I'm new at manuals and I just ordered my Scion tC Classic Silver with manual trans. I'm moving to LA and I'm super excited about it.

Is it hard to learn on it? Please discuss your experiences with the clutch/shift.

Anybody make any (minimal $) upgrades that made huge differences?

 

If youve never driven stick, it will take a while to get used to it, but youll be OK. My tC is my first stick, but Ive driven plenty of sticks before. Be grateful you have a warranty. As far as mods to make it better to drive, get a short throw shifter. I have the B&M and absolutely love it. It shortens the throws but not the stick. Others like the TWM short throw short stick, but its stick is too short for me. Youre looking at about 100-150 for the shifter and an install of less than an hour...unless you suck at working on cars.

 

Shifting in the tC is pretty Easy. I hate the lock out for down shifting though. Sometimes When I am crusing at 55 and I want to down shift to 3rd the lock out screws it up.

 

Ive neer had it lockout on me...only into 1st while rolling...are you matching your revs?

 

it seems that EVERYONE is getting some sort of mod on their shifter and/or clutch. is this imperative? is the standard shifter/clutch that bad? i don't have the money to purchas the auto so i'm going for the manual -- will i be fine?

 

The stock shifter is fine, but once you put the shifter on it, you will never go back. Its just has a lot more positive feel and the shorter throw makes it easier to find the gears.

 

its about 1000 times easier to drive than my old all wheel drive talon, which had an ACT 2100 clutch. when you learn on something like that, driving anything seems easy.

 

what's the difference between the "stock shifter" and "the shifter"....?

 

Sorry...I meant the short throw shifter

 

the stock shifter is fine...so is the clutch. when you come to fourums like these, youll find that most people are car enthusists. and thus mod anything they can. personally when i take delivery im putting in a short shifter ASAP. i got used to one years ago and its just nicer IMO... makes driving easier.

if you are movinf to LA though, i would of gone auto... traffic can be a killer. stay away from sport clutches. these typically require more force to put in. and thus about 30 minutes on the 405 in deadlock, youll curse the sales man that sold you the AM clutch...and maybe evn the one that sold you the car (god fobid)

 

I learned stick on a my friend's Subaru Brat 11 years ago, then drove a Ford Thunderbird SC for about 6 months in 1995. Haven't touched a stick until I got my tC in March. Picked it up right away with no problems. Felt like a complete beginner again but shifting on the tC is cake, so it only took a couple of hours behind the wheel to feel comfy.

You'll have no problems. The tC is forgiving.

 

so you'd highly suggest the tC manual but not for people in LA?

what do people from LA think?

 

well if you are going to be in traffic alot...then maye not a manual. but you should be fime. its just a sacrifice you make for hoving more fun with a manual. cause lets face it... driving a manual is more fun. i drove a auto SUV for the last 3 years and let me tell you im itching to drive my new tc...when it gets here that is...

 

I got my tC, BSP, with manual trans on 4th of July. It took me only 2 days to learn. Practiced about an hour each day. I stalled about 5 times on the first day 'n my take off from first gear was a bit jerky... On the 2nd day no stalls 'n a much smoother take off.

 

b4 my tc i'd never driven a manual before. after a couple hours of practice and dedication to perfecting my shifting , it got really easy. two and half weeks in i got stuck in traffic for 2 and half hours, and it was cake. some people r jus prissy when they get stuck in traffic and have to do a lil work

u'll have fun as long as u love u car

 

i almost bought a TC in manual i learned how to drive it in 5 minutes its super easy

 

I have a 15 mile drive to LA everyday and I havent complained about having a stick once, and I drove an auto for the last 10 years.

 

I believe TWM has two models now. One, is the original that shortens the **** height. They also made a second one that keeps about the stock **** height and still has a shortened throw (very similar to the TRD, I think - probably a little shorter throw than TRD).

I plan on getting one eventually. I might go for the new TWM with the same **** height. The TRD would be nice, but I've heard its just not much of a reduction.

TRD claims 20% reduction with stock **** height.
TWM Stage 1 claims 25% reduction with .5" **** height drop (not bad).

The TWM Stage 2 is the 35% reduction, but drops the **** by 2.5" (too much, IMO).

http://www.twmperformance.com/shorts...rtshifters.htm

 

Just remember one thing: when people say "it took me X days to learn stick" they mean just to learn it. Once you get the basics and you can get the car moving relatively smoothly and without stalling, you can say you learned stick. The thing is though, it usually takes a few months before people actually get good at it. Once you can do 100% smooth take-offs, go up hills no problem, and parallel park in a tight spot on a steep hill, you can say you really learned how to drive stick.

 

I learned to drive stick in an 85 colt vista -- i was 8...So with any luck, you should be able to pick up on it pretty quick (and by no means was I a SMART 8 year old..or talented ) Funny now that I think about it...it was white...it was box shaped...and well, it looks like a distant cousin to what I have now...WIERRRRRD.




The only thing I would be worried about as a newbie to driving stick...is stalling on hills, especially when you got people RIGHT on your ___...thats so irritating! Cuz then you'll stall it, start freaking out cuz it seems like it takes 20min to get the car out of gear and restarted. Then people start honking at you, your still freaking out, and then you stall it again. Then the Jackass behind you is REALLY mad when the light turns red, cuz he has his nose so far up your butt, he couldn't go around. Just dont make the same mistake when it turns green again...that didn't happen to me, it was a friend of mine...yeah, thats it...a friend of mine