[Blaze One]

Where can I learn to drive a manual ? I have never driven one before. And have only had trucks and classic cars before so this is going to be my first sport sedan and would not like to get an automatic .
I consider my self a good performance driver and not at all intimidated by cars or the thought of having to shift . I feel that I would pick it up quite easily . I am only 20 ,so now is a good time to learn .
I live in Vancouver ( Delta ) British Columbia CANADA , are there courses ? What should I do ?

 

[raitchison]

Do you know someone who knows how to drive a stick that would be willing to teach you.

It's not hard, just need practive really to figure out the nuances of the clutch.

I found this witha google search, no ide if it's any good.
http://www.standardshift.com/

Edit, also found this:
http://www.hints-n-tips.com/kylearticle8.htm

 

[nouse4aname]

Go test driving That's how I learned.

Had someone with me who could drive a stick and we swung by a used car lot and picked out a manual Eclipse. I took over driving once we got away from the dealer. I highly recommend learning on one of those previous gen Eclipses by the way, very beginner friendly. I picked up on it right away.

I actually had the Mazda salesman give me about a half hour lesson too. Drove away in my own mtx 6 after my third time ever driving a manual transmission. If it means a sale for them, they'll be more than happy to teach you.

I *tried* to do the right thing by renting a car or finding a driving school with manual tranny cars. But I couldn't...so used car test drives it was.

 

[autoXsheep]

I learned in large parking lots on Sunday mornings before anything opens. Usually a mall or stadium parking lot with lots of open space to practice in. Bring along someone who already knows how to drive a manual. Ride along with people that drive manuals and watch their feet and hands.

 

[Titanium Dragon]

If you have a friend with a 5-spd manual car (and are good drivers), ask them if they can teach you. Learn the basics first before you start doing fancy stuff like heel-toe maneuvers.

And do what I did for my buddy who taught me how to drive a 5-spd. Pay for the gas and take 'em out to lunch or dinner.

 

[ManualShifterMz3s]

Where can I learn to drive a manual ? I have never driven one before. And have only had trucks and classic cars before so this is going to be my first sport sedan and would not like to get an automatic .
I consider my self a good performance driver and not at all intimidated by cars or the thought of having to shift . I feel that I would pick it up quite easily . I am only 20 ,so now is a good time to learn .
I live in Vancouver ( Delta ) British Columbia CANADA , are there courses ? What should I do ?

It's the same reason I got my 'alias'.... I wanted to learn.

This is how I did it:

- Go over to standardshift (as suggested by someone here) and READ...

- Do a search on google or any search engine and type in "your question"
READ again... all the different perspectives.... they should generally give similar instructions, if not the same.

- Then practice with someone.

::: After doing all the reading (and watching a video -also @ Standardshift.com) I took two lessons with a friend.... and I'm good to go.

I have ordered my Mz3s 5sp... cyan't wait to start driving it.

(The only thing I have to get good at now.. is the hill/incline)

 

[FR3D]

not worth it paying some instructors to teach you for sure, my frd used to do that and he paid like almost $60/hr, find a frd who has a MT car and is willing to let you screw around with it for a bit is the way to go for sure

 

[br3ad-bOi]

my dealer offered to teach meh =D so i didnt turn it down haha
i got umm 1 hr of lesson frum him pretty nice guy if never offered i wouldve asked my friends to teach meh

hmm anyone know wuts da best way to learn double clutching?
friends or instructors?

 

[budgy]

my dealer offered to teach meh =D so i didnt turn it down haha
i got umm 1 hr of lesson frum him pretty nice guy if never offered i wouldve asked my friends to teach meh

hmm anyone know wuts da best way to learn double clutching?
friends or instructors?

Double clutching is easy to teach yourself after you have the basics covered. It is easy clutch goes in shifter goes to neutral, clutch goes back in shifter into gear and clutch out again. To do it properly you should incorparate rev matching by blipping the throttle on the last half of double clutching you will ensure a smooth clutch engagement.

BTW, why would you ever want to double clutch anyway, this is usually used when it is hard to get the car in gear.

 

[Bombadil]

A friend of mine printed out the instructions from a few web pages, including the ones cited above, and taught himself. No one helped him at all. He was driving around the neighborhood in about 20 minutes ... but certainly wasn't very good at it for a few more days.

 

[kkat3]

I learned in large parking lots on Sunday mornings before anything opens. Usually a mall or stadium parking lot with lots of open space to practice in. Bring along someone who already knows how to drive a manual. Ride along with people that drive manuals and watch their feet and hands.

This is how i learned too. Big parking lot to do laps in..this way you can shift through all the gears up and down and test out turns and parking and stuff. Instant driver.

 

[br3ad-bOi]

Double clutching is easy to teach yourself after you have the basics covered. It is easy clutch goes in shifter goes to neutral, clutch goes back in shifter into gear and clutch out again. To do it properly you should incorparate rev matching by blipping the throttle on the last half of double clutching you will ensure a smooth clutch engagement.

BTW, why would you ever want to double clutch anyway, this is usually used when it is hard to get the car in gear.

i dunno my dealer and sum asst manager of the place where i got my mazda said standard is more fun and more controlling and den dey said once u are a pro or more experienced i should learn how to double clutch and dey said it with a lot of excitement so i dunno... does it make ur ride smoother or faster if u double clutch??

 

[Mobile]

Double clutching is used only in downshifting.

Here is a better explanation of double clutching, and other advanced shifting maneuvers:

http://www.driversedge.com/dblcltch.htm

Personally, I prefer to just spike the throttle while I have the clutch depressed on the down cycle of my shift to match my revs - not clutch in, neutral, clutch out, rev match, clutch in, shift, clutch out....a little redundant don't you think?

 

[G_Style]

Take a course at school
If you dont know how to shift right you could ruin the cars tranny and clutch

 

[Hawker]

I learned to drive a standard at the age of 11 on a 1975 Ford and 1981 Chev, both 3-ton grain trucks. The clutches on those things are quite heavy, and I was small for my age; in order to push the pedal in I had to brace my butt against the front of the seat and use both feet to do it. I would then reach over to the 2 foot long shift lever and jam it into 2nd (1st was a "bull low" that you only used if you were fully loaded and trying to get started on an uphill grade while stuck in the mud ), and then quickly transfer my right foot to the gas while doing a "controlled release" of the clutch pedal. I got pretty good at it. I never had to drive the truck very far as I was only unloading grain while my dad was off in the field with the other truck getting another load off the combine; I just had to get it far enough away from the grain auger that dad could pull in and park the next truck for me to unload. I never actually had to change gears while moving until the next fall and by then I was big enough to sorta do it properly. I still had to look between the dash and the top of the steering wheel to see where I was going.

After learning to drive stick on those big old pigs at a young age, any passenger car clutch and transmission now feels utterly slick and light.

I think that nothing beats a great big empty field and an old half-ton truck for teaching someone how to drive - nothing to hit, either stationary or moving, and a vehicle that can be abused without it really mattering. Plus, if you learn to drive standard on a heavier duty transmission and clutch you can't get away with being sloppy and have to learn how to shift and clutch smoothly and precisely. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in neutral and coasting to a stop while desperately trying to find 3rd after leaving 2nd - great fun.

Ah, memories....

 

[lazerasa]

Take a course at school
If you dont know how to shift right you could ruin the cars tranny and clutch

Don't believe that shit... Yeah, if your a complete moron and grind the gears and wear the clutch for an extended period of time then maybe you'll ruin that stuff.

I bought my manual 3s after having only driven stick in my friends car for about 2 hours and I was far from being good at driving it. I stalled it pulling out of the dealership like 3 times before I got it into 1st gear... I spun the tires a few times, especially on hills. Starting from a stop is really the only think you need to learn, every other gear change is simple. Yeah I probably put a little wear on my clutch, but nothing to have a hemorrage over.

 

[SiFi]

I learned to drive a stick when I bought my car a few years back. Before that, I had maybe about 10 minutes behind the wheel of a manual car during a test drive.

 

[flipped cracker]

i'm always willing to teach my friends how to drive stick. i've taught 3 so far. my other friends are either scared to try, or already know how.

 

[lazerasa]

how hard is it on the car to teach someone to drive stick?

 

[Canmaz3sport]

I always suggest starting out in reverse...it gives gas by itself you feel it moves more then going forward. It gives you a good feel of the dead spot.