Aaron

Hey all, I would like some advice on how I should go about teaching my wife how to drive a manual transmission. I don't want to limit her from driving my car (it will be very minimal), but we do take long, no stop trips (14+ hours) and I will need her to know how to drive my car. She doesn't necessarily have to like it, I just need her to be efficient at doing it.

About 6 years ago, a friend let me keep his Jetta for 10 after a quick tutorial, and I just struggled through it until I had it down. He has offered to help her, but I think she may need professional instruction. I can even get a little better myself, but after his experience and then riding motorcycles, I'm pretty decent. BUT, if I try to teach my wife, it will end in divorce...so, how have you guys accomplished this? Should I call around to some of the driving schools and see if any of them specialize in manual transmission training. I haven't seen anyone advertise for this service, but I know it has to be out there. I also don't want to use my car during the initial training process.

This also applies to any wives that have had to teach their husbands.

zippers525

I know there are racing schools that do things like that. Don't know of anyone private. If she learns on your car, you should wait until it is 100% broken in. You don't want her messing up the brand new engine.

pennetta

Take her to a large parking area and practice starting from a stop and then stopping from a roll. She should get it pretty quick. Next practice from a stop going up a hill. I think those are the hardest, other than a panic situation, things to do.

speedracerF4i

It's really hard to teach your wife how to drive a stick. I've tried it without avail. It has been done though, but it is hard. That's why I bought SMG this time around, expecting that by eliminating the clutch, my wife would be able to drive my car. As it turns out, it wasn't the machanic of shifting that turns my wife off, it was the mental aspect of shifting that turns her off.

When she drives my car (rarely), the radio must be off and the conversation must be kept at minimum in order to not distract herself. She does not change lane frequently, misses exits and stop signs.

So, I would recommend that your wife practice the concept of when to shift, with you driving, before getting behind the wheel.

zippers525

Couldn't you just put it in "Auto" mode?

LuvE60

The manual tranny should be easy to teach. Worry more about the Idrive. My wife is just plain afraid of it. She went to take my car to work the other day, got have way down the driveway, couldn't figure out how to work the radio, got out, and took her car.

zippers525

Haha. If you never teach her, she'll never want to drive you car

speedracerF4i

No, the Auto mode sucks. The lag is unbearable, even with you timing the shifts using the gas pedal. The only thing that AUTO does well (SMG) is downshifting.

twh

You might try this method I finally came to use when teaching my daughter to drive a stick...

(1) Go to some large, mostly deserted, parking lot. A church or someplace like that which usually only has cars at certain times. It must have large flat areas.

(2) The hardest thing for newbies to learn is the interplay between letting the clutch out and giving the engine some accelerator without stalling the car or smoking the tires.

(3) Start by having them first master letting the clutch out and not stalling the car. I do this by telling them to *not* touch the gas pedal at all. So, they basically master letting the clutch out and feeling it grab without stalling the car. Once they let the clutch out and the car is moving with no accelerator, have them push the clutch back in and then come to a stop.

Do this over and over until they master letting the clutch out without stalling the car, but *not* using the accelerator at all. Do this on a level area. Master this in first gear and forget about the other gears for now.

(4) Once (3) is mastered, let them add the accelerator to get started more seamlessly in first gear.

(5) Once (4) is mastered, changing gears is easy.

(6) Now add an incline start. By now, they know the feel of the clutch grabbing and when to add accelerator and how much. Starting on an incline will still require some practice, but they have the basics.

Things like down shifting will come with time.

Andy E61

Why not come to Europe for a vacation and bust a couple of rental cars to get her used to what all our wives and girlfriends over here do every day. It aint so tricky - it just takes a little practice.

Find a deserted lot and play kangaroo for a couple hours, it'll soon get worked through.

Good luck!
Andy