r3velation

i bought my car for several reasons. mastering the art of manual transmission was one of them.

i knew how to drive manual from testdriving over 100 cars, but only knew how to drive it hard and fast. haha. when i got my mustang, i didn't really know how to drive it slow and smooth, so i did the only thing i could do. i burned a lot of gas and got it right eventually. haha

East87

I bought my manual with only 30+ minutes of 5-speed experience. Don't get discouraged, you'll pick it up as you figure out what makes a smooth shift. Just practice and have some fun!

JA66

When I shift, I let off the gas at the same time i get to the point where the clutch disengages, then shift, then tap the throttle while i am at the point when the clutch starts engaging. So yeah, practice.

ResQman

Everybody shifts differently but the key here is what you are reading....Practise, Practise, Practise.

Remember when you first learned how to drive and you were hard on the throttle? Same thing here. Finesse is the key, and patience.

foolio2k4

this is also my first stick shift car. I found this to be one of the easiest stick shifts to learn. Even teeny 4 bangers are harder to clutch.

r3velation

teeny 4 bangers have real light and soft clutches. s197's are notchy!!!

still wouldn't have it any other way though.

cad316

i was test driving a 03 mustang with the salesman. I must have stalled like 5 times! that was early last year. I'm way better now with all that practice.

abrush

Practice is the key. Like others have said the S197 manuals are very easy to drive. If you really want a treat try to drive a 65-66 stang with a clutch or a classic Bronco with a 3 speed on the floor. Driving the new stangs is a walk in the park next to those. Even though I have driven manuals for years everytime warmer weather comes around and I pull out one of my classics to drive I am reminded how nice the clutch really is in the new stang.

Shadow7874

I guess ill just keep trying. I can drive it fine without stalling, its just i have trouble keeping the rpm low when im going in gear, which makes it a little rougher for me, and i assume the clutch. Ive been driving it for about 2 months now, but most of my driving is highway, or im kinda accelerating hard, so i dont get the practice i need to from a stop.

bolivianpimp

- My gf has a standard and I practiced on her scion tc before buying a stang. I have to tell you I kind of sucked, and it was discouraging me from buying a manual. I thought “I will never be able to learn and im going to look like an idiot in a GT that stalls or peels out everywhere”. But I knew that if everyone else can, then hell I can too. I like to think I am damn good at it now, I am not sure if the tuner helped out but it seemed like it. When I got mine, I just drove everywhere in my neighborhood (nothing but stop signs) and try to find that spot before it stalls and when it goes. I think you should try that , just driving around a bunch of stop signs – that made me.