Teaching someone to drive a stick shift?

[BelemNole]

I've always owned manual transmission vehicles. Both trucks and cars. My current commuter car is a Mazda 3 that is a 6-speed manual. The 2018 is still offered with a manual transmission.
My son will go off to college with this car - and apparently won't have to worry about people borrowing his car.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I've always owned manual transmission vehicles. Both trucks and cars. My current commuter car is a Mazda 3 that is a 6-speed manual. The 2018 is still offered with a manual transmission.
My son will go off to college with this car - and apparently won't have to worry about people borrowing his car.

Curious, how many clutches have you burned up?

 

[ericram]

I learned how to drive stick as a valet parker in Albany NY during the winter. God that job sucked.

 

[HerdOfNoles]

four on the floor has been replaced by 6 on the floor.

 

[BelemNole]

Curious, how many clutches have you burned up?

I've never replaced a clutch. I was gifted a car by my brother in law once that needed a new clutch, but he had put about 250,000 miles on the car. It also needed a master brake cylinder and had no A/C. I was living in the valley in LA at the time and the AC was a deal-breaker so I sold it instead of making the repairs.

 

[NoleFan2U]

I wanted to buy my 16 year old daughter a manual transmission so she couldn't text and drive. It didn't happen.

I learned to drive one on a 1986 Porsche 911. I was so scared to burn up the clutch that I learned pretty quick. I had a few cars that were manual transmission but not for 20+ years. A few years ago we rented a SUV in Costa Rica and it was manual transmission. It was like riding a bike....I didn't forget. Thank god for the emergency brake. Some of the hills are pretty steep there!

 

[F4Gary]

four on the floor has been replaced by 6 on the floor.

7

 

[DFSNOLE]

four on the floor has been replaced by 6 on the floor.

Four on the floor which replaced three on the tree.

 

[62Nole]

Back in 1991 I bought a '73 vette with a 454 and close ratio 4-speed. It had been "improved" and was really fast. Kept it about 6 years.

But the car that was the most fun to drive was a 1969 Z-28 Camaro. I was working for Chevrolet Motor Div. and lived in Wilmington, NC.
It had a 302ci v-8 and 4-speed with dual deep tone mufflers........ an option that was cancelled in mid-year due to complaints to Detroit by
owners who were getting tickets for "loud mufflers". That sucker was fast AND loud. Talk about a blast............

 

[F4Gary]

Back in 1991 I bought a '73 vette with a 454 and close ratio 4-speed. It had been "improved" and was really fast. Kept it about 6 years.

But the car that was the most fun to drive was a 1969 Z-28 Camaro. I was working for Chevrolet Motor Div. and lived in Wilmington, NC.
It had a 302ci v-8 and 4-speed with dual deep tone mufflers........ an option that was cancelled in mid-year due to complaints to Detroit by
owners who were getting tickets for "loud mufflers". That sucker was fast AND loud. Talk about a blast............

That was the "off road" option. Corvette had that too back then.

 

[SoddyNole]

I would suggest picking up one of these.

 

[billanole]

My daughter's buddies treated her like a rock star in high school since she was the only one with stick skills. Yep, I did type that. She is currently driving her second Subaru Impreza Sport with a 5 speed. Son's first car was a beater Izuzu pickup with a 5 speed which I still use as a firewood and garbage hauler, as well as my snow driver in the winter.
Pops sent us out with an old 3 on the tree Falcon on a hilly road off of Lake Bradford road in Tally. Drove up and down that road until we had it down. Three on the tree cars were not synchronized in first gear, which means you had to basically come to a stop to get it into first. No amount of double clutching could prevent grinding gears. They were thankfully phased out and surely only a few posters even understand what I just wrote.
My boss learned in a pretty interesting way. In a relatively flat shopping center parking lot, his old man had him learn to start off only using the clutch with no gas pedal involvement. He practiced starting off over and over in first gear, until he progressed to higher gears, then of course using the gas as well.

 

[BelemNole]

Sales guy asked if I wanted him to drive it off the lot - he was afraid I'd hit something. Apparently they have issues with people driving manuals now. I just glared at him. I've been driving stick longer than he's been alive.

 

[mnole03]

I wanted to buy my 16 year old daughter a manual transmission so she couldn't text and drive. It didn't happen.

She’d just drive around in third gear while texting. I’m pro third pedal, but it’s never prevented me from eating or drinking in the car.

 

[FSU4FUN]

I think everyone should know how to drive a stick in case that's all that's available in an emergency situation. A rental agency might have a sports car with a manual transmission. Maybe a friend has one you can borrow.

Yah if you want it back with no clutch let the kid borrow your car.

 

[FSU4FUN]

I wouldn't have a problem helping a neighbors kid learn to drive a manual using my Corvette. It's not that hard.

Yah just like I'm going on teach my GF in my 800hp GT500 what could go wrong lol

 

[billanole]

Yah if you want it back with no clutch let the kid borrow your car.

I have driven a stick for multiple decades and let plenty of others learn on them. Never have replaced a clutch. They are not fragile. Most just stall out as they learn and they seldom even understand how to either ride or burn the clutch, which are likely the primary factors in shorter life span.

 

[F4Gary]

Yah just like I'm going on teach my GF in my 800hp GT500 what could go wrong lol

Yea, let's get ridiculous now.

Nice humble brag by the way.

 

[mnole03]

I have driven a stick for multiple decades and let plenty of others learn on them. Never have replaced a clutch. They are not fragile. Most just stall out as they learn and they seldom even understand how to either ride or burn the clutch, which are likely the primary factors in shorter life span.

Yeah, it doesn’t take long to teach people. You’re much more likely to wear the spring and bushings riding the clutch, than you are destroying it when it’s dropped.

 

[saenole]

Find an old Jeep Wrangler on a junker rental lot. Can't hurt it.

 

[LLOYD72]

I just some cursory research and can't find any evidence that stick shifts are still in production, even in sports cars. This is the equivalent of insisting that someone learn how to use a manual typewriter.

I have a 2915 Vette with a stick shift I'm selling - got a new spirts car. Be happy to sell it to you Both of our daughters learned on a stick shift. It takes some patience and they're few and far between these days! Edit....stick shifts that is

 

[FSU4FUN]

Yea, let's get ridiculous now.

Nice humble brag by the way.

I know lol couldn't let the guy with corvette get away with it haha

 

[F4Gary]

I have a 2915 Vette with a stick shift I'm selling - got a new spirts car. Be happy to sell it to you Both of ohr daughters learned on a stick shift. It takes some patience and they're few and far between these days!

Nice Murcielago. What year?

 

[NoleRN]

How best to teach a kid how to drive stick? Our vehicles are automatic. Can you rent cars with manual transmissions these days?

I don't want my kids to grow up not knowing how to do this.

Buy an old VW beetle...

 

[LLOYD72]

2007 - 8k miles. Thanks

 

[LT4PLY]

I just some cursory research and can't find any evidence that stick shifts are still in production, even in sports cars. This is the equivalent of insisting that someone learn how to use a manual typewriter.

Approximately 30 percent of new cars sold in America are offered with a manual transmission. You aren't very good at research.

 

[OrlandNole]

Approximately 30 percent of new cars sold in America are offered with a manual transmission. You aren't very good at research.

And you aren't very good with decimals.

The disappearing stick shift: Less than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

 

[dmm5157]

And you aren't very good with decimals.

The disappearing stick shift: Less than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

Technically he's right. That article says 3% sold are manual transmission but 27% are offered in either manual or automatic.

 

[SoddyNole]

My brother-in-law bought a Mustang last year with a stick. He said he had to look around for one. I stalled it backing up a hill out of the driveway to everyone's amusement. My last car with a stick was a Toyota Supra Turbo 25ish years ago in my single days. To say I was rusty driving a man. transmission was an understatement lol.

 

[HerdOfNoles]

I tried to teach my wife hw to drive my 5 speed Ranger.

That lasted all of 5 minutes....

 

[billanole]

My brother-in-law bought a Mustang last year with a stick. He said he had to look around for one. I stalled it backing up a hill out of the driveway to everyone's amusement. My last car with a stick was a Toyota Supra Turbo 25ish years ago in my single days. To say I was rusty driving a man. transmission was an understatement lol.

A buddy of mine had a Supra circa late 70s. It was a blast to drive. We traded rides all around depending on need. Where were we going, who was the chick, and what did it take to get there. To be out of practice is maybe who we are now...

 

[surfnole]

Learned how to drive a stick on a double date at fraternity formal in Tally. What a bitch on those hills. Borrowed the car from a fraternity brother. I like driving them more. More fun, more control. One less thing to break. I bought my son a Corolla stickshift with manual locks and manual windows. Less things to break. Until recently better mileage too.