Hagerty's "teach a kid to drive a manual" events | FerrariChat

Hagerty's "teach a kid to drive a manual" events

Discussion in 'Tracking & Driver Education' started by Alden, Mar 16, 2017.

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  1. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,539
    Vegas baby
    My graphic designer has a girl who just went to Prague to study for 6 months. Before she left she had to go to a driving school to learn to drive a MANUAL because they don't have automatic cars there for the students to use.
     
  2. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    29,386
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    Trailer Swift
    I need to find something like this for people up to 30. I have two younger employees in our group that cannot use the company truck, because they don't know how to drive a stick. :rolleyes:
     
  3. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 11, 2008
    98,539
    Vegas baby
    I've been pretty vocal about this recently. I had to get another car because my Mini lease ran out. My first mini was a stick. The second was an auto and I didn't like it (boring). I eventually got a new Mini but with a stick again (hard to find one!)

    Well, I drive the stick much differently than the auto. I find that I drive it harder because the idiotic auto doesn't shift up all the time to save fuel. I keep the revs up longer and accelerate harder, as well as go into the corners more aggressively instead of "lumbering along".

    Manuals make you drive differently than autos. Its just human nature.
     
  4. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
    988
    Mountain Living
    Full Name:
    Jim
    I wouldn't let a student drive some of those classic cars if I owned them. Then need to learn on a beater pickup truck or worn out Chevy.
     
  5. Alden

    Alden F1 Rookie
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    Apr 25, 2010
    2,903
    Central Florida
    I suppose it might cost you some clutch wear, but the excitement the kids would feel driving a classic and especially a Ferrari would be a memory they would keep forever.

    I wouldn't mind being part of those kinds of memories.

    Also, it is difficult, if not impossible to find a manual transmission pickup or Chevy in the US these days. That is why they ask us to bring our cars. Also, the kids are more engaged because they are driving a classic.
    Alden
     
  6. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    My oldest will be learning to drive in a few years. I'll probably teach her on my BMW 2002, because it's so easy to swap out the clutch. But - she's not going to be allowed to drive unless she learns on a manual.

    I remember my Dad saying "You drive this, you can drive anything". And, he's correct. And that's the life skill I want my kids to have.
     
  7. RumorDude

    RumorDude Formula Junior

    Dec 16, 2003
    605
    Woodinville, WA
    I make my kids learn manual also but it's not really a skill they need. Not because of automatics but rather self driving cars. In another few years kids won't even learn to drive at all!
     
  8. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 11, 2008
    98,539
    Vegas baby
    I learned on an autobox but had to learn to drive a manual because I had to drive my Dad's work truck -- a Ford Econoline van.

    3 speed gearbox on the column! The throw was like a foot each way. Remember when you had to lift the gearshift UP to go into first!

    Those where the days!

    My first car purchase was a used MGB. It seemed like something out of the future compared to that Ford. Next came an Alfa Spider. That was heaven. :)
     
  9. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,488
    Lake Villa IL
    I agree completely.
     
  10. gt1995

    gt1995 Formula Junior

    Sep 3, 2011
    491
    Rockville, MD
    This is outstanding. I hope they have it on the east coast when my oldest is learning in two years!
     
  11. au-yt

    au-yt F1 Veteran
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    Aug 13, 2006
    5,834
    Burradoo... Actually
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    Graeme
    I cannot encourage learning to drive a manual box enough. As a life skill and it makes driving much more involving. I'm on holidays in Tasmainia Australia, some of the best roads and I hired a Hyundai 1.4 litre 6 speed manual and as basic as it is great fun working such a little car along on twisty roads.
     
  12. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    You are so right.

    When I drive a manual, I think I also concentrate on the road/car better. But, that's probably just me. My wife also drives a manual, and this is a conversation we had once:

    Wife: The light with the square and a plus/minus just came on. Is that bad?
    Me: Yes - your alternator is dead. Take it to the shop.
    Wife: I'm busy today. Can I take it Friday?
    Me: Sure - if you want to push it. If you want to drive it to the shop, you need to take it right f-ing now.
     
  13. Topes

    Topes Karting

    Sep 6, 2015
    50
    Charleston
    Full Name:
    Ryan
    I like the idea. I wonder how this could be applied to VR and a racing simulator.
     
  14. Shark01

    Shark01 F1 Veteran

    Jun 25, 2005
    5,687
    We bought our 16 year old daughter a new Kia Soul with a manual about a year and a half ago.....that little Soul took alot of abuse at first with stalling, improper footwork etc....now they are the best of friends.

    Can't do any of that idiotic texting with a proper transmision.
     
  15. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
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    Jim E
    THIS!

    My son came home from college for Spring Break and brought 2 friends with him. He had to drive the whole way (9 hours) because neither of his friends can drive a stick. (2015 Honda Accord Sport, they're still made!)
     
  16. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
    Michigan
    Haha
     
  17. nicholasn

    nicholasn Formula 3

    Nov 7, 2013
    2,232
    North Carolina
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    Nicholas
    The smaller Chevys (Cruze, Sonic, Spark, etc) offer manuals, and obviously their sports cars (Camaro and Corvette) offer three pedals as well. They do offer a 6MT in the Colorado (and platform twin GMC Canyon), but only on the very base 2WD model. You can still get a decently-equipped truck with 4WD and a manual if you look at the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma though. No half-ton trucks are offered with sticks anymore, though curiously Ram offers the lower trim levels of its 2500 and even 3500 trucks with six speed manuals.

    A Miata would be a better car to learn to drive a manual in than a classic Ferrari. It would take some time to go through the gears smoothly due to how close the first couple of gears are, but in my (brief) recent drive of a first-gen 5MT model, it was very easy to get used to, and I think it would be easier to learn in than some of the other manual cars I've driven. The Jeep Wrangler would also be a good truck to learn how to drive a manual in, especially because so many young people seem to like it.

    Personally I think that manual drivers are better drivers because shifting through the gears keeps them involved in the driving experience, which in turn keeps them focused on actually driving instead of doing other things.
     
  18. dakharris

    dakharris Two Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2001
    29,441
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    Cavaliere Senzatesta
    This is great! Clutches are expensive. So nice of these owners to sacrifice theirs for our children. I learned on my mother's Mazda station wagon. No way my daughter was going to learn on my Ferrari or my Lotus.
     
  19. Kaivball

    Kaivball Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2007
    35,997
    Kalifornia
    Max is turning 16 this fall...

    I need to find a low powered rental with stick shift...lol

    Kai
     
  20. dakharris

    dakharris Two Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2001
    29,441
    Sleepy Hollow
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    Cavaliere Senzatesta
    Good luck finding a domestic car rental with a manual. What about the lemon?

    On her 21st birthday I let my daughter try to drive the 550. There's too much clutch slippage but then there's also not enough! She learned what 420 lb-ft. of torque can do. It scared us both so much that we traded seats after about 100 feet.
     
  21. nicholasn

    nicholasn Formula 3

    Nov 7, 2013
    2,232
    North Carolina
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    Nicholas
    Just get a $3,000 Civic or something like that. Rentals are impossible to find with manuals because so few know how to drive them anymore.
     
  22. FamilyCar

    FamilyCar Formula Junior
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    Sep 26, 2007
    655
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Peter Goodall
    My kids are definitely learning manual. Think about travel--in much of the world there are almost no automatics and it will be years before they get electric.

    We were just in Costa Rica and the 5-speed SUV we rented had a pretty dicey transmission, probably from too few "adventurers" knowing how to drive them. We watched someone pull out of the rental lot that clearly did not know how to drive a manual, but at least I missed the gravel shower they threw up.
     
  23. Kaivball

    Kaivball Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2007
    35,997
    Kalifornia


    The lemons car is a good idea. I just need to install a passenger seat and belts.

    Kai
     
  24. swift53

    swift53 F1 Veteran
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    Nov 17, 2007
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    Alberto
    Everyone should know how to shift a manual transmission. It is a 'must' in life.

    Regards, Alberto
     

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