Im 18 and have always driven an automatic (cheap truck, going to get my Mustang which is what i always wanted in about a month) About 6 months ago by dad thought me how to drive a standard though, and every saturday I go by his house and drive around for like 30 minutes in his car just so I won't forget. I always thought I would want my Mustang to be a standard but I'm having second thoughts. When I drive my dads car (a 2002ford zx2) i tend to rev the engine too much from time to time and im kind of tense when going slow/in traffic/backing out of parking spaces and such.... is this just because I'm not used to driving a stick? The zx2 is also really uncomfortable, all the Mustangs i have test driven have been automatics & i found them really comfortable, not sure how much different a standard would be. So anyway is this something that goes away once you get used to driving a stick daily, or should i just go with an automatic? I really don't like the idea of getting another automatic but if i'm going to be this tense and uncomfortable maybe i should. What do you think.

 

That's just cause you are new at it. -- If you are a car enthus. then you will love the feel of control that comes with a stick. -- I started driving since I was 11 on my moms automatic station wagon (in the carribbean where cars were rare back then in that town) then I use to see my older cousins driving stick and always wanted to feel how that would be....so I would grab a bottle and pretend it was a stick and I would go through the movements, gestures of gas and clutch with my feet and BIG TIME sound with my mouth....pretending to be a race car driver.....and the first time I actually drove a stick (3 years later) I drove like a champ (not to sound arrogant or anything) but I loved it, at first though in slow speed (to wait for cows or something to go by) I would be a little uncomfortable, but that went away with constant driving...... --- now, I would never EVER buy an automatic (i'm not saying Automatics are bad)..its' just my preference.</P>


Congrats on your car...enjoy...drive safe....</P>

 

STICK ALL THE WAY! I agree, I will nver buy an automatic car ever!, Standard gives you more power...it is much much much better