Completely new driver. Need advice
 

Hey guys,

Been creeping around and posting a bit on these forums for a month now :P

I'm 23, a few months from graduating out of university. I've always been spending my money cautiously. Since I've lived relatively close to campus and Ottawa has a good transit system, I've always used the bus system.

Growing up, my parents never had a car. Never got a chance to learn, and when I got into uni I was too focussed on school. And then... I saw the advertisments on the FRS/BRZ. I almost instantly fell in love... I WANTED the car. It pushed me to WANT to learn to drive..for the first time. The past month..I've been learning. Almost finished drivers ed. My friend lets me drive his automatic around town. So I get a lot of practice there too. Doing my drive test in July and planning on getting the FR-s before September for my birthday (as a gift to myself :P worked my ass off the past years to be able to finally afford something :P )


My problem lies in the fact that I want the manual transmission. Since the reason I'm getting this car is mostly because of the hype over the "feel" of the car and how the car is a lot of fun. So I want to try and get the most of the experience. As tempting as it is to go with the automatic... I'm sure I'll always regret it at the back of my head. I've had only 2 hours of training in a manual car and the clutch on my trainers car is VERY sensitive. It's LITERALLY dealing with millimetres when disengaging. I don't stall the car... but I make it rumble sometimes or a jerk a bit.

Would you guys still recommend I get the manual?

Any advice whatsoever will be GREATLY appreciated :) Thanks

Apparently with this car, lesson one is keep the traction systems on. Then just practice with the manual until you get efficient at it.

Haha yeah :P After reading neutrals story, I'll make sure I don't turn any of the "nannies" off

Good advice right there!

Also congrats on soon to graduate University, I'm finishing soon too; basically in your same situation =D
This was also considered a graduation gift to myself; I say go for it!

We all have to learn how to drive manual sometime...if your first manual car is the FR-S, then so be it. Just cautious and don't drive harder than you think you can. Driver over-confidence is your biggest enemy.

Secondly, dont use fast and furious as an example of how to drive manual.

When you get it all down, you could maybe attend an Auto X event or Open Track Day-- then turn your 'nannies' off and then you'd have become a man. Turning off the systems and doing a lap would be like a coming-of-age ritual. http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...milies/nod.gif

Definitely agree with this; Auto-X would be perfect to turn everything off because they are usually in parking lots where you can't hit anything except cones; it will give you a real feel & connection with your car =D

And if you hit a cone you can still be proud-- 'show that cone who daddy is.

my first stick car was an e36 m3, and my brother drove it home for me. you'll be fine in a week and probably sooner, it's not that big a deal.

If you won't have to drive in bumper to bumper traffic, a manual is fine. A manual is also fine if you have a very specific need for it--like at the track or something.
Once you learn how to drive a manual I suggest you rent a manual shift car for a week or two, drive it like you normally would then you'll have more data on which to base your decision.

I only buy cars with manual transmission. So, my recommendation would be to get MT.

Thanks guys!

Yeah, I've already been looking up AutoCross in Ottawa. I came across the posts in neutrals crash thread where people recommended doing AutoCross. And I'm definitely going to be doing it!

I'm worried about driving the car home haha :P None of my friends know how to drive a manual.

I've thought of renting a manual as well. The problem is that it's almost impossible to find a rental car company that rents out manuals.:iono:

It's as though they KNOW people will use it to learn manual shift and abuse it

good luck lookin for a maunal rental car loL!