I have to let it out. I felt like sticking with the ol auto but, at the last minute, decided, what the heck, I've never driven a manual so why not this time? I placed my order and chose the 6-speed manual at the VERY last minute. Can anyone share their experiences with me on getting acquainted with a stick shift for the first time? Is it that difficult or is everyone different? How much time usually is spent learning a stick shift? A week or two? Any information would be appreciated.

 

When I first learned how to drive a stick, I found that the hardest part was pulling away smoothly from a stop. You have to let the clutch out at the same time as you press the gas pedal down. If you let the clutch out too quickly, the engine stalls, and if you press down on the gas too quickly, the engine races and you don't go anywhere, or you creep forward slowly while slipping the heck out of the clutch.

Go to a large empty parking lot, and just practice pulling away from a stop. With the engine idling, slowly let out the clutch until you hear/feel the engine start to bog down. Then, slowly press down on the gas as you continue to let the clutch out.

Once you have the clutch all the way out and you're moving forward, press the clutch back in, brake to a stop and do it all over again.

Everything else (pulling away from a stop while on a hill, shifting into higher gears, etcetera) is actually pretty easy once you've mastered engaging/disengaging the clutch quickly and smoothly.

Remember, the key to doing anything requiring any kind of dexterity is to learn to do it smoothly first, *then* worry about doing it quickly. Like my first flight instructor told me - "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast".

 

As ScottRiqui has stated, go to a parking lot and get used to the clutch feel. If you know anyone who has a manual and will let you, practice on thier's before abusing your new car.
Try slowly letting out the clutch without touching the gas until the car idles along. Once you have done that several times, you should have a "feel" for your clutch. Then start all over again adding gas.
Practice makes perfect!

 

If the transmission is anything like the Factory JCW R56 transmission, it is one of the easiest transmissions to learn on.

Some suggestions/comments:
- Use the sport button and only use the sport button OR don't use the SPORT button. Learn on one or the other but be consistent.
- Have someone drive it home, the street is no place to learn, you could cause an accident. Or learn on a stick before hand.
- The friction zone (where the clutch starts to engage) is very short in sport mode, it requires very little gas pedal and the zone is fairly short, so it's easier then non sport mode (IMO). The trick is learning to give it just enough gas so you move forward smoothly. Too much and the engine revs. Too little and the car stalls.
- Also practice on and find the steepest place in a parking lot so you can learn to work the clutch on an incline, this is a very important skill. The hill assist feature is a VERY NICE feature but you only have a second or two before the brakes release. Not all cars have this feature.
- Also practice slow (normal starts) and sort of faster starts, like you need to get out of the way of something about to hit you .
- I think you should be able to enter traffic within 3 hours of learning the basics.
- If you smell something that doesn't smell right, park it and let the tranny cool down, you're probably toastin' the clutch. Don't remain in the friction zone too long, this is where clutch wear happens. Also don't rest your foot on the clutch, not even slightly.

I've stalled my car about 3 times and almost stalled it about dozen times and I've driven stick for a good part of my life. What was getting me was the different throttle maps (sport vs. non sport). They are so different. I loved driving in sport but when I forgot to hit the button, I would almost stall the car at the first stop sign.

I commend you for trying this. This is not so difficult to master. I learned to ride a motorcycle on a Ducati 998. That thing wanted to throw me off and run me over. It was sick with power. But in the end she was tamed (or I was) without incident. Compared to the MINI, the thing is cake Have fun! If you're near Phila, PA, PM me I'll be glad to help you out.

 

I agree with SmokeM 100%.
I have owned several sticks, but the MINI (with the Sport Button off) is very different off the line. I really like the sport button's effect on the tranny. And I'm not talking about going fast and squirrelly. Off the line, it really helps the car move smoothly.

(There is a thread under 'Electronics' in the Modifications Section which talks about a mod that keeps the Sport Button on at all times. I came close to doing it, but I have been pretty successful in teaching myself to hit the Sport Button right after I buckle my belt.)

You're gonna love that you got a manual once you learn to drive it. I think it really gives you all the benefits of the MINI! The Auto was nice, but was a bit too sluggish for me on the test drives.

Good Luck and Congrats!

 

Good advice here. Something else you might want to consider is taking a few lessons from a local driving school. In my opinion, it would be worth using one of their cars (not your friends) to get your standard shifting feet wet w/o being concerned about wrecking your friend's car..or your new MINI. Once you get the hang of it, I'll bet you that the MINI will be a breeze.

I don't drive a stick anymore due to a bad shoulder, but the other day I did drive my friends MCS and it was just as though I'd driven a stick the day before...instead of 10 years ago! Then I test drove the Clubman standard and it was even better.

 

One thing to note is that, if your MINI has DSC, it will come with Hill Assist. This essentially holds the brakes for a few seconds while on a hill until you start moving forward, to prevent rolling backwards.

I spent a couple hours driving around with my dad on empty streets/parking lots for a couple days. Then he dropped me off in an empty industrial park and said (have fun, see you later). Once you understand the concept behind a manual transmission, as well as what each pedal does if you push it in or let it out, it's pretty quick learning.

 

this is the easiest car to learn on, you will be a pro in a day, take it down lots of backstreets and take your time, and go alone..... you will be ok

 

Thanks for the information everyone. It does make me feel better. A few more questions:
How do you make a U-turn if you're only going about 10 mph? Do you go down to 1st gear or 2nd?
How does Reverse work? Once engaged, do you let the clutch out first or the brakes?
How do you slowly back out of the parking spot without touching the gas?

 

Do you have any friends that have a standard shift that you can go driving with and watch them...at least to get the idea of it all? That would be a big help because it will be MUCH easier to understand and learn in real life, rather than reading about it. If you don't know anyone with one, then I would really recommend a lesson or two to save yourself and your MINI a bit of pain. Once you see it and do it, you'll get it!

Meanwhile you might find this helpful:
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/youngd...0/article.html

 

I'm going to second Otra's suggestion that you utilize a driving school--don't have to worry about ruining clutch, and get a professional teacher to boot.

As for how reverse works: just like first gear but the car goes backwards. With the car at a complete stop, brake depressed, in neutral, engage clutch and put into reverse (or first). Keeping clutch in (which means even though shift is in reverse, it is not actually engaged--like being in neutral) take foot off brake. You should be on completely flat land here otherwise you will roll. Slowly, slowly, slowly, start to release clutch and you will start to feel it engage. This is part of what people call 'getting the feel for it'. Each amount of pressure that you release off the clutch you should simultaneously give to the gas with the other foot. Too little gas with too little clutch and you'll stall out. Too much gas and you'll lurch forward. Or too much gas while still too much clutch and you'll rev the engine loudly.

As for backing out without touching the gas: depends on levelness of parking space. May not be possible. 'Having the feel for it' will let you know as you release the clutch whether it needs gas or if it will move backwards without it. It all comes down to getting used to the balance of releasing the clutch and giving gas.

Everyone above has great suggestions but before worrying about the sport-button and hill starts etc spend enough time on a flat open space (parking lot) really getting used to moving in first and reverse. Then move on to U-turns, parallel parking, hills etc.

I learned as a teenaged girl from my mother 20+ years ago. She's pretty neurotic but surprisingly calm as driving instructor. In turn I taught my best girl friend back then; she liked that all I did was quietly murmur 'more gas, less gas, more clutch, less clutch' so I didn't distract or make nervous. If you have someone with you, look for someone not anxious or bossy.

Good luck.

 

I agree with the advice you have gotten. Relax, you will do great. I learned as a teenager to drive a stick, and always drove one until my current car and when I test drove the MINI I found it to be a very easy driving manual (I learned on a 1974 MGB roadster, which was far from easy). I think you will pick it up easily and be very happy with your decision. I agree that a few $$ spent with a driving instructor would be money well spent though, even if it is only for your peace of mind.

 

My parents were insistent that I learned how to drive stick. I pitched a fit but it was the right move. Of course they didn't have a stick, but my brother had an old Jetta with a stick. It was an '88 and IMHO was still the hardest stick I have ever driven. I drove it right into a light pole. They seemed to think real road experience was the best move right away, kind of like just throwing your kid in the pool and not talking the down the stairs.

After a day I was fine. The MINI is much easier to drive than other sticks. I personally think the clutch is kind of tall, which to me means I barely have to push it in. Some clutches I feel like I have to bury.

You will get it. As my dad always said, what if someone throws you the keys to a Ferrari one day and tells you to take it around the block. Do you want to tell them, "No, I can't drive a stick" ?

 

My first car was a manual and I loved it. I've driven automatics ever since and I forgot how fun manuals were to drive until I got behind the wheel of a mini! You will not regret it for a second. Learning how to drive a stick is pretty easy. My best advice is to learn in a gravel parking lot. It helps you to feel the ground better when you first accelerate. You will be lurchy and you will stall out at some point...it's normal it happens to everyone !! Congrats on your purchase!

 

Best way to learn is to have a professional instructor show you the ropes in a one hour session. Then just practice by yourself on secluded neighborhood street. If you choose to have a friend show you the ropes, same thing. Throw them out of the car after an hour. You'll learn much faster when someone is not yapping at you what you should have done. First couple of weeks (especially when you try launching on a steep hill) you'll wonder why you made the horrible mistake of ordering a manual. In another 3 months you will be thanking your lucky stars that you bought a transmission that defines the driving experience of a true MINI: FUN! Both the car and clutch are light enough that shifting is not an annoyance in heavy stop 'n go traffic.

 

1- Pretty much the only time you use 1st is when you're going from a stop or going very slow. I rarely shift into first while moving.

2- Unless on a hill, always let off the brakes before letting off the clutch.

3- Just let off the clutch slowly. When you feel it start to engage, leave it there for a bit before letitng off more.

 

+1. I learned the "let off the clutch while stepping on the gas" method and boy that was difficult to do but slowly I picked it up and Im fine now. But one day someone suggested the "letting off the clutch until the car rolls forward" method. The trick is to just let off the clutch real slowly until you feel the car kind of lurch forward a bit. And it is at that point when the car is scooting forward that you should slowly step on the accelerator. To me, thats the best way to learn stick shift in any car because all clutches are different.

 

If you want to get a feel for what your feet and hands should be doing look on youtube, there are plenty of instructional videos on there, some showing people's feet as they drive

I thought this one was decent, it's a start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lJ-9PAg_eg

 

The Mini's manual transmission is as easy to drive as any vehicle I've tried.
It's "like buttah!"

I learned to drive a stick on a 1936 John Deere tractor.

Bribe a friend to teach you how to drive a stick now.
Offer a couple dinners for parking lot and quiet neighborhood teaching.

The good news is the hills aren't a problem.
You won't slip backwards. The transmission holds on hills after you let off the brake and engage the clutch. That'll help, depending on how flat your hood is.

What part of the country are you in, Beasley?
That's a good name for a car, too.

 

Somewhere in Texas. Beasley is just my username. I just have a habit of giving cars girl's names, kinda like people always name boats after girls. I think I'll call my car Kazzie, something funky like that. I'm still thinking about Stella, the girl from "The Italian Job" so I can see if people can figure it out! See if you can find a post from about a week ago that I put up asking for suggestions on the car name.

 

I have had lots of manual trans. cars. The MINI is very easy to shift. It's a very forgiving car to learn on.

Just don't grind the gears, that can happen if you don't get the timing right on the clutch. Correct clutch use comes with practice. Give it a few weeks and you will be a pro. What others said, find a friend with a manual, go to an empty shopping mall parking lot or deserted street and practice the basics.

Eventually you don't even notice that you are shifting.

Here is a funky video I found on a foreign YouTube type site. I don't know why the guy made it, but it is good.

Best part, the video instruction takes place in a MINI. Can't beat that.

I uploaded it on to my server. Download the file, then view.

http://www.heartinsanfrancisco.com/ShiftingBasics.wmv

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll try that. Ironically, the cost of the auto was another small but influential factor in my decision. With so few manuals being used in this country, why do autos still cost so much? I thought mainstreaming them would drive down the cost. The auto was a whopping $1,100 more! I now freed up that much money to splurge on gasoline or accessories for my Clubman. That's more or less how I looked at it.

 

Aside from the price of the extra parts for the ATX, it's another $1100 companies can make on most cars...

 

Great advice from everyone...You will love the manual, seriously...and you'll get it down, just be patient with yourself. I've been driving stick for over 20 years - even in LA trafffic!

I had a bit of a challenge finding a manual MINI to test drive, had to drive an hour away from my house to find one (and I live near Los Angeles, with lots of MINI dealerships)! People buy what they like, but I'm bias that a MINI with automatic just isn't as fun. I test drove both (because the dealership closest to me had automatics) and the automatic has about a 2 second delay in the pick up when I gunned it, but the manual does not, it's super responsive .

You made a good choice my friend!

 

Maybe you should re-think the name. Maybe it should be Stick or Manuel