Never driven a stick shift
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
Never driven a stick shift
I am thinking about buying a mustang, but have never driven a stick shift. From everything that I have heard, a stick shift is the way to go when buying this type of car. Not knowing how to drive one poses some serious problems:
1. I can't test drive it.
2. I don't know if I actually will prefer a stick shift.
The options I see here are:
1. Buy an automatic.
2. Buy a stick and hope it is right for me.
3. Somehow learn to drive a stick before buying this car.
Each of these options has a problem, though.
1. I will always feel that I should have gone stick shift. Trying one would either cure this or make it much worse.
2. I could end up hating my new car.
3. I know no one with a stick shift. My only choice would be to buy a lesser car.
What do you all think I should do?
1. I can't test drive it.
2. I don't know if I actually will prefer a stick shift.
The options I see here are:
1. Buy an automatic.
2. Buy a stick and hope it is right for me.
3. Somehow learn to drive a stick before buying this car.
Each of these options has a problem, though.
1. I will always feel that I should have gone stick shift. Trying one would either cure this or make it much worse.
2. I could end up hating my new car.
3. I know no one with a stick shift. My only choice would be to buy a lesser car.
What do you all think I should do?
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 369
From: NY
Rent one with a stick (if they have them) for a week and learn on that. You'll know then if a stick is for you.
Another option: trade cars with someone you know w/ a stick for a week and learn on their car. Just don't kill it
Another option: trade cars with someone you know w/ a stick for a week and learn on their car. Just don't kill it
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,662
From: Mass
Where are you from?
Perhaps there is a member that would let you try it out before you get one. Its not that hard, it mostly depends on what kind of driving you do with the car on a day to day basis. Usually city people who spend time in traffic go with the auto, others go stick.
incorrigible - He mentioned in number 3 of his last list he knows nobody with a stick
Perhaps there is a member that would let you try it out before you get one. Its not that hard, it mostly depends on what kind of driving you do with the car on a day to day basis. Usually city people who spend time in traffic go with the auto, others go stick.
incorrigible - He mentioned in number 3 of his last list he knows nobody with a stick
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 160
From: Toledo, Ohio
Well I have some questions for you,
1. Your Age?
If you are younger you are more likely to enjoy a stick shift. Im not saying older folks dont like stick shifts just some have weaker knees or dont really like the work involved
2. Where are you planning to drive most?
City driving is not the best for stick shift the stop and go just gets annoying.
Personally I love driving a stick shift and I was pretty much in the same boat as you are. I had never driven a stick shift car. So I had my dad take the car for a test drive with me, just to check how it drove and give me some pointers (we also stopped at an empty parking lot so i could try it out). I got the car not really being good at all. But I would take it to back roads and practice it didn't take long to master the shifts.
1. Your Age?
If you are younger you are more likely to enjoy a stick shift. Im not saying older folks dont like stick shifts just some have weaker knees or dont really like the work involved
2. Where are you planning to drive most?
City driving is not the best for stick shift the stop and go just gets annoying.
Personally I love driving a stick shift and I was pretty much in the same boat as you are. I had never driven a stick shift car. So I had my dad take the car for a test drive with me, just to check how it drove and give me some pointers (we also stopped at an empty parking lot so i could try it out). I got the car not really being good at all. But I would take it to back roads and practice it didn't take long to master the shifts.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 369
From: NY
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 5
From: nebraska
Givce yourself a few days and you'll be decent on the stick. I think we need a little more information, especially about where you drive your car. If it's in stop-and-go traffic for a long time each day, the clutch can get tiring after awhile. Other than that, there's not much down-side of a stick.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
@incorrigible
I don't think the rental place here has any stick shifts, but I could be wrong. I will have to check there sometime soon. Unfortunately, only one of my friends has a stick shift, it is Dodge 3500 diesel. That does not really seem to be what I would want to learn on, and he would never let me anyway.
@S197GT07
Sounds like an interesting idea, but I would feel really weird about it.
Most of the driving I do is on the highway. I live in a fairly small city in south Texas, so traffic is only a problem around mealtimes.
@Grinder88
I am young. Definitely not nearly old enough to start worrying about knees.
As I said earlier in this post, most of my driving is on not so busy highways. I do have to spend some time on one street that has heavy (for my area) traffic.
I don't think the rental place here has any stick shifts, but I could be wrong. I will have to check there sometime soon. Unfortunately, only one of my friends has a stick shift, it is Dodge 3500 diesel. That does not really seem to be what I would want to learn on, and he would never let me anyway.
@S197GT07
Sounds like an interesting idea, but I would feel really weird about it.
Most of the driving I do is on the highway. I live in a fairly small city in south Texas, so traffic is only a problem around mealtimes.
@Grinder88
I am young. Definitely not nearly old enough to start worrying about knees.
As I said earlier in this post, most of my driving is on not so busy highways. I do have to spend some time on one street that has heavy (for my area) traffic.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 456
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
I just got back from driving around this morning and I was thinking, "I hope I never have to buy a vehicle with an automatic."
This car was my first stick. I learned on it. It was frustrating at first but I absolutely love it now and wouldn't have it any other way.
By the way, me and about 3 other people have learned to drive stick on this car and the clutch is still going strong at 104,000 miles (lots of autocrossing too)!
This car was my first stick. I learned on it. It was frustrating at first but I absolutely love it now and wouldn't have it any other way.
By the way, me and about 3 other people have learned to drive stick on this car and the clutch is still going strong at 104,000 miles (lots of autocrossing too)!
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
I just got back from driving around this morning and I was thinking, "I hope I never have to buy a vehicle with an automatic."
This car was my first stick. I learned on it. It was frustrating at first but I absolutely love it now and wouldn't have it any other way.
By the way, me and about 3 other people have learned to drive stick on this car and the clutch is still going strong at 104,000 miles (lots of autocrossing too)!
This car was my first stick. I learned on it. It was frustrating at first but I absolutely love it now and wouldn't have it any other way.
By the way, me and about 3 other people have learned to drive stick on this car and the clutch is still going strong at 104,000 miles (lots of autocrossing too)!
Sorry for all the questions, I have been wondering about this for a while.
