Best way to learn manual transmission?

[Venthos]

Well with things shaping up like an '08 may not be in the cards for me due to shady dealer happenings and severe lack of communication to the point it borders on refusing to take my phone calls, I'm pondering just dropping the whole '08 business and pursuing an '09 full out.

As if I had enough anxiousness and complications with my '08, the potential for the 6-speed manual has me wondering. A car enthusiast friend of mine tells me that I should get the automatic as it would be more reliable at the track (not necessarily faster, but more reliable in times) and that I would quickly hate it come Michigan winters and shifting in heavy traffic. Another friend told me that some years ago he drove a manual transmission for 1 1/2 years and had no problems with it. He never got frustrated about shifting in traffic and the like.

However, at the same time, I've never driven a manual, never even sat in a manual before really except as a kid (8ish years old). The concept of driving a manual and that it would seem like you're more in control of the car is enticing. I'd like to investigate learning on a beater before even considering it for my '09 if I end up getting an '09. Obviously I'd want to have quite a bit of practice under my belt before I even touch an '09 with a manual transmission in it.

I'm not sure if I want to go through the hassle of buying a beater and then trying to get rid of it thereafter, and none of my friends drive a manual transmission. Anyone in the SE Michigan area know of any sort of place I could go to perhaps 'learn' a manual transmission? (basically get access to a car to learn on). Whether it's some 'driving school' or not. Or any advice on pursuing this.

I'd like to have at least given a manual transmission a shot to see if I like it before I write it off as something I will not be getting on the '09 Chally.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Go Goody]

Call some local driving schools. Find a friend that has a stick....practice in a parking lot.

It does take a little concentration and then it becomes easy....just like riding a bike.

You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear about your hassels in purchasing a car! Dealers can be jerks!

[Rallye72]

Best way to learn is to just do it. I had never driven a 4 speed before but at age 18 (I'm 50 now) I bought a 70 Roadrunner with a manual and I just got in and drove it home. I stalled it out once at a red light in Baltimore city traffic and some black lady behind me cussed me out to high heaven. I got the Beeper going and have never looked back. Stick or nothing in the new Challenger for me. My 72 Charger Rallye is a 4 speed.

See if you can rent a car for a day, best to take someone with you who can drive one and get it off the lot. New manual trannies are nowhere near as unforgiving as the old ones were. I suspect yo'll pick it up pretty quickly. Learn to shift sitting on an uphill slope once you get the hang of it.

As for track performance, automatics tend to do better unless you are really really good. If you drive in city traffic regularly you may not want a stick as it can still get tiring. Either way, do your best to learn and then decide what suits you.

[firstmethod]

Auto vs manual is definitely a personal preference thing. I've driven manuals for 22 years now, with some autos mixed in. Always preferred manuals in daily drivers but then again I'm not dealing with snow or mad traffic like in the LA basin.

That said I would never buy this car with an auto. For the same reason I would never buy a porsche, corvette or ferrari with an auto. It is one of those things that doesn't have an entirely rational explanation these days either since autos have improved so much.

If you want to learn how to drive a stick you should learn in a low HP car - a toyota corolla 4 banger or some such. Minimal power to distract you from the actual act of manual driving. Personally I think the hemi power will exacerbate the challenge of learning. Don't move onto a V8 manual until you are completely comfortable with the 4 banger. As a side note I learned on a 1985 mazda 626 which is a 6 cylinder wankel as I recall.

[Kelsey73]

Yea just get out there and do it. The hardest part for most is just the concept of what your doing. I guess I leaned how to drive a manual anything would be on a dirt bike! Got in my first manual tranny car and had no problems at all. My first manual trans. car was an 04 SRT4.

[RoostKing]

A car enthusiast friend of mine tells me that I should get the manual as it would be more reliable at the track (not necessarily faster, but more reliable in times) and that I would quickly hate it come Michigan winters and shifting in heavy traffic

This makes no sense. If you are talking drag racing an automatic is almost always more consistent. Furthermore I assume when you say heavy traffic, i assume you mean stop and go driving? Again, an automatic would not be such a PITA.. As far as reliability, I doubt you have much to worry about with either transmission.

With that being said, im going to speed-shift my way to heaven in a six-speed!

[JS29R0B]

...I learned to drive a 3 on the tree (3 speed column shift), then 4 speeds....always have owned manuals with a few automatics mixed in along the way....driving them becomes so natural after a short time you won't think a thing about it....especially the way the new cars shift compared to the old ones....I used to teach my girlfriends to drive a 4 speed on dates when I was a teen....guaranteed, if they could learn to drive a 4 speed musclecar with no power steering etc and me as an instructor, you will learn to do it easily these days

[MikeC]

I have tought alot of people how to drive a stick. It is all a matter of confidence. I once tought an old girlfriend on a Mustang GT she got it down in about an hour... and she couldn't drive an automatic very well
actually she became a much better driver after getting a std. transmission car...I think it had to do with paying attention to something other than her make-up and the radio

If you can find a 4cyl as mentioned above it helps...

also if you can find a manual car with the emergency brake handle in the center it helps to learn hills. Put on e-brake on hill and play with clutch till you find the "sweet spot" then drop the e-brake...this way you don't hit the car behind you.

most of all don't get panicked...just take your time and in a few hours you'll be a pro

[shodanusmc]

I learned at 16 with a stick on the Steering Column.....I killed it a few times in reverse...but after about 20 minutes had it down pretty good. Taught my wife to drive a Stick in a Parking lot early on a Saturda and SUnday morning. On our last trip to Italy, she did most of the driving in a Fiat Stick....she was amazing, and fit right in as far as cutting off drivers, pretending traffic lights were not there, and almost hitting pedestrians......

[Venthos]

Originally Posted by RoostKing

This makes no sense.

You're right it doesn't, haha. I was apparently too focused on the manual transmission when I wrote that. Just edited my original post to correct the mistake. The enthusiast friend advised the automatic for more consistency on the track, just like you said.