[jaserion]

thanks everyone! i'm going to try to get to this driving school early tomorrow and learn for 2 hrs before picking up my ride.

as for driving a mt, i think that i have enough basic idea on how to operate it. i think that i'll be riding my clutch a bit until i get used to the timing of letting go the clutch and pump the gas pedal. once i'm moving, i'll be ok. just up shift and down shift to match rpms.

finally, merging into the high way and parallel parking in NYC!!! damn. this is going to be a bitch at first, but i'm determined.

again, thanks!

[lul77]

driving in nyc?! wow... good luck. i'd hate to learn to park and drive there. i learned driving a manual between my brother's 07 a4 and my e92. the cdv mod/ delete might make it easier for you to shift smoother. you pick it all up within a few days and keep getting better. if you suck the first day don't sweat bc u'll be better the next (muscle memory takes a while to build). good luck man

[itsbrokeagain]

I learned on my old dads 87 Isuzu Trooper. Over the years, every car Ive owned has been a manual.

Yes its a real bitch in traffic, but I get used to it..and my left leg is huge now.

Ive been driving stick since I started driving....been 10 years now. And I have to say Ive gotten VERY good at it (althought having input from two race drivers, and owning a Porsche or two also helped...and lots and lots of reading on techniques)

On every car Ive owned...Ive never had to change the clutch in the time Ive owned it.

I had almost 60k extra miles on my old S13 Silvia when I sold her.....never changed the clutch when I got it, and it was still great when I sold it. You treat it nice, and dont do clutch braking, it will last you forever.


Then again, my friends dont call me a granny driver for nothing. I think I hold the records for the slowest shifts. But when you become one with the car...you will find that you hardly ever have to slip the clutch going into second gear. Once you get really good, you will be able to let the clutch out from a stop in first, with almost no change in rpm or minimal (My usual driving is 1000-1100 rpm from a standing start)

But have fun learning to drive....the Manual BMWs have incline assist, so if you put her in 1st gear, depress the clutch and let go of the brake on a hill, the car will hold the brakes for 3 seconds for you...in an attempt for you to transition to feeding out the clutch and getting her going.


Same goes for the downhill. Ive stopped facing down a hill, let go the brakes, and the car actually held itself there.

The only time this failed on me was when I went to pick up my tailights from Morristown back in the day. For those of you that have been there, there is a really steep road (I have to say maybe more than 20% grade...its absurd), and when I went to feed the clutch out at the top of the hill, the brakes let go, all the weight transferred to the clutch, and the car immediatley bogged down and stalled lol...it was like I turned the car off..that instantaneous...

[Jeff E39]

why didnt you get DCT

[MyE92]

Originally Posted by Jeff E39

why didnt you get DCT

+1

[jaserion]

I really want to learn how to drive a mt. It has been great. Stalled a few times, but still had fun. Just need to pick up the speed with getting into 1st gear. And man, there are so many assholes on road. Honked at me as the light turned green.

[328i]

I never drove a manual car until my e90, however I've been driving quads and dirt bikes, and heavy machinery with clutches since I was young so I knew the concept. It took a couple hours of driving by myself to where I was comfortable knowing I wouldn't stall, I also wish I had known about hill assist ahead of time instead of using the handbrake and stressing on hills ( hand brake actually turns it off). Have fun and don't bother buying a beater just to learn to drive a manual, especially since you're getting the car in days. Over time you don't even think about shifting. I think it would be difficult to have someone teach you on their own car, but I'm sure anyone would offer to teach you on your own car for free. I know I wouldn't mind giving up a few hours of my time for an m3 drive.

[gtrokin330]

i bought my e92 335 without knowing a thing bout stick

my boy taught me on an e46 m3 vert and e46 325ci the day before...clutch is soooo different.

[jaserion]

yeah, I had 1 lesson before picking yesterday but the concept of manual driving a while back from reading and watching videos. This far I've been driving like a noobie, even a beat up minivan tailgated and honked at me. ;(

[lul77]

Originally Posted by jaserion

yeah, I had 1 lesson before picking yesterday but the concept of manual driving a while back from reading and watching videos. This far I've been driving like a noobie, even a beat up minivan tailgated and honked at me. ;(

haha i just pictured a beat up mini van doing this to a brand new shiny m3 don't sweat it man. they don't pay for your insurance if u hit something nor do they buy u a new clutch if you beat yours up. let them honk

[Artz 330]

i can show you how to drive that thing like a champ