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I was reading "to downshif or not" ... I am planning to buy a 5 speed lx, but I have no prior experience of driving a stick. will I be able to go to the dealer and drive one home in one piece? I mean will it be easily screwed up? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]

 
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if you grin every gear on the way home 50 times

 
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^^ what do you mean "grin your gear"? sorry for asking this newbie question. ^^

 
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he means GRIND your gears

btw most dealers will be happy to drive the car to your house

 
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I got mine home in 1 piece. All the stick driving I had done was just 2 test drives. It is not rocket science. Make your feet work with your hand. It may not be the smoothest ride ever, but I how can you buy the car without trying to drive it in the first place? It would also look pretty dumb if you went up there, signed and paid for a car, then got back into a different car, just to have someone from the dealer drive it home for you. Then what? You're going to take it out and do the same thing you would have done trying to drive it home. Just go to the dealer at some off traffic time (like mid morning during the week), pick it up and drive it home. If you really feel worried, get someone who knows how to drive stick to go with you and help you along. Also that way, if you have too much trouble, someone you know can drive the car home for you, not some dirtball from the dealer.

Oh.... Learn to upshift first. Then worry about downshifting, matching revs, etc... If you can't make it move, theres no reason to learn how to slow down. When you have to stop, just put the clutch in, put it in neutral and stop with the brakes. Just don't forget to put it back in 1st when you have to go again.

 
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IF you're a n00b to driving stick, don't even bother trying to downshift ~ let alone managing to upshift. Just coast on neutral and brake until you figure it out in a parking lot.

 
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I wouldn't be worried about grinding gears as long as you get the clutch all the way in. My problem when I learned how to drive my first stick was that I stalled out my engine 50 billion times. I hated getting lights on the way home, I would have just rather to run them than to stop and have to get back into gear.

 
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I got my car before I knew how to drive stickshift well...just get someone who does know to get it to your place, and then learn...no worries!

 
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Then, later, we can teach you how to "double-clutch F&F style" [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

 
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LOL [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

 
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I would personally get somebody from the dealership to drive it home for you. When u 1st learn how to drive stick the pressure trying not to stall it is only amplified by the traffic around you. Take it around your block and learn there where there is no pressure, you will get in an hour or two.

Some tips on how to learn. (how i was taught)

Start on a very mildly downhill street, put the car in 1st and leave the clutch in. Let the downhill get u moving a bit and gently let out the clutch and give it a bit of gas at the same time. I found its a lot easier to find the point of clutch engagment while your moving a bit.

Dont be afraid to give it gas. You can actually redline the car (not suggested though) but as long as u let the clutch out slowly, u wont chirp the tires, or stall.

Last but not least. When getting going from a stand still and u feel the car is going to stall, your 1st reaction will be to drop the clutch and give it gas. Relax and just push the clutch back in a bit. Next time just give it a bit more gas, and try again.

Following these steps I learned to drive a stick in literally 5 mins. (Much thanks to Bob, ur the man.) But it still took me about a week or so before i was fully confident on the streets. Just take your time, and dont be intimidated by other drivers behind u. Once u get it down, you will love it, Im never going back to auto.

 
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try and get some practice and some concepts down before you go and take it home. Buy the car and maybe leave it at the dealership untill like a buddy of your can show you with his car or something (that is your in that big of a rush to buy a civic).

Overall it's not that hard driving stick. It's habbit forming, that's the way I see it. Good luck on finding cheap LX, I have a LX sedan and it's a five speed, only paid under 13 grand for mine[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] I had 96 protege that was a five speed, so I knew how to drive manual when I bought it. In fact my right hand was broken when I drove it home (imagine driving with your hand in cast and shifting gears)

 
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I didn't know how to drive a stick at all when I got my LX coupe. I had my father go with me
and drive it home - since I would have had to drive in rush hour on US19 here in Florida
(very busy road, anyone who lives here knows!). When we got home, I learned to drive
in about 10 minutes, after stalling 75 times, lol. But it was cool since there was no
traffic in my neighborhood, I didn't fell pressured. It is so simple once you learn the basics.
Thats not saying I am the best, since I still haven't mastered it, but you can do it
and you'll be surprised at how quick you'll be driving. I was nervous for like 3 weeks in
heavy traffic - but theres no need to be, just follow what ya learned and it can be damn fun!
Hope this helps, good luck!!


P.S. Another thing that helped me was after I learned the basics, I went driving alone,
I seemed to get the hang of it quicker that way.