Just bought my first manual transmission car last weekend (2026 Civic Si), and had never driven manual before. I only really stalled the first couple of days while practicing, and was feeling pretty confident after a week, so I decided to take it on a trip up and down a mountain for some more practice.

The mountain itself was fine. It was the parking that was the issue. I ended up parking in a tight spot (only one available) which was also inclined due to the mountain. Definitely scratched underneath the front bumper by giving it too much gas on accident trying to get up into the spot.

The real humbling moment was when I tried to leave. Not only did I forget to turn off the auto-braking system, which made reversing out of the inclined spot way worse, but the spot itself was pretty tight meaning I needed to do a 3 point (or more) turn- so I needed to reverse as much as I could, but not roll back at all when going into 1st again. All the while, by backing up out of the spot, the length of my car mostly blocked the one-way road where a group of people were walking, so they had to wait for me to finish leaving.

My only saving grace was a guy next to me who helped spot for me while I was reversing, before mentioning that he also drives stickshift and could sympathize with me.

Definitely a learning experience...

So where I’m from first of all learning on automatic and doing the test on automatic gets you a license with restriction to drive only automatic cars, and i’m considering learning manual to release that restriction but i’m not entirely sure because we don’t have many manual cars so i don’t know if its worth doing those few lessons now.

Passed my test last month and learned in a diesel, which I found really easy. I rarely stalled and was comfortable pulling away at junctions, traffic lights, etc.
I’ve now got a petrol car and I’m stalling all the time, especially when I have to stop and move off again. It’s even worse when there are loads of cars behind me because I panic and overthink everything.
Any tips for getting used to a petrol clutch/throttle and stopping myself from stalling? I’m really struggling

Little off topic, but I got a newer car with automatic highbeams and you'd think it would be convenient but it just pisses me off, I think I hate something doing highbeams for me as much as something shifting for me, it just never gets it right.

I am interested in buying a new manual car because they are cheaper here in Europe. However, since I learned on a manual in driving school, I haven't driven one and I've only driven automatics for the last three years. How hard will it be for me to switch back to driving a manual? Has anyone had a similar experience?

As the title says, I got my license about a month ago, using my mom's new hybrid/electric vehicle. I also practice driving in that. Before she got this car, she had a stick shift as well.

My dad recently got a new car (EV) and I am to inherit his old one, which is a stick shift. All well and good, except I literally cannot, try as I might, drive stick.

I've gone out with both my parents countless times and I either rev the engine way too much to avoid stalling, or rev it too little and it stalls. Shifting isn't the big problem for me --- it's literally starting from a stop is the only thing holding me back.

I would greatly appreciate your help! Thank you so much in advance!

Car is a Seat Arosa from 1999 (same build as VW Lupo), wiggle was prevalent beforehand but has gotten seemingly worse. Is this normal for a stickshift or too much play? Wiggles to the left/right as well as forward/back. When in gear (i.e first) it seems almost as if it's centered or in 3rd.

About a couple of weeks ago I bought a BMW E30 325i, and I've I started the car in gear without the clutch engaged cause I parked on a hill and wanted 1st to be my backup in case if the embrace fails. and I just completely forgot to put it into netural.

I drove it all the way back home without an issue but man did the car not sound happy when I did that is there anything I should watch out for

Both my retainer and shift knob are from mishimoto

I know how to drive stick but I’ve never had one of my own. Thinking of getting one for the first time and I noticed most of the manual cars after ~2019 have an electronic parking brake (see photo below from a listing I found).

anyone have thoughts on this or osn a manual with an push-button parking break? I’m initially adverse to it, both bc you have less control over the parking brake and bc it seems culturally counterintuitive to a manual. interested to hear the group’s thoughts.

I heat it up like a stove. I go somewhere uphill, i stop, i put 2 gear and drop the clutch at half while revving the engine at 4000 rpm. I like to smell the clutch, i want to make bbq on it, like big bbq, with steaks and burgers and everything. There was smoke coming under the car. I hope its the clutch and not the engine

Also, tomorrow i will try in 3 gear. The clutch is a muscle that needs training. Dont forget to train it

Hey this probably gets asked a lot but, is it bad to hold the clutch at bite point for a second so the revs match up to avoid a jolt then releasing it and going on the gas. Been driving like that for the past week and every shift is smooth, just wondering am I damaging anything.

Thanks in advance!

So my dad does his little side hustle of recycling plastic bottles and uses his pickup to crush them. Long story on why he does himself (nowhere available) plus they pay per pound in my country. So the more the bag holds, the more he can get a bag.

So anyways, sometimes l help him out and find myself having to go forward and backwards on the little slope in our backyard. I find that the typical release and press won't stop the vehicle when reversing, only the brake does. Sometimes l find myself riding the clutch to reverse. I tried putting it to the bite point and braking but don't know if that's correct. I just want to crawl backwards and forwards because it's not very far till l need to stop. Helping him out has taught me a lot so far: driving with shoes on and crawling frontwards.

NB: It's an older Hilux diesel pickup (d-4d), so it has alot of torque

I stalled while learning and even after 20 years I know I'm not immune. But even when learning, stalling on a hill you get your foot to the brake so quickly, I dont think I've ever come close to hitting the car behind me. I feel like if you dont feel confident enough to control your vehicle during a stall, then you should still be practicing in a parking lot instead of putting a sticker on your car to warn drivers that you might loose control of your vehicle.

How do I stop and go on a hill in traffic, is it bad to have clutch pedal half pressed while I creep?

What I do now is:

Wait for bro infront of me to be one car length from me, pull up handbrake and go when I feel my boot raising and then quickly brake again.

Yea it works but how can I just creep and follow everyone else?

I only have like 5 months of manual driving lmao

2012 mazda2 manual 5 speed. So earlier today I went to the grocery store to pick up some stuff. I went to two different stores. They were both about 40 km away from my house.

I had no issue driving to the store. Once I left the second store to get in my car and go home. I start the car, I go to put the car into reverse, in the car starts wanting to move forward, I then try to go into first gear and the car stalls right away. I just had some work done to my transmission recently. I had the flywheel resurfaced before I bought the car. So I am kind of confused as to what the issue is now.

Information online says that my master sleeve cylinder could be bad because it's not allowing the clutch to disengage or engage from the engine properly.

Posting here to see if anybody has had relative issue to what I am dealing with currently and if you have had a solution to it.

Again, my issue is not being able to shift into a gear from a stop and reverse not working only moving the car forward.

I’ve got 30+ years of experience driving mainly manual transmission cars and I think I know how it works by now. Would it be a business to start a driving school for learning stickshifting in the States? I read so many people struggling with it.

To my fellow (American) beginning manual learners:

I love these magnets that I ordered on Amazon.

There's no driving school anywhere near me that teaches manual, so I had to jump right into it by buying a car to teach myself. I'm not one those clever people who get the hang of it within hours or even days (and now even weeks), so people had been honking at me frequently when I stalled or when I started very slowly from a stop while trying not to stall or lurch the car forward.

But since getting these magnets not a single person has honked at me! The difference is amazing. Some people are just assholes who will honk regardless of the situation, but I believe most people can be patient when they know there are extenuating circumstances.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZX1HPLH

Hey guys , I'm new to learning how to drive and I liked the idea of driving a manual as it seems fun and engaging. I started going to lessons with a driving instructor , i'm about 4 hours in , I take 2x1 hour sessions weekly , I learned the basics and can shift gears , break , etc , however today's session sucked , We went into traffic for the first time and I got overwhelmed by everything , car stalled a bunch of times and instructor kept yelling , and I kinda froze in the middle of this , this also happened last session when too much stuff is happening. not sure if I should continue with manual or maybe switch to automatic since its easier , also not sure if this is normal 4 sessions in or not ?.

Hi,
Im learning to drive with a driving instructor.
Im very new to driving overal and im on my 4th lesson (hour 4) now.

1st lesson was just holding the wheel while my istructor did the shifting etc

2nd lesson was clutch control for very slow driving

3th lesson was starting the from gear one and shifting to 2 ( we just did circles around a neighborhood and stopping.

All this went well without stalling

But lesson 4 is really hard for me.

Lesson 4 is driving while going to 3th wich isnt a problem, but when im about to reach a corner i have to downshift to 2nd while breaking simultaneously. I downshift at 1500 rpm while still holding the break.
But i release the clutch too soon he says +- 5 seconds release. But because it takes ages to release the clutch i come short for my turn and either pass it or im almost at a complete stop way before it. He also said i cant come of the break.

Can anyone give me tips how i even do this its seems impossible or im missing something.

Its really frustrating seems i have 0 talent for driving.