How Many Of You Know How To Drive Stick? [Archive]

dio91

08-19-2002, 06:54 PM

My parents bought my '95 Honda Accord EX from my neighbor (always said they wouldnt pay for anything, although I do have to pay for gas, insurance, driver's ed., license, etc.) and it's a stick. I have gone a few times with my dad driving in parking lots having some trouble lol, it gets really annoying stalling, but I'm getting the hang of it. So, how many of you do know how to drive stick?

dio

magking1971

08-19-2002, 07:16 PM

I'm a truck driver so yes shifting is fun when you have 12 gears.:D

subbeh

08-19-2002, 07:16 PM

I do.

You'll get the hang of it... it's not hard at all. Just let it flow. When you stop, clutch goes down. When you shift, clutch goes down. When you launch, clutch slowly comes up, gas slowly goes down. It's not so tough :) Although every car is different.

I learned to drive stick on a 63 corvette stingray converable. You gotta give it a LOT of gas to launch. Then I drove a civic... gave it too much gas, did a burnout. Weeeee :D

Havoc_online

08-19-2002, 07:37 PM

I learned when I first got my license by going and test driving a WHOLE BUNCH of cars from used lots, lol. I'd soon leave after returning the car incase I messed anything up too bad.;) I got very good very quick, lol:)

lopxtc

08-19-2002, 07:55 PM

The best lesson ever for learning to drive a stick is to find the biggest damn hill you can find and start at the bottom of it ...
Come to a compleate stop about 1/4 of the way up and then try to get going again without rolling back to far ... repeat all the way up *L* ... thats how I learned ...

Aaron

PyRo

08-19-2002, 07:57 PM

I can do it, but I somehow manage to make the car want to accelerate and stop and accelerate again and so on untill I get going :)

Magic37220

08-19-2002, 09:32 PM

i learned on a stick. When I drive an automatic, i realize how much learning on one helped me.

headcase

08-19-2002, 10:09 PM

Yep.

I hate driving automatics, its boring. The year I spent in Korea driving HMMWV's was SOOOOO boring(at least the driving was :) )

pumpamatic

08-19-2002, 11:13 PM

PyRo, you need to give it more gas and a smoother clutch release. I refer to that as lugging. I haven't been driving stick long and my dad sold his truck so I don't have a lot of experience and won't be able to in the near future, but after driving about 6 times I could get really smooth, but if I didn't drive for like a week or two I'd be really jerky.

puckmaster

08-20-2002, 12:31 AM

I learned to drive in a 91 dodge Mini-van with a manual transmision. It was HARD!

joeyjoe367

08-20-2002, 12:35 AM

I learned to drive Stick on my buddie's 79 Saab...something or other. it was old.

One thing that was a bit odd was that I got it on my first try. I dunno, I always had an idea of what you were supposed to do with the gas/clutch, so it kinda came natural to me. DIdn't stall until I hit a stoplight, then forgot that I was 'still in 3rd gear :)

I intend on buying a car that's a manual transmission. It's tons more fun to drive. :)

puckmaster

08-20-2002, 01:06 AM

I intend on buying a car that's a manual transmission. It's tons more fun to drive.

They are fun!:D

bornl33t

08-20-2002, 04:43 AM

One manuals are the way to go, if you think driving a fast automatic is fun, then you're only getting 1/10th the experiance.

Jonno06

08-20-2002, 04:50 AM

i SOMEWHAT know how to drive stick,and im definitly wanting my car to be stock,so i guess im gonna have to learn:)

wyn1370

08-20-2002, 07:50 AM

my first vehicle was a stick. My dad put me in the truck and had me drive up and down the street for a whole day. After about 5 hours of stopping an starting he sent me out on the road.
Now I'm trying to get used to riding a motorcycle. Same idea, different movements.

synreal

08-20-2002, 08:14 AM

i've just recently mastered<font size=1 color="#666666">*</font> double clutching and heal-toeing through corners ;) yay for me.

i'll never go back to an automatic if i can help it, not nearly enough fun to drive.

<font size=1 color="#666666">* please note that the term 'mastered' in this case refers to "not having the car make funny noises and or smells during this action"</font>

Thordic

08-20-2002, 08:39 AM

Problems with a stick:

A) How the hell do hold you McDonalds?
B) How would I put my arm around your momma?
C) I couldn't stick my left foot out the window to cool off.

I don't need more crap to do when I'm driving. Never learned how to drive stick, and I have no compulsion to ever learn.

recoil

08-20-2002, 08:51 AM

heh you crazy americans :)

in the uk, if you take your test in an auto, you can only ever drive an auto until you pass your test in a manual.... but if you pass in a manual you can drive either :)

makes a little more sense imho

headcase

08-20-2002, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by Thordic
Problems with a stick:

A) How the hell do hold you McDonalds?
Too easy, you learn how by doing it. Besides I've found the best driving food to be Beef Meximelts from the Bell. Taste great, everything is melted together, so you don't have toppings falling all over the place.

B) How would I put my arm around your momma?
Again too easy, it's not like you have to shift every two seconds. When I drive(with or without my wife in the car), my right hand usually ends up resting on the passenger seat. If it is anyone else I tend to hold the E-brake for some reason.

C) I couldn't stick my left foot out the window to cool off.

You got me there. But I don't do that while driving anything else anyway, what good is ONE cool foot?

Iceman8446

08-20-2002, 09:52 AM

I love driving stick. I learned on my dads 86 corvette which me and him now autocross in. Its the only way to go.

SSMercury

08-20-2002, 09:53 AM

I know how, my mother made me, but I drive just to town and back home mostly, so I drive an automatic transmission.

spacemanspiff

08-20-2002, 09:55 AM

Driving stick is so much fun. You have so much more control over the car. Only thing that sucks with stick is having to sit in rush hour:rolleyes: but its not that bad. LOL the funiest thing I ever did in a manual car is down shift hard on this guy that was tailgateing me all I heard was his breaks lock up:p

Thordic

08-20-2002, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by headcase

You got me there. But I don't do that while driving anything else anyway, what good is ONE cool foot?

Its better than two hot feet :D

Dayspring

08-20-2002, 10:54 AM

I'm with you... I can tell you this. Try off-roading with a manual. It sucks. You either are moving, or you aren't. There isn't any crawl. Rocks and such require some finesse and crawling over them is required.

Just remember- ANYBODY can stall a manual. It takes a REAL driver to stall an automatic. :D

Originally posted by Thordic
Problems with a stick:

A) How the hell do hold you McDonalds?
B) How would I put my arm around your momma?
C) I couldn't stick my left foot out the window to cool off.

I don't need more crap to do when I'm driving. Never learned how to drive stick, and I have no compulsion to ever learn.

spacemanspiff

08-20-2002, 12:01 PM

Well some of the most awsome rock crawlers are manual. The gearing in them is so low that they can't literaly go over 4mph on a road. Its kind of a big dibate in the four wheel world to go manual or auotmatic. But what it all really comes down to is what you prefer.

Magic37220

08-20-2002, 12:08 PM

Hah, My feet are too small to heel-toe when downshifting, but I can double clutch pretty well.

Dayspring

08-20-2002, 12:16 PM

That's the problem with Xterras. Nobody has any crawler gears yet. And walking somebody through an area called "Rock Swamp" and they are either GOING or STOPPED, it can get hairy without aftermarket skids.

Originally posted by spacemanspiff
Well some of the most awsome rock crawlers are manual. The gearing in them is so low that they can't literaly go over 4mph on a road. Its kind of a big dibate in the four wheel world to go manual or auotmatic. But what it all really comes down to is what you prefer.

Chupe

08-20-2002, 01:06 PM

i can drive a stick in video games :D

dre1919

08-20-2002, 01:58 PM

Oh yeah, I can drive one. I used to learn on one when I was 15 and then didn't drive one until many years later when I was 23. I got back into how to drive one in my buddy's car...a '99 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T! That car was smoookin' fast and rode on rails. A great car to have a stick in. It was hella pretty too...all black, black convertable roof, black leather interior. And, it was the good Eclipse...with the smooth panels before they went and put those stupid ribs on the side panels. IMHO yuck!

:cool:

JEDI

08-20-2002, 02:12 PM

Stick is actually better if you gotta chick in the car. Besides the fact that they dig it, you can make all those cheesy "stick" jokes. Or you can get them to shift for you. Just imagine the possibilities!

WickeDKlowN

08-20-2002, 02:43 PM

Its not that hard, i can drive one fine, and im only 14.

Miscue

08-20-2002, 03:03 PM

/me does stick...

ronron2112

08-20-2002, 04:24 PM

yea i can drive one. ive been using a clutch on a dirtbike for a long while, so its sorta second nature to me.

RetroEclipseMan

08-20-2002, 04:36 PM

I will never drive another automatic again. Unless you have tons and tons of money to sink into a car to have a fast automatic then they aren't worth it. I learned on a 1971 bug with a burnt out clutch that my mom owns(she thinks it's cool but it's the biggest pos) and let me tell you it was hard. I autocross my '91 GTi and my friend who owns one of those new lancers(auto) let me take it around the track and boy did it suck. It handled ok but it being an automatic sucked. There was no low-end power what so ever. If you have a chance to get a really nice auto or a decent manual go for the manual and never look back and you won't regret it.

Zumina

08-20-2002, 11:30 PM

learned in my dad's old 84' Vette. Ain't nothing like the 4+3 tranny!

AutoMaggot

08-21-2002, 12:04 AM

I learned on a buddy's '88 Rotary-engined RX7... it was pretty ****ing mint.

rhetor22

08-21-2002, 08:34 PM

i've had gasoline in my blood since i was a lil tyk so stick is second nature to me, and i'm still 15.

Chupe

08-21-2002, 10:45 PM

ok................please dont quote the fast and the furious.
thanks,
chad

Reo5th

08-21-2002, 10:52 PM

Hey syn - could you hook me up with some info on heel-toe and practical double clutching? a website'd be good. thanks...

HoppysMag

08-21-2002, 10:59 PM

i drive my moms automatic bieng im just learning how to drive and only have my permit... but soon i will learn on my dads jeep so i can drive my 5 speed manual 1985 BMW 535i:D

Blennidae

08-21-2002, 11:02 PM

I have had stick shift cars for the past 13 or so years, so its 2nd nature to me. However I find when I drive an auto when I park the car, sometimes I leave the car in drive when I shut it off. I never forget to leave MY car in gear when I park it. Is this just me, or is this a common occurance?

Zumina

08-21-2002, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by Chupe
ok................please dont quote the fast and the furious.
thanks,
chad

I believe they something along the lines of "...he has nitrous oxide in his blood." Gasoline in one's blood is an old adage that was around long before several idiots decided to make a film about ricers.

rhetor22

08-22-2002, 09:30 AM

haha, i didn't even notice you were talking to me.

yeah thats def an old saying.

i watched fast and the furious for some good laughs. honestly.

i can drive my dad's F-700 manual dump truck.

once you learn how to operate the clutch, and give it the right amount of gas, pretty much all clutches are the same.

now the clutch in my step dad's old 1997 M3 coupe with a ss remus exhaust... now that was something to dream of. aaaaaaah i miss that car!!!!!!!

you need to know how to drive stick. really. if you don't, you should learn.

i get nervous when driving automatics. i think i'm going to fast.

ShooterJM

08-22-2002, 03:52 PM

I submit that if you can't drive a manual you don't know how to drive. You may know how to STEER, but you don't know how to drive.:D

I can double clutch quite well in a car. Can't say I've ever really practiced heel-toeing. Either way, I no longer have a car, just a suv. :( Need to pick up something to play with.

rhetor22

08-22-2002, 04:34 PM

i double clutch in the f-700 dump truck, out of neccesety :D :D

dave_p

08-22-2002, 07:33 PM

when you all can shift smooth with out using the clutch, split rear end to boot come talk to me. you must use the clutch for first, but after that if you understand the relationship between gear and ground speed and rpm you can shift smooth no clutch.
my first car was a 1981 ford fairmont wagon 3 speed on the floor, heavy duty clutch connected to a 300 ci straight 6 industrial commercial. a lot of fun to drive even for a station wagon. i dont know who speced it out but it was an odd car. it had no ashtray or lighter either for some reason. it was like a non smoking model or something.

bigsarge72

08-23-2002, 11:45 PM

I've only ever owned two automatics in my life, and the first was 5 years after I learned to drive.

sarge

Restola

08-24-2002, 09:12 AM

if you understand the relationship between gear and ground speed and rpm you can shift smooth no clutch.
You'll have to explain that a little more for me :)

I learned to drive stick when I bought a 98 Civic EX. Took a few hours to get it down, then about a month until I was really comfortable with it. Maybe 2 months until I never had any trouble on hills.

subbeh

08-24-2002, 10:20 AM

Double clutching is useless on newer cars with synchros, right? I suck at cars.

WickeDKlowN

08-24-2002, 11:53 AM

i learned driving my friends POS Chevette in his back yard.

dio91

08-24-2002, 12:29 PM

I went driving again today with my dad, did a lot better with shifting....Still gotta learn on the feel when giving it gas and slowly letting off the clutch! AHH

dio

ShooterJM

08-24-2002, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by dave_p
when you all can shift smooth with out using the clutch, split rear end to boot come talk to me. you must use the clutch for first, but after that if you understand the relationship between gear and ground speed and rpm you can shift smooth no clutch.

Yeah, still working on that. :( Haven't practiced in awhile though. Down to one car.

dave_p

08-24-2002, 03:23 PM

the relationship between speed, gear speed and rpm isnt that complicated. the synchros take care of the ground speed / gear speed thing pretty much and normally the clutch takes care of the rpm part by temporarily disconnecting you from the engine. you can shift with no clutch(except starting in first) if you can get the groundspeed/ rpm thing figured for the particular vehicle.
disclaimer: if you drop your gears all over rt 66 i am not responsible. always use your clutch cowboy.
while accelerating let off the gas and gently pull the stick out of gear. make note of the rpm/speed you are going. try to ease into the next gear. if it doesnt go rev a little, let off and ease the stick into the gear, at some point it should pop right in. note the speed/rpm this happens at. once you get used to doing it in all gears on a particular car(or truck)it becomes second nature. impress your friends and the ladies with your wheelmanship! :)
split axle is found on trucks. its a 2 gear rearend and a 5 speed tranny usually, giving you 10 gears total. you shift the rear with a button on the stick. you can shift 9 of the ten gears no clutch if you are slick.