Nuke

Practicing on a beater for a weekend might be worse for the sake of making up your mind since that little time won't give you the opportunity to resolve osme of the minor problems that a beginner might encounter. Unless you drive in a LOT of heavy traffic daily, just get the manual.

SaddleUp

I think you can learn rather easily. Don't be intimidated because it is a new car, just get in it and go. It will come easily, you'll see.

Mpov

That seems about right. IMHO overall a manual is just a heck of a lot more fun than an auto. I like the feeling of control. The one down side is that in heavy, stop and go traffic it can get to be a pain.

I learned on a new car and I don't think it was any worse for the wear. My first clutch had to be replaced at about 50K miles. If you can get a beater to practice on, do it. But if you can't I wouldn't let that stop you. You also need to keep in mind that every car is different and that shifting an old beater may actually be more difficult than shifting a new 'Stang, which is actually relatively easy.

And if you do find yourself stopped on a steep hill with another car right behind you, just err on the side of giving it more gas. It's a great sound .

Norm Peterson

Gotta learn to crawl before you can walk, and to walk before you can run.
(IOW - take phrases like "full potential" and "sub-5 second 0 - 60" out of your vocabulary for a while).


The more that you display concern here, the more likely it will be that your fears will come true.


Norm

10KonaBGT

Sync and cupholder solve both those problems LOL.

BillQ

I'm a newbie here, but it's easy to see that the manual/automatic debate is a hot and heavy one. And I still stick by my feelings that 'most' women who have driven manuals typically drive relatively low torque machines. Their clutches take a little less effort to manipulate in traffic. When I read about the apprehension of some who are worried about starting on a hill, I start to question their own comfort level with the sticks too.
And before someone says I don't have a clue, I've had sticks with a 400 Pontiac, and 2 350 Chevies [all built somewhat] as well as a little 2.8 Mustang, along with a 'fully' automatic V6 Accord [phhhhhht] and a 3.2 Acura CL-S with 260 horse [but only ~ 230lb/ft torque] with a nice auto that allowed full control of shifts until I hit fuel shutoff at ~7000, but which unfortunately could not rev match the downshifts like you can with a stick.
Like I said before, my mom learned how to drive a stick at 50 with NO driving experience. It's not whether you can learn, it's whether you really 'want' to learn to learn to use a stick. BTW, my wife at the time really slowed down borrowing my car when I went from the MGB to the 400 Firebird which were both stick. All of a sudden, her auto wasn't all that bad.

Cusp

To much clutch is not going to harm the car much so long as you don't do it for to long. While your learning would be fine. The goal is to minimize clutch slippage as your still improves. The worst thing you can do is to let the clutch out before the next gear is all the way in. OUCH!!!! Bet there is some metal in the filter from that one... lol. As kids riding the school bus.... when the driver would miss a gear, some one might say "CANT FIND EM GRIND EM"

Cusp

I wanted to call out the wife on another one of her bluffs. "I don't want to learn the stick because I don't want to hurt the car" OK. I tried to find a driving school teacher who would be willing to use the schools car to teach her to drive stick. Guess them driving schools only use automatics because the guy on the phone said sure. And what is your number and I will call you back. He never did. Oh well. Guess she lucked out on that one.

2005mystang

Manual all the way!!! Shouldn't take long to learn. Avoid hills and a*holes for a few weeks then you'll be good to go. I recommend getting the basics down on a beater, but put a lot of time on your new car somewhere away from other traffic if possible. If you don't get the manual, you'll never learn and never know what you are missing.

Of course I'm the sink or swim type. My first motorcycle was a zx6rr with no prior experience.

You won't regret the decision... I hope.

2005mystang

Ouch! At least you threw in the "many" instead of all... so I'm not too offended. My pre-reqs for my purchase were gt and manual (plus color pref and mileage)... which many salesmen could not understand. Dude, I said stick only- get over it! I waited and found it and LOVE what I got.