On a HILL!! That's where I taught my friend to drive (we were 16). I told her to carefully work the clutch and the gas and don't hit the guy behind you or you lose your car. she is now an expert at driving a manual transmission.

 

I stalled twice leaving the dealership but it was still a happy time for me.
The smells of clutch in the first hour too

 

I started on a straight shift when I was 8 (52 years ago?) and spending some of summer time on grandparent's farm in Franklin County. I started out on a Farmall Cub Tractor helping out (being in the way). I plowed corn, tobacco, pulled trailers hauling water and wood and pulled tobacco skids from the field to the house at priming time and pulled trailer loaded with sticks with tobacco tied on down to be hung in the tobacco barns. Later when I was taller and could reach the pedals good, he let me drive the bigger John Deere MT.

When I started driving a car after awhile driving our family cars, I got a '69 VW Beetle 4 spd ..........

 

I've been riding dirt bikes since I was 4 ( 21 now) very familiar with clutches. I think the first time I got the chance to drive a manual car was when I was 15, dad was going through a phase for a few months and had a Mazda Rx-8(silver) for like 3 months before trading it for a truck (big guy lol)

Let me drive the car home with him after getting a hair cut, of course I was nervous because I knew how to drive it, but didn't have any experience and as we all know, getting out of first is the biggest challenge.

At 16 (I was about to get my license) my girlfriend at the time had a 2005 Subaru legacy (mommy bought)which was pretty fast. She wanted me to drive it, well after 2 minutes she went psycho and told me to stop and switch (I was like hey you told me to drive it! Lol)

Then at 17 my buddy let me drive a manual 98 v6 mustang that he got and then later traded.

Had my truck for over 2 years, then 1 month before my 20th birthday I only had to drive 2 hours to Denver colorado to pick up my 04 Mach 1. Was owned by a very nice older man (in his 60s maybe) car only had 18,500 miles on it and was so pristine when I arrived that I didn't even need to test drive it, simply asked him to start it and handed him the money lol

Pulling out of his drive way (as he watches his beloved car leave) I COULDN'T FIND REVERSE! I knew where it was but was no where near use to the mustang gearbox. Then trying to pull away I felt so embarrassed lol but didn't care cause now it was my car!

Car drives beautifully.

--at the time that rx-8 was a different monster though to experience. For a week straight when coming home with my dad we would see how fast the rx8 could take a 90 degree turn off the highway.

I remember by the end of the week we took this corner at 60! Tires finally broke loose a little and swung out. Lol crazy cornering car for stock... But eats oil!

 

Find an empty neighborhood road, or learn in an empty parking lot. Drive from one spot straight forward a couple rows into another spot, then reverse back into the first spot. Continue until you learn to ease off the clutch.

 

I had the same problem. All I did was watch a few videos on YouTube and then went and bought my manual mustang the next day and drove it 75 miles home without stalling.

 

What's wrong with that? Or do you plan on the test drive like you stole it lessons?

 

I just don't care to suck at driving in front of a random sales person.

Not that it matters anymore, got the car already, and as I suspected it was very easy to get the hang of.

 

heck they let me test drive mine on a 80 mile trip by myself before i bought it. i had to sign a paper and keep it with me so id be covered on their insurance though.