How long did it take you to master stick shift? and whats the hardest part of stick shift..parking..reverse..?

 

when i learned on my friend's 91 honda accord, the first thing i learned how to do was back up, and that was not hard at all..i think getting it to go FORWARD was the hardest part! haha, it took me a good 45 minutes just stopping and going on a back road to actually learn how to get it to go, then it took me even longer to master it. Then when i got my 6 speed, i was pretty much used to it, and i got the hang of it really quickly. I'd say the hardest part of driving a stick is sitting on a hill in traffic...thats just a little nerve racking. I always let off my brake a little to let the person behind me know to not get too close, in case something happens, so that i dont hit them! But other than that, it is SO fun, and i am so glad i got a stick.

 

yeah when i first was learning a steep hill i had to use the ebrake to stop the car and then do the clutch and gas at the same time then when it was kind aof going i let the ebrake off.

 

Hardest to learn is how to start going forward when you're stopped going up a hill/incline. A Max is a hard car to learn on, because of the power and torque, but after that, you'll be able to drive almost anything.

How long to learn it well? Depends on the person. At least 3-4 hours for a quick learner, much longer for others.

 

That is hard... but I think the biggest challenge that most new stick drivers face is driving a MT on busy roads where ya hafta switch lanes, take turns, etc with varying speeds and other cars around you, since no one knows or cares that you're just learning how to drive stick. Basically IMO, that's the hardest: getting to the point where you can drive normally w/o worrying about shifting gears (because it'll take some time before it becomes 2nd nature).

It all comes down to awareness and confidence... and obviously, coordination...

 

Pretty much what everyone else said...Hills are probably the hardest, but once you get comfortable with the friction point on the clutch you'll be able to hit the point with little or no roll back.

 

The hardest part is just getting used to where the clutch catches. Once you know exactly where the clutch catches, then its pretty easy...

Going up steep hills can be a challenge for the beginner tho...

 

I learned on my mom's Civic. Took me a few hours to master 1st gear. Then, yeah stopped on an incline is tough too. I still get nervous doing it.

 

First car I've driven with stick was my Max. It took maybe a few weeks to get everything down before I could confidently drive just about anywhere, but then a few more weeks after that and I was golden. The first few times are the hardest, but once you start to feel the car, it all comes naturally. You eventually feel when the clutch catches and know just how much gas to give it. Hills can be tough though and the best thing to do is just stay calm and try to ignore the rolling. Learning stick is definitely worth it though.....good luck.

 

i still grind gears and something stall .

 

thats cause you are

 

with me I would say downshifting into the right gear as well as hills, i chirped the sh** out of my wheels tonite on a hill.

 

I first learned on a 1933 Buick that my Dad had (first year with Synchro-Mesh, no need to double-clutch in first!). Then moved on to a 1966 Chevy Impala (3 on the tree). Took a couple of days to master. The ultimate test will be at a stop light on a steep hill with someone right on your butt, but once you've done that there is nothing else to worry about.

Frankd121 is dead right that once you know where it catches (called the 'friction-point') your foot will automatically go right to this point every time you start. You'll figure this out pretty quickly - good to practice first though. Find a big empty parking lot and start in 1st like 100 times. You'll pick it up in no time.

 

Yea, I gota get more practice but I'm getting pretty good. I gota try the uphill starting still. Thanks for all the tips

 

remembering to come to a *COMPLETE* stop before engage reverse, otherwise you're treated with the sound of grinding. A Maxima is a hard car to learn to drive a stick. The clutch doesn't have a creamy take-up and is quick to grab so newbie's will have to concentraite.

 

The hill is definitely the hardest part. A learner is prone to either stalling and slamming on the brakes, or rolling backwards for a while before getting the car to actually go up the hill.

And a word to the wise for new manual drivers: DON'T RIDE YOUR CLUTCH. Basically, don't keep it depressed for too long during shifts. If you keep your foot on the clutch while giving the car gas, and do this often, you will kill the clutch.

And lest you thought I've been speaking out my ***, since my Max is an auto, I drove a manual for 2.5 years before getting the Max.

 

I don't remember. I was like 12 years old.

 

i caught on the concept fairly quickly, but I really mastered stick shift about a month after I got my 5spd AE. I knew it when front passenger's head didn't jerk back and forth between shifts and when the back passenger's couldn't tell the car was a manual

the hardest part was:
1. hitting rev-matched downshifts with no jerks, just one fluid motion.
2. hard upshifts during racing (fast, perfected timed shifts with only partially depressing the clutch to reduce time). If its done right all you hear is a change in engine tonations and not the car slowing down as the clutch tries to match engine speed

 

I forgot to mention, this kinda goes with Larrio's post. When you're not racing through the gears for acceleration, you should try to make the shifts smooth. I think that some people driving manuals just get content as sloppy shifters and when you ride in the car with them it's like the fregan thing is going down a rocky slope, with jerks back and forth constantly. This could be really annoying to passengers...keep that in mind.

 

um bring em out yall.. bring em out... drunk post

 

about 3 months to drive ok, then about 3 years (and going) to be nasty with it.

Fast accurate shifts with minimal clutch (just popping it in), rev matching, and double clutching are all tricks u can gradually get real good with. When you are forced to drive the car, and have to be in moving traffic, u do tend to learn real fast (thats how i learned haha). Not the best advice, but... Man just make sure you can get it out of your drive way atleast before you try and start driving on a busy street.

I'm sure most peopel can get the basic hang of it in a week.

 

I learned to drive manual transmission on a '51 Chevy truck with manual brakes and steering. 3 speed with "Granny" gear. I'll agree with what others have said, finding a smooth balance between the clutch and the accellerator. Just like everything, the more you practice, the better you get.

 

Although the uphill start is def a test of your stick shift skills, i felt 100% comfortable when i was able to go through all the gears smoothly with no jerking.
I think the best compliment is when people get in the back of your car for the 1st time and don't realize it's a stick until you tell them.

 

a day it took me to learn and mastered it

 

i first learned on a '96 acura NSX, and it took me a few days of short trips to the store or a friends house to get teh real hang of it and get it to shift smoothely. once i got my max it took about 3-4 weeks of driving every day to "master" it. i am still learning although i consider myself to be extreamly proficcient at driving stick.

since then i have taught many friends how to drive stick and i think the greatest thing to realize/learn is to get the car moving with just teh clutch, using no gas at all. this really exemplifies teh friction point of the car

 

I agree with the whole uphill thing as being the hardest thing to do. I learned on a '93 Mustang GT. let me tell you what a difference our cars are to that thing.
I think our cars are pretty easy to drive after about a week of every day driving. Not a heavy or light clutch, and the car reacts great to the drivers style.
Its all worth it though to have a manual car. I think auto is just way to boring at times!

 

Yea I drove my car like 10 times so far since I just got it and it's been in the shop for like a month already. I'm getting it back in like 3 weeks and then I'm guna just drive all day or whenever I have time