Here are a few pics...love it. I am a first time manual driver at 43. I am getting the hang of it, but leaving the dealer and having to drive two hours to home was very stressful -- right out of the dealership at the light which was on an uphill grade I stalled it several times. Kind-of threw my confidence out the window. A cement truck was pulling up to me. Bad thoughts started going through my head. I managed to get it in gear, and pulled off to the right, went to a mall behind the dealership, and practiced for a while before getting on the highway. The clutch takeup point is not what I was used to. And I find I need to give it more gas. I am very slow getting into first gear, but after that, I'm fine. It'll get better with practice I know. But I think driving stick is half the fun of driving this car. The other half is how gorgeous it is.

I'll post more pics in my gallery.

 

i stalled it pulling out of the dealership, and i originally learned on a manual and owned them off and on for the past 30 years, the CM 6 speed takes a lil getting used to, more gas is the key! it gets much smoother, and you'll appreciate the hill assist next time a cement truck gets behind you! no reason to sweat, it gives you plenty of time to get to the accelerator before it lets go

have fun with your new countryman!

 

I hope you remembered to squat and lift with your legs.

I think the white tops get less respect than they deserve. With those wheels, I assume you have a sport package? Then, how'd you get the black stripes?

 

Definitely think the white tops are not as popular as the black tops these days.

I just told my MA I wanted the stripes in black instead (white is your only choice with a white roof using the online configurator) and sent him photos of how I wanted them to look.

 

Congrats from another Surf Blue owner. I'm highly intrigued by your black hood stripes. I've got a white roof as well and had planned on adding white hood stripes but yours give me other ideas!

 

My salesman stalled the car trying to drive it off the lot after telling me he needed to drive it off the lot for insurance reasons... Next thing you know, I drove it off the lot...

Haven't stalled it in a couple of weeks myself, however, my first month I lost count how many times I stalled it. Love the Surf Blue with white top!! looks great!

 

Congrats to a new Surf Blue Owner. I have the white roof, (just shouts MINI to me) and white racing boot and bonnet stripes. Love it! But the black looks good too. How can it not, its a MINI.

 

Yeah. I went white roof because I like the retro look, but all of these cool combos look great. Black roofs look great too. I really like that color combo sirbikes.

 

Is anyone posting in the Gallery, besides me?

 

Yay! Congratulations and I love the rim choice.

 

Congrats on the new ride! I learned stick on my MINI as well, and the best advice I got was this: Learn to get the car rolling with JUST clutch control, no gas. Ease up slowly and find out where that friction point is, then keep gently letting up until the car rolls. Once you're rolling and the clutch pedal is all the way up, you can give it some gas.

 

Haha, exact same situation for me. First time driving a manual was test driving my countryman... then had to drive an hour home. Made it there and am getting better. Congrats on taking the plunge as well!

 

Wow. I think I would have been scared driving a stick for the first time as a test drive. Glad I learned to drive on a stick. But this will be my first in quite a while. Can't wait!

 

Sharp looking--congratulations!

 

when I was a kid and learned to drive a stick on a toyota celica I used the e-brake on hills to help me get going till I got it right.

I had a similar experience coming up Ft.Lee road in Teaneck, NJ with a 18 wheeler behind me at a red light I'll never forget.