Okay, so my old car which I've driven ever since I started learning how to drive for almost 4 years was an automatic. Now I just got started on driving a manual in my new car. Man, I feel like such a spazz whenever I screw up. Yes, I'm an honest to goodness n00b when it comes to driving stick. :P

I haven't really gotten much practice in since I was waiting to get my insurance stuff finalized for it and get my registration tags done (had to smog it and show the DMV a paper saying Ron Price Subaru reflashed the ECU for emissions purposes on the MY00-MY01 2.5RS's). So as of tomorrow, I'll get to drive it some more whenever I get that crap finalized at the DMV. Man, this is a slow, slow process of learning. I remember going from 3rd to 4th on the freeway entrance and all of a sudden, the car starts shaking back and forth. I think I let the clutch out too fast. Ah well, gotta start somewhere.

My folks wanted me to get an automatic because they figured it was easier for me. I was just too damned determined to get a manual and wanted learn how to drive it. I swear, those suckers have a pretty stiff clutch pedal. On the bright side, lately, I've been kinda brave enough to drive it out on my own for a half hour a couple times, even though I've only learned stick for an oh...total of 2-3 hours from a friend. I went to a friend's house in Hayward taking Hesperian all the way down around midnight and came back home from the freeway without stalling. Then a 4 nights ago, I took the car out on the freeway, took the first exit, then took the street back, also without stalling, except on the driveway, which I left on 1st, pulled the e-brake, and accidently left my foot off the clutch before turning off the car. I've grinded a gear a couple times and a few times, I've even got the car to "knock". Whoops. So I haven't quite learned everything yet. Just the very basics...like how to stop and go basically. ^_^;

Sometimes, it doesn't seem that hard, but other times, it's a tad nerve racking since I don't want to really screw up the transmission. Ah well, gotta practice, practice, practice....and ignore all the people who look at me funny. =)

So, what were your experiences while learning how to drive stick?

 

You'll get used to it. Pretty soon you won't even think about it.

 

ditto...and will NEVER go back to automatic!

 

Don't worry, man. It's totally normal.

I bought my WRX about 3 months ago, and there was no way in HELL I was going to have a WRX with a 4EAT. I drove stick in college, but that was more than 6 years ago, so It's been awhile.

I'm just now starting to be really smooth with my shifting and rev-matching. You will get it, and don't worry too much about tearing up your clutch. Unless you're power shifting, or controlling your speed with the clutch instead of the gas and brake, then you'll be OK. Just drive it ALL THE TIME!

Just dropping in at 5am from Hawaii
Aloha!

 

yea thats when i got really good with my clutch! stop and go traffic gives u a lot of practice with first gear and second.

i've had pretty much the same experience as all of you. when i got my wrx i was frustrated cuz i couldnt drive it smoothly. so then i let my friend who's been driving a stick longer than me drive my car and he had trouble driving it smooth as well. so all was better. i thought it was me but it was the car. it just takes practice. so i just drove it everyday and got used to the clutch feel and now its second nature to me.

 

same experience here

 

Stop beating on your brand new Subie.

Go rent a Toyota pickup from U-HAUL w/5spd, or some similar little econobox from a rental company, and BEAT ON IT!!!! Experiment to your hearts content, and then resume driving your new WRX.

I spent 7yrs. beating on an old BMW 2002 before getting my WRX....If its your first MT car, then please get some experience on some beater....

 

aaahhh memories, when i first got my car i was living in SF, imagine learning how to paralel park on a hill, then realizing that weird smell is your clutch...hahaha but yeah everybody goes through it in some point of there life

 

I don't drive a WRX and as far as a "beater car", I don't have that choice. I'm driving a 2000 2.5RS sedan with 23k. I just bought it a few weeks ago. :P

 

When you get to the point that you can pretty much drive normal, a very good thing to do is practice on hills, steeper and steeper with the e-brake and without.

Those are no fun if you get caught out, especially on a hill in SF.

Having lived on one of the steepest hills in SF (top twenty) when I got my license, it was learn or don't drive...

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the most important part - make sure you're alone...

 

i just learned how to drive a 5MT in a Nissan Frontier.
it was difficult at first, but once i learned how to do it, im driving around in it like its a freaking Le Mans car.

 

Make sure you get some practice in a 2WD vehicle aside from your RS dude. It's a totally different experience. Driving the Suby is actually easier on you, but harder on the mechanicals. Don't worry too much about wear and tear while you learn. It's already broken in, and you're going to replace the clutch someday anyway- it's just a matter of when. But I'm sure by now you're agreeing with us that you'll never go auto again!