How did you learn manual

[speediva]

I learned by buying my own car and practicing.

Okay, so I had one lesson on my ex's Honda Civic before I decided I really thought I would like it.

But in all honesty, the one thing that would have lowered my learning curve would have been if I had first been told to feel where the clutch let out. My jumpy starts were the direct result of letting the clutch out too quickly. I had 2 lessons with my dad in the car, and the last lesson, I drove out to a parking lot and played around a little bit by myself. I was doing well enough after a week to be on the road, but I did sometimes stall--especially when trying to get started on an uphill...

After 2 months I'm doing pretty well, but there's always more to learn

[Spec2 Girl]

Believe it or not, I've never learnt to drive a manual. I've never need to until now (my husband's just bought a manual Skyline). I guess I'd better learn soon!!!

[Lambo_BoY]

just drive, the more practice you get, the more you better at it. every car is different, u can learn all of them. Some ppl are good with cars and some ppl r not....

so..... its a instinct as well i guess

[yellows2000]

I learn on a old 60's jeep. 3 speed, 1 reverse. On off road.

[-cy-]

Ok, i notice a lot of people learn on older cars and not so important ones. Well, this is going to be my car for a while and i wanna keep it from the damage of learning if possible.

[V.S.]

After driving for a year w/my permit, I got my car('95 camry, 5spd). Learned in a couple weeks, 3-4 30 minute sessions w/my dad and one of his friends. Probably stalled about a dozen times, and ended up killing the battery(it may have been in bad shape when we got the car). I've stalled twice in the 4 months that I've been driving. The car already had 115k on it when I started driving, and the tranny still seems great to me. I've tended to over-rev(an extra 1000 or so) more often than not leading to a few unexpected chirps, but relatively few stalls. I'm not the most "coordinated" of people, but with a little practice I don't think there's anything at all to be feared in manuals. I've come to appreciate how much I dislike driving auto now, because I see how my dislike of reving(in normal traffic, past 2k, 3k if accelerating) and my desire for acceleration just aren't practical in an auto. Now I'm able to do as much as the cars around me will allow, do it very smoothly(the way I drive auto is much less smooth), and keep my rpms around 2k nearly all the time.

[dejoux]

I learnt in my parents 1990 Ford Laser, Ive never driven an auto so i had to learn everything at once.

Modern cars are alot more forgiving, trying to learn on a 30 yo car will only do more damage to the car and increase the time it takes to learn. Use a newer car if possible

[tanjwarrior]

I'm an old fart, but I learned any kind of clutch action on a friend's dirt bike. After many years later I was driving muscle cars (went to school in the 70's) I didn't find out whether I could drive a manual trans car until I bought a 76 Ford Pinto. I guess the dirt bike riding paid off!


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[CamaroGirl86]

I learned the day I got my car (4*15*01). Was pretty easy actually Only stalled 2 times while trying to put the car in a different parking spot at my dad's shop.

[Tireburner]

This was many moons ago.

It was in a early 80's Subaru wagon. My buddie and I had been at a party drinking Everclear and beer. I told him he was too drunk to drive when he almost ran us over a cliff while puking out the window. I was drunk, but at least not puking. Pretty easy car to drive. I think I only stalled it about 6 times.

[1989 DX R]

Well, i learned in my car, which was pretty easy. The clutch is pretty crappy and worn so i have to let it out fast. I have stalled it about 4 times since i first learned. However my dad's 2001 Accord is a touchy queen biotch. Its got the best clutch i have ever used unfortunately, i stall that one about once a trip. I prefer my crappy "stick in a bag of rocks" tranny to my dad's hyper smooth shifter...

[kicker1_solo]

I learned to drive a 5-spd when I was 12. I'm not 17, and can drive any manual with no problem. It's better when you start young.

[EightOhOne]

i learned to drive a manual by watching mommy when i was like 12....then took it for a spin when i was 13 :coolguy:

[-cy-]

Update: I found out a friend with a '94 Toyota 4x4 was willing to let me drive it around for a bit, and of course it had a 5 speed. Well, i learned how to not make it stall, but since i have only driven it for 5-10 minutes each time for about 4-5 times, i haven't gotten it completly down (for that car). I have the fundamentals down, its just getting used to the clutch on the car i will get and driving it around a bit. Oh ya, in my friends truck i decided to take it to the largest hills i could find and practice starting on them....i wasn't that hard, i didn't stall when i started on the hills.

[VW_Redliner]

I had been driving an auto for over a year. And last weekend I learned how to drive a manual on my 86 VW jetta. This car doesn't have the reverse lock because my shifter is really dumb. Plus the throw is longer than shit. Anyways, My uncle taught me. My Dad's temper is very short so I didn't want him to teach me. Like everything I do I'm a natural. It took me an hour. Then I drove home and ate a sandwich and drove to work that night all by myself. Only killed it a few times on the way. There's about 5 light and a couple stop signs. all on hills so I think I did fine for the first time. But that's about it.