ChiSquare

My D is 17, has had her license about half a year. She drives the family minivan.

I'm thinking of trading it in for a Prius, and she ain't gonna drive my new car! So, the only other option is our 5-speed Honda.

Does anyone have any experience teaching a teen to drive a standard transmission? Is it just too much to think about for someone with limited driving experience under her belt?

NotReady4Purple

A 17-year old should defintely be able to learn to drive a stick - and it's a good skill to have.

corranged

She should be fine. It will be a little scary at first (for you, especially), but she'll catch on.

vulture3

Personally, I think having the skills to drive a manual transmission make for a better driver. I've taught 2 children to date and will start number 3 (who just got his license) this summer. The clutches of today seem so much easier to learn on than in my day!

dmd77

My son took his driver's exam in my stickshift car. The examiner had NEVER seen someone drive a stickshift for the exam before.

It's much easier to rent a car in Europe if you can drive a stick.

It is not that hard to learn. Really. And there's a real sense of pride once they do learn.

twinmom

I learned on a stickshift. There's no reason not to teach your child.

dragonmom

My first two learned to drive on my old Volvo with a manual transmission. There was lots of family talk about their friends not knowing how to do it, so when we were searching the used car lots for #3 she really wanted a stick shift. (of course the clutch went out soon after we bought it - but that's another tale). She takes a lot of pride in having a skill that most of her friends don't have.
I think that, like any physical skill, it's easier to learn when you are young.

HarrietMWelsch

Same as twinmom - I learned on a stick.

Given that your D already knows how to drive, it shouldn't be hard for her to learn at all. And I agree with vulture3: The skills it takes to drive a standard help make people better drivers overall.

BunsenBurner

Does she have to drive in a stop and go traffic often?

HisGraceFillsMe

Quite a few of my friends learned to drive on a stick, and they all did fine. I also had a few friends who learned on an automatic, but learned how to drive a stick later, and they did fine as well.

dragonmom

ChiSquare, I based that endorsement on the fact that you probably live in a pretty flat place (not many mountains in Mn). If you lived in downtown San Francisco or Seattle, that's a lot trickier. Unlike past generations nobody at steep intersections now thinks "Am I too close? Is he going to roll back a little before starting to go forward?" .
That was something drummed into me when I learned to drive so many years ago.

toblin

Ask any mechanic, and he will tell you:

It is not in the interest of the person responsible for the up keep of a well used standard transmission car to have a novice driver using it to learn how to use a clutch.

Unless of course, you have a spare $1500 to $2500 laying around.

mootmom

Both my sons learned to drive on an old manual transmission Honda Accord. They both say they love the way it feels, and that it's truly the way to connect with what you're doing when you drive. They are the envy of their friends because very few of them know how.

It did seem to come easily to them, even as beginner drivers. It was a little harder on us, listening to them slipping and grinding the clutch until they got the hang of it. I agree with the consensus here that it's a valuable skill, and not that hard to pick up.

maysixxmom

D's first and only car is standard transmission. She's driven that car for 4 years - still has the same clutch! She learned to drive in my automatic. Claims she'll always drive stick - she loves it. The best part is the majority of her male friends don't know how and think she's so cool.

bullwinkle

Absolutely learn to drive a "stick". There's really just some basic concepts to master.

Find a quiet street (cul de sac is great) or a huge parking lot not being used (early morning hours) (I taught my kids how to drive a "stick" in the parking lot at Dodger stadium during the off-season. Lots of space and no one around. Of course by the 9th inning at most games no one is around).

The "trickiest" part I think is learning what to do (and not panic) if you are stopped going up a steep incline and to start up again without frying the clutch.

But, great "skill" to have and your kid will amaze all their friends, most of whom I'm sure cannot drive a 'stick'. Ultimately I also think driving a "stick" requires you to concentrate more and be a safer driver. Tough to be on the cell phone, etc. and otherwise distracted as you can be with an automatic.