In a few weeks, I will be getting a mid to late 90's (not sure yet) honda civic with a manual transmission as my first car. My dad will be teaching me how to drive it. Is driving a manual transmission hard to learn? Do you guys have any tips or pointers for me? Also, any ideas for relatively inexpensive performance upgrades would be helpful (my dad already said he would help me set it up with cold air). Thanks.

 

Understand what a clutch really does, and that is about all you need to know. Your lucky you are learning on a honda too, as they have some of the best manual transmissions out there. Have fun with it.

 

first gear and somethimes second are all about finess. just dont try to let the clutch completely out in first, ease it out. all you can really do is go out there and feel the clutch for yourself and practice starting off from a stop. cuz going from 2nd to 3rd etc. is easy.

 

remember when your slowing down to put the clutch in or put it in neutral so it wont stall. its not really that hard to drive but dont rush things. and when you get it practice letting it engage and disengage then work from there

 

biggest thing I messed up with was trying to learn in a driveway instead of a parking lot. Its easier to accelerate from a stop quickly at first, then learn how to finesse the clutch a bit. Get a wide open area to play in.

 

go around your block a few times, and make sure youre putting it in 1st gear and not accidently in third and then in doing so stalling the car. I just got my stick civic a few weeks ago, and kept making that mistake. You'll be a pro in due time.

 

Start with the foot all the way down on the clutch, floor the gas, then take your foot right off the clutch and WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.**
**(Disclamer: this method requires an empty, wide open road and not a busy parking lot or driveway)

really, we can tell you a million different ways how, but really it just takes patience (from both your and your teacher), and lots and lots of practice.

another tip: if your nervous starting from a slanted hill, try putting your e-brake on a tiny little bit so that you don't start to role when you take your foot off the brake. (just don't forget to take it back off once you are going).

 

I had to teach myself, and am still not perfect at it. I work at carmax so I dont get to really open it up and get into any higher than 3rd gear. It's not too hard, the hardest is learning the feel of letting off the clutch while giving it gas, without it feeling like it's going to shake and jerk you. You'll be fine. I also had to learn from the cars being on a slight hill, so it was actually beneficial to me, but scary when you've had no previous experience.

 

The first week was the hardest for me...Practice makes perfect, so go out there and practice, and don't be discouraged if you stall...

And my number 1 tip is that if you feel like you are about to stall (car starts shaking a little), push the clutch back all the way IN. This will prevent you from stalling, and you can start all over.

 

something that's helped me learn to shift much more cleanly and smoothly on my 07 is is to not listen to music when driving. the other week i noticed i was slipping the clutch when i accelerated hard, so last week i went without music. being able to hear the engine better and focusing on shifting and not mmusic was a huge help. now that what i learned has become a habit, i've re0introduced the ipod, and my shifts are still clean.

also, find a good, steep hill with very little traffic on it. practice starting there. alot. i wouldn't recomend drivinga stickthat often until you can start on a steep incline without rolling back.