WRX coming in a month or two. Best way to teach wife to drive manual?

[Tarostar]

I ordered a 2013 WRX CBS Premium a month ago. I'll be replacing my 2004 Tiburon GT V6 5 speed. My wife learned to drive the Tiburon in 2006, but gave up on it after a month. She feels that manuals are unnecessary extra work. She's promised to re-learn how to drive a manual, and I want it to go as well as possible. Can you guys offer some advice on the best way to teach driving a stick to a relatively unwilling student? Is it dangerous for her to try to learn on the WRX? We still have some time with the Tiburon, so I'm hoping we can make some progress before the switch.

[11blackwrx]

Well with my gf when i was teaching her to drive manual i took her to an open parking lot and showed her the basics and how to take off, from there i had her practice taking off till she could do it 3 times in a row, after she felt comfortable taking off and shift 1 or 2 gears i took her to some back roads where there isnt much traffic and that had a hill. From there i let her drive around like she would on the road and then practice on a hill (the wrx will almost eliminate this part). Then i let her drive on the main roads when she felt comfortable in the car, took her about 4 hours of practice to get it down.

[Soobvirgin]

Save yourself the arguments and frustration - hire an instructor to give her 2 or 3 hour long lessons. Money well spent.

[Tarostar]

I've definitely considered asking someone else to teach her. 11black gave some good advice though.

[11blackwrx]

yup it aint terribly hard to tech someone, and im way to cheap to pay someone else to do it lol

[jgardiner]

yup it aint terribly hard to tech someone, and im way to cheap to pay someone else to do it lol

But if she gets frustrated and angry guess who it will be directed at.

[JayBee09]

Just suck it up shell get. Over it. Deff teach on tibby cause it will make you both feel better than if she grinds the hell out of it or stalls it alot. Just let her do it and get upset.......just dont you get upset. My gf was forced to learn cause of the car she was lent amd i taught her on that. Now she owns a mazda 6 with a 6spd. After teaching basics and havining her know the comcepts its more about how you deal with her failures than actually getting her to succeed. If yoi remember learning its more aboit practice than learning. I taught her as well as my sister.

[Sasquatch]

Have her give the Tiburon another try. Patience is surely required.

There was a girlfriend I tried to teach a stick to years ago. She never got it and no doubt never has / will. Some people lack the coordination I suppose.

Another thought - do you have a friend or family member that could help out or take over if you are unsuccessful? Teaching someone a skill like that can be tricky.

[Calvinball]

Have her give the Tiburon another try. Patience is surely required.

There was a girlfriend I tried to teach a stick to years ago. She never got it and no doubt never has / will. Some people lack the coordination I suppose.

Another thought - do you have a friend or family member that could help out or take over if you are unsuccessful? Teaching someone a skill like that can be tricky.

+1

When I learned as a new driver many moons ago, one family member took me out in the ol 91 sentra (no tach!) and we spent hours and ended up switching off at an intersection after watching 2-3 light cycles go by with me stalling out over and over.

Next weekend I went out with a different family member and I had it down pretty well within 30 minutes.

[Ruh Roh]

try to teach her on the tibby while you still have it. that way she can learn the techniques and not be so hard on the wrx. ive heard that newer manual drivers have to get used to the wrx as the clutch lets out sooner? not sure if thats true, but switching from my 240sx to my wrx i got used to the feeling the first time i drove it. goodluck though! my gf wants to learn i just dont feel like teaching her yet lol

[Calvinball]

try to teach her on the tibby while you still have it. that way she can learn the techniques and not be so hard on the wrx. ive heard that newer manual drivers have to get used to the wrx as the clutch lets out sooner?

Certainly engagement point and feel is a bit different in any car, but I didn't find it hard to adjust. I don't know if that could also be due to experience, I've been driving manuals in many different cars (including small work trucks with air brakes...that took some getting used to!) since I learned to drive.

I would think that the hill assist could be a useful tool for someone who is learning though.

[Starbuck]

It might be a bit hard to teach her how to drive a manual if she doesn't want to. My wife wanted to learn, so we found an empty parking lot (the mall parking lot after hours works well) and I explained to her how things work. We started by practicing where the "sweet spot" of the clutch is, and once we had that down it was time to drive a bit and learn how to shift and stop. I had her do a checklist every time the car stopped. Is the clutch in? Is it in the first gear? Then we moved onto hills. I had a helluva time when I was young because I didn't learn hills properly, and I would practically crap my pants if I was on a hill and someone pulled up close to me. I find that breaking it down into little steps and learning one step at a time is really easy.

[Mikie13]

Show her the engagement point and turn her loose in the empty parking lot.

I've successfully taught numerous chicks how to drive stick. Whether that's on a car or not is my secret.

[Ruh Roh]

Show her the engagement point and turn her loose in the empty parking lot.

I've successfully taught numerous chicks how to drive stick. Whether that's on a car or not is my secret.

[xFalleNx]

Save yourself the arguments and frustration - get a new wife

fixed.