T's and P's to my dumbass self picking up a 6MT Friday with no 6MT experience

[brocurls]

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

[pbar]

Originally Posted by CachacoF80

Awesome. I wish the DMV in CA had such rigor and standards. Anyone can get a license here and then own the left lane and look at their phones in the meantime.

Yes - I was forced to take a driving test when I moved to San Francisco from the UK. It was comically trivial, but I did manage to cause some amusement at the test center by showing up for my test in an E92 M3. The examiners were all trying to trade places!

The woman in the car behind me, I am not joking, was asking her husband to explain to her how to start the engine!

[Rockshaker]

The F80 M3 is very hard to stall. Put her in first, let the clutch out slowly and it'll drive itself. Once you're moving, let the clutch out and stomp that bitch

Don't forget to shift!

[Keca10]

You got it. On a highway you just stay in 6th anyway.

Just don’t moneyshift it and you will be fine.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by brocurls

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

Bigger percentage of drunks on road at night out of all cars on road at the time.

Combine that with limited vision to not see you stalled out on road.

I'd advise daytime.

[Humdizzle]

congrats

1) practice on hills. once you have zero roll back on your take offs you are good to drive in traffic.
2) learn how the clutch actually works in the engine
3) *learn proper hand technique* (palm on the inside of the shifter for the 3-4 shift, this will keep you from accidentally hitting second)

4) turn off rev match and learn to downshift properly. Rev match is amazing but will make you a lazy manual driver.... lol its happening to me.

[Ryguy29]

Reading this thread really made me miss my 6-speed

[summilux]

Instead of Turo go to a driving school. 1 hour with a guy trained to teach will be worth the $40.

+1 on trying to use just the clutch to get the car moving.

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by ByeFelicia

For sure, i'm aware as I responded that to the OP in my first post to him. Still, with this car, all you gotta do is ease off the clutch and it will roll with no throttle whatsoever. Wasn't the case in a friends 335 or any other manual Ive tried.

Originally Posted by ByeFelicia

For sure, i'm aware as I responded that to the OP in my first post to him. Still, with this car, all you gotta do is ease off the clutch and it will roll with no throttle whatsoever. Wasn't the case in a friends 335 or any other manual Ive tried.

My 06 Gti can actually climb small inclines if you're smooth with the clutch no gas pedal at all.

When I taught my son how to drive manual he was not using the gas pedal at all.

Big Flat open parking lot.

Poor kid we don't have any automatics so he had to learn how to drive with manual 6 speed gti.

When he took his test it was an automatic Hyundai Accent lol.

It was like being at an amusement park driving a go kart.

Op practice before you get the car.

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by brocurls

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

Originally Posted by ByeFelicia

For sure, i'm aware as I responded that to the OP in my first post to him. Still, with this car, all you gotta do is ease off the clutch and it will roll with no throttle whatsoever. Wasn't the case in a friends 335 or any other manual Ive tried.

Originally Posted by brocurls

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

Drive with your hazard lights on

I think I did that with my son keeps other drivers away from you

[hova00]

The next thread the OP makes will be about
a Spun Crank Hub. "I don't know what happened I was downshifting and then I got this CEL." j/k

Op: Great choice and enjoy your new M!

[NPuter]

Originally Posted by brocurls

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

I was right there with you. Ordered my 6MT S5 with pretty minimal manual experience. Although I had driven manual cars a number of times before, it doesn't become second nature until you have your own car.
There was definitely some stalling and burnt clutch smell at first. The biggest thing is having to think about it while driving. So even some easy driving situations become more difficult. The strangest thing for me (this sounds pretty weird) was stopping. Having to think about pressing in the clutch and brake felt weird to me. You may push in the clutch thinking you're pushing the brake (or think you're pushing the brake harder than you actually are). Just remember that the brake will always work - you'd rather stall out than hit someone. Give yourself plenty of room everywhere.

I'd honestly probably leave at a normal time (when it's light out) and let her drive. Most don't forget how to drive manual if they were good at it at one point. It's like riding a bike.

When I had my 6MT S5, there were a few instances where my mom had to drive it. First time, she hadn't driven manual in 15 years. I suggested going to parking lot so she could get back her feel for it first. She laughed. Drove it like she had driven manual the day before.

[maniz]

Originally Posted by brocurls

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

You should have mentioned that first. Absolutely no need for you to drive then. Let her drive and when you get home, teach you at your own pace. Driving 900 mi on your own for the first time is pointless. Nobody simply forgets how to drive a manual after a period of time. It'll come back to her immediately.

Accidentally downshifting from 6th into 3rd while intending to go into 5th is not worth the sense of accomplishment you might be expecting to feel after attempting the drive on your own.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

...I say go for it...but don't forget it difficult to drive period. dumbass people swearing in your lane...braking for no reason. abrupt stops. tailgaters. that alone can take 90% of your mental capacity. most people who drive manual do it mindlessly....thinking about the shifting and clutch and whatever will make it more diffcult on the road period. idk man dont hoon or hit the gas in a low gear or your toast. good luck

[M3GymNut]

Baptism by fire. That's the way to go!

[Mendoteach]

"...like a motorcycle..." What motorcycle has this? None I've ever owned and ridden.

Edit: previous poster in talking about anti-stall feature.

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by Mendoteach

"...like a motorcycle..." What motorcycle has this? None I've ever owned and ridden.

Originally Posted by Mendoteach

"...like a motorcycle..." What motorcycle has this? None I've ever owned and ridden.

Hence by user name: 2011 ZX10R pretty common on modern sports bikes.

Great when cooking into a corner on the track and letting out the clutch to soon. Helps the bike will reach 100 mph in first gear.

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

...I say go for it...but don't forget it difficult to drive period. dumbass people swearing in your lane...braking for no reason. abrupt stops. tailgaters. that alone can take 90% of your mental capacity. most people who drive manual do it mindlessly....thinking about the shifting and clutch and whatever will make it more diffcult on the road period. idk man dont hoon or hit the gas in a low gear or your toast. good luck

Originally Posted by Mendoteach

"...like a motorcycle..." What motorcycle has this? None I've ever owned and ridden.

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

...I say go for it...but don't forget it difficult to drive period. dumbass people swearing in your lane...braking for no reason. abrupt stops. tailgaters. that alone can take 90% of your mental capacity. most people who drive manual do it mindlessly....thinking about the shifting and clutch and whatever will make it more diffcult on the road period. idk man dont hoon or hit the gas in a low gear or your toast. good luck

Hahah dude they are not braking for no reason.

When you see the mini van slow to 40 mph in the middle lane it's because the
Cell phone navigation was saying

"Exit right to i95 north"

You forgot to mention the inevitable bumper to bumper traffic, the random objects like drive shafts, discarded truck tires, the late night 🦌

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by 2011zx10R

Hahah dude they are not braking for no reason.

When you see the mini van slow to 40 mph in the middle lane it's because the
Cell phone navigation was saying

"Exit right to i95 north"

You forgot to mention the inevitable bumper to bumper traffic, the random objects like drive shafts, discarded truck tires, the late night 🦌

I can confirm people who brake for no reason because they have baseline anxiety and find driving frightening. Shit I mean being in between two tractor trailers on highway that has shifting lane patterns even makes me a bit uneasy. But I get what your saying. I was doing 75 in the right lane today while everyone in the left lane was doing 60. whaddya gunna do

[cshack45]

I did this over summer break when I was 20, bought a new car(not an M) with MT having never driven one before. Picked it up the day before I had to drive back to college. I was fortunate that my (future) mother in law used to be a driving instructor, so she gave me a crash course in driving stick. Basically spent an entire afternoon driving up and down a small driveway so that I could get used to starting on a hill. Next day had to drive on the Cross Bronx, and over a few bridges with no major mishaps. I only stalled once in a toll plaza, but didn't sweat it - stayed cool and started again. I've been driving manuals ever since, now have '19 M4 Convertible 6MT. I will say that this car is very forgiving in first gear, it wants to move - not stall. Be patient, you'll be fine.

[paliknight]

Originally Posted by brocurls

Thanks everybody for the advice and the adding onto the overwhelming stress.

My best bet is for me to get on the road as late as possible and drive during the dead hours starting 10p-11p to be the least dangerous to myself or others.

I do have my fiancée who drove stick for many years, however last time she drove stick was about 7-8 years ago. She however is relishing the opportunity to "son" me during our road trip.

Would not recommend driving at night with low visibility. Reacting in an MT car as a beginner is much more difficult in general. At night it becomes much harder.

Especially since you're not used to using both feet simultaneously while driving, which you might need to do in sudden maneuvering situations.

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by paliknight

Would not recommend driving at night with low visibility. Reacting in an MT car as a beginner is much more difficult in general. At night it becomes much harder.

Especially since you're not used to using both feet simultaneously while driving, which you might need to do in sudden maneuvering situations.

But the shift knob is iLLuMiNaTeD