind the wheel. I would just ask the person selling to give you a quick tutorial, maybe 30 minutes tops and you'd be good to go. Get the car dude!!
Agree with all of this...
I miss having a manual and may go back..
I am safer with a manual because it keeps my attention on the road & driving ..
Less likely to try to eat, drink coffee and other multitasking things...
It is easy to learn but I would practice on some hills away from traffic to get the feel
of that before you are 1 ft from someone on a steep incline...
Its not hard to learn but you need to get the feel of it without the pressure of traffic..
A stick shift, preferably four-on-the-floor, is the way to go, if you want to really have control of a car and get full enjoyment out of driving. You get better mileage, more power to the wheels and can effectively use it to more safely slow down under slick road conditions.
Learning to use one is no more difficult than using the hand to properly pleasure a female companion and sometimes the two actions can be combined. When women see you so skillfully working that stick around, it gives them ideas and gets them in the mood. That may be the real reason the floor-mount shift was invented. Wouldn't a guy like to meet a woman who drove a floor-shift and gave him the same benefit!
Other than YouTube tutorials I have nothing. I'd have to have the owner of the car park it in some quiet residential neighborhood a few blocks from my house because my house has too many cars come every second,so learning to drive stick in the streets near me wouldn't work.
Why not? I did it. I already had some idea how to drive stick from watching my friends and eventually decided to buy a manual car. Bought it, drove it around the dealer lot and up and down a side street to get a better hang of it, and I was on my way. Had to drive 35 miles in Baltimore/DC traffic but I made it with no stalls! The biggest challenge in the beginning was inclines, but I also picked that up fairly easily eventually. In all, it took maybe a month before I could say I was very proficient. Prior to that, I was just good enough to get myself around town (with the occasional stall). This was 10 years and two cars ago. I haven't owned an automatic since, and don't plan on going back as long as car manufacturers I'm interested in continue to equip their cars with them.
Why not? I did it. I already had some idea how to drive stick from watching my friends and eventually decided to buy a manual car. Bought it, drove it around the dealer lot and up and down a side street to get a better hang of it, and I was on my way. Had to drive 35 miles in Baltimore/DC traffic but I made it with no stalls! The biggest challenge in the beginning was inclines, but I also picked that up fairly easily eventually. In all, it took maybe a month before I could say I was very proficient. Prior to that, I was just good enough to get myself around town (with the occasional stall). This was 10 years and two cars ago. I haven't owned an automatic since, and don't plan on going back as long as car manufacturers I'm interested in continue to equip their cars with them.
A lot of people tell me I should just get better at automatic first and then get manual. But when I was taking lessons to prepare for my license test a couple months ago I learned in an automatic and all I could think about was that I was not going to be driving auto ever again so boring. But my only problem is what if I get the seller to park it in a quiet neighborhood and then I learn it and get ahead of myself and try to drive it home and mess up along the way. Those streets go from almost no drivers to congestion in just a couple blocks and I don't want to get into an accident.
A lot of people tell me I should just get better at automatic first and then get manual.
As another poster said, manuals make you pay attention more. The uphill thing stop and go is the biggest challenge. Even that just takes a few days to master. After the car gets stalling you rarely "stall". Stalling happens when you are going from start to first gear. After you get the rhythm it is pretty simple.
Just reading this thread makes me miss having a stick shift!
Agree, it is great to know how to drive a stick shift; in case of an emergency situation. Had a 73 Camaro, loved that car. ( I was a tad younger!!!) Pretty cool.
I heard somewhere along the way, that automatic transmissions are better for the engines and transmissions. Makes sense, to me. The feel of a sports car......nothing like it!! Good luck!! Shifting, becomes 2nd nature to you, after driving awhile!!!!
Other than YouTube tutorials I have nothing. I'd have to have the owner of the car park it in some quiet residential neighborhood a few blocks from my house because my house has too many cars come every second,so learning to drive stick in the streets near me wouldn't work.
Do you mean having two cars, one automatic and one manual? If not, how are you going to get around in the meantime?
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As another poster said, manuals make you pay attention more. The uphill thing stop and go is the biggest challenge. Even that just takes a few days to master. After the car gets stalling you rarely "stall". Stalling happens when you are going from start to first gear. After you get the rhythm it is pretty simple. 
