My 9 year old son had his first experience with a manual transmission when I test drove an older Jeep with a 5 speed manual. He asked me later what all that jerking was and I explained to him how they work and why he felt it so much. My wife then turned around and told him all it was is that daddy has forgotten how to… Read more

I’ve driven manuals since my second car (1984 Mazda B2000). My first car was a 1977 Grand Prix (400 V8, but a slushbox). After the B2000, the timeline goes: 84 Supra/wife’s 84 RX7 > 97 Ranger/wife’s 97 Eclipse GS > 00 Protegé x2. These were all manuals. Then I had kids and sacrificed my third pedal for a series of… Read more

Taught my 16 yr old daughter how to drive stick while we test drove the used lipstick-red Jetta that she wanted. She stalled it once that day and daily drove it for the next four years. Proudest day of my life once I realized that she got the coordination down and drove it like a pro. Ten years later her fiancee drive… Read more

It’s not that I don’t like it.. I DO like it.. but I also believe that it has the potential to be done/applied much much better. Please take my (random person on the internet) comments as specifically constructive and overall positive. Read more

I was 15 years old when my dad taught me to drive stick(I’m 26 now) on his 97 Mazda2300 which later became my first vehicle, I hated it for the first week. I would get frustrated at the truck and called my dad every name I could come up with because he wouldn’t let me stop, I even cried a few times because of it. But… Read more

I’m fairly proud of my list of manual cars through the years: Read more

My kids are learning well from me. They’re already rowing the gears for me sometimes when they’re sitting up front in my truck. Also owning manuals only is the way to go. Read more

When I got my learner’s permit in 1989 We had a 5-speed manual 1988 Mazda 626 notch-back and a 5-speed 1986 Chevy Astro. The Astro had a long stiff (heh) clutch that could tire you out driving around town. Mazda was kinda (not really) sporty for the 4-cylinder meh sedan that it was, although I always liked its profile. Read more

Thanks for the advice. Matt Farah’s video gave me a similar message, basically to just practice feeling where the friction point is 100 times until it is muscle memory; and then practicing revving to 1.5-2k and holding it until that is muscle memory too. Read more

I learned at 18, when I bought my 2nd car - an ‘81 Accord hatch with a 5 spd, that I didn’t know how to drive.
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My first car was a 2005 Nissan Altima and the best part was that it was a stick. Unfortunately after 2 months of owning it, the engine blew and I was stuck with payments. Some months later I bought a 1999 metro 3cyl stick. It wasn’t a fun stick, it was a more “because I have to” stick. Well a few months down the road… Read more

Yeah, I’ve seen that, but you can basically drive from zero to full speed in any gear...it’s not the same. I want the feeling of actually engaging the clutch and running through the gears. I suppose I’ll have to get an old timey gas-powered Miata one of these days. Read more

Yeah, the Suzuki liked to foil its plugs on regular basis. I learned to clean and re-gap the plugs way before I could see over the steering wheel! Read more

I bought my first 240 (my first car) and didn’t know how to drive stick. I had some experience shifting due to the dirtbikes I grew up riding but, nothing car related. My friend test drove it for me, liked it and drove it home after I bought it. I spent all night learning how to shift properly, cruising around the… Read more

I was reading car magazines long before I could drive, so the plan all along was to buy a manual. The car salesman taught me to drive it on the test drive of the VW Type3 fastback (I bought it). And once I was up to speed with driving it, I taught both of my parents to drive stick. Read more

Unrequested addendum. First gen Scion xB only. The little boxy one. Not the second gen overinflated milk jug.

Also, alternate take. Any V8 powered car. Torque covers a multitude of sins.

Final advice. Get rid of your automatic if you get a car with a stick. Not having a choice gets you there faster, at least mentally.… Read more

When you grow up in a household with nothing but manual transmissions that’s just what you learn on. As a child I remember being in the back seat as a friend of my mom’s was teaching her to heel-and-toe in a Lotus Cortina. Step-dad’s cars were all manual as well, from the MGC GT through the many 5-series he had. When… Read more

I’m picking up a 2017 Camaro V6 1LE this friday, 4.5 hrs away. I am taking the train there, and then need to drive the car back home. Read more

Decided one day that I needed to learn to drive a manual. Went and bought myself my first new car, a ~2001 Ford Escort ZX2. Think I got it for 11k out the door. Learned to drive stick on the way home. Stalled a few times getting her moving but otherwise picked it up fairly quickly. Have only driven manuals since.… Read more

I learned when I was 16. My dad’s buddy’s son had a ‘76 Sirocco for sale, so dad drove me there. After he drove it, he said it was good so I handed over a couple of hundred bucks for the title. Read more