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I want to learn to drive a stick shift what do I do first?
I'm purchasing a 2007 Mustang 500 later this year so I need to learn how to drive before I buy.
9 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
well, its one of those things that u have to do it, to actually get it. all i can say is first off, learn exactly what happens & what u have to do step by step. then try it. maybe if u kno somebody with a stick. i rec. buying a POS car that barely runs 4 like 500 bucks. n practice. unless u kno how to shift good, then u r going to completely ruin ur trans. in ur brand new car.
dont feel bad, u WILL grind gears. it happens to everybody. u will have some problems shifting. it happens to all of us. just be calm, dont let others pressure u. take ur time. once u do it for a while, u will get used to the pattern of shifting.
talk to somebody u kno that can go with u & teach u how to do it.
- starwings20Lv 51 decade ago
I recommend just doing it. Watch someone else drive on (if you haven't already) but don't have them teach you. Just get in and do it!
I found that when someone tries to teach you, you are concentrating too hard on "now slllowwly let up on the clutch, sllowly apply the gas, ah not too much! A little more, wait! Ok try again, ok now shift gears and apply the gas, release the clutch...blah blah blah" that you can't "feel" it yourself.
If you get in and just try it you WILL figure it out, and very quickly in my experience.
My husband tried to teach me for weeks and I could not get it, too much going on at once. I finally just went out myself and drove, I took a long road with little traffic. After about an hour or so you would think I had been driving a stick for years. Smooth as could be, no griding gears or anything.
I also taught a friend to drive, all I did was sit in the car and watch. I pretty much only went along incase she really needed me, like if she was stuck somewhere and could not get out. (I once got stuck, when I was first learning, trying to pull out of a parking lot. I tried for 10 minutes and all I could do was stall! So my husband finally had to drive out of there.) And for the moral support of course.
When you aren't being told what to do, you can think clearer and feel everything that is going on. And that is really the only way to do it, feel it. Because every car is going to be different. You just have to feel for it.
So just find a parking lot and start and stop, just keep shifting and practicing. Then take it out on the road and just drive. You will have it in no time, and very little stress. An older car might work a little better to learn on, since you can hear it a little better than a new car. The sound will help you know when to shift, before you catch on to the feel part of it all. But I wouldn't worry about ruining your clutch if you practice in your new car, seriously if you just do it yourself you will know everything you need to know, there is no reason that you would grid gears more than once or twice if you are paying attention to the vehicle, your body just responds and does what it needs to.
Take someone along, but have them be quite, and at least try doing it all by yourself for 15 minutes. If you think you really can't get it or aren't comfortable and would rather have someone teach you then ask, but at least try doing it yourself first!
- Tim BLv 41 decade ago
It's pretty easy to learn, and your Mustang has a power assisted clutch, so it's easy to press.
You just have to learn to tip in the throttle, ease in the clutch and lift off the gas when you shift. It takes some practice.
If you have a forgiving friend with a manual tranny get them to let you practice on their car. Or you can rent one with a manual tranny for a few days. Best to practice in an area with no traffic or some big open parking lot somewhere.
- Anonymous4 years ago
explanation why you're stalling it fairly is the two because of the fact a) you're taking too long to shift b) you're shifting to early in the past the automobile strikes as much as velocity, putting a load on the engine and stalling it c) eliminating the take carry of too right now/not adequate gasoline for the value remember basically use 1ST from a ineffective quit to approximately 20 mph...that would desire to grant you many of time to shift in the past your automobile slows down and get it into 2d kit... as quickly as you have mastered which you will shift quicker and quicker and quickly you would be rolling via each and every of the gears precise away relax of the time you need to use 2d kit or till you're using so sluggish that the automobile starts off "leaping" if that starts off going on put in the take carry of fairly rapid so which you do not stall the automobile and shift back to 1st kit. continuously put in the take carry of in the past a quit sign or independent. the terrific thank you to prepare is uphill (without site visitors/automobile parking zone) from a ineffective quit, by applying a techniques the toughest thank you to initiate a stick shift automobile from a ineffective quit, you are able to desire to understand applying the parking brake (emergency brake) and the take carry of and the gasoline on an identical time... stable success with getting to grasp the terrific way topersistent a automobile!
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- ignoramusLv 71 decade ago
Obviously you must take lessons. The choice will be a friend with a stick shift car and lots of patience or a driving school.
Driving school is the best bet.
I recommend automatic. It is much easier in today's traffic, which seems to be anywhere you go.
- SnowflakeLv 51 decade ago
Congrats on getting such a cool new car! When I was in college, I traded in my automatic for a standard in a new car. I practiced in an empty parking lot until I got used to how to control it. Then I gradually went on to driving on flat highways, then hills, in city, etc. Practice does make perfect and don't get discouraged. Once you learn how to drive standard, you can drive anything!
- 1 decade ago
I have a great friend that taught me, so if you have a family member or friend that can show you that will be great. Offer them some money if possible for showing you. It is really easy once you get the swing of it , it's like riding a bike once you know how you never forget.
- whymewhynowLv 51 decade ago
First you need to have access to a stick shift car. Preferrebly from a friend who can show you how to drive it. Then practice, practice, practice.
- string1dmLv 41 decade ago
1. read the attached link ..
2. get lessons...
3. practice on an old car...
Source(s): http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html