learning to drive stick help/suggestions

[asianrich]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in buying a si but I have never driven stick before. I have been driving my integra for 5 years now though and I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions in getting started. I've looked up driving schools and I can't seem to find one in my area that teaches manual. None of my friends drives stick so I have no one to teach me/learn on. Someone told me to buy a beater car to learn on but then I'll be stuck with an extra junk car, other people have told me to just get the si and I'll learn eventually but I feel like I could really damage the car that way. What do you guys think I should do? How did you guys go about learning?

 

[young_]

I literally bought my first stick shift car without knowing how to drive stick, and 160 miles away from home at that. So, it can be done. I watched a ton of videos on how to drive stick and I had family members that had stick shift vehicles in the past so I was familiar with the concept.

I couldn't even test drive the vehicle. It took me about half an hour of stalling out in a parking lot before I had the guts to get on the interstate to head back home.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend that route but if you have no other option, the sink or swim method can work.

Maybe look around some more and find someone that knows how to drive stick that can go with you when you purchase the vehicle. I would just study hard and then buy the vehicle that you want.

 

[asianrich]

Awesome! I'm gonna dive in it, wish me luck guys!

 

[MyLittleTeg]

The way I learned to drive stick was with a 99 s10 that had a bad tranny mount. If you didn't shift smooth the shifter would jump back and forth and hit your leg. After a couple laps around the block (and a little bit of experience driving dirtbikes) I had it down pretty well. And my fiance learned on my civic pretty quick and she is terrified of driving an auto. Hahah

 

[XpL0d3r]

I learned by converting my Civic from auto to manual at a buddies house.... 2.5 hours away from mine. So I learned to drive it on the way home. Even got pulled over for a headlight out, but didn't stall it until I got to my driveway. I had driven stick 2-3 times before for a brief period, though. I had a crazy ex (like all of them) who would yell at me whenever I stalled it, so I didn't do that very much.

Since I was a pizza delivery person, I was always out driving. Scariest part was always stopping on a hill and seeing the car behind you come right up to your bumper.

You'll get it, just start in a parking lot and go at it. When you feel comfortable, go find a dead street on a hill, and practice starting on it. I was able to teach my buddy stick by letting him drive my turbo Civic -- took him about 30 minutes and a few stalls that made me cringe, but he got the hang of it fairly quick.