G8rboy

I agree- there's no reason not to learn on the '8- it's very easy to learn with compared to many heavy-clutch cars I've driven. A couple hours in a big parking lot should be all it takes, and you'll only have shaved a few hundred miles off the life of the clutch (which should last 75-100k miles if not abused).

When we were in college, my wife wanted a Jeep Wrangler really bad, but didn't know how to drive a stick- she found one she liked and bought it, and I had her driving it just fine by that night.

Nubo-> It's the secret handshake... or work for a partner/supplier of Ford :D

Hard 8

Excellent decision. I convinced my brother to buy a manual WRX wagon, and he had barely any manual experience before then. Soon he was driving it quite naturally.

My one big caution is that you get proficient before you do anything very risky. For example, even though I was already proficient, when I was a teenager I once pulled out in front of a semi and just ... spaced out. I stalled the car directly in the truck's path. It would have killed me, except I managed to start the car and back it up in a heartbeat. I would suggest that you try to avoid such life-or-death scenarios, to the extent that's possible, until you really get the hang of it.

But the RX-8 has a very friendly shifter. I suspect you'll be heel-toeing and double-clutch downshifting in no time, rev matching and all. Well, maybe not all that, but you'll be fine. :D

Aratinga

The one thing that confounds lots of manual-trans learners on the 8 is the tight gates between the gears; it's easy to choose the wrong gear especially when down-shifting.

Also, getting instruction from a professional (or at least someone who knows better) will prevent the development of bad habits like riding the clutch, downshifting to come to a stop instead of braking, using the clutch and gas to hold position on a hill rather than using the brake, and excessive slipping of the clutch on starting from a stop. All of these things will shorten the life of your clutch.

G8rboy

All good points Aratinga, except the one about downshifting- if done properly (with either double clutching or rev-matching), the clutch should feel no ill-effects... and your brakes will last longer (and wheels stay cleaner : ).

Riding the clutch is the one big no-no I notice a lot of former auto drivers do, since they're used to resting their left foot on something.

BlueAdept

I've seen a lot of "howto" guides suggesting that you should put the clutch down and coast round corners, re-engaging as you exit the corner... that is extremely bad practice...

You should have done all your braking and gear changing before you start turning, and round the corner with neutral power, so the car is essentially rolling, but in gear.... then apply power as you exit the turn, not too early, or the back may want to slide.

Hard 8

I agree. It helps to remember that on the RX-8, the shifter springs tend to pull the shift lever into the middle plane of the third and fourth gears if you let it. So if you want third or fourth, just let the lever fall naturally into that plane. If you want the planes to either side (first and second on the left, and fifth and sixth on the right), you need to push the lever to one side or the other. Remembering that fact is very helpful.

BlueAdept

My advice is to learn how the transmission (Gearbox, clutch etc) works... I mean what is actually happening when you push the clutch pedal, or move the gear stick.... even go to a workshop, or a junk yard and look at the pieces that make up a clutch... if you are in any way mecanically minded you will suddenly gain an understanding of how to use it, honestly...

The only other advice I can give is that you will initally move all the controls to sharply.... so just relax and be really gentle to start and then work up to it once you realise that you can feel what's going on inside the clutch and gearbox through the pedal and stick...

It's hard for me to even concider explaining it.... much less imagine what it would be like trying to learn after having driven only an Auto while learning.... here it would be almost unbelieveable... EVERYONE with probably 1 in 1000 exception... CAN drive a Manual... some choose not to, but EVERYONE can, as it's virtually required....

Aratinga

Agreed, and I do it myself all the time; but this kid's a raw neophyte and can't be expected to know what rev-matching and double-clutching are, much less how to do them smoothly right off the bat. He'll probably burn half the life off his clutch before he does... and brakes is cheaper to replace than clutches! :D

G8rboy

True, but it's better to learn to do it from the start before bad habits start in. My dad was a bit of perfectionist and made me learn on several MT's, and rev matching downshifts at every stop was part of that. It probably had a lot to do with the older cars I had to learn with (you could fry a Fiat's clutch by looking at it wrong : )... not like today's spoiled kids :D

BrassMonkey06

Thanks for all of the tips and advice, and I'm sure that my dad will teach me the proper way to do things since he's a perfectionist. Getting professional lessons isn't an option because the only driving school here only has automatics and they don't even offer teaching manuals. Oh by the way, to all of you who are calling me a "he"... I'm actually a she. :p No big deal, just thought I should clear that up. As far as the weight loss goes, he actually did buy me a stationary bike for my birthday last year, so I've been using that to exercise on. Currently, my knees are in really bad shape so running isn't really an option... no to mention the asthma, but I'm coming along really well. I've lost 12 lbs in a month and I'm pretty proud of that. Oh, and I don't have dumb friends that tell me to do bad things in my car. :D The only thing they may get miffed about is that there will be NO food or drink allowed in my car unless it's in a fully sealed container riding in the trunk. I'm a neat freak, what can I say.

BlueFrenzy

Ha ha ... I would still try to drive manual if I was a double amputee!

Like the others said ... lots of PRACTICE! When I learned, I did most of the driving at night in quiet neighborhoods and the local empty parking lot.

Oh one more thing ... lose the weight and it'll make your car faster (less weight to lug around)

dazygirl415

Welcome to a fellow female 8 owner!!!

Driving a stick is easy once you figure out how it feels, which just takes time and practice. Besides, the guys go nuts when you tell them your car is a stick shift! I'm told it's sexy to watch a girl fly through the gears.

rx8fanatic

BrassMonkey,

A junior, girl, I know just got a manual transmission Jetta (I assume you are a Junior as well . . . AP and Pre-AP ). She learned to drive relatively well in a day. Now she is a pro. Granted it is not an 8, but the bottom line is you can do it.

What car does your dad have? Maybe learn initially with his car . He should like that.

As far as the food or drink. Let your friends use sippi-cups :D .

Good luck. Keep us posted.

jgoldstein2000

anyone here live/drive in a hilly area? i learned to drive stick on the 8 and the only time i feel like a rookie is on hills... still get the clutch burn smell and starts that are too fast.

Rhawb

I don't live in a hilly area (Florida's about the exact opposite of "hilly area"), but I did get stuck in "traffic" at Universal Studios on a giant steep ramp in their parking garage for about 10 minutes...I'm quite good at driving stick, but that was SCARY since it was so steep that the car would roll back quite a bit even with the slightest delay in throttle application. I felt terrible for my clutch after that one...

G8rboy

It's damn sexy! I love when my wife takes my '8 out and revs through the gears and chirping the tires. The only thing sexier is a chick that can autocross :D

sferrett

In those cases use your handbrake to hold the car still - then you dont have to worry about rolling back. Stop on hill, pull up handbrake, shifter in 1st then gently let the clutch out until you feel it take the load then let the handbrake off as you start to release the clutch furher and take off without rolling back even a little bit. A lot less stressful on you and the clutch. This practice (called a hill-start in Australia) is a standard part of the driving test.

dazygirl415

^^^ exactly what i was thinking

Rhawb

I actually was doing that, but I'd occasionally rush and not get enough of a load on the clutch before releasing the ebrake and drop back a couple of inches. (I'm not good at using the ebrake for hill starts since there's rarely an incline steep enough to necessitate it around here) It didn't help that the jerkface behind me kept riding up on my bumper, so every time I would get nervous and slip up, I'd almost hit them. I'm sure all that slow creeping up the hill wasn't very good for the clutch either...Man, I hate driving around the Disney area.

dazygirl415

lol, makes me glad i'm in tx

BrassMonkey06

I'm only a few minutes from picking up my car... I just have to wait for my dad to come home from work. *cheeks hurt from smiling* :D I'm so excited! Yeah, I'm glad I don't have to deal with rolling back much because I also live in TX... now college is the only problem. I don't know where I want to go yet and it's quite possible that it may be in a hilly/mountainous area.

Rhawb

Eh, you'll be fine with hills by the time you're in college, so don't let that influence your decision. They're really not that hard, it's just getting stuck in traffic on a steep hill that sucks. Anyway, good luck with the 8 and have fun learning to drive it!

G8rboy

That's known as "Perma-grin"... get used to it every time you drive your 8

antiver

If you go to UT Austin, let me know.. i'll be there next year with my 8

Zio

AP classes are nothing like actual college level courses, although they are supposed to be equivalent.