I need to teach my Significant Other to drive a stick. We have two vehicles - I am the primary driver of the EVO, and my SO drives a '99ML430, but she has to know how to drive the Blue Meanie - just in case.

First, no, a trade - of the wifey that is - is not an option
Second, SO never drove a stick shift before - ever. I explained the technical mambo jumbo to her and I think she understands basic difference and premise behind manual transmission vs automatic.

Our first lesson lesson was yesterday. SO launched the EVO once - quite nicely and cleanly actually, but more often then not, she stalled

Any hints and/or tips on how to speed up the learning process without putting too much stress on the EVO? We have about 4 weeks before I go out of town and she needs to be able to drive by then.

Thanks!

 

I have a suggestion for you... Have her let off the gas completly, then sloooowly let of the clutch, as to not stall, let her get the feel of it. She should beable to figure out at what point she needs to press the gas a little so it wont stall out. Or.... have her drop the cluth at 5000 rpm =o

 

When I first learned to drive a stick as a kid, I had good advice. Someone told me to have a competition with myself to see how slowly I could let the clutch out. It really worked. Put that together the advice from Static, and I think she will get it no problem.

 

or just wait till the first 2 - 3" snowfall and find a nice big parkinglot.....

 

My best advice...have her fine tune her manual shifting skills in ANY other car...but your EVO. Rent a manual car for a day for 30 or 40 bucks....before you let her behind the wheel of your EVO.

Anyone with experience should be able to drive an EVO with no problems whatsover. My S.O has been driving manuals for years and she can drive the EVO just fine.

The EVO is a very easy to drive car in general.

 

find a friend with a base model lancer. These things are so easy to drive! Clutch grabs kinda high, but for a new driver that makes up for a quick release.

When i bought my lancer, the girl at the dealership said she doesnt know how to drive a stick, but she can move lancer's around the lot. I'd tend to believe it!

The way i learned to drive a stick, well, my dad sat me down in me jetta the day i bought it, got back out of the car, patted the roof and told me to drive home. =O

 

"...The way i learned to drive a stick, well, my dad sat me down in me jetta the day i bought it, got back out of the car, patted the roof and told me to drive home. =O ..."

LOL. I and a friend learned to drive in a similar fashion. We went on a vacation to LA, rented a Colt with manual and away we went - including a run to San Francisco and Las Vegas. Neither of us drove sticks before, but we were pros by the time we got back ;-) Ever driven a stick in San Fran? Especially when learning? Fun, fun, fun....

Thanks to all for suggestions. Looks like we'll have to bribe some friends with manuals and teach my SO to let off the clutch sloooooowly. She kept dropping it (which made for a perfect launch once from about 3K rpm - I was impressed since I haven't tried it yet myself, what with only 300miles on the odo ;-) so that'll most likely do it.

Any more tips and suggestions? I'm willing to try anything and everything - we can only have cars BOTH of us can drive...

 

heh i am with you...ive gotta teach my girlfriend by sunday...and she gets here friday....save my clutch!!!

 

I learned the hardway I was told to gopick some stuff up in the werk truck never driven stick before. the hardest part was that I had two upshill starts at stop lights in ruch hour traffic. ( bumper to bumper.) So I had to go with out a roll back after those two hours I coudl drive any stick car I have been able to climb into.
the hardest stick I have drive was a ferrari f-40 back a few years ago at a ferrari track day at road america it owned all but I stalled it the first time

 

my gf doesnt know how to drive a manual tranny, but ill wait till im ready to replace my clutch with a aftermarket one before letting her practice in my evo.

 

That's how I learned. Good way to get the feel of the clutch. And yeah, if all else fails, launching at 5000 won't stall either, but let's try the first method before. I taught my brother and 3 women to drive a stick that way, and they all can drive it more or less after previously thinking they would never be able to.