2008 BMW 135i: Learner's MT

I tried learning how to drive a MT on a PT Cruiser, but the clutch was so finicky and the shifter was so awkward that I gave up.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1XknPAfZhcs/SUVTxEsgAkI/AAAAAAAADR0/9k8b-s1_ajw/s400/2008+Chrysler+PT+Cruiser+2.2+CRD+Limited+interior.jpg

=FAIL

I'm glad that Edmunds doesn't require its employees to know how to drive a stick shift (HINT HINT).

I learned to drive a MT by buying a MT car, getting about an hour of instruction from the salesman, and then stalling my way back home. Fortunately, there was a Super Walmart under construction not too far from my apartment at the time so there is a big stretch of asphalt with almost nothing to run into for me to get the hang of it. I think it took about two months for my to become comfortable with it to the point I didn't feel nervous driving around.

For all the people who ever got stuck behind me at a light while I kept stalling trying to get moving, I apologize to you. There was a few times I'd shift into 3rd instead of 1st at a light and then wonder why the car wouldn't go without stalling...

I learned to drive MT by reading about how clutches, synchros and gears work and by paying attention to other people drive MT as I was growing up. After I got my license, I just hopped into an old VW Bug for a test drive and went without so much as a stall. The owner never knew (or at least she never mentioned anything about my skills).

I learned by reading up on how a transmission works, clutch works, watching people drive and then practicing a few times. I got a lot of practice on hill start since I lived in SF at the time. Now, if I can only teach my wife (I tried a few years ago). If she'd only watch Best Motoring videos with me, I think she'd learn to heal toe in a jiffy =D

Ah, memories...

I learned to drive a stick at age 12. It was on my uncle's farm, and the vehicle was a 1941 Chevy stake truck used for hauling hay bails.

Folks here are talking about heal-and-toeing; anyone here ever have to drive a vehicle with a crash-box—no syncros on any of the gears—which means double-clutching in order to avoid grinding gears? That's what you had to do on that old farm truck.

I learned how to drive a manual courtesy of the KY State Highway Department. I started with an F-150 pickup and graduated to an F-600 dump truck. Next I bought a Datsun SPL-311 and never looked back.

"At least until BMW ruins it and comes out with their own synchronized rev-match system."
amen

My father taught me on our 1994 Jeep Cherokee. It was a pretty decent car to learn on.

I am hoping to teach a few of my friends on my Miata. That car has a perfect clutch and pedal placement, with a great shifter. I am convinced that if you loaned people a Miata and taught them stick they would give up SUVs and automatic transmissions forever!

carguy, I agree.

A good friend of mine just bought a new 6-speed manual Miata with the PRHT, and I got a chance to drive it yesterday. What a fun car!

I learned how to drive stick in my S2000. In traffic. During rush hour.

"Folks here are talking about heal-and-toeing; anyone here ever have to drive a vehicle with a crash-box—no syncros on any of the gears—which means double-clutching in order to avoid grinding gears?"

That's how I learned to drive as well. "Grind me a pound while you're at it", was a common rebuke.

If you complain about syncro rev matching, you should be in favor of going back to non-syncro transmissions, and the double clutch shift routine. After all it's more involving, takes more skill.

I was in the same boat until my wife's cousin found out. He immediately took me out in his beat up Toyota pickup. The ignition mechanism was broken, so whenever I stalled, we had to pop the dash open and stick a screwdriver in. After I got the hang of it, his dad let me take out his older 3 series. That was much easier, but the shifter wasn't so good. Clutch was perfect.

I learned on a MR-2 Spyder! It was late one evening and the dealership was dead. So I grabbed the keys to a black MR-2 and hit the road. It was just as easy as I thought. Only 2 stalls!

Why are you bashing Nissan's SyncroRev match system? It can be turned off, did you know that? It is pretty cool technology.

Mazda Pro ES had a great bit of shifter linkage. Wonderful car. Really easy to rotate.

As for BMW's shifter, pedal and stick. Yep, easy as can be. Direct, linear, easy to manage. My wife likes driving the 3 more than the mini as she said the 335i's 6 speed feels "like it's telling me what to do."

As for rolling your foot for brake/gas maneuvers...yep BMW does it right.

Gobs of torque also make things easier.

"I learned to drive a MT by buying a MT car, getting about an hour of instruction from the salesman, and then stalling my way back home."

My good friend learned like this - pretty bold, but maybe learning through necessity is the easiest thing?

I learned on a 1992 Dodge Colt, which was my first car. Went to the mall parking lot for a half hour with my dad, was quickly frustrated (not with my skills, but sometimes father-son can be frustrating teaching, lol) and then I dropped him off at home and picked up my buddy and drove around for a few hours.

My girlfriend can't drive stick, so she has yet to enjoy my MINI Cooper. Its not that I don't want to teach her on it, I just don't think its an easy car to drive standard - in fact, it can be quite finicky.

"I learned to drive a MT by buying a MT car, getting about an hour of instruction from the salesman, and then stalling my way back home."

LOL...I also learned how to drive stick in this fashion. The best thing is to buy an older car though in my opinion. Renting a brand new 135i and learning on such a vehicle will only ruin the experience for the next driver.

My experience is similar to rsholland's, only not quite so old. I learned to drive stick in a 1976 Ford truck with the 4 speed where first was granny. The quote was "If you can't find it, grind it, they'll make out of rubber next year."

My wife doesn't know how to drive stick, so I tried to teach her on my 2003 F-250, but the clutch is way too heavy and non-linear, so she either stalled the truck or lit the rear tires every time. Once she got it moving she didn't have any trouble shifting gears though.

Amen Heir Austria. The 135 has the best pedal arrangement I've come across in recent memory. I also like how close the clutch is to the dead pedal.

I started to teach my wife how to drive MT a few yrs ago but it didn't take because her car is AT and she didn't get to practice consistently. The next car we bought for her is MT, and it only took a couple of weeks for her to get comfortable driving MT. It's been 1.5 months now and she's a competent MT driver. Now she enjoys it even if her commute to work is often a slog on the traffic jammed LA fwy.

I learned on an old Jeep Wrangler off road! Wow, that was fun. Believe or not, the best manual trans car i've ever had was a Mitsu Eclipse GT with the 3.0 liter V6 and 5 speed. That thing felt great to shift and the clutch pedal was pretty nicely weighted. Too bad it only had 200hp.

does the BMW have a floor hinged gas pedal or is it electronic?

I "learned" on a friend's mom's Escort, but most of my experience was stalling or squealing. A few years later I bought a beater Integra and learned on that. The shifter was sloppy and the clutch needed replacement, but after that experience driving stick has been cake.

I have fat feet though, so close pedals don't agree with me. I sometimes inadvertently press the A pedal while pressing the B pedal, which gives me a screaming engine while coming to a stop. :-/ I'm sure if I had to drive it every day I'd learn to move my foot over a little more... but for now it's a complaint. Besides, I never heel and toe. I've no need to.