My first manual

[LearningStick]

I see a future of more walking, biking, horses, and trains, and less automobiles. Part of that future is automobiles becoming much simpler, to reduce the energy consumption of making and transporting the parts. One example of that simplicity is a manual transmission. I bought a 99 Ranger to learn manual. I haven't driven it yet. It needs some work.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Welcome to TRS.

Once you get used to a manual....automatics will seem flat boring.

 

[dvdswan]

Welcome to the site.

A manual transmission is a definite theft deterrent.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Welcome! Takes some patience and practice to learn a manual, but once you do, you may become addicted. Depending on the engine/transmission/gears in your truck will depend on how easy it is to learn, but I found it easier than a dump truck to learn on. It wasn’t quite as forgiving as the dump, but the smaller size and better visibility let me focus more on what I was trying to do. Then I spent a number of years driving said dump truck along with a few other manuals which lead towards the confidence that I can drive about anything with wheels and some things without. Definitely a great skill to have even though autos have largely taken over.

 

[Ranger850]

I remember learning to drive a manual. My dad constantly telling me " lift the clutch and give it gas, at the same time." After many one wheel burnouts and a few conk outs, I finally told him to get out of the truck ( '83 single cab Ranger carbed 2.0 4 speed) and let me just do it by myself. A few Hours later I was doing laps around the neighborhood. My dad was standing in the yard, mouth wide open, He couldn't believe I was doing it.

 

[superj]

i learned that way, kind of, also. a buddy was going out of the country and said i could drive his "junker" while he was gone since my 76 buick regal was down. he threw me the keys and i ran outside to the porsche 944 and jumped into find a stick. my mom had many standard transmission cars when i was young so i had watched her drive them and it took as few runs around the subdivision but i got it down.

 

[sgtsandman]

I learned by myself as well. The hard part is learning how to start from a stop on a hill. That part takes a bit more practice. A hand brake is mighty helpful in that instance but you get the hang of it eventually and will drift back less than a vehicle equipped with an automatic.

 

[RonD]

I see a future of more walking, biking, horses, and trains, and less automobiles. Part of that future is automobiles becoming much simpler, to reduce the energy consumption of making and transporting the parts. One example of that simplicity is a manual transmission. I bought a 99 Ranger to learn manual. I haven't driven it yet. It needs some work.

Welcome to TRS

Learning to drive a manual transmission is good, learning anything new is good, lol

But as far as the future
Automatics will be required for any self-driving/automatic braking, internal combustion engine(ICE) vehicles
Electric vehicles(EVs) don't have transmissions, no need for them

Walking, biking, and horses are things some people enjoy, but are not practical for the majority in their daily lives

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Once you learn manual, there's no going back.

Be ready to get way more attached to a vehicle than you expected.

 

[fastpakr]

I hate not having one right now. Converting the Ranger over to a 5 speed has been kicking around in my head for a long time now. It's just so much less important than other things going on right now. Eventually it might bubble up to the top of the list. Especially if I suddenly found a good trans for the right price.

 

[Blmpkn]

I learned to drive stick on the way home from the dealer after buying my first manual.

First few intersections were sketchy.. but I had it by the time I got home lol. Wasn't home long.. decided to go for a drive.

Much more satisfying than an auto.

 

[RobbieD]

"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's a signpost up ahead: your next stop: shifting your own gears!"

Welcome to TRS, and good on you for learning a fading form of art.

 

[Dirt Squirt]

I learned to drive a clutch on my dads Ford 8N? Golden Jubilee tractor when I was 10. A couple short wheelies and a change of underwear later and it was a piece of cake. Later that day he threw me the keys to the 67 F100 with three on the tree and let me drive around in the field. That was really cool when I was 10! Thank God someone else taught my wife to drive a clutch on their Mustang 5.0 before she got hers. They needed a new clutch shortly after.

 

[racsan]

I learned on farm tractors and the old but very forgiving’74 F250 with a 300/6. Mom had a manual too at the time, a ‘81 escort ss. Most of my vehicles have been a manual. Im itching to put my “winter beater” hhr away so I can daily my ‘94 ranger again.

 

[don4331]

I can remember getting into my 1st automatic, and being lost because there was no clutch pedal/shifter on the floor (I couldn't have been 10 at the time). And equally lost with my 1st 3 on tree (about 13 for that one). But dad told me to step on brake, pull to drive and auto would go. All he had to say that it was a 3 speed manual shifting of the column and the light instantly came on.

Driving the Cockshutt 1800 was probably the 1st manual - had to put both feet on the clutch and hold against the steering wheel to depress it (was a small 7 year old). Once in gear, I let it lift me into the seat and we were off.

Teaching my wife to drive manual was a...disaster... My '68 didn't have tach or speedometer, I just shifted by sound - when it sounded right I shifted. It was as much of a learning experience for me as it was for her. But she did fine in her 5.0 Mustang after

Teaching my kids in the 3.0 Ranger was piece of cake. In a nice big level parking lot, you could ease the clutch out and it would roll off without stalling or adding gas. A few dozen starts, and they understood the clutch wasn't an on/off switch and they were off to races. That is probably the biggest thing for automatic drivers to learn - manual rewards you for being smooth, punishes you for being rough.