Cameron

The only 2 cars I've crashed have been automatics.

I use to make a funny face when I learned to drive stick....improved the concentration.

I once had to wave a person on my bumper back so I'd have enough room to start up an incline....it was in a parking garage though so we're talkin like 50 degree incline.

shuttlegoosecock

im only 15 and i know how to drive stick, its really not that hard. picking up my tc tomorrow, can't wait to feel the tranny.

jasonbegin

What do u guys mean, When u say u cant blare music with a stick....do u have to actually listen to the engine,

That kinda Sucks, i like my music loud...

im also Very nervous about getting the MT, but for money issue's i have no Choice...

xnevergiveinx

it's been a little over a month now for me, this is my thread by the way.
i'm really starting to get the hang of driving stick. i learned how to let the clutch out slower with a little more gas to make it not bump when shifting gears. i now know which gear to use, when and at the right speed. i know how to downshift to give me the best amount of speed to pass someone. i know what to do in case of an emergency, if i need to pass and i'm caught off gaurd or stuck on a hill.

hills, i still won't take this one hill by my house, i avoid it because i know i will get stuck on it no matter what. i take an alternate route that has 2 decent hills on it, so i'm learning from those. i have improved my roll back, i roll back maybe a max of 2 feet if i'm not paying attention, otherwise, it's less than a foot of rollback. on crazy hills, i use the ebrake, but i have gotten better with it, i can release it without the car jerking in first gear.

i'm working on rider conformtability. when my girl rides in the car, i used to end up making her sway with each shift, i have figured out how to minimize that.

i also learned that it's better to use 3rd and 4th gear around town instead of 5th, 5th gear is very non-responsive under 50mph

the one thing that has changed everything is the shoes i wear. i have a beatup pair of older vans, the soles on them are thin. it really helps me alot when i wear those shoes, compared to when i wear my new shoes with thick soles. i can't figure out the clutch with the new shoes and i end up revving it to about 2000 till i drop in the clutch.

it's going to take at least another month till i'm totally conformatable with stick. right now, when i see a hill approaching, i keep telling myself, don't worry, you won't stall, you won't roll back, your going to kick this hill's ___

haha, thanks for the tips and confidence guys

DJIce

I don't know about anyone else, but once you LEARN stick, I mean really LEARN it, you can sense when your car needs to shift without looking at the speedometer, the tachometer, or even listening to the engine.

Even still, if you're paying enough attention, you can have the stock system up around 40 and still hear the engine. There's a certain whine to it that's distinctive over the stereo.

I learned stick on a 2000 Miata, a month after my father bought it brand-new. Stalled it a total of 4 times learning (although most of my lessons were in flat parking lots). Had a very forgiving clutch. My tC, not so much.

Nemesisx626

i just started using stick also for like almost 2 months...sometimes i do get nervous on those hills but the u just gotta practice..try this when ur at a stop...slowly let go of the clutch until you feel it move forward....when it moves forward then give some gas....ok....now try it on a hill....when in first gear...just keep on foot on the brake and keep it on first gear....but keep your foot light on the clutch and you shouldnt really roll back unless it's a steep hill...but you just gotta find that sweet spot

LIKE_OR_AS_GOD

This makes me think of when I first learned. In a 1965 Ford 4X4 pick up with now power steering. Than again it was in a field so I wasn't to worried about stalling. Ever since I loved all the MT I owned. Though I live in Houston and yah it sucks when you get stuck in back to back traffic for a while.

Take your time, I taught a few folks in the back woods of Missouri in HS and collage on hills so it's not that hard once you start to get a hange of it.

Oh and to the person that posted, 5 gear is ment more for Highway cruiseing speeds not town. That is why it feels that way, ready your manual.

jasonbegin

Can i get a 411 on what to do here....

curious...

TrafficinLA

Keep practicing and you'll get the hang of it. As for me, 5-sp manual + stop and go LA traffic is enough for me to get the auto as my daily driver/only car. If I ever get enough spending money for a weekend driver, it'll probably be a manual miata or something inexpensive and fun. But for now, commuting 100 miles a day, I'll rather have the auto.

Good luck.