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ok. I guess I did it. I traded my leasted Auto for a Manual 6 speed. Got my tax returns, saw the newspaper ad for a new 2004 for 21,495 and couldn't resist. I went, saw it with the apperence package and the payments were about right, then bam, I bought it. Now......... how the hell do I drive it? I mean, I didn't even test drive it, the salemen didn't even asked. I know nobody personally well enough that have a manual that would let practice in one. Now I have to pick it up on Monday, and I'm too embarass to tell them I can't drive a manual and have no idea what to do? Much Much help is needed and quick. I've been reading and reading and reading how to's online and is damn confused. Please, help a first time driver out fellow rx-8 members. On the plus side though, I went and brought a digi camera, pics of undriveable car soon. :o TIA!!!
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Theres a wise saying " Learn to shave on someone elses face " in others words DONT learn to drive shift on your RX8 get some driving lessons from a friend or instructor on their car once you know the basics then practice on your car . :D
Well, I once bought a stick shift car, and didn't know how to drive it (in my case a 4 speed 67 Mercury Cougar...) Picked it up Saturday AM, had to drive it to work Monday AM.
My suggestion: bring along a friend who already knows how to drive a stick when you pick up the car. Let the friend drive the new RX8 off the lot - no one there will care. Then, go to a big Mall parking lot (or other big area) that evening, taking same friend along as a coach, and learn to drive it. A half hour to an hour should be OK (as long as you don't have any steep hill driving in your immediate future)...
It's a little like riding a bicycle - once you know how, it will be easy!
come to fla and i'll teach ya'll..it took me for freakin' ever to learn on the M3 how to drive..but the 8 is one of the easiest manuals i've ever driven...rev it up to like 2k, let out the clutch a little and you'll be fine..perhaps a bit jerkey, but you'll get the hang of it :D
and soon, you won't have to rev it up at all, you'll just touch the gas and know how to do it! you'll be fine dear!
come to fla and i'll teach ya'll..it took me for freakin' ever to learn on the M3 how to drive..but the 8 is one of the easiest manuals i've ever driven...rev it up to like 2k, let out the clutch a little and you'll be fine..perhaps a bit jerkey, but you'll get the hang of it :D
and soon, you won't have to rev it up at all, you'll just touch the gas and know how to do it! you'll be fine dear!
you'll do fine..i have faith!! :D Just don't be too nervous..(easier said than done) and remember that it is YOUR car now and if you mess it up, it's your own fault and your own liability..if anyone makes a comment, tell them to bite your ***
Make sure you have someone who drives stick to come pick up the car with you. Then when you get home you can practice. It'll save you some embarrassing moments and possibly an accident, especially if there are hills!
When I picked up my 8, I hadn't driven a manual in 3 years, and then I had only practiced a few times on my girlfriend's car. It will be challenging at first, but I definitely recommend Riccio's advice about bringing a friend who already knows how to drive manual. Good news is, the RX-8 is very forgiving and easy to rev and clutch in. Early on, try revving to 2-3K keeping hte revs there while you let the clutch out "slowly." After an empty parking lot has been graced by your presence, you get the hang of it in a day or two.
floor it, get the rpm's up to about 7-8K and then very very slowly let out the clutch until you smell burning, honk the horn, continue to hold the clutch halfway in and the very quickly let it out. You should be fiiine.
I think the key to really driving a stick well is understanding how the transmission, gears and clutch acutally work and what they do. Once you understand what the clutch pedal, gear stick and the wheels and engine are all hooked to and what those bits do to each other, it makes sense how to drive it properly.
I'd really try and find someone to help you at least drive it out of the dealership. Perhaps there's a driving instruction school around you can get a lesson or two from before you go?
This is too funny. Smoke Honda, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you. ... and you had better be laughing at yourself or you'll be too up tight to figure out what you're doing.
I bought my first car, a 75 Fiat X 1/9 w/4 speed maual, before I knew how to drive a stick. My father test drove it for me. Then said it wasn't for me. I said, yes it was and I'm buying it. Now teach me how to drive it. The drive home wasn't but a few miles. It was the longest few miles of my life. Filled with "Jesus Christs" and "God damn its" and "You're getting it all wrong." I dropped the old man off at home and said see ya. I taught myself with in an hour. Later ... much later ... my father and I were out for a drive. He commented, "Eh, you're not too bad." My Pop drove truck for a living, so I took that as a pretty high compliment.
Now for some advice (which is what you're really looking for): As you're figuring this out, exaggerate everything you do. Rev high, shift quickly. It's easier to slow things down once you get the hang of it then it is to speed things up. Plus you'll grind a lot of gears that way.
Like the others have said, practice at night in an empty parking lot. Try to get the car going with just the clutch (slowly releasing it until you feel the car "catch").
My other piece of advice on learning uphill starts is to find a docking bay of sorts (I have one at my local mall) and practice going up it.
Good luck!
__________________
2004 Winning Blue GT 6speed manual
Traded Auto for Manual. But how to drive?
I mean, I didn't even test drive it, the salemen didn't even asked. I know nobody personally well enough that have a manual that would let practice in one. Now I have to pick it up on Monday, and I'm too embarass to tell them I can't drive a manual and have no idea what to do? Much Much help is needed and quick. I've been reading and reading and reading how to's online and is damn confused. Please, help a first time driver out fellow rx-8 members. On the plus side though, I went and brought a digi camera, pics of undriveable car soon. :o TIA!!!
... and you had better be laughing at yourself or you'll be too up tight to figure out what you're doing. 
, Hymee!: sCANalyser/SS Exhaust, Revi Intake/Ram, Escort 8500, 
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