Straight out tha brand new toaster!

First, i must say that im loving the car. EXCEPT the fact that im trying to learn how to drive stick in it. Yep, thats right, ive never driven manual before. NEVER! I wish i didnt have to learn on my new baby.

But its really not THAT bad, but im still feeling overwhelmed by it. The only things im havin problems with are getting going from a stop and.... i guess inching forward/backward slowly into parking spaces or whatever.

Ive definitely decided to put off all the mods till i get everything down. i dont want to be laughed at because of a really cool lookin xb(IMO) and a terrible driver. So if you see me stalling out at a light, be kind :hs:


Here are the awaiting mods

16 red gt3'... so what theyre played out, they should look good
tein s-techs
OTG spacer shims for the rear
h&r 10mm spacers for each corner
buddy club p1 lug nuts
short shifter(may not install... stock shifter is already far away as it is)
TWM shift ****


Okay, onto the pics. Stock xb. no options.

 

thats cool that you took the plunge and bought the stick, I think in the long run, you will be better off. The xA was my first car I ever owned with a stickshift, and even though I had driven cars with them before, not enough to get it down. The drive home from the dealership was funny. Most of it will become second nature after driving it for a while. I don't get into a single car, auto or manual that I don't try to push the clutch in before I start it. Just be mindful of the 1-2 shift, there are people that say it is a bit notchy, and they miss it periodically, I've never missed a shift, so I dunno. Just remember to have the clutch pedal pushed until you are in the gear you are looking for.

 

short shifter doesnt mean its smaller
it means the throws will be shorter

 

Nice box! Better to learn use of the manual in Houston rather than the "Hill Country!"

 

Hehe, be happy!! The xB is the PERFECT car to learn to drive a stick on. I wish i could have had my box when i was learning! It could be worse, trust me! I had to learn to drive a stick a couple years ago in my dad's vette

Good luck learning!! You'll catch on in no time and them soon after it will become 2nd nature to you! Don't stall in traffic too much!!

 

Congrats on the new purchase good luck with it and good luck with the driving lessons...

 

i know a short shifters are meant to make the throw shorter. but that doesnt mean the stick ALWAYS stays the same size.


thanks for all the comments. i got up this morning and practiced a whole bunch. only stalled out twice or so and did about an hour of driving. plus going to school.... which im totally stoked about because i didnt have one single problem.

 

omg so true. xB's have the easiest clutch I've ever driven.

Like you Prototype, I learned to drive on a BMW 545i. None the less, the lady at the DMV was impressed by the car so she went easy on me

 

congrats David!
glad you didn't get a tC.

can't wait for the mods to be put on,
but still looks good stock..especially with those pics!

 

i will agree with you guys about the xB being super easy to learn stick on. i work at a car wash, so i move/drive cars all day. when i first started there, i couldn't drive a stick, but one of my buddies gave me a crash course on it. i still have trouble with certain cars (VW's ) but i'll get to the point...i was debating whether to get a tC or an xB, then one day an xB came in to be washed. BCP, 5-speed. after getting in it and being once again amazed at the interior, i went to pull it around back and, i must say, that was the smoothest i have pulled any stick ever, and normally i sit there forever while i'm S-L-O-W-L-Y releasing the clutch, this one i just took right off :D i got out like "that's my car there"

 

My 16 y.o. learned in no time and is now contemplating that her next car purchase be a stick. Her only worry is being on hills. A tip I learned long ago, is if you are on a steep hill and there is a car behind you that you fear you might hit, use your handbrake and release when releasing the clutch. Hey, it's better than hitting them! here are some more tips:
http://www.ehow.com/tips_3234.html
p.s. congrats on getting a stick I had one 20 years ago...yea i know i'm old, but went right back to using a stick. of course I stalled a few times, but it's getting a hang of things, and now I rarely stall.

 

Hey David....congrats mang! You should drive up here on the 19th for the Scion Guys Master 2006 so we could see brand-spankin' new PW. Check our Lonestar Regional if you're interested.

Box looks very clean in those pics. Let the modding begin.

 

stick shifts are like a bicycle, you learn and it is second nature , for the stick rookies out there start to "feel" where the clutch engages - as you let the clutch up slowly, the car will start to move, and if you can get it to put along in idle without touching the gas, you will have the hardest part down. after that is mastered you can sit on any grade and hold the clutch without touching the brake and the car will sit completely still. dont do it all the time because it will gradually wear the cluth out prematurely. then the fun part comes up, driving with your knee, eating a burger, loading a c.d. , talking on the phone, and shifting gears, (joking) and doing it with completely smooth shifts. It will come to you, and when you get into a auto car, your feet will try to find a clutch instinctively. have fun.