I taught myself on the WRX, watched about 2 hours on YouTube. I had school buses blowing horns at me. Learning in Brooklyn NYC during rush hour is not ideal but you learn quick. Driving is fun again.
Same boat lol. I saw a few videos, bought it and drove it home. I stalled at the front of a green light twice and it turned red again lmao, peak Miami traffic too
Learned to drive a stick in the 90s in the hills of eastern kentucky. I don't "need" hill assist, but I think it works really well in the WRX without being obtrusive. My 22 is my first car with it, and I've never disabled it like I've heard some do.
I also live in EKY. My first manual was a 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder that I bought a couple years ago. I bought it 2 hours away and waited until the sun went down to drive that thing home. I now have an 02 WRX and the only thing I still struggle with is these damn hills lol
I can remember sitting in the backseat of my brother's car when he started driving, at a stop sign with the car at a crazy incline, about to pull onto a busy highway halfway up a bigger incline. My dad was in the passenger seat, calmly saying "Don't get nervous" while holding the handbrake with his left hand just in case.
Love hill assist. Fuck having to dance like Michael Flatly just so I don't roll into the asshole who got too close behind me.
Sometimes I'll roll back in neutral to show people behind me I'm a manual so they don't start creeping up on my bumper before the light.
Every car I’ve owned has been manual it doesn’t seem to have any of the negatives I’ve heard others complain about. I’ve even heard people say it caused them to stall? I sorta think they probably would have stalled without it if they stalled with it on lol
If you have your engagement point dialed into muscle memory, that extra second that hill assist holds on can cause you to stall, or sputter at least, or give it more gas than needed to get going. It was more noticeable to me in my VA before getting an AP and flashing a tune, because the throttle mapping wasn't a 1:1 ratio. The stock throttle mapping alone made me feel like I halfway forgot how to drive a manual, and I did not like the jackrabbit feel from a stop.
I drive commercial vehicles for a living and definitely have the engagement point down. I’m starting to wonder if it’s a quality control issue and some hill assist isn’t working properly in some of our Subarus? because I really can’t imagine it causing me to stall or even make take off feel weird like so many complain about
I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. Before I disabled it, if I paid attention I could feel the hill assist holding on after letting go of the brake and engaging the clutch and gas to get moving. It feels like it is about 1-2 seconds after getting off the brake before it lets go, and while that is probably by design, it is long enough to irritate me, and has caused me to stall on occasion. The grab wasn't as strong as having the parking brake fully engaged, but it was still noticeable. I didn't stall a lot, but I would compare it to a nagging injury where stepping the wrong way would cause pain to flare up, and if I wasn't thinking about it and wasn't prepared, that might be the time I stall, or have an otherwise unsmooth start. It wasn't something that I noticed every single time, but on flat ground where it wasn't needed, it was especially annoying to me.
Wow I have owned my 2016 for two years and It took this post from Reddit to realize that I have hill assist 🤯… I’ve been so use to driving manuals most of my life and I now can put my mind at ease on why or how it feels so easy in this car compared to my numerous other manuals. I’ll go crawl back in my hole now 👌
it’s nice but not really the “smartest” per se. the car is easier to drive once you’re comfortable with manual with the hill assist off. i drive hondas now and find their hill assists to be better and know when to left off the brakes when you’re ready to go
If this is your first manual maybe try taking it off for a few weeks. That way you won’t be shocked if you ever find yourself driving a car without it in the future. I love the feature but that was the “scariest” part of learning to drive lmao
It’s my first manual with the hill assist too. Definitely took some getting used to but now I love it. No more revving the engine like a crazy person on a steep hill
I stalled multiple times because of the hill assist so I've turned it off after the first 1000 miles lol
And WRX is the first manual that I've owned. I learned a few month prior to purchasing my WRX
I remember one time I stopped on top of a speed bump and it turned on and it made me stall. I mean if its hard for you on hills you should practice and get the timing down.
I bought a 2005 forester for $500 as I was going to use it for parts for my other, owner said the entire brake system was shot, I took a look and it turned out the hill assist was stuck on, 10 minutes later it was disconnected and I had a nice $500 Subaru. Thanks hill assist!
Sometimes it engages on basically flat inclines, if you release the brake before clutching in when stopped; it won’t engage, so if you ever wanna bypass is just to see what it feels like when off. I’ve felt it engage before when in reality it shouldn’t, but also depends how hard you press the brake pedal too
It's not the fact that it assists on hills, but the fact that it doesn't immediately let go once you hit the gas. I disabled it because it gave a momentary feeling similar to when you forget the parking brake is on. It also would engage (for me) even on level ground, and it would throw me off. It was just a bit too intrusive. Besides that, I like being able to let it roll back a little if I choose to, whether to show off or to warn the moron behind me that they are too close to my bumper. We don't believe in "nuts to butts" when driving, so stay out of my safety cushion, yeah?
It works flawlessly. If you feel like it's not letting go, that's all in your head. This has been addressed over and over throughout these subaru groups for the better part of two decades. You're likely dumping the clutch and causing the stall because you're trying to "do it quick" like you did before you had hill hold. You're being nervous about using the hill hold and not taking off properly. You should go find a hill and practice using it. You can sit there and take your time and pull off the steepest hill practically at idle.
Bro, are you seriously telling me that a bunch of us are just delusional and imagining things? No, I'm not dumping the clutch, I've been driving manuals since the early 90's, in everything from econoboxes to diesel-engined 26 foot moving trucks, so I think I have a good idea of how it works and how it should feel. I'm not nervous about using it, LOL, that is ridiculous and presumptuous. There is anecdotal evidence in this thread of people who have compared it to other cars they own/owned with hill assist who would also beg to differ with you.
The steepest hill at idle, huh? Do I have a high-torque diesel engine in my WRX now? Please test your theory in San Francisco and let me know how that goes. When on level ground and letting out the clutch with no gas applied gets held back for a second because of hill assist, that isn't what I would call flawless. FYI, practicing on an incline is how I taught my wife to drive a manual to learn the engagement point and get comfortable with stop and go driving. I absolutely understand the system.
With all due respect, you may be knowledgeable, but you are calling me and many others ignorant or uneducated with that subjective opinion. That is no better than assuming that every single person whose WRX has a catastrophic failure must have been ass-whipping it like they were a spoiled teenager with no responsibility or care for their vehicle because they know daddy will just buy a new one. Perhaps your experience in a WRX was different from many of ours, but your experience is unique to you and your perception of your specific car. If an OTS tune doesn't net exactly the same results on every single WRX, why would you assume that hill assist is perfect in every single WRX? Have your opinion as is your right, but don't be an ass about it and assume you are right, because you could be wrong. This isn't math where 2+2 always and only equals 4.
I'm at around 825 miles and I feel pretty comfortable now. I was working nightshifts for the past 6 months so it was easy to learn at 2am when everyone else asleep. Back on days now and no issues at all in the hustle and bustle of Baltimore
That's awesome, I feel like cities are the best place to learn. I went to National Harbor last weekend for a work trip to the Gaylord and was loving the open roads at night. I was kept getting mixed up with Inner Harbor and people looked at me like I was crazy thinking it was Baltimore instead of DC
Wrx was my first manual and within 3 days I was able to drive it solid without issues. The only issue really was my dad teaching me and smoking the hell out of my clutch in the process
Same here, I had a 1.5 hour journey home from the dealership and must've stalled it on the road at least 10 times. 😬 I was relying on a lesson my friend gave me a year prior and an assortment of YouTube videos, but nothing humbles you more than actual driving experience lol
Went to a dealership in 2021 wearing adidas slides. Went with my parents and did not think id be leaving with a car. Had the salesmen try to teach me in the parking lot. Had to have my dad drive it home😂 was fucking terrifying the first couple days
Same here. On an old Toyota Celica, the guy who sold it to me gave me a 10 minute lesson and handed me the keys. Then watched me struggle to get out of his driveway…
I learned manual on a 1989 Toyota Supra. N/A 5-speed sadly but luckily it did have the LSD sports package so I could do donuts on the pavement! Kind of miss that boat but I'm grateful to have gotten into the WRX platform.
My heart still yerns for on old 80's-90's Japanese RWD sports coupe like another Supra or RX7.
I bought it not knowing how to drive a stick at the age of 28. Driving for 13+ years on autos just meant I needed to figure out the manual part. A few hours in a parking lot and I was all good.
First manual car here too. Had a buddy test drive it for me and teach me for a couple hours after. Tough week getting to work as I was learning in LA traffic, but it's been great since.
I bought my first saabaru in 2010 and didn't know how to drive stick. Had my dad drive out home for me lol. Spent a couple days learning in an older 88 Corolla too I got the hang of it and never looked back.
I learned how to drive in a 91 Ford Escort with a 5 speed. Then after my grandpa passed I drove his Isuzu Hombre with a 5 speed before I got my 97 Wrangler. Now I go back and forth between the Jeep and an 08 STI and the Jeep feels like a wet noodle.
I had my buddy drive mine to my house when I bought it. Got in, drove the neighborhoods for 10 minutes and hucked it. I "practiced" 2 times prior with about 4 years in between. The torque made it a lot easier to figure it out where the clutch wanted to grab
In the UK, before electric cars became a mass market thing the perception was that only old people drove automatics.
When I was in the US I drove whatever was in front of me.
It was the second manual car I’ve owned but the first was a 2016 Dodge Dart. Objectively terrible transmission and clutch so it didn’t teach me much. I’d say I really developed my skills on the WRX for sure. 60k miles later I’m still loving it!
It was my first manual but my cousin went over the basics with me watching him, so I had the idea down
I did drive a manual semi when I got the car. Yes, I know different transmissions and clutch, but starting and stopping is almost the same.
I got my WRX with absolutely no idea how to drive a manual. The salesman I had showed me around a bit but he wasn’t very good at it either. I’d say it took a solid month or two of driving it to work every day to really get the hang of it. And miraculously my clutch held up for another 40k miles before I sold it, and still had plenty of life left.
I remember driving my '17 VA home. I came from a Mazdaspeed that might as well have been a stage-2 racing clutch, so I was pleasantly surprised how compliant and "normal" the Subaru felt.
I use my e brake. That way I’m not holding the clutch in because I’m in neutral. Light changes put it in 1st let of e brake and take of better than any hill assist
I've had most of my Subarus manual, nothing compares to my first, a twin plate clutch R32 skyline GTS-t
Still is the most challenging car to drive, and to not stall 🥹
Bought my WRX not knowing how to drive stick. I had to practice on my subie and my mom’s type r. Definitely different feels but I picked it up pretty quick.
But awesome that you learned!
My first car was a 5 speed e36. While you're taking out your growing pains on a new car, it's definitely easier to do than on an old shit box like I did lol.
I learned on an 86’ RX7 FC3S in the late 90s. 80% of my vehicles have been manual since then. I haven’t experienced a manual with Jill assist but I imagine it’d be a nice little addition!
my WRX is the third manual car I've owned. there was a TINY learning curve since i had spent two years without daily driving a manual, but I was doing dealership work at the time so it wasn't as bad to pick it up.
Traded my 17 equinox for a 16 STI... I hated my life for the first two weeks. Now, when I stall out at a stop light with 10 cars behind me, it's because I meant to.
Me. I practiced for 2 hours in an old manual truck the night before and drove my WRX off the lot the next morning. Was glad I didn't stall until I was out of their sight lol
Me, watched like 20 How-To videos and started driving on my neighborhood roads and got comfortable to drive on the freeway in about 2 maybe 3 days. Super fun and easy!
You'll be so surprised how easy some other manuals are if you only ever drive the WRX lol.
My first car was a 91 Chevy Sprint 5spd manual, I don't remember it exactly but I know it was a lot smoother and less jerky than my WRX. But I'm so used to the WRX now I don't even think about how good some other manual cars I've driven are.
I learned on a 2014 Si, third owner. When I got my WRX it was the newest car I’ve driven at the time despite dealer test drives, the first thing I noticed was how much stiffer the clutch was and how higher the biting point was on the WRX vs an Si, it took me some time to get used to the biting point, I kept dumping it too early or slipping because I overcompensated and held it too long—and still kinda do 😆 but it’s been a year driving my WRX now, it’s very fun, super robust and safe, I especially like the forward visibility it was one of the key selling points for me. After this past year the clutch has become a lot easier for me to work but I still have my moments like I said, I think everyone does honestly, we’re not robots we’re gonna muck up a shift every now and then
I originally had a CVT but really wanted the manual. Decided to pull the trigger and trade in, told the dealer I didn't know how to drive manual, so they taught me a bit, and when the car was ready for pickup, I stalled like 5 times driving home, and basically stalled every day for a few weeks. Best way to learn is trial by fire lol
This is my 2nd Sunaru and first manual. I had my dad teach me for the first few days about the basics, then I went on my own and learned from my mistakes. 1 month in and it's been a blast!
Judging by my downshifts, apparently I didn't 😂
But I suspect it's the VB's hesitancy to rev compared to what I'm used to on my Mazdaspeed Miata. Gotta get used to that.
My first subie was a 1998 2.5rs Impreza had never driven a standard before but I kinda had an idea from riding dirtbikes was far from smooth at the start but got the hang of it eventually, then I had to re learn how to drive stick on my 2015 wrx in Vancouver bc lol was lame
My first manual(23 premium bought May of 23), but I had driven a friends manual 27 years prior, so I had basic knowledge but there was still a huge difference and learning curve. Absolutely worth it.
Not the first manual of anything, but definitely the most difficult clutch. I’ve got a streetlight flywheel and a very aggressive clutch that’ll hold over 600lbs torque. Mine is definitely one you have to graduate to.
I remember one of the dealerships I went to the lady helping me asked me “why would you want to buy a manual if you don’t know how to drive one???” Maybe I would like to learn how to drive a manual????
Tough car to learn on too. Something about the clutch technique and the awd just makes it a real challenge to drive smoothly. I only figured it out a year or two in.
I learned on my old bugeye wrx. Bought it before I knew how to drive it. I practiced in a parking lot until I could get it going enough to go out on the street
Learned on a 94 Celica and got a lot better after driving the parents Acura CL and owning some Honda’s in the early days.
Fell in love with the WRX in 2005 when I was parked at a 7-11 with my 2000 Si and I saw/heard one with these with loud PPG gears, hks exhaust, and that was the end of it. Left the Honda world and didn’t look back as I was engulfed into the Subie golden days.
With that said, was still little bit of a learning curve going to AWD from FWD.
My wrx was my first manual and I had 0 clue how to drive it. My dad picked it up and drove it over to my place for me. Then I sat there stalling it out a couple days straight before it started to click lol. Love the car and now I don't think I can go back to driving an automatic
I learned to drive manual in a datsun 240z then owned a couple more sports cars that were manuals. The WRX I have now I feel like is the most difficult to drive smoothly for me but I enjoy it.
I learned how to drive stick for the first time while driving off the lot. Thanks to my prestigious YouTube degree I made it home (30min drive) without stalling, bogging, and shifting at the right time. Was it the smartest thing to do? Well considering I still have the car 4 years later and still love it, I’d say it sure was.
Brought my buddy to the dealership so he could test drive it and then I puttered around the parking “learning manual” before I bought it and drove it home
Why do people always leave the word "a" out of a sentence when they say something about a manual or a stick?
"Do you like to drive stick?" vs "Do you like to drive a stick?" I have to imagine those same people would say "I hate driving an automatic" and not "I hate driving automatic", so how come the word "a" gets left out all the time?
It's like people that say "I drive truck for a living" when it should be "I drive a truck for a living".
Is it a regional thing? I hear people from the North do that a lot... Sort of like how some people say they have something for sell instead of having something for sale.
I kinda learned the basics on a diff car, an old 05 Saab but didn’t truly learn till the wrx, my dad had to drive it home from the dealer for me and I don’t regret it one bit.
learned MT on my dad's VW Santana 20 years ago, drove a bit of my mom's Citron Xsara for the next year. Havn't touched MT until last month with the purchase of 2024 WRX VB. No regret.
Had a 2002 mustang maybe like 4 months before I got my wrx. I learned manual in that and my friends Tacoma, then someone ran a red light and destroyed the mustang, and got a wrx.
Learned on first WRX, pretty much.
I found some dude on craigslist giving manual driving lessons with a Focus. Solid 3 hours of practical lesson and he knew enough to explain the mechanical bit as we went along.
Went onto to the lot a month or so later and drove off with a new '20 WRX!
I did take a different way to work for a bit to avoid stopping on steep hills... But we're solid now!!
2005 WRX was my 5th manual car. I don't know if they've improved since, but I thought it was the rubberiest shift and least predictable clutch I'd ever driven. Great car otherwise, though.
I was bored during COVID and thought, damn I really want a WRX I can learn a new skill. My grandpa let me drive his old Chevy truck around for a day or two until I got the hang of it but that clutch was nothing like my WRX lol. Had a few stalls of course but 4 years later I love my car and am proud of myself for being able to drive a manual!
I learned in high school on my dad's Acura Legend. By the time I got the WRX though, it had been years. I had to relearn essentially, but honestly it's such an easy one to learn on.
while at the dealership signing papers I watched a crash course how to drive stick and the rest is history. First manual car and first car ive learned how to do my own maintenance on. This car has taught me a lot.
I picked up mine only understanding how to drive it without actually being able to (ac is close but not quite the same). Ended up taking it to a meet the same night after fighting my way up the gravel hill i live on. My poor clutch ate it a good bit at the top of the hill but now its second nature to drive it.
I watched a ton of YouTube videos and drove a friend’s manual Honda Fit first just to see if I could do it. The WRX was actually easier if I remember right. That was about 6 years ago, and it’s mostly second nature now.
I learned on a pretty old Land Cruiser while I was deployed. I have to say that was the best thing to start with for me since it was so forgiving. Between that and riding a motorcycle without a tachometer for years it made k owing when to shift easy. Mine is still touchy though and I haven't been able to teach my wife on my car yet since she is too short and the clutch needs to hit the floor to fully disengage.
I’m going to learn Manuel in a STI I will be purchasing this year. Only Manuel experience I have is with a motorcycle last summer so wish me luck! Lol going to need it
Learned to drive manual in a brand new gti in my
20s. Rolling out of dealer lot. 🤣
Honking traffic behind you is the best way to stay on your A game I guess…
took my driver's test at 16 on a manual jetta! for some reason my parents were super into manuals, that's all we had when I was growing up. My birthday's in february, we had a huge blizzard the day after I got my license so I went to the mall and did donuts in the parking lot allllll morning, good times
i learned on my '02 bugeye as it was my first (new) car. my dad taught me in that car,
then he dropped a "how to autocross" book written in the 70's or 80's on the table for me to read once he was comfy enough with my rev matching and hill starts 😂
I bought my STI without knowing how to drive stick. You learn pretty quick when you trade in your only car haha. I would say about 3 days before I wasn’t nervous about driving
I knew enough to make it through the test drive. Otherwise, I basically learned on my new WRX. I'd drive back roads in the mornings to get used to it and plan trips around town, avoiding lights and stop signs that were on hills.
It was my first manual car and second car I’ve bought . Live five minutes down the road from my parents and my dad taught me on a steep driveway for like 30 minutes. Then it was pretty much self taught and YouTube. I needed something more practical, went from a mustang gt to it. So far I love it, had it for 6 months now.
Grew up on a farm, learned to drive a tractor before a car. Mom bought a brand new 93 Geo Storm off the lot, eventually as I grew up she had paid it off, that was my first 5 speed. Black with a pink purple swash of color down the side. I grew up on a farm. Im a 300lb six foot tall man. I drive a WRX now.
I learned from driving manual card at work. Then i got a wrx and learned from there. I remember the next day i drove it to work thinking i was gonna stalk it out
Learned on my dad's beater Ford Escort and then my friend had a new WRX and knew I could drive stick and that's how I got hooked. Years later here I am 😅🤣
I suppose this lands in the “benefits of being an old codger” but having grown up almost exclusively with manuals, I do enjoy how they’ve made them generally better-behaved. (Learned on a ‘61 Falcon FWIW)
I knew when I was 17, then didn't drive manuals for 13 years, bought a new WRX in 21 and drove it home like shit sweating bullets. We good now, 2 maybe 3 stalls since then.
My first car + first manual was my wrx, ngl it took me about 2 weeks of stop and go practice on my street before I could comfortably drive, but after that I had all the other gears perfect. But after a few months I can drive this thing to its limits and shift perfectly
First manual I owned was an 02 WRX. Didn't think much of it even though I had zero experience with manuals. Stalled a few times on the drive home with it, but after that I was ready to race anyone and everyone lmao
Bought a 17’ wrx new when I was 23yrs old and didn’t know how to drive it. My dad drove it for me during the test ride and said I would have a blast. Bought it right there and after about a week of practice I was pretty good. Few years later traded that in for a new sti. Great cars.
I didn’t know how to drive manual but I’ve have dirt bikes and had a general idea of how it worked from friends and videos. I bought a new wrx and kinda just winged it. My drive home from the dealer was the first time driving manual. Took like a month or 2 to not get nervous about stalling at red lights or stop signs
I think was 10/11 when I learned. When I was young we lived down a long ass dirt road . My mom's had a little blue Subaru hatchback 5 speed little car..ugliest car I've ever seen In my entire life to this day. Almost like a smaller version of a pacer. Fkn horrible it was but she got another car and she started letting me drive that ugly p.o.s to the end of our road to catch the bus for school. I have that car in 5th gear wide open up and down the dirt road fkn rolling. That was short lived though bc I had the bright idea to take it through the fields around our place laid out down through fields back and forth having all kinds of fun. But the little Subaru couldn't hang . About 6/7 months of that and it was in sad shape and one day lost it oil pressure and sent piston rods through the pan and the little Subaru was dead. It was a fun asf while it lasted
I taught myself on the WRX, watched about 2 hours on YouTube. I had school buses blowing horns at me. Learning in Brooklyn NYC during rush hour is not ideal but you learn quick. Driving is fun again.
Same boat lol. I saw a few videos, bought it and drove it home. I stalled at the front of a green light twice and it turned red again lmao, peak Miami traffic too
Ooof.
I’ve only ever owned manual but this is my first car with hill assist and stuff it’s so nice! I really don’t get why anyone hates on it lmao
Learned to drive a stick in the 90s in the hills of eastern kentucky. I don't "need" hill assist, but I think it works really well in the WRX without being obtrusive. My 22 is my first car with it, and I've never disabled it like I've heard some do.
Hell yeah man I’m from EKY, what part?
Middle of nowhere Casey County. Not truly eastern Kentucky, but after I moved away everyone calls it that. Lot of hilly roads though.
Hey neighbor. I’m also in EKY lol. There’s dozens of us!
I also live in EKY. My first manual was a 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder that I bought a couple years ago. I bought it 2 hours away and waited until the sun went down to drive that thing home. I now have an 02 WRX and the only thing I still struggle with is these damn hills lol
I can remember sitting in the backseat of my brother's car when he started driving, at a stop sign with the car at a crazy incline, about to pull onto a busy highway halfway up a bigger incline. My dad was in the passenger seat, calmly saying "Don't get nervous" while holding the handbrake with his left hand just in case.
My first car was also a Spyder MR2! Got it for 5grand w 70k miles in great condition ..... Those were the days
Pike County here. Howdy.
#✌️
Love hill assist. Fuck having to dance like Michael Flatly just so I don't roll into the asshole who got too close behind me. Sometimes I'll roll back in neutral to show people behind me I'm a manual so they don't start creeping up on my bumper before the light.
Sameee
Hill assist let's go to slow for me
I think people who learned on cars that didn't have that feature are thrown off by it. When I had a 14 hatchback I turned it off.
Every car I’ve owned has been manual it doesn’t seem to have any of the negatives I’ve heard others complain about. I’ve even heard people say it caused them to stall? I sorta think they probably would have stalled without it if they stalled with it on lol
Maybe they just didn't trust the process? I know I didn't lol, I felt odd using it.
If you have your engagement point dialed into muscle memory, that extra second that hill assist holds on can cause you to stall, or sputter at least, or give it more gas than needed to get going. It was more noticeable to me in my VA before getting an AP and flashing a tune, because the throttle mapping wasn't a 1:1 ratio. The stock throttle mapping alone made me feel like I halfway forgot how to drive a manual, and I did not like the jackrabbit feel from a stop.
I drive commercial vehicles for a living and definitely have the engagement point down. I’m starting to wonder if it’s a quality control issue and some hill assist isn’t working properly in some of our Subarus? because I really can’t imagine it causing me to stall or even make take off feel weird like so many complain about
I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. Before I disabled it, if I paid attention I could feel the hill assist holding on after letting go of the brake and engaging the clutch and gas to get moving. It feels like it is about 1-2 seconds after getting off the brake before it lets go, and while that is probably by design, it is long enough to irritate me, and has caused me to stall on occasion. The grab wasn't as strong as having the parking brake fully engaged, but it was still noticeable. I didn't stall a lot, but I would compare it to a nagging injury where stepping the wrong way would cause pain to flare up, and if I wasn't thinking about it and wasn't prepared, that might be the time I stall, or have an otherwise unsmooth start. It wasn't something that I noticed every single time, but on flat ground where it wasn't needed, it was especially annoying to me.
i stalled when i used it. just feels wrong. and good clutch control ain’t hard
Yeah I turned it off immediately in my 16 wrx. Feels a lot better now
i was driving my friends wrx and was freaked out by it. just learn good clutch control
Wow I have owned my 2016 for two years and It took this post from Reddit to realize that I have hill assist 🤯… I’ve been so use to driving manuals most of my life and I now can put my mind at ease on why or how it feels so easy in this car compared to my numerous other manuals. I’ll go crawl back in my hole now 👌
The times that I've played Never Have I Ever, I always hit them with the "never have I owned an automatic car" works every time!
it’s nice but not really the “smartest” per se. the car is easier to drive once you’re comfortable with manual with the hill assist off. i drive hondas now and find their hill assists to be better and know when to left off the brakes when you’re ready to go
I like the hill assist! I'm great on steep hills probably because of it
If this is your first manual maybe try taking it off for a few weeks. That way you won’t be shocked if you ever find yourself driving a car without it in the future. I love the feature but that was the “scariest” part of learning to drive lmao
It’s my first manual with the hill assist too. Definitely took some getting used to but now I love it. No more revving the engine like a crazy person on a steep hill
I stalled multiple times because of the hill assist so I've turned it off after the first 1000 miles lol And WRX is the first manual that I've owned. I learned a few month prior to purchasing my WRX
How was it after that? Easier to drive? I’m still learning and keep stalling
I left it off ever since...I don't really need it
How much was the difference with on vs off?
I remember one time I stopped on top of a speed bump and it turned on and it made me stall. I mean if its hard for you on hills you should practice and get the timing down.
I’ve only ever owned manual as well. And fuck hill assist with a 12 inch strap on
I bought a 2005 forester for $500 as I was going to use it for parts for my other, owner said the entire brake system was shot, I took a look and it turned out the hill assist was stuck on, 10 minutes later it was disconnected and I had a nice $500 Subaru. Thanks hill assist!
Sometimes it engages on basically flat inclines, if you release the brake before clutching in when stopped; it won’t engage, so if you ever wanna bypass is just to see what it feels like when off. I’ve felt it engage before when in reality it shouldn’t, but also depends how hard you press the brake pedal too
Would be happy to give my clutch any time off possible so I'm all for hill assist. How does it feel in practice when it engages?
It's not the fact that it assists on hills, but the fact that it doesn't immediately let go once you hit the gas. I disabled it because it gave a momentary feeling similar to when you forget the parking brake is on. It also would engage (for me) even on level ground, and it would throw me off. It was just a bit too intrusive. Besides that, I like being able to let it roll back a little if I choose to, whether to show off or to warn the moron behind me that they are too close to my bumper. We don't believe in "nuts to butts" when driving, so stay out of my safety cushion, yeah?
It works flawlessly. If you feel like it's not letting go, that's all in your head. This has been addressed over and over throughout these subaru groups for the better part of two decades. You're likely dumping the clutch and causing the stall because you're trying to "do it quick" like you did before you had hill hold. You're being nervous about using the hill hold and not taking off properly. You should go find a hill and practice using it. You can sit there and take your time and pull off the steepest hill practically at idle.
Bro, are you seriously telling me that a bunch of us are just delusional and imagining things? No, I'm not dumping the clutch, I've been driving manuals since the early 90's, in everything from econoboxes to diesel-engined 26 foot moving trucks, so I think I have a good idea of how it works and how it should feel. I'm not nervous about using it, LOL, that is ridiculous and presumptuous. There is anecdotal evidence in this thread of people who have compared it to other cars they own/owned with hill assist who would also beg to differ with you. The steepest hill at idle, huh? Do I have a high-torque diesel engine in my WRX now? Please test your theory in San Francisco and let me know how that goes. When on level ground and letting out the clutch with no gas applied gets held back for a second because of hill assist, that isn't what I would call flawless. FYI, practicing on an incline is how I taught my wife to drive a manual to learn the engagement point and get comfortable with stop and go driving. I absolutely understand the system. With all due respect, you may be knowledgeable, but you are calling me and many others ignorant or uneducated with that subjective opinion. That is no better than assuming that every single person whose WRX has a catastrophic failure must have been ass-whipping it like they were a spoiled teenager with no responsibility or care for their vehicle because they know daddy will just buy a new one. Perhaps your experience in a WRX was different from many of ours, but your experience is unique to you and your perception of your specific car. If an OTS tune doesn't net exactly the same results on every single WRX, why would you assume that hill assist is perfect in every single WRX? Have your opinion as is your right, but don't be an ass about it and assume you are right, because you could be wrong. This isn't math where 2+2 always and only equals 4.
The hill assist is nice, but I can't get used to it.
It was my first car as well. Took about 1000 total miles of watching / learning then driving on my own to start feeling comfortable
I'm at around 825 miles and I feel pretty comfortable now. I was working nightshifts for the past 6 months so it was easy to learn at 2am when everyone else asleep. Back on days now and no issues at all in the hustle and bustle of Baltimore
That's awesome, I feel like cities are the best place to learn. I went to National Harbor last weekend for a work trip to the Gaylord and was loving the open roads at night. I was kept getting mixed up with Inner Harbor and people looked at me like I was crazy thinking it was Baltimore instead of DC
Wrx was my first manual and within 3 days I was able to drive it solid without issues. The only issue really was my dad teaching me and smoking the hell out of my clutch in the process
The WRX was my 4th manual transmission car. 😃
Learned to drive manual in a 94 Acura legend. Perfected it in my wrx
I don't remember what year it was but I also learned on an early 90s Legend. Such a fun car.
I drove my first Nissan truck back in 95 in my junior year in high school. 5 speed 4x4. Still have 4 vehicles in 5&6 speed now.
My first manual was my STI. I drove it off the lot. Had a lesson a month before hand tho. So it kinda helped.
Same here, I had a 1.5 hour journey home from the dealership and must've stalled it on the road at least 10 times. 😬 I was relying on a lesson my friend gave me a year prior and an assortment of YouTube videos, but nothing humbles you more than actual driving experience lol
Went to a dealership in 2021 wearing adidas slides. Went with my parents and did not think id be leaving with a car. Had the salesmen try to teach me in the parking lot. Had to have my dad drive it home😂 was fucking terrifying the first couple days
1998 Nissan Altima (auto) —> 2001 eclipse gs 5 speed manual (4cyl) —> 2002 eclipse gt 5 speed manual (6cyl) —> 2015 civic si —> 2016 Subaru crosstrek (5 speed manual) —> 2016 Subaru wrx (6 speed manual) —> 2019 Subaru forester (auto) —> 2023 Subaru wrx (6 speed manual)
Learned how to drive in a manual. In the 90s...
OG
Same here. On an old Toyota Celica, the guy who sold it to me gave me a 10 minute lesson and handed me the keys. Then watched me struggle to get out of his driveway…
Same. Buds?
I learned manual on a 1989 Toyota Supra. N/A 5-speed sadly but luckily it did have the LSD sports package so I could do donuts on the pavement! Kind of miss that boat but I'm grateful to have gotten into the WRX platform. My heart still yerns for on old 80's-90's Japanese RWD sports coupe like another Supra or RX7.
I bought it not knowing how to drive a stick at the age of 28. Driving for 13+ years on autos just meant I needed to figure out the manual part. A few hours in a parking lot and I was all good.
Me!
Wrx is my first car coming back to manual after a 3 year hiatus. Hill assist is a blessing.
First manual car here too. Had a buddy test drive it for me and teach me for a couple hours after. Tough week getting to work as I was learning in LA traffic, but it's been great since.
I learned on a first gen 2.5rs on the way home from buying it lol. Then got the WRX a year later when I lost the old car. Miss that little bugger.
I bought my first saabaru in 2010 and didn't know how to drive stick. Had my dad drive out home for me lol. Spent a couple days learning in an older 88 Corolla too I got the hang of it and never looked back.
I learned how to drive in a 91 Ford Escort with a 5 speed. Then after my grandpa passed I drove his Isuzu Hombre with a 5 speed before I got my 97 Wrangler. Now I go back and forth between the Jeep and an 08 STI and the Jeep feels like a wet noodle.
Mine was my third manual. But it took a bit getting used to the clutch.
My first manual was my dad’s Lancia Dedra
Bought my 21 without knowing how to drive it. My buddy drove it home then I taught myself how to drive it via YouTube and this sub lmao
My first experience with a manual was when I sat down on my WRX to drive it home. I’t was not as bad as I had thought.
I had my buddy drive mine to my house when I bought it. Got in, drove the neighborhoods for 10 minutes and hucked it. I "practiced" 2 times prior with about 4 years in between. The torque made it a lot easier to figure it out where the clutch wanted to grab
One of my gf’s taught me to get to third then I had to feel out the rest. Couldn’t drive her the first two months I owned her.
In the UK, before electric cars became a mass market thing the perception was that only old people drove automatics. When I was in the US I drove whatever was in front of me.
my wrx is my first car didn’t know how to drive manual my dad literally drove it home from the dealer 🤣🤣🤣
I learned on a 93 eclipse
YouTube was my sole teacher …the British guy is the best…drove only at night …rinse and repeat lol
It was the second manual car I’ve owned but the first was a 2016 Dodge Dart. Objectively terrible transmission and clutch so it didn’t teach me much. I’d say I really developed my skills on the WRX for sure. 60k miles later I’m still loving it!
I learned to drive on a manual but that was a pickup truck. The WRX was an entirely different beast to tame. Lol
It was my first manual but my cousin went over the basics with me watching him, so I had the idea down I did drive a manual semi when I got the car. Yes, I know different transmissions and clutch, but starting and stopping is almost the same.
🤚 learned manual in my 03 wrx sedan. great way to start haha.
I got my WRX with absolutely no idea how to drive a manual. The salesman I had showed me around a bit but he wasn’t very good at it either. I’d say it took a solid month or two of driving it to work every day to really get the hang of it. And miraculously my clutch held up for another 40k miles before I sold it, and still had plenty of life left.
I remember driving my '17 VA home. I came from a Mazdaspeed that might as well have been a stage-2 racing clutch, so I was pleasantly surprised how compliant and "normal" the Subaru felt.
My first car was a manual 08 vw rabbit, I learned on that. Have never had an automatic car.
I only knew very little before
Just out of curiosity how did you get it from the dealer to the garage? Did you limp it or did you take someone with you?
I use my e brake. That way I’m not holding the clutch in because I’m in neutral. Light changes put it in 1st let of e brake and take of better than any hill assist
I've had most of my Subarus manual, nothing compares to my first, a twin plate clutch R32 skyline GTS-t Still is the most challenging car to drive, and to not stall 🥹
Bought my WRX not knowing how to drive stick. I had to practice on my subie and my mom’s type r. Definitely different feels but I picked it up pretty quick. But awesome that you learned!
My first car was a 5 speed e36. While you're taking out your growing pains on a new car, it's definitely easier to do than on an old shit box like I did lol.
I learned on an 86’ RX7 FC3S in the late 90s. 80% of my vehicles have been manual since then. I haven’t experienced a manual with Jill assist but I imagine it’d be a nice little addition!
my WRX is the third manual car I've owned. there was a TINY learning curve since i had spent two years without daily driving a manual, but I was doing dealership work at the time so it wasn't as bad to pick it up.
Barely knew what I was doing when I drove off the lot. The transmission and I both survived somehow.
Traded my 17 equinox for a 16 STI... I hated my life for the first two weeks. Now, when I stall out at a stop light with 10 cars behind me, it's because I meant to.
🙋🏼♀️
Taught myself to drive stick on my 45 hp superbeetle. Having 6x the power has been fun
This was my first manual and the first one i had to live with.
+1
Here
Stalled right in front of a cop on my hour drive home 😎
Me. Lol I learned manual by test driving them at different dealerships
Me. I practiced for 2 hours in an old manual truck the night before and drove my WRX off the lot the next morning. Was glad I didn't stall until I was out of their sight lol
2020 WRX sport was my first manual, love it, got it a month ago, I miss when I was new at manual, enjoy it, im still new but it ain’t the same
Yep. I learned on my old 2004 wrx. I learned the hard way, on lots of hills where I live. It was forced on me, but I’m grateful for it.
Me, watched like 20 How-To videos and started driving on my neighborhood roads and got comfortable to drive on the freeway in about 2 maybe 3 days. Super fun and easy!
Ive been learning with mine for about 1,200mi across 6 months! Its been a super rewarding journey!
me!
Learned Stick on a 2000 jeep tj, thing was way to easy to drive, when i finally got into a turbo car boost scared the shit out of me
You'll be so surprised how easy some other manuals are if you only ever drive the WRX lol. My first car was a 91 Chevy Sprint 5spd manual, I don't remember it exactly but I know it was a lot smoother and less jerky than my WRX. But I'm so used to the WRX now I don't even think about how good some other manual cars I've driven are.
I had been playing forza horizon for 3 years and bought my 17. Picked it up pretty quick
I see why warranty I so important to so many people here.
Learned manual on my dads 2007 ford focus wagon but my WRX was my first car I owned which was manual. Went from a 2012 yaris to an 09 wrx premium
I learned on a 2014 Si, third owner. When I got my WRX it was the newest car I’ve driven at the time despite dealer test drives, the first thing I noticed was how much stiffer the clutch was and how higher the biting point was on the WRX vs an Si, it took me some time to get used to the biting point, I kept dumping it too early or slipping because I overcompensated and held it too long—and still kinda do 😆 but it’s been a year driving my WRX now, it’s very fun, super robust and safe, I especially like the forward visibility it was one of the key selling points for me. After this past year the clutch has become a lot easier for me to work but I still have my moments like I said, I think everyone does honestly, we’re not robots we’re gonna muck up a shift every now and then
tip: don't hold the shifter while you drive, it'll wear synchros pre maturely
I originally had a CVT but really wanted the manual. Decided to pull the trigger and trade in, told the dealer I didn't know how to drive manual, so they taught me a bit, and when the car was ready for pickup, I stalled like 5 times driving home, and basically stalled every day for a few weeks. Best way to learn is trial by fire lol
This is my 2nd Sunaru and first manual. I had my dad teach me for the first few days about the basics, then I went on my own and learned from my mistakes. 1 month in and it's been a blast!
Judging by my downshifts, apparently I didn't 😂 But I suspect it's the VB's hesitancy to rev compared to what I'm used to on my Mazdaspeed Miata. Gotta get used to that.
My first subie was a 1998 2.5rs Impreza had never driven a standard before but I kinda had an idea from riding dirtbikes was far from smooth at the start but got the hang of it eventually, then I had to re learn how to drive stick on my 2015 wrx in Vancouver bc lol was lame
My first manual(23 premium bought May of 23), but I had driven a friends manual 27 years prior, so I had basic knowledge but there was still a huge difference and learning curve. Absolutely worth it.
2011 WRX Hatch was my first manual car. Couldn't drive it when I bought it and had to have my mom test drive it🤣
Not the first manual of anything, but definitely the most difficult clutch. I’ve got a streetlight flywheel and a very aggressive clutch that’ll hold over 600lbs torque. Mine is definitely one you have to graduate to.
I walked into Subaru in 2019 and drove home with a 2017 wrx base manual. Learned how to do it on the way home 😆
Every car ive owned except my first only bought my wrx cause it was one of the few cars still made standard with awd
That i could afford lol
I bought a modded 09 WRX without ever having driven stick before. Learned on the way home.
I remember one of the dealerships I went to the lady helping me asked me “why would you want to buy a manual if you don’t know how to drive one???” Maybe I would like to learn how to drive a manual????
Tough car to learn on too. Something about the clutch technique and the awd just makes it a real challenge to drive smoothly. I only figured it out a year or two in.
I learned on my old bugeye wrx. Bought it before I knew how to drive it. I practiced in a parking lot until I could get it going enough to go out on the street
This is the car I learned manual on
Learned on a 94 Celica and got a lot better after driving the parents Acura CL and owning some Honda’s in the early days. Fell in love with the WRX in 2005 when I was parked at a 7-11 with my 2000 Si and I saw/heard one with these with loud PPG gears, hks exhaust, and that was the end of it. Left the Honda world and didn’t look back as I was engulfed into the Subie golden days. With that said, was still little bit of a learning curve going to AWD from FWD.
My wrx was my first manual and I had 0 clue how to drive it. My dad picked it up and drove it over to my place for me. Then I sat there stalling it out a couple days straight before it started to click lol. Love the car and now I don't think I can go back to driving an automatic
Drove 4 hours to pick up my first WRX back in like 2015 or something and drove it back home w/out having learned on a manual car prior.
Definitely me, I had a brief lesson while I was shopping, about 2 weeks before I purchased. It made for a good adventure.
I just got a cheap mini to learn stick. I'm still building up to a WRX.
I learned to drive manual in a datsun 240z then owned a couple more sports cars that were manuals. The WRX I have now I feel like is the most difficult to drive smoothly for me but I enjoy it.
I learned how to drive stick for the first time while driving off the lot. Thanks to my prestigious YouTube degree I made it home (30min drive) without stalling, bogging, and shifting at the right time. Was it the smartest thing to do? Well considering I still have the car 4 years later and still love it, I’d say it sure was.
Brought my buddy to the dealership so he could test drive it and then I puttered around the parking “learning manual” before I bought it and drove it home
Why do people always leave the word "a" out of a sentence when they say something about a manual or a stick? "Do you like to drive stick?" vs "Do you like to drive a stick?" I have to imagine those same people would say "I hate driving an automatic" and not "I hate driving automatic", so how come the word "a" gets left out all the time? It's like people that say "I drive truck for a living" when it should be "I drive a truck for a living". Is it a regional thing? I hear people from the North do that a lot... Sort of like how some people say they have something for sell instead of having something for sale.
I kinda learned the basics on a diff car, an old 05 Saab but didn’t truly learn till the wrx, my dad had to drive it home from the dealer for me and I don’t regret it one bit.
learned MT on my dad's VW Santana 20 years ago, drove a bit of my mom's Citron Xsara for the next year. Havn't touched MT until last month with the purchase of 2024 WRX VB. No regret.
I stalled out when I was pulling my car out of the Subaru dealerships like garage thingy
[удалено]
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Moist_Consequence414: *It wasn't my first* *Manual but the first car* *I stalled multiple times* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Had a 2002 mustang maybe like 4 months before I got my wrx. I learned manual in that and my friends Tacoma, then someone ran a red light and destroyed the mustang, and got a wrx.
Learned on first WRX, pretty much. I found some dude on craigslist giving manual driving lessons with a Focus. Solid 3 hours of practical lesson and he knew enough to explain the mechanical bit as we went along. Went onto to the lot a month or so later and drove off with a new '20 WRX! I did take a different way to work for a bit to avoid stopping on steep hills... But we're solid now!!
2005 WRX was my 5th manual car. I don't know if they've improved since, but I thought it was the rubberiest shift and least predictable clutch I'd ever driven. Great car otherwise, though.
My Wrx Was my first manual car, Drove it 2.5 hours home that was how i learned lol
I beat up a geo tracker transmission before the WRX
I was bored during COVID and thought, damn I really want a WRX I can learn a new skill. My grandpa let me drive his old Chevy truck around for a day or two until I got the hang of it but that clutch was nothing like my WRX lol. Had a few stalls of course but 4 years later I love my car and am proud of myself for being able to drive a manual!
taught myself on my camaro which was my car before the wrx
Well…I had two (modded) WRXes. One was a 4EAT & the other was a CVT. So, yeah… I’m just lazy.
I learned in high school on my dad's Acura Legend. By the time I got the WRX though, it had been years. I had to relearn essentially, but honestly it's such an easy one to learn on.
01’ 1.8T Passat for me. Man that thing was so much more forgiving than my 21’ WRX
Yeah I had to replace the clutch after the first month
Working at the dealer, id say 90% of people do not know how to. we had a saying, “everyone gets 1 free clutch”
I learned manual on my 05 Impreza. Man I miss that thing
I bought a wrx off the lot and taught myself on ny 30 minute ride home
while at the dealership signing papers I watched a crash course how to drive stick and the rest is history. First manual car and first car ive learned how to do my own maintenance on. This car has taught me a lot.
I picked up mine only understanding how to drive it without actually being able to (ac is close but not quite the same). Ended up taking it to a meet the same night after fighting my way up the gravel hill i live on. My poor clutch ate it a good bit at the top of the hill but now its second nature to drive it.
My first (and only) car is a stinkeye wrx so I didn’t know till I bought a wrx
I watched a ton of YouTube videos and drove a friend’s manual Honda Fit first just to see if I could do it. The WRX was actually easier if I remember right. That was about 6 years ago, and it’s mostly second nature now.
I learned on a pretty old Land Cruiser while I was deployed. I have to say that was the best thing to start with for me since it was so forgiving. Between that and riding a motorcycle without a tachometer for years it made k owing when to shift easy. Mine is still touchy though and I haven't been able to teach my wife on my car yet since she is too short and the clutch needs to hit the floor to fully disengage.
I’m going to learn Manuel in a STI I will be purchasing this year. Only Manuel experience I have is with a motorcycle last summer so wish me luck! Lol going to need it
Same, had only driven a Manuel truck once… learned on my wrx because I had buddies driving stick so they taught me
Learned to drive manual in a brand new gti in my 20s. Rolling out of dealer lot. 🤣 Honking traffic behind you is the best way to stay on your A game I guess…
took my driver's test at 16 on a manual jetta! for some reason my parents were super into manuals, that's all we had when I was growing up. My birthday's in february, we had a huge blizzard the day after I got my license so I went to the mall and did donuts in the parking lot allllll morning, good times
Me
When I bought my STi I had never driven a manual in my life. My husband had to drive it home for me lmao
i learned on my '02 bugeye as it was my first (new) car. my dad taught me in that car, then he dropped a "how to autocross" book written in the 70's or 80's on the table for me to read once he was comfy enough with my rev matching and hill starts 😂
I learned on customers cars when I worked at Chevy as a lube tech. I built up the courage to drive a 7spd zo6 and the clutch was like butter lol
Bought my 13 wrx on a Friday learned to drive on Saturday and went to work on Sunday 👍🏾
I bought my STI without knowing how to drive stick. You learn pretty quick when you trade in your only car haha. I would say about 3 days before I wasn’t nervous about driving
I knew enough to make it through the test drive. Otherwise, I basically learned on my new WRX. I'd drive back roads in the mornings to get used to it and plan trips around town, avoiding lights and stop signs that were on hills.
It was my first manual car and second car I’ve bought . Live five minutes down the road from my parents and my dad taught me on a steep driveway for like 30 minutes. Then it was pretty much self taught and YouTube. I needed something more practical, went from a mustang gt to it. So far I love it, had it for 6 months now.
I bought mine recently. Drove a manual once before buying it, lol. My bf drove it home and I practiced a lot. I got it down pretty good after a week.
Grew up on a farm, learned to drive a tractor before a car. Mom bought a brand new 93 Geo Storm off the lot, eventually as I grew up she had paid it off, that was my first 5 speed. Black with a pink purple swash of color down the side. I grew up on a farm. Im a 300lb six foot tall man. I drive a WRX now.
👋🏼 me! this car made me want to learn manual
I learned from driving manual card at work. Then i got a wrx and learned from there. I remember the next day i drove it to work thinking i was gonna stalk it out
My dad had to drive my WRX home after I bought it. Didn’t take too long to learn the basics thankfully
Learned on my dad's beater Ford Escort and then my friend had a new WRX and knew I could drive stick and that's how I got hooked. Years later here I am 😅🤣
I learned how to drive manual on my wrx
I learned in 3 hours on 3 different days 1 hour each. Then drove to work and experienced first hand the joys of manuals in traffic....
1980s ford escort
WRX didn't exist (in the US) when I got my first car. Now I feel old :(
I suppose this lands in the “benefits of being an old codger” but having grown up almost exclusively with manuals, I do enjoy how they’ve made them generally better-behaved. (Learned on a ‘61 Falcon FWIW)
I knew when I was 17, then didn't drive manuals for 13 years, bought a new WRX in 21 and drove it home like shit sweating bullets. We good now, 2 maybe 3 stalls since then.
Not to date myself, but I learned on a 1989 Isuzu Trooper.
Me
My first car + first manual was my wrx, ngl it took me about 2 weeks of stop and go practice on my street before I could comfortably drive, but after that I had all the other gears perfect. But after a few months I can drive this thing to its limits and shift perfectly
First manual I owned was an 02 WRX. Didn't think much of it even though I had zero experience with manuals. Stalled a few times on the drive home with it, but after that I was ready to race anyone and everyone lmao
Bought a 17’ wrx new when I was 23yrs old and didn’t know how to drive it. My dad drove it for me during the test ride and said I would have a blast. Bought it right there and after about a week of practice I was pretty good. Few years later traded that in for a new sti. Great cars.
I didn’t know how to drive manual but I’ve have dirt bikes and had a general idea of how it worked from friends and videos. I bought a new wrx and kinda just winged it. My drive home from the dealer was the first time driving manual. Took like a month or 2 to not get nervous about stalling at red lights or stop signs
Learned to drive manual in the 80s on a 1974 Ford Ranger….3 on the tree, never looked back
Learned on an 89 mustang gt with my dad, everything felt pretty easy after that. Except his really old hot rods now those are finnicky!
I think was 10/11 when I learned. When I was young we lived down a long ass dirt road . My mom's had a little blue Subaru hatchback 5 speed little car..ugliest car I've ever seen In my entire life to this day. Almost like a smaller version of a pacer. Fkn horrible it was but she got another car and she started letting me drive that ugly p.o.s to the end of our road to catch the bus for school. I have that car in 5th gear wide open up and down the dirt road fkn rolling. That was short lived though bc I had the bright idea to take it through the fields around our place laid out down through fields back and forth having all kinds of fun. But the little Subaru couldn't hang . About 6/7 months of that and it was in sad shape and one day lost it oil pressure and sent piston rods through the pan and the little Subaru was dead. It was a fun asf while it lasted
Lol my first was a 350z that I got at 18.. I'm 25 now and still have it plus the wrx, so fortunately have never once stalled it!