I love driving stick, but I'm going to have to teach my wife when the tC comes in. She doesn't see the point and wants me to get an auto. We were talking about it last night, and I believe the metaphor she used was, "buying a TV with a circular dial for changing channels instead of one that comes with a remote; and then calling it more fun."

The last manual car she rode in made her carsick. She went to Chicago on a class field trip back in college and rode with a guy that, apparently, doesn't know how to shift properly. I know it's more fun. I know it gives you more control over the car. And I know I shift better than the guy that made her carsick. I think I might be able to convince her 'cause the tC shifts at 29 and then 55 - she'd be doing 95% of her driving in 2nd gear.

Any ideas how I might convince her?

 

The best thing to tell her is how advanced the clutches now a days have gotten. They are so advanced that they virtually drive themselves. Themn the next best thing wold be to show her. Take her on a test drive in one and show her how the car starts in first gear without even pushing the gas pedal. You can do this by releasing the clutch slowly and the vehicle will start moving by itself. When you show her this, she will see that the clutch system isn't like it use to be where you actually had to nail the timing just right or your car would start jumping all over the place. Also something that works is to show her how easy it is to change gears. While you are driving let her know that you want her to switch gears for you when you push the clutch. Then when your driving, push the clutch and let her change the gears for you so she can actually feel how easy it is to switch gears. Doing these steps should help her to regain confidence in 5 speeds. This is the method I use to sell 5 speeds to people that don't know how to drive them. I've done a couple like that on a tC. And now they love it to pieces. Another comment, you have better control of the vehicle in a 5 speed over your gears and such, and not to mention that 5 speeds require less maintenance. I hope this helps.

 

Man, I didn't know that you could start a manual in 1st gear without the gas! That's awesome. The only manuals that I've driven were older ones, and it's been nearly 5 years since I've had the opportunity.

Having her shift from the passenger's seat is a great idea. I should have thought of that one - that's how my Dad taught me to drive a stick (years before I was actually old enough to sit in the driver's seat).

I'll give that a try, and I think it'll work. I think she's got illusions about exactly how hard it is to drive a manual - she asked me last night if you had to shift when braking.

 

hey i had the same problem when i bought my xB, except my father and mother wanted me to get an auto...i ended up convincing my dad that its more fun (being a man he understood this lol) and i convinced my mother on the extra mpg's you can achieve with a stick, the assistance it can give you when braking, and also the extra $700 bucks that looks mighty good in my pocket rather than invested in an auto transmission...i'm sure your wife will like that $700 bucks too lol

 

teach her to drive one, thats how I convinced my wife. Now she'll never go back! We own two manuals, and wouldn't even think about an auto again.

 

The XB has got to be the easiest manual transmission to drive. The driving position may have something to do with it. Go for the manual. It's a lot more fun and let's you control the power. My 15 year old son has no problem driving the manual XB.

 

If you'll pardon some ignorance on my part, why do manuals require less maintenance than an auto? The Corolla that my wife has is almost 0 maintenance, save for the little kinks that showed up when I started commuting an hour to and from work.

 

I shift to third at around 20-25 mph and forth around 30-35mph. I think 55 would be redlining it in second for sure.

As for learning it, I think the "let off the clutch slowly" stratagy is the best. The key is to get the feel for the friction point. There are lots of good web sites that have guides on learning stick. http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp

Good luck.

 

Ah... I haven't actually driven one yet (tomorrow!). I was just going off of what someone posted were the recommended shift points in the manual.

 

I'm going through a similar situation with a friend who is going to buy an auto tc but i'm trying to convince him to get a man. tc instead. For me, the cars i had prior to owning my manual xB were automatics. Now that i think about it, i wish those cars were manuals because manuals ARE fun to drive, are alittle quicker, and are a little better on gas milage..........so on so forth. Learning to drive a manual is easy (but it takes time to get to know how to) and its fun........stalling, lurching the car while driving is fun to laugh at :D Just do it at an empty parking lot. And if she is still sceptical, tell her manuals are different in all cars and that she should give it a shot. It won't kill her to try. Just a question of curiosity; Is it your car or is it a car that will be shared between you two??

And remember, Manual is your friend!!

 

as far as the tranny goes, manuals require less maintenance. there isn't as many parts in a manual. the most you're looking at when you have to repair a manual is clutch.

 

That is correct, in manuals you don't have an automatic tranny that has hundreds of moving parts to go wrong. Which on Toyotas usually don't run into any problems like that. But in essence that's why. Also the clutch on the tC's is a bit diff. than the one on the xB's. The xb clutch is very simple but the tc clutch clutch has triple syncronizers that virtually allow the clutch to slide between gears seamlessly. It's awesome.

 

i drive a manual.. my first, and i will probably never go back to automatic again!

how safe is it to have some shift for you though? for the passenger, it's like shifting from the Japanese configuration (right-handed driver, left-side shift), and the orientation is backwards. it might not be as intuitive cuz the H pattern is still the same, right? also, if they shift wrong because of that you might not be able to gear right and will stall and get into a wreck or something.

i guess the only safe place would be in a parking lot

 

I have not driven a manual for the part 6 years and I felt like I have to pick it up again. What is that synchronizer actually do? Is it a mechanism that allow a smoother transition from one gear to the next? Even though I have no trouble to drive shift, but I feel bad and was teased by my date :oops: because I have not found the balance point and shfit smoothly, especially 2nd gear. Well....I just gotta practice more, I guess.

 

I like driving. With automatic it took me hours and hours to somewhat quench the thirst for driving. With 5-speed I have fun going to work (2 miles)

Not sure how can you make a person like 5-speed. It's an enthusiast thing, but with certain skills it allows for safer driving - that might be a positive point for many people.

 

That is correct HARMAN the syncronizers are for smoother shifting between gears. It's set up to be easy to pick up and go. No break in period required. Even if you have never drivin one, this set-up will be perfect for you. See if they have one on the lot that you can drive. The 3-sync shifter makes it effortless to shift. If you don't beleive me try it out and shift with one finger. It's that smooth and effortless.

 

I know the Corolla I owned had the sync in it. It was my first 5 speed, and I was little nervous about it at first, but it took me all of about three days to become comfortable with it. My dad, who hadn't driven a 5 speed in 19 years said it was so much easier to shift with the sync than in his old Dodge Omni.

I also know that I'll never get an automatic tranny in a car again.

 

you should tell your wife what my mother told me. "all women should know how to drive manual". its that simple. I fought my mother tooth an nail because i was afraid to learn but what i told her was that i didnt want to learn. it was just the fear of learning something new but she made me and im glad she did. because when your out with friends and the driver has a manual and he's too drunk to drive, you'll be really glad you learned.
every car that ive owned has been a manual. i find that not only are they fun but they make you a better driver. i am more in controll with a manual especially in bad weather or snow. unfortunatly when i get my tc it will be automatic because i have a bad left knee and i live in jersey and city and parkway traffic from the shore is hell but if things were different i would definitely get a manual. theres nothing like it.

 

Definately more control, but my father is buying my car, and won't let me get the mtx. :?

I'm not too sure about the tC cuz I only test drove it in mtx, but in my current car (mtx), the need to shift all the time, keeps me in the know of what speed I'm going approx. it keeps you a little more alert imo...

I aslo forgot to add, that a good reason to know how to drive stick is in the case of if she gets a ride somewhere with a friend who has a stick...and say they get hurt, and she has to get them to the ER, it would benifit her to at least know how to drive one.

 

you can start the car in ANY gear as long as you have the clutch in... i think most cars with high torque will move when you slowly engage first gear without the gas...

bascially, i think you're learning the basics of driving. driving autos really stunt the driving experience because all you're learning to do is mash the gas pedal (absolutely NO offense directed to atx drivers mind you... some of you are driving because you have no choice, or BY choice even... it's just an opinion of mine)

plus, it's always good in an emergency. this is a true story. i had a friend at school who drives manual. while at a convenience store with him and three of our friends, he had a seizure. the nearest hospital was two blocks away, but no ambulances were in the area. i was the only other person that drove stick so we rushed him to the emergency room. after that experience =p the rest of our friends learned to drive just in case something happened like that again.