Driving Standard

Yes. Very, very open-ended thread, but I'm just curious before I convince my father to the suggestion. After graduating from college, I was left without a working car as my current vehicle would need anywhere between $1,500 to $2,000 to get fixed with all the electrical and other needy repairs to pass a state inspection. Any who, after searching for used cars for about a month (cars only with automatic transmission), I've decided to try and convince my father to teach me how to drive a standard transmission so I can open up my options to cars that just are not automatic.

For those who learned manual transmissions, did it take you awhile to get the hand of or was it a piece of cake?

Thanks.

 

Good idea to learn how to drive stick.

Takes a while to get the hang of it. I learned on one initially, and once you pick up the whole clutch-gas-clutch-gas thing, it's a piece of cake.

 

Pretty easy. I think it helps if you learn on a shitty car with a loose clutch.

 

An invaluable skill. I repeat, an invaluable skill.

How long it takes depends on the vehicle and the learning curve. Some vehicles have enough torque, making it pretty difficult to dump the clutch. Others have little to no torque, making your ability to properly rev the engine even more important.

I cannot stress how helpful I feel it is to know how to drive a manual transmission. I'm biased because I've never owned a vehicle that was a slushbox.

To finally answer your question, it didn't take long but as your skill improves you don't even think about it anymore. It becomes automatic ... moreso than driving a slushbox to me (then again, when I get in a slushbox vehicle, I have to sit on my right hand and keep my left foot under the seat or something ... habit is HARD to break).

Hope something helps here ...

 

My practice vehicles would likely be one of my brothers who have a GMC long bed and the other who drives a new Toyota Tacoma.

I agree, Sam. It's a skill I've been wanting to learn but never had the chance while I was in college cause I just didn't find it necessary then because I never brought my car to school when everything was within walking distance. Why waste the gas or money for insurance. I've been getting annoyed when I find a car that was decent and within my price range but it was a manual transmission.

Thanks for the help, though.

 

Both will probably have ample torque, though I'm betting the GMC has more torque. Torque is nice, but can get you in trouble in a hurry if you're not paying attention. Revving the engine takes a little more work, but once you master it, the ability to control this - especially in foul weather - works strongly to your advantage.

 

How well would this be to my advantage if I'd be taking this knowledge from learning a manual transmission in a truck then bringing it to a car? I'm particularly looking at a Honda Civic, where, in this economy, the Civic will give me some decent gas numbers.

 

It would be ideal if you learn in the vehicle you'll be driving. But better in the truck, then carrying that knowledge to a Honda Civic, than not at all.

The truck will probably have torque. The Civic, built for revs and gasoline mileage, will have next to none. But you'll still experience that transition from pulling your left foot off the clutch as you put the right foot on the accelerator.

 

It's a task that I'm convinced I could master if I was allowed to actually look at my feet while driving the car. But given that it's an impossibility, unless I want to hit everything in sight, I find it hard to keep that balance together. The first few times I tried to get behind the wheel of the thing, I thought I was in a rodeo. Thing bucked like no other. But after about 45 straight minutes of trying to control my anger, I could take the thing out on the road.

Haven't driven one in years, so I would need a refresher. But if you're patient, and you understand the mechanics behind it, you'll be fine. Just take the time to do it right, or otherwise you're going to hear some noises that will have you fearing for your safety.

 

Fixed.

 

I learned last year. I had a lesson or two from a friend and then just started driving.
For about a week, I'd kill it pretty regularly. For about the next month, I'd kill it once in a while.
After that, it was virtually never. And I can't remember the last time I did.
You learn the basics -- which are pretty simple -- and then you just go do it.
You'll be surprised how quickly you get good at it and how much fun it can be.
Now I don't even notice if I'm in the auto or the manual because I can drive both no problem.

 

I learned to drive on a stick. It's really not that hard. Just find yourself an empty parking lot to practice in for about 30 minutes and you'll essentially have it down.