My wife and I had lunch together today, and she told me that she wants me to teach her how to drive a vehicle with a manual tranny!! I then proceeded to tell her that my next vehicle will therefore have a manual transmission. I didn't want to get one before because I wanted her to be able to drive my car if she ever needed to. She then says, "Great! If your next car is a stick, I can learn on that!" I think not!

So my question is, what do you guys think will be a good learning vehicle (less than $5000) for me to buy so that she can learn?

 

Car Talk.

Toyota Tercel if you dont give a shit about the car and want something easy

 

:ibtmtocartalk:

and a Civic. If she's learning, why does it matter what car it is as long as it's a manual and under budget?

 

Hmm. My wife doesn't drive manual. I do. My car only gets driven by me. Life is good. Why would you have it any other way?

 

there's got to be some place where you can rent a car with a stick. buying one just to teach someone is overkill.

 

Whoops, posted in the wrong forum :smackhead: Mods, feel free to move if necessary.

I know that some manual transmissions are easier to operate than others, so I just want to make sure I choose the most "beginner-friendly" vehicle.

 

Well, right now she occasionally wants to drive my car because of the exceptional Acura navi.

But I do drive my car 99% of the time.

 

My wife and I both drove manuals (91 and 93 Integras). Real chicks drive stick.

 

Renting a vehicle to teach her how to drive a stick could become pretty expensive because I would want her to drive one for several weeks to make sure she has it down pretty well. If I buy a cheap, older vehicle, most of the depreciation has already taken place, so I probably wouldn't lose much money (if any at all) when I sell it.

 

Oh and moving to Car Talk

 

Get driving lessons with schools. Some have sticks and if you search aroound you can arrange lessons for her.

 

a 5 speed chevy cavalier

 

Thanks.

 

I see beat out early 90's Accords, Camrys, Corollas and Civics in the newspaper for under $1000 every day.

 

Here's another question. Let's assume my wife completely falls in love with driving a stick, and decides she wants her next vehicle to have a manual transmission. She currently drives a 5AT G35 sedan, and is already eyeing the '07 G35 sedan as her next car. As a general rule of thumb, do you think 300 hp + 6MT + new MT driver = disaster? Even in her current car, although she doesn't really speed, she loves to accelerate up to the speed limit as quickly as possible! I can only imagine that habit getting worse if she's driving a stick (I know it gets worse for me ).

 

I was actually leaning toward the early 90's Accord for her, as I use to own a 5MT '90 Accord sedan, so I know how it drives. I learned how to drive it on my way home from the used car dealer's lot, which was about 20 miles away from my house.

 

Borrow one from a buddy, or take her to a class.

If not, buy a cheapo neon www.neons.org

As for a "manual user friendly car" fuck that. I learned on a 944. The thing she'll have to get used to is using that left leg.

 

Well, my wife allows herself to get freaked out too easily when she is learning something new (I'm trying to help her out with that as well). That's why I am looking for an easy car for her. Once she gets it down, then she can move on to that 944.

Or, maybe you can teach her, SakiGT? One of my FOUR sisters-in-law lives in Jacksonville, and it's only about a 2-hour drive from where we are...

 

several weeks? should take 2 days tops.

 

You might be right, assuming we both have the time to get 4-6 hours of teaching time a day for each of those 2 days, I could definitely see her learning in that timeframe.

Thanks for the info, everyone! I'll try to keep y'all posted on what happens.

 

civic.

 

Bring it

But seriously. I picked up driving (and I freaked myself out a couple times) in the 944 within a few hours and unless you dont explain the process at the beginning she wont mess up a car THAT badly.

Just think: The purchase price, taxes, and insurance. No need for all that

 

I tried to teach my girl, it ended up in a big fight

 

GET A HONDA if you decide you are going to buy something for her. They generally have more forgiving clutches than a lot of other cars.

 

get a mazda miata.. RWD 5 speed. can get em for 2k with less than 120k mi

 

Do rental companies (Hertz, Alamo) have a manual option? That might be worth if if you can dedicate a weekend to the task.

 

Only in foreign countries, even the S4 cab and 350Z that Hertz rents only comes in auto.

 

I agree with that 100% their clutches don't "pop" like mustang GTs.

 

how about that Mustang GT hertz edition.( I know I just got done just not recommending a mustang "stick") but I can't think WHY someone would order a new Mustang GT with a auto. it's so STUPID.

 

As for clutches, I've always felt that BMW has the best touch. Not a huge fan of their cars otherwise, but love the way the clutch feels.

 

get her a 97 'lude 5spd with a healthy amount of miles...or a used GSR? You can get some for a pretty good price if you search, and they're both 'nice' cars, rather than a neon

 

I would vote for a air cooled vw. Easy to learn , easy to repair, and easy to have fun with when she is done learning.

I'm biased though, as I learned on a sandrail that was basiclaly a chopped up irs model.

 

why not find a rental for the weekend?

 

see post 26 and 27