My first car was and I learned to drive on my dad's 92 Nissan pickup truck, which had no feel at all for the pressure point and was like pushing down on a wet noodle. Learning to drive on that truck made it easier to drive just about any manual as they were ALL better than the feel on that thing. I remember having to hold the truck on a steep hill only using the clutch and gas. Took a while to get it right but once I was able to do it driving a manual was just second nature.
Tried to teach a friend of mine one time how to drive manual with my 94 Z28, which should be the easiest thing in the world considering it can take off in 3rd gear with all the torque she makes. First thing he does after I explain to him how it works is just let off the clutch pedal and we go slamming forward as it starts then dies from no gas. Mind you if you let out the clutch slowly the car will take off without any gas but nope, steps off it just like a brake pedal. He managed to get it started after a couple more tries but still couldn't quiet get the whole "when you start to slow down to stop, you have to push the clutch down so you don't kill the engine." Fortunately we were in a big empty parking lot so he couldn't really hurt anyone with his terrible driving. He gave up about 15 minutes later.
A few years down the road he thought about replacing his v6 mustang with a v8 manual one. To try to get him to buy it the dealership let him take it home for the weekend. Personally I'm surprised they did as they probably had to replace the clutch when he brought it back and told him he couldn't drive it. He tried to drive me home from the bar as it was my birthday that night and I was far too drunk to even think about getting behind the wheel. I probably still could have gotten us home without the 17 killed engines from his inability to launch or stop the car.
^^^I've taught my two older sons to drive manual and even my 12 yo can get around a parking lot somewhat smoothly (not more than second gear). I find it's very helpful to explain the mechanics first...the "why" of needing the clutch etc., then show with hands acting as feet on the clutch/gas, then showing them with me driving and them looking at my feet. Having them start by not using the gas at first is also pretty helpful...slowly releasing that clutch pedal to the bite point, seeing the RPMs start to drop, then letting it out...the whole time saying "slow slow slow everything slow slow" hahahaha
@TiGeo also
@LDM I thank you. your post has inspired me to make a post about how I first was introduced to manuals, I also believe that, like many things, the quality of your experience will depend on the quality of your instructor. Will be a bit lengthy, but, let's get into it.
I also maintain that some people have driving ability built into their bones, a function of their DNA and being, similar to dance or song or artistic inclanation. And some do not, (though most can learn.)
So, then. I do forget my first three vehicles confused. Except that one was a Honda. I believe it was a CRX, and it was either the HF or more likely a DX. Small, puny 4 cylinder. This compared to my first two, which were German, and very torque-y.. one, you could virtually heel-toe it all the time and let the clutch out "medium speed" into 2nd gear and it would just smile at you and go. I used to shift that car 1-2-5 to achieve 40MPH, even 4th gear wasn't needed, it was a 5 speed. The Jetta was a little bit different, it had a clutch with a lot of travel, (you had to really press it a long ways to get it to engage, and it was especially torture in rush hour traffic IF you were tired, the E30 clutch on the 6 was a LOT better) - so, why am I sharing all this.
@LDM mentioned the 94 Z28, probably with a 5.0 if a 5.7 was the Formula and either one, gobs and gobs of torque. So, yes, you could take off in 3rd. This would be very, very different than the CRX, where you had to be at about 2500RPM ? I forget.. to engage the clutch.. However, these are two extremes.
I think only my first 3 were manuals, then I moved on. I don't recall having a manual since.
I've instructed two people on how to drive, but never in a manual. Both people I've shown the very very basics of a car, let them sit behind the wheel.. told me they had never driven before. So, I should share.. You have about 4 ways to stop a car: 1. With a very long pipe, you can press the brake pedal from the passenger seat. Never had to do that, so that brings us to the other 3: 2. Turn ignition off while driving. Dangerous, but, will get the job done. 3. Throw it into Park. Not ideal, but, again, emergency. 4. Use the parking brake, at low speed it should do something. 5. Some combination of the previous 4. The look they have when they are piloting a 2-ton car, forward, for the first time.. The tie-in here is as
@TiGeo said, don't even worry about the gas, just let off the brake and realize that YOU are in control of the car, start easy.. Take it around the curve if you feel comfortable as I always did this in a park. If you don't feel comfortable, stop.. Well, the same mannerisms apply for learning how to drive a stick. So now I will share that.
My Uncle taught me to drive stick. In my opinion, he did a masterful job. I learned on a Mk2 Jetta. He told me the basics: 1. If the engine is running and the car isn't moving, the clutch needs to be 100% engaged (a.k.a. Your foot on the clutch.) 2. If you don't get on the clutch coming to a stop, it will stall out. We did a variety of things.. Coming to a stop NOT engaging the clutch (this is one of those things where you know the car will get beat up a little bit teaching someone what to do,) Taking off from a stop. Many many more.. I forget most of it. I got it almost right away. I got too caught up in excitement and pride and kind of forgot what to do, and it stalled a few times, usually coming to a stop.. in a few weeks, I would call myself fluent. It is just like riding a bike, I would remember in short order if I had a manual again. To this day, I am usually the only one (or one of a few people, if an Over 40 crowd) that knows how to drive stick at all, and this makes me popular as, say, an auction jockey or some such thing.
Now, yes, some car forums (usually full of elitists or other adjectives. No names and nothing to do with here) will say Two-pedal cars and three-pedal cars.. Statements like "I don't drive two-pedal cars." Yeah, ok. This brings us to another aspect of the whole thing.. Sure, modern shift boxes etc etc can shift faster than Michael Schumacher key-holeing shifts in an F1 car... That's totally not the point. In a car with a stick and a clutch, you are in CONTROL.. You don't have ANY kind of auto-assist, and it really does contribute to a feeling of mastery and one with the machine. It is unique, and, sought after. There was a thread in which I believe I made comment about being a "pure" driver. (Meant, as to the driving experience. Takeaway was, there is nothing wrong with automatic this, that, power windows, any number of accoutrements like that, however I was maintaining that in a real "pure" or perhaps "raw" or "visceral" driving experience, like a 1983 Porsche 911 SC... or, even better, a
1989 Porsche Turbo Slantnose... or something like that.. you've got a stick.) As mentioned in other posts in this thread, if some kind of automatic, DSG, Porsche PDK, whatever they got.. Can do it better.. it is a completely different experience.
Almost ending post.. It is true, the new manually shiftable automatic options (have been around for awhile, watched a video about a 1995 Eagle Talon Tsi with Autostick just today) have the advantage in traffic or almost every situation.. if you treat driving as just between the driver, the machine, and the road, a stick shift is still a beautiful option, and there are a few 2023 models bringing back an actual pure manual option. I believe the new Nissan Z is one of them.
https://www.autoweek.com/news/sports-cars/a39986272/2023-nissan-z-car-drive-review/
I can tell you that, out of everyone I know in my circle, outside of this website, I am the one that is tasked to be the driver. And I could do with a manual. I'm getting old, I'd choose some kind of an automatic or manually-shiftable automatic.. Early morning DMV traffic jams, really anywhere there is a traffic jam when you are tired, after driving all night, etc.. it has the edge. But there are times I do still yearn for a manual.
I'm not sure I would ever again purchase a car with a stick.
)
. Now I kindly ask if there’s someone that can drive manual. The local Firestone I like had no issues driving it.
You're right maybe been watching too many reruns on tv, I was thinking maybe burn incense and make an offering of food like oranges and or a chicken, while a tech drives my car into the service bay to do the tires...
before you get rolling again into what I will assume is 1st when it's time again to move.
