How do you drive a stick shift?

Question

I have a 93' Ford Probe (5 speed manual) set up for me when I get my liscence. I havn't driven it yet because I don't have a permit, even though I know how to drive an automatic. So my question is, how do you drive one? Could someone explain this to me in simple terms?

Also, my boyfriend told me you can switch the transmission of a car for like $120 bucks. Is this true?

Answer 1

Think of the clutch in a manual transmission as being 2 plates that press together. When one turns, the other one turns. When you step on the clutch pedal, the plates separate. The one attached to the engine can turn all it wants, but the other one can be stopped.

When you let out the clutch pedal, the plates come together. Your job as the driver is to learn to give the engine a little gas, and ease the clutch pedal out to get the car moving, and to not stall the engine. When the engine is revved up, you step on the clutch, let off the gas, shift to the next gear, let out the clutch, and go on again. It's really not hard, it takes just a little coordination, and you'll catch on in no time. There's a little more to it when you're at a stop on a hill, and if there's snow and ice on the ground, but that's the basics.

As to swaping the transmission for $120. Not a chance, unless it's done in someone's garage for free, and you're only paying for a junker automatic. I'd recommend that you stick with the manual transmission and learn to drive that. It's a useful skill that everyone that drives should have.

Answer 2

Learn to drive the manual car. You can then drive almost anything with four wheels. If you can swim, ride a bicycle or walk a few yards without falling over your own feet you can drive a manual.

Your bf must have some magical supply of free automatic transmissions and free mechanical labor. Even if the automatic is installed, the conversion will never be quite right because the motor and the rest of the transmission is set up differently for automatics and manuals.

You will probably get slightly better fuel economy with a manual set-up as well and there is less to go wrong with the car

Don't let your bf teach you to drive the manual. Get a few lessons from a driving school. One or two should just about set you up.

Answer 3

Honestly the best way to learn to drive a stick shift is to just do it. You won't learn any other way. You could read a book on how to drive one but that won't do you any good. The thing is you need to learn how to cordinate your movements and get comfortable before you can really drive a stick down the road. Really it isn't that bad and people make it more scary in their own minds than it really is. Once you get the hang of it it's a lot more fun to drive a stick than an automatic. The best thing you can do is have your boyfriend or your dad take you to a empty parking lot and teach you. After you get the hang of it on a flat surface then they need to take you to a hill and let you get used to that. After that it's all a matter of practice and before you know it you'll be driving just fine and it really is like riding a bike. At least you don't have to learn it the way I did. I showed up for my first day of work as a delivery driver not knowing the truck was a stick. I had to learn real fast and my job was in Seattle which has a lot of hills. That first week I probably burned up that clutch wicked bad but after that I got used to it. I'm not sure about the cost of changing the transmission but just the labor alone would make me just get another car if I couldn't drive a stick. Good luck.

Answer 4

Your boyfriend is full of it. That operation costs at least 1500+. The best thing for you to do is find a friend or family member to let you practice grinding there clutch into powder. The next best thing you can do is save yourself alot of grief and just get an automatic. Manuals are not kind used cars the 1st thing to go is the clutch this because every body drives manuals differently and wears the clutch differently so the new driver tends to wear the old parts the wrong way and they break. Best to get an automatic it's not fussy about who drives it.

Answer 5

Unless your BF knows a guy or something you can't switch the transmission of a car for $120 bucks, much more.

You floor the gas while the clutch is pressed to the floor and then put it in 1st gear and let off the clutch as fast as you can, hopefully you will not stall lol


Its a little hard to tell you how to drive stick via the Internet, you have to have some one sit shotgun and tell you what to feel for and tell you step by step

Answer 6

It would be far easier, and quicker to learn how to drive a stick. less expensive, too. First, with a stick, you should notice the shift pattern on the shift knob. With the engine off, practice shifting through the gears, especially reverse. With Ford's, you need to step on the clutch to start it, keeping it in neutral, turn the key, release the clutch. (it's still in neutral). release park, look back at traffic, step on the clutch, put it in first, right foot on gas---simultaneously ease off the clutch, while gently stepping on the gas. practice in an empty parking lot, or some place like that.

Answer 7

You have received excellent advice from the responders. I taught my wife and daughter to drive with a manual transmission with no catastrophes. Chose someone who is patient and articulate to teach you to drive stick. If you do not, the damage will be to more than the drive train.

Answer 8

Push in the clutch(far left pedal)put it in 1st gear(first up on the shifter)and turn the key to start.then once you get going when you hear the moter quit accelerating,push in the clutch an shift down into second gear,then once you hear it quit accelerating again push in the clutch and move the shifter up half way and over one,and push it all the way up into 3 rd gear.once it gets to stop accelerating again push it down into 4th gear.Then after it stops accelerating shift it up into 5th gear.to shift down just push in clutch and shift it down.I hope this helps.no that is most likely not true also.

Answer 9

learn how to shift gears look up on goolge it would explain step by steps

Answer 10

not true it cost about grand and up for that