Learn to manual.
do you even drive, bro?
Why should i learn to drive stick?
Because it looks cool and this will be you every time you drive? Duh.But more seriously, learning to drive stick* is actually just learning to drive in most parts of the world. While manual transmissions have become an increasingly uncommon part of American culture, they're still very prominent in most other parts of the world. Knowing how to drive one could save your life one day.Plus, it's a much more engaging driving experience, opens you up to a lot more cars, and actually makes you a better driver as a whole, even with an automatic.*stick = stick shift = manual —> all the same thing
How does it work?
You book a lesson based on your level of experience. We meet in a designated, public location in Katy, TX. You do an amazing job and become a lifelong advocate for #SaveTheManuals. You inspire an entire generation to drive stick. Twenty years from now, you're granted a Nobel Prize. It's all pretty straightforward, really.
Beginner: We'll learn the differences between an automatic and a manual, start the vehicle, learn to start rolling in first gear without stalling, what to do when you stall, come to a complete stop, reverse smoothly, and shift into second.
Intermediate: We'll learn to get up to city/highway speeds and safely on the road.
Advanced: Downshifting + rev matching, hill starts, etc. (no heel-and-toe shifting)
Please note that each lesson is an hour long. I'll do my best to cover everything but ultimately, it'll depend on each individual's learning pace. And safety will always be the highest priority so if I don't think you're confident in a parking lot, we won't drive on the road. That's fair, right?
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Beginner lessons are $79 / session. Intermediate and advanced lessons are $89 / session.
Q: Will I be an expert after my first lesson?
A: Probably not. After two lessons, though, you should be reasonably comfortable with it and be able to go from Point A to Point B in a manual car, if you're a fast and willing learner. Driving a manual car is kind of like skiing: easy to learn but challenging to master.
Q: Will I be able to drive any manual car after this?
A: Yup! Any modern manual (i.e. post-1960s) car for the most part. We'll be learning in a car that's reasonably modern but doesn't take care of all of the things very modern manuals do (like rev-matching), so you'll feel comfortable in any modern manual.
Q: Can I know more about you and your credentials?
A: Sure! Here's a little more about me. I do M&A advisory and tech consulting full-time. I actually learned to drive stick shift somewhat recently myself, which is a good thing because I'll know exactly what you're struggling with because, well, I just struggled with it myself. It's something I've come to really enjoy and want to be able to teach others as well!
Q: Do I really need these lessons to learn how to drive a manual car?
A: Nah. But it's probably the safest and cheapest way, especially in the US.
Your other options would be to practice using a friend or family member's manual car, rent one out on Turo*, or just buy an older manual and wing it. No major car rental company offers manual vehicles in the US so that's not an option.
Fun fact: CarMax also offers a 24 hour test drives so in theory, if someone was bold enough, they could convince a CarMax salesman to let them do a 24-hour test drive without ever having driven a manual and if they didn't stall the car on their way out of the parking lot, they'd have a full day to practice for free. Obviously, if you crash, that's gross negligence so I definitely don't recommend doing this and it's totally not what I did either...*Very few Turo hosts would be willing to let someone with zero experience rent their manual car
Q: Can I contact you if I have more questions?
A: Sure! Just shoot me a message using the form below.
book a lesson
If you have a question or are interested in booking a lesson, please fill out the form below.
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