# question... teaching gf to drive a stick. Tips?



## superbreadninja (Jan 3, 2011)

Last girl i taught was a terrible driver but managed to get the car going easily, no stalling or burning of the clutch at all. First time driving one. But I was just lucky.


----------



## jmanscotch (Aug 27, 2009)

05hexhead said:


> Lots of good suggestions.
> 
> If you are near a rural area and know of anyone with a small tractor. Gearing is so low and torque is high, so you can pop the clutch and feels like a smooth shift. It will allow her to practice the mechanics of shifting, pick a clear field.


^ This if possible.

My girl had only every driven a manual tractor in her life. Sat her down and discuss the basic concepts of what the clutch was and how it was suppose to work when taking off from a stop. I then took her out, told her to watch my feet, which pedal I was pushing and my shifting movements as I explained to her why I was doing each as it happened.

Put her in the car, got her to start from a stop by simply letting the clutch out slowly (no gas pedal involved). Once she was keen on the the feel of the clutch grabbing, I taught her how to dump the clutch and spin some rubber. Next was to give a shot at the "somewhere in between" those two. Making sure she recognized when the clutch started to grab and how much gas to give at that point.

Drove around some back roads, making her stop/start often and on hills and she was driving in city traffic 80 miles everyday for two weeks with no wrecks and no clutch issues to speak of either.


----------



## Hu99 (Aug 29, 2010)

I don't want to sound simplistic but if you spend some time getting her to feel the friction point of the clutch prior to trying to modulate the throttle she'll have a better feel for how the clutch breaks the connection between the tranny and motor. Once she understand the clutch's function, changing gears should be smoother and less taxing on your car.


----------



## Grits n Eggs (Jan 21, 2011)

thanks guys, she did pretty good for her 1st time did a good bit of stalling but it turn out well I think she may have the friction point down pact...


----------



## Fast Bob (Jun 4, 2004)

Grits n Eggs said:


> thanks guys, she did pretty good for her 1st time did a good bit of stalling but it turn out well I think she may have the friction point down pact...


If the car has a CDV, it will definitely make it harder to find "The G Spot" (where the clutch grabs).

(The term is "down PAT", not "pact")


----------



## Grits n Eggs (Jan 21, 2011)

Fast Bob said:


> If the car has a CDV, it will definitely make it harder to find "The G Spot" (where the clutch grabs).
> 
> (The term is "down PAT", not "pact")


no it doesnt have cdv...and are you an english teacher now lol:rofl:


----------



## Fast Bob (Jun 4, 2004)

Grits n Eggs said:


> ...and are you an english teacher now lol:rofl:


I guess it all depends on whether you`d prefer people to take you seriously or not....


----------



## Hu99 (Aug 29, 2010)

Fast Bob said:


> I guess it all depends on whether you`d prefer people to take you seriously or not....


I was going to say pedantic, but you make good point. :thumbup:


----------



## Grits n Eggs (Jan 21, 2011)

Fast Bob said:


> I guess it all depends on whether you`d prefer people to take you seriously or not....


indeed...but as long as you get the point..


----------



## Fast Bob (Jun 4, 2004)

Grits n Eggs said:


> indeed...but as long as you get the point..


No sweat....it`s just that we seem to get an abundance of text-speaking noobs coming through here, who do their best to mangle the English language....this is a particular sore spot for me.


----------



## Justin T (Oct 10, 2006)

I know this might not be feasible, but learning to drive manual is much easier with a car that has some good torque down low. My wife learned the most on the Z06 mainly because you really do not need to use the gas to get it going. That is how I taught her first and then we progressed to slight inclines where gas was needed. But getting that feeling of the clutch engaged and the smooth release was key.

So go get yourself a nice big displacement V8 manual...


----------



## 6 Brit (Jan 19, 2009)

Justin T said:


> I know this might not be feasible, but learning to drive manual is much easier with a car that has some good torque down low. My wife learned the most on the Z06 mainly because you really do not need to use the gas to get it going. That is how I taught her first and then we progressed to slight inclines where gas was needed. But getting that feeling of the clutch engaged and the smooth release was key.
> 
> So go get yourself a nice big displacement V8 manual...


+1 trucks are really easy too...

show her how to use the friction zone only to pull forward...this way she will see where exactly the best place is to hit the gas...literally drive a block just slipping the clutch. I did this with one of my girlfriends and it worked pretty well :dunno:

good luck, hopefully you dont ruin your car


----------



## Grits n Eggs (Jan 21, 2011)

6 Brit said:


> +1 trucks are really easy too...
> 
> show her how to use the friction zone only to pull forward...this way she will see where exactly the best place is to hit the gas...literally drive a block just slipping the clutch. I did this with one of my girlfriends and it worked pretty well :dunno:
> 
> good luck, hopefully you dont ruin your car


thanks!! she did okay... actually I did the same exact thing you said, and showed her the engagement point to move forward it took her a couple of stalls but she found it,...going praticing again tommorow, taking her on some steep hills


----------



## 02BMW530 (Nov 19, 2010)

I taught my fiancé on my 1st generation Taurus SHO. She didn't really get it down and I was stuck getting a new clutch. Like my dad always said, the best way to learn a stick is in someone elses car. Call hertz or enterprise and see of they have any manuals on the lot. Its cheaper in the long run. 

And for comparisons sake, my brother and I learned stick shift within 20 minutes (him on a 2004 Mustang GT he bought and me on a combination of Opel Kadett/VW Touran TDi and a friend of my dads E46). 

I practiced with my fiancé for 4 weeks. I gave up on my sister. I'm sure you see the pattern...

Then again some people just "get it" and others don't.


----------

