Alright, so I'm one of those people who ordered a 6-speed MINI instead of one with an automatic transmission. Call me crazy (my husband did), but I just figured:

1. It's $2000 cheaper.
2. If I don't learn now, I might never bother to.

I've practiced on a (very generous) friend's car for the past week or so, ,and I should be picking up my MINI at the end of July. But when I ordered it, I'd NEVER driven stick before. A friend let me learn in his Ford Focus, which prepared me enough to take a test drive at the local dealership. Hopefully I didn't scare the MA too badly, despite stalling a few times and almost going into reverse at a stop sign instead of taking off (glad I left my foot on the clutch for THAT one!).

The ever-so-helpful MA let me know what gear I was in from the back seat (still not sure how he could tell) and guided me through the part of the local test drive route that had the fewest stop lights and traffic. After not doing too badly with that test drive, I decided that I'd definitely be following through with the purchase, and now I can't wait to pick up my car next month!

I've been driving around this week in my friend's car, practicing my shifting, learning to take off in 2nd instead of 1st, driving backwards, getting up hill, parking, and trying not to to get in too many people's ways while driving around town, and it's great! I'm really starting to get the hang of it. It's not ingrained yet (I still drive my husband's automatic Civic around without trying to step on the imaginary clutch to change gears) but I'm MUCH better after only a few days of practice. My only problem now is hill start. Practice, practice! Preferably with no one sitting behind me.

So, who else decided on a 6-speed MINI despite not being that great at driving it, or never having driven it before in thier lives?

 

"learning to take off in 2nd instead of 1st"............for God's sake, don't make a habit of this; it's not a good idea, really.

BTW, welcome aboard; I didn't mean to come across as rude (please heed my advice though).

 

Hahaha, true. It's not a habit. I'm just learning what you CAN do. Of course there are LOTS of things you can do with a manual that you shouldn't do.

I'm also going to take a 'driving a manual transmission' lesson at our local driving school in case there are any bad habits I've picked up, good habits I don't know about, etc.

 

How can you take off in 2nd instead of 1st? Can you teach me?

 

If you drive on Snow and Ice, the take off in 2nd trick works wonders. Especially if you don't have DSC.

 

Uh oh, now I've done it!

 

I thought that "taking off in 2nd" was something you should only do in the snow or low traction areas so you don't spin the tires too quickly and slide?

**I guess it is since some posted while I was posting and answered my question!

 

Worked well a few years back when I got caught in a snow storm in a truck.

When I was 16 I went with a friend to pick up his 5 speed 280Z that his parents bought for him. Unfortunately neither of us knew how to drive a stick and his parents left after signing the paper work. We both learned to drive a stick that day.

 

easy, you just slip your clutch so often that you wear it out in 12,000 miles.Really, ask my mother!

 

I ordered the 6-speed because a reviewer wrote that it is so much fun that non-stick drivers should learn to drive a stick or buy a different car. The second option was not a choice! So I took a 1.5 hour class at the age of 39.

I sweat bullets driving off the lot, but only stalled the car once on the 5 mile trip back to the office (on the office's parking garage -- you have to come to a complete stop on a ramp). I spent the next Saturday practicing in the rain.

A few times in the subsequent months I started in THIRD (rolled to a stop, waiting to turn left), but feathered the clutch and got the car going.

Two month after purchase and went out to lunch with a coworker who is a veteran stick driver. After a couple of city-driving miles I asked him "how's the shifting". He said "I hadn't noticed." High praise.

 

i got my mini without having driven a stick in over 10 years... and that 1 time ten years ago, was a lifetime ago. luckily, all my motorcycyle/scooters are standard transmissions.

my father had to drive my mini home for me and that weekend, my boyfriend flew down to teach me how to drive it.

the best advice that my very very very patient boyfriend gave me as "no corners over 2nd gear" after i stalled out in 3rd on a turn. I tell myself that at every corner/90 degree turn. and i haven't had a problem again.

hills and slight inclines... the first couple of weeks, i planned routes avoiding hills and inclines where i knew that i would have to stop on. there is still one stop sign at the top of a hill in my neighborhood that still gets the better of me now and again.

 

First manual I bought was a 240Z. Didn't have a clue as to how to drive it. Got it home and learned real quick!

 

Heck, I have started out in 3rd by accident (thought I was in 1st). Not pretty, but it went.

I had driven a manual transmission car only 1 other time for about 10 minutes before I went in to test drive the MCS. I just got in and drove it off the parking lot. I just made sure my test drive loop didn't have any hills to stop on.

I test drove a few other manual cars, then ordered my MCS. I never had problems learning to drive the MINI.

 

When I got my MINI this year I had been driving a 5-speed Ford Explorer for a dozen years and occasionally a four-speed Tercel before that, so I was no stranger to a stick.

The one thing that is infuriating to me is that I still manage to gnash the gears - not every day and really very occasionally but it should not be happening at all and it makes me feel 2 inches tall when I hear that sound !! Especially with other cars in close quarters...

I am guessing that it is happening from some flexible softer-sole shoes I wear that cause me to mis-estimate the clutch being all the way down. I also tend to do it more often when shifting in the middle of a high-g accelerating turn - and guess that my foot is slipping with the g-forces.

Anyway, because of this, I feel like I am still in learninig mode on understanding the MINI transmission and how to totally master it. Sure is different from the truck transmission on my old Explorer....

Bill

 

I learned how to drive on a stick at 16 - now whenever I have an automatic I feel cheated! Sir Winston is a 6 speed and SO much fun! The biggest thing about hill starts is not to freak yourself out. The car behind you is never as close as it seems, and you're rarely rolling back as fast as you feel! I'll never forget when I was learning and had myself so freaked out at a light on a hill that I stalled repeatedly through TWO light cycles (the honking behind me didn't help) until the point my dad (who was patiently teaching me, bless his heart) took pity on me and took over. Remember, you can always use the emergency brake if you feel like you just can't get going fast enough. Good luck!

 

I had driven a couple sticks before I got my MINI, including my uncles Ford GT (Nice learner car ayy??), so it was nothing new. I will say however that the "S" transmission setup is alot stiffer than most, and was close to that of the GT. The clutch is very springy IOW it's not soft or squingy by any means, and the stock shifter setup is pretty notchy, though it is greatly improved with my Whalen SM. This car does not however rival the raciness and all out performance as the dump truck I sometimes have to drive for work.

Mikey

 

Taking off in 2nd... That works very well in a 1970 Chevy pick-up equipped w/4 speed. The first gear in trucks is a low-range "granny" gear used for "stump pullin" and rescuing newbie manual-MINI's from the ditch, snowbank, etc.

just kidding.

Manuals are fabulous, Pancakez, and you'll never want to go back--especially with a 6-speed MINI.

 

This is a problem that I will have to face if I indeed order a MINI. I will not let myself chicken out by ordering an automatic.

There's actually a school here in Toronto that teaches driving a manual exclusively. It ain't cheap though, but I may have to fork it over because none of my friends currently own a stick.

I sometimes practice with the semi-automatic mode on the TSX I'm driving now, but it's just not the same.

 

Great to hear all the feedback! I'm sure I'll be super happy with my MINI when I get it. The one I test drove was just great, it made it so much easier. The clutch had a better feel, the shifting was smoother, and of course it just awesome driving around in a MINI, of course!

 

Add me to the list! I took home my 6-speed after only 3 brief lessons from my MA during the wait. My dad felt like such the privileged temp. driver for about 2 weeks, but after that, no more!! No offense to the automatic drivers (used to be one!) but I couldn't imagine driving a MINI with anything else!

 

Ooh, definitely recommend that! I'd do it if it were offered in my area. They provide cars? My only option is using my own car with a driving instructor riding along to tell me what I'm doing right/wrong.

 

i never understood this. can someone explain it?

in second the wheels go a lot faster per (at idle or any rpm) than in first gear.

 

Its the same thing in an automatic. 2nd drive means start in second gear.

Why? Because you can't accelerate as fast and hence can't spin the tires as easily.

 

To be fair, I would imagine that very few cars are manuals these days. Just look at it this way ... What is the WORSE thing that could happen. Now pretend it does. So what? Your covered under warranty

 

I had never owned a stick and had always "failed" any attempts with my husband teaching me. But I bought my Astro black MCSC this month, and I am now having a blast in my first stick. I did not take a class. Just learned by doing. Get the stick, you won't regret it. I've put over 1000 miles on it in the few short weeks I've had it, and I stay at home with my kids!!! Good luck, and enjoy it!!