learning (teaching) to drive a manual transmission...

[Ford Man]

Originally Posted by TEiN

Hey Ford Man,

While I appreciate the concept of "sink or swim", there's a big difference between being able to do something, and being able to do it well. Learning by yourself in most cases precludes the latter. Not saying that it isn't possible, just that it isn't likely.

I know I didn't do the greatest for the first few stops and starts, but I didn't burn the clutch out. For most people getting the feel of the clutch down for starting without stalling or rolling backward on an uphill start is 90% of the task of learning. I still drive manual transmission cars on a daily basis. The '88 Escort that I have with 503K miles on it, I bought with 146K miles and it has had the clutch replaced 1 time since I bought it (at about 310K miles) although I am expecting to have to replace it during the next 100-150K miles. The current clutch has approximately 200K miles on it. The only other clutch I've ever replaced on any vehicle I've owned was in an '84 Mazda pickup I bought new, it was changed at about 80K miles when a friend was doing some other work on some bearings in the transmission, so I told him to go ahead and replace the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing, but he told me when I picked it up, he changed it per my instructions even though the current clutch still looked nearly new. Of course I also grew up in an era where cars with manual transmissions were pretty common so I had learned too from just observing others.

[TEiN]

You're obviously the exception to the rule, but that doesn't negate the rule. Most drivers are far more abusive to the clutch while learning. Heck, most drivers are more abusive to the clutch after years of "knowing" how to drive.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by TEiN

You're obviously the exception to the rule, but that doesn't negate the rule. Most drivers are far more abusive to the clutch while learning. Heck, most drivers are more abusive to the clutch after years of "knowing" how to drive.

Perfect practice makes perfect...

Anything else is a lesson in indifference, really. (Most people don't know that they don't know... they just don't know.)

I'm going to swap my wife's transmission to a manual sometime this year, I hope... she's got two choices - quit driving, or get familiar with it. She already can drive it, but she needs to learn to drive it well. I figure nothing's better than putting her in a car she's already familiar with, and only changing a small aspect of it.

[squatch81]

Originally Posted by Ford Man

In my own experience the best way to teach someone how to drive a stick is just as has been said before toss them the keys ....

Although I had operated standard transmission vehicles before, I didn't really learn how to drive one until I got a '62 IH Scout. For the first two years, despite replacing almost every part in the system, we couldn't get the clutch to completely release. By the time we figured out how to modify the clutch fork to get the clutch to release properly, I had learned how to drive the truck without using the clutch at all. Low range was so low I could pop the transmission in and out of gear before the engine could take up the slop in the drivetrain.
I would shift the transfer case into low range when I stopped at a light. When the light turned green, I would pop it into 1'st and hit the gas for less than a second, shift into 2'nd and back on the gas for about 1 1/2 seconds, then shift into 3'rd. When I got to the other side of the intersection, I would throw the transmission into neutral, wrestle the transfer case into high range, drop it back into 2'nd, and drive merrily on my way
I eventually got to the point I could pull the transmission, change the syncros, and reinstall the transmission, by myself on a gravel driveway, in less than 4 hours.
The only gauge on the dash (speedo) didn't work, so I had to "drive by ear" until I put a cheap digital tach from radio shack in it.

[botsapper]

I 'taught' my daughter MT driving when she was 10 yrs. old. Alright she didn't really get behind the wheel of the family car, an MT Mazda MX-3. It started one day when I was driving her & her sister to elementary school. She asked what I was 'doing' to get the car moving. I explained the all the juggling involved but I figured the best way was to let her shift the gear knob while I handled the clutch & gas. Since she couldn't see the tach, she learned to 'hear' engine revs & the 'feel' or 'catch' of the clutch. She 'instinctly' shifts to neutral @ coasting & stops, downshifts + upshifts @ taking corners, & finds reverse when we leave parking spots. When we finally let her take the wheel for her permit, she easily 'got' it.
Most of the cars she has bought for herself has been MT's.

[moorecomp]

Originally Posted by Cd

I hate being crippled by having an automatic in my car, but I had a really bad experience with my dads manual car. After almost smashing into the guy behind me (while at a stop light on a hill ), I then stalled the car enough to be a danger to other drivers.
I'd like to own a manual car, but I'm wondering how that would even work now that I am an adult that has never learned.
Once I bought the car, how the heck would I get the thing home ?

First car I ever bought; 1967 VW Beetle. $300 cash. Me, 16 years old. Had my dad go with me and he drove it home and I followed him in his car. I practiced going up and down the street in our neighborhood until I felt comfortable. Back in my days in high school and drivers ed, we had to learn on an auto and a stick (3 on the tree). They should go back to teaching it from the get-go.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by botsapper

I 'taught' my daughter MT driving when she was 10 yrs. old. Alright she didn't really get behind the wheel of the family car, an MT Mazda MX-3. It started one day when I was driving her & her sister to elementary school. She asked what I was 'doing' to get the car moving. I explained the all the juggling involved but I figured the best way was to let her shift the gear knob while I handled the clutch & gas. Since she couldn't see the tach, she learned to 'hear' engine revs & the 'feel' or 'catch' of the clutch. She 'instinctly' shifts to neutral @ coasting & stops, downshifts + upshifts @ taking corners, & finds reverse when we leave parking spots. When we finally let her take the wheel for her permit, she easily 'got' it.
Most of the cars she has bought for herself has been MT's.

Why do you shift into neutral while cornering?

[botsapper]

Where did I say that?

She 'instinctly' shifts to neutral @ coasting & stops, downshifts + upshifts @ taking corners, & finds reverse when we leave parking spots.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by botsapper

Where did I say that?

She 'instinctly' shifts to neutral @ coasting & stops, downshifts + upshifts @ taking corners, & finds reverse when we leave parking spots.

Ah, I missed a part of it. I see now.

I question it because I know people that do it... they shift into neutral while going around corners in town (at intersections) and I don't understand why they do it... they can never explain, either.

I just use netural throttle unless I intend to accelerate or slow down. I very seldom use neutral over short periods in manual cars.

[botsapper]

Maybe so there is no downshifting or no blipping revs. Do they just slide into neutral w/ light braking, taking a wide arc & hitting a late apex, then slide slowly back into previous high gear. Could that be a hypermiler turn?

How do hypermiler enthusiasts take an intersection corner (w/o stopping)?