How hard is it to drive stick?, new driver wants to know =) Options

[hioctane]

i asked my dad about driving stickshift and he said it's easy, but when you're in traffic, it can be a pain in the ass. Also when you're up hill you have to balance something....i dont know. What do you guys think about "driving stick"? I wanna evolve into a real man by driving stick

[Mage]

Not hard, as long as you learn how to preserve your clutch, ie, completely taking your foot off the clutch before accelerating

[Cody]

A complete moron could drive a stick in a Celica. I taught my girlfriend how to drive stick in my car in about 3 minutes.

[macavely]

Dirveing stick is easy you'll get the hang of it in a about an hours.

[boosted_K2]

anyone can learn in about 2 days, the 1st 2 days are HELL, but once you learn you are in heaven. i will never buy a AT in my life. traffic sucks, but you get used to it.

[jontechie]

QUOTE (MrCodyFantastic @ Mar 27, 2003 - 12:58 PM)

A complete moron could drive a stick in a Celica. I taught my girlfriend how to drive stick in my car in about 3 minutes.

Better rephrase that, sounds like your calling your girl
a moron!!

[jontechie]

Stick shift can be picked up easily, the problem I have is with
the heavy sports clutch that goes with it .Lots of traffic and gear changes have made my left knee a bit weaker than the other

[0Re0]

Its all about balancing the clutch and the gas padels

[BlackCelicaGT94]

I remember that my dad didnt wanna get me a stick cuz he thought i wouldnt pay attention to what was going on outside of the car but now ive been a way better driver since getting a stick. Also the first day was HELL! My dad took me to a park n ride and i got so frustrated and he got so frustrated that we went home. The next day when he wasnt around i took it out alone and spent a few hours just driving on the roads and getting embarassed at every stop light cuz i would stall but after that day it was ok and of course for a week or so i did stall every now and then and its embarassing as heck but you get used to it. Now that ive driven a stick for 9 Months as of yesterday I WOULD NEVER EVER GO BACK TO AN AUTOMATIC.

later
Natalie

[95STCelica]

QUOTE (BlackCelicaGT94 @ Mar 27, 2003 - 4:19 PM)

I remember that my dad didnt wanna get me a stick cuz he thought i wouldnt pay attention to what was going on outside of the car but now ive been a way better driver since getting a stick. Also the first day was HELL! My dad took me to a park n ride and i got so frustrated and he got so frustrated that we went home. The next day when he wasnt around i took it out alone and spent a few hours just driving on the roads and getting embarassed at every stop light cuz i would stall but after that day it was ok and of course for a week or so i did stall every now and then and its embarassing as heck but you get used to it. Now that ive driven a stick for 9 Months as of yesterday I WOULD NEVER EVER GO BACK TO AN AUTOMATIC. later Natalie

Exact same thing, i took myself out on the back roads and learned by myself after I got my liscence. Best feeling in the world.

I was so afraid when i first bought the car but now I don't even think about it and trust me, people told me the same exact thing I just said and i was like "what are you nuts?" But just give it a day or two..its cake!

[95STCelica]

QUOTE (BlackCelicaGT94 @ Mar 27, 2003 - 4:19 PM)

I remember that my dad didnt wanna get me a stick cuz he thought i wouldnt pay attention to what was going on outside of the car but now ive been a way better driver since getting a stick. Also the first day was HELL! My dad took me to a park n ride and i got so frustrated and he got so frustrated that we went home. The next day when he wasnt around i took it out alone and spent a few hours just driving on the roads and getting embarassed at every stop light cuz i would stall but after that day it was ok and of course for a week or so i did stall every now and then and its embarassing as heck but you get used to it. Now that ive driven a stick for 9 Months as of yesterday I WOULD NEVER EVER GO BACK TO AN AUTOMATIC. later Natalie

Wouldn't you think that having a manual would make you pay attention and focus more? At least that's what I think. I know maybe driving an auto you just push your foot on the gas and have a tendancy to let your mind drift but with a manual you always have to concentrate?

Just my thoughts.

[96cel_John]

its like 2nd nature or whatever once you learn. its really hard when you first start out though. i learned on my dads like 1980 nissan pickup truck. i kept on stalling it and then revving it too high when going from a stop to first gear. i was like afraid and **** and i didnt want to do it anymore. lol. then once i got my celica it felt completly different when i shifted and stuff. much more smooth.

if u dont feel like learning clutch on a celica and wearing the **** out of it, go to a dealership and get one of your parents to take the car for a test drive. have them pick u up and then u can learn on that. i dont think you can do stuff like that these days, but thats how my mom learned.

[Neipas09]

Driving a manual causes you to use more concentration when driving cause you always have to down shift when slowing down.

[Guest_Matthew_*]

ok the hardest part is starting out from a standstill...the rest is cake...it is amazing badass super fun driving a stick

[forkee]

its easy dood

[Cody]

QUOTE (jontechie @ Mar 27, 2003 - 3:20 PM)

QUOTE (MrCodyFantastic @ Mar 27, 2003 - 12:58 PM) A complete moron could drive a stick in a Celica.  I taught my girlfriend how to drive stick in my car in about 3 minutes. Better rephrase that, sounds like your calling your girl a moron!!

lol...I just noticed that...

But what I'm really saying is ANYONE can drive a stick Celica. Even my mom!

[BlackBeauty]

QUOTE (MrCodyFantastic @ Mar 27, 2003 - 7:04 PM)

QUOTE (jontechie @ Mar 27, 2003 - 3:20 PM) QUOTE (MrCodyFantastic @ Mar 27, 2003 - 12:58 PM) A complete moron could drive a stick in a Celica.  I taught my girlfriend how to drive stick in my car in about 3 minutes. Better rephrase that, sounds like your calling your girl a moron!! lol...I just noticed that... But what I'm really saying is ANYONE can drive a stick Celica. Even my mom!

Sounds like if your mom can drive it then anyone can.
Becareful or you might not have your dinner tonight if she sees this posting

[hata]

not hard to drive...

at 1st, u'd feel like giving up because it would feel so hard. But then after awhile, once you get the patterns down, it's ezy and even turns out to be fun. But with our transmissions eh...but again, its even better once you get a short shifter.

[ghostdog]

I learned to drive stick on a 76 Corolla. its synchros were pretty warn down and the clutch had no pedal pressure, but after two or three days of vigorous driving it was cake. I'm sure it'll be easy for you too, but do some reading on the mechanics first, it'll help to understand the concept behind what you are doing.

[Cody]

Thats how you gotta learn man. On an absolute s#it clutch. You'll be a pro after that.

[hiflytsi]

QUOTE (96cel_John @ Mar 27, 2003 - 4:37 PM)

its like 2nd nature or whatever once you learn. its really hard when you first start out though. i learned on my dads like 1980 nissan pickup truck. i kept on stalling it and then revving it too high when going from a stop to first gear. i was like afraid and **** and i didnt want to do it anymore. lol. then once i got my celica it felt completly different when i shifted and stuff. much more smooth.

Oh man, that was my start also when I was 14. My grandfather got so frustrated at me, he never let me take it beyond second though. But when I was 16, my girlfriend actually taught me the basics of it. Then on my talon, I finally got the hang of it.

[ashleyzredcelica]

I taught myself at 15...drivin a little mercury tracer we had out in the field on our dirt track. At first its kinda frustrating when u can't figure out what you're doing wrong, but if i can teach my VERY blonde sister to drive her mustang then u can probably learn! I wouldn't own an AUTO. I had a chance to buy a 96 gt auto celica but chose my 95 gt b/c it's stick. yeah traffic can be a pain in the ass but its worth it.

[miami305]

Manual is relatively easy to learn, depends on who's driving tho, some take days, some take minutes. All i have to say is its real fun, but if i had a choice i would go automatic .. that way i can eat, drink (tea) and drive.

[jayi12-15psi]

I pretty much took to it within a matter of minutes, but one piece of advice. when you first begin driving a manuel, if your starting up hill and your not to confident, pull the e-brake and gradually release it as you accelerate, so you don't roll backwards and hit stuff.

[95STCelica]

QUOTE (ashleyzredcelica @ Mar 28, 2003 - 9:40 AM)

I taught myself at 15...drivin a little mercury tracer we had out in the field on our dirt track. At first its kinda frustrating when u can't figure out what you're doing wrong, but if i can teach my VERY blonde sister to drive her mustang then u can probably learn! I wouldn't own an AUTO. I had a chance to buy a 96 gt auto celica but chose my 95 gt b/c it's stick. yeah traffic can be a pain in the ass but its worth it.

nice sig

[hioctane]

my next car is probably going to be a 2000 celica automatic =)

[jumpinccv]

I prolly owe my first experience with a clutch to my dads three tractors. So once I got in my celi the first time, I was pretty much good to go. Just a matter of the concept. Once ya understand that you're good...

[chosen1]

You'll learn to drive if you have to. Try having cars honking at you for stalling in the middle of an intersection. That happened to me in my first car (87 Dodge Shadow Turbo).

[95STCelica]

QUOTE (chosen1 @ Mar 30, 2003 - 6:22 PM)

You'll learn to drive if you have to. Try having cars honking at you for stalling in the middle of an intersection. That happened to me in my first car (87 Dodge Shadow Turbo).

Screw other people...people got pissed off @ me for stalling at lights, i just gave them the finger and went on

[No0bOne]

You'll eventually get the hang of it. Ask lots of questions, even if you *think* it is stupid.

I learned how to drive stick by driving around a parking lot. My #1 goal was to be able start out from first and get out of first. On my 2nd I drove to SF..where there are mucho hills. OMG!! it was a really scary experience indeed. Especially the stupid stop signs when you're going (up)/ like that and there are cars behind you. After awhile my response drastically increased quickly. than flat roads just suddenly become easy.