Manual Transmission AND Daily Driver

[DarkneSS]

I drive to the city everyday and this is my first manual car. After 16,000 miles I dont even think about it anymore and stop and go or hills arent scary.

[Edge.128]

manual and DD here (in the summer anyway) and my winter car is a manual so i guess both... anyway been driving manuals for approx. 14-15 years love it and wouldn't go any other way (until we are basically forced to)

[Nvincent4708]

This isn't my daily driver but I drive manual all the time. My Colorado I5 is manual, once you get used to it. you can do it in your sleep.

[Mud]

Manual: Fun to shift, 26 extra horses, no AFM.

Long commute or not, get the manual, you won't regret it.

Autos are OK. Just not for me. Not on a Camaro, anyway.

[Trevorw24]

Manual and DD here. I got a manual at 16 and taught myself. I now love hills where I can practice my skills. The best way to avoid falling back is to be patient and work the clutch and hold your position with the clutch. As far as putting it in neutral at stop lights I would not recommend this. You need to be able to move quickly in case something happens. So having to shift to first and being a new manual driver is not a good mix. Also, cruising down the road with the clutch in is also a bad idea. The car should always be in gear when driving past 3 MPH. Lastly, don't worry about stalling, it takes practice. At 21, I'm near perfect. Stalling isn't an option

[nancygrl]

The Long Island Expressway, GW bridge, both tunnels, NJ Tpke is no fun either in stop/go traffic. But you will learn verrry quickly. Hills, eh, maybe a big deal at first but with practice - piece-o-cake.

[1SSLOW]

Thats funny...cus I am actually using my camaro (6spd) as a daily. I commute about 26 miles to get to work (total of 52 miles, round trip). Its all freeway during rush hour, round trip. When traffic is going like 3-5 mph..i keep it in 2nd/3rd or even 4th gear and slowly creep up. When I am really bored...I put it in 6th gear and see if I can get it rolling..lol.

It sucks, but you get used to it. I have been doing this for about a year and a half now. I am def looking into getting an old honda or something as a daily, cus the ls3 sucks on gas. lol.

[Edge.128]

Originally Posted by 1SSLOW

Thats funny...cus I am actually using my camaro (6spd) as a daily. I commute about 26 miles to get to work (total of 52 miles, round trip). Its all freeway during rush hour, round trip. When traffic is going like 3-5 mph..i keep it in 2nd/3rd or even 4th gear and slowly creep up. When I am really bored...I put it in 6th gear and see if I can get it rolling..lol.

It sucks, but you get used to it. I have been doing this for about a year and a half now. I am def looking into getting an old honda or something as a daily, cus the ls3 sucks on gas. lol.

lugging your engine much!! wouldn't recommend doing this beyond 3rd gear not good for your engine at all.

[c-dub]

Yeah the only time having a manual is no fun is on hills -_- but i don't live in hill country so I'm not that bummed out about it. I drove an auto 2001 z28 for a year before getting my current 2ss/rs and I needed the 6 speed!! and to be honest I don't regret the decision at all ESPECIALLY since my wife can't drive stick means she'll never try to steal my car or something...jk jk I've actually offered to teach her but she's afraid of the LS3 power! I'll sometimes put her hand under mine when I'm driving like a maniac just to remind her about the beast under the hood...no reason that I'm sharing all of this other than...yeah no reason at all get the M6 and don't worry if you stall a few times at first, it's all a learning experience.

[Cbrenthus]

I've put many more miles on sticks than autos, had several sticks as DDs. Here are my tips:

1. Put in neutral but stay on the brake when stopped. Don't know why anyone wouldn't keep their foot on the brake at a light.

2. Find a parking lot with a hill, especially at a school or something where you can go on a weekend and practice with no one around.

3. If you have a little extra cash, go rent a stick shift box truck uhaul for a day. Seriously, drive one of those suckers around, practice on some hilss where you don't have to worry about your clutch. Then, you got the hills down with a much bigger vehicle with much worse clutch action and shifter feel, when you get back in your car you'll be amazed at how easy it will be.

4. Don't overthink it. Especially on hills, they really aren't any different than starting on the flat. Its when you start thinking about being on a hill that you get nervous, aren't as smooth, and it becomes an issue.



Also, don't listen to anybody tell you how to drive a stick if they grew up in FL . Seriously though, some of the things I've heard:

"How does it feel having a stick and not having to keep your foot on the brake at a light?"

"Oh, hills are easy, you just rock back and forth until the light turns green" - this one I have actually seen on numerous occasions. I guess there aren't enough hills down here to learn properly. I grew up and learned how to drive a stick in Pittsburgh

[DarkneSS]

Another tip, you dont roll back as far or as fast as you think you do on hills so take your time and try not to get nervous.

[mikel441]

I have driven manuals on long haul commutes since the mid 90s. My Camaro is not the DD. But, the Tercel seems to handle the I5 experience just fine. Even with 242+k miles on it. Honestly I prefer the manual.

[Cbrenthus]

You can also heel-toe a hill start if some jerk is right on you tail.

[Edge.128]

if your really unsure on a hill even after praciticing you can use the ebrake to help hold you but really this is all pretty extreme stuff.... seriously a few hours in a parking lot with some hills and you will be good to go. at most you may roll back a few inches and the more you think about it and stress the worse you will be. and i have taught a few people and have had them purposly stall a car and re-start it to get a feel for that also so when it happens you know and can recover quickly.