Recommendations for stick shift driving lessons in Auckland, preferably westgate / central.

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Recommendations for stick shift driving lessons in Auckland, preferably westgate / central.

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#3078487 22-May-2023 09:34

wellygary:

You don't need an instructor,

You just need to find someone with a junker with a stick you can have for a couple of days to get back the muscle memory of using the third pedal.....

Yeap! I think so too. I need to get that going again. I just don't know anyone with a Junker haha.

Someone has reached out and offered to let me practice on their car though and I'm stoked! This community's been awesome.

Dynamic

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#3078489 22-May-2023 09:39

Nikras:

Dynamic:

Unless something has changed, Sylvia at TDS has a manual and operates around the Westgate area. Home - The Driving School

Note this is not a recommendation.

Thanks! The link is flagged on Google Chrome as deceptive for some reason. I have gotten some pms for recommendations and someone has been really kind in letting me practice on their car on some days.

Ahhhh it looks like their web site SSL certificate expired earlier this month.

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Nikras

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#3078491 22-May-2023 09:39

Scott3:

Given you have a full license and just need to practice manual driving skills that have subsided over time, I would just rent a manual car for the day, and spend several hours in traffic / urban conditions.

An instructor might be able to flag bad behaviors you have formed, but much of the skill is clutch control which is largely practice.

Manual rental cars aren't super common these days, but as an example the single cab hilux at the below link is manual.

https://www.metropolitan.co.nz/our-vehicles/utes-and-vans/

Obviously this depends on you backing yourself to get the rental car off the rental lot without upsetting the staff, but I bet the staff see people struggle with the manual's all the time. And I suspect you will be willing to be a bit more agressive with RPM etc on an older rental use, than a nice manual only performance car (I assume). Also performance cars sometimes have clutches that are more difficult to handle than other vehicle types.

Thanks for this. I was thinking of a rental but at the same time, I did not to make a fool of myself trying to get the car off the lot and stalling again LOL.

You're right about performance cars, but like you said, practice! :)

Technofreak

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#3078492 22-May-2023 09:47

You'll know you've got it properly sorted when you can do a hill start without having to use the handbrake and can time the use of the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals to move away smoothly. 😎

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Bung

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#3078495 22-May-2023 09:49

Just remember if you're planning to buy a "performance" car that even if it's owned by a little old lady her grandchildren will have thrashed it. I had a neighbour who kept bring home turbo Subaru and Mitsubishi but by the time he could afford them everything was worn out.

Nikras

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#3078498 22-May-2023 09:55

Bung: Just remember if you're planning to buy a "performance" car that even if it's owned by a little old lady her grandchildren will have thrashed it. I had a neighbour who kept bring home turbo Subaru and Mitsubishi but by the time he could afford them everything was worn out.

This is good advice. Yes, I am looking to get a Civic type R. A dream of mine from young. If there's any time to get one and learn how to drive it, it's now.. right before they become history.

I have heard from a colleague who knew someone who often rides the clutch... and in due time, completely wore it out (the car was only a few years old).

Wombat1

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#3078509 22-May-2023 11:05

How do you forget to drive a stick shift? its like driving a bicycle, it just comes back naturally. We went through a phase of not having stickship cars for over 10 years, I am back to driving one again and could not say I had any hassles re-learning.

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tweake

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#3078537 22-May-2023 12:26

Wombat1:

How do you forget to drive a stick shift? its like driving a bicycle, it just comes back naturally. We went through a phase of not having stickship cars for over 10 years, I am back to driving one again and could not say I had any hassles re-learning.

if he spent 99% of the time driving auto then i doubt he spent much at all driving stick. not enough practice for it to stick (bad pun not intended).

ben28

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#3078543 22-May-2023 12:47

Ned Music from A1 Driving does manual Central Auckland Driving Lessons, Driver Training Auckland | A1 Driving School

Just one hour should be enough.

Earbanean

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#3078634 22-May-2023 14:32

Technofreak:

You'll know you've got it properly sorted when you can do a hill start without having to use the handbrake and can time the use of the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals to move away smoothly. 😎

How do you do a hill start without the handbrake?

Earbanean

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#3078635 22-May-2023 14:35

Earbanean:

Technofreak:

You'll know you've got it properly sorted when you can do a hill start without having to use the handbrake and can time the use of the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals to move away smoothly. 😎

How do you do a hill start without the handbrake?

I've done an 'emoji miss'.

Nikras

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#3078636 22-May-2023 14:43

ben28:

Ned Music from A1 Driving does manual Central Auckland Driving Lessons, Driver Training Auckland | A1 Driving School

Just one hour should be enough.

Thanks! Ned's busy till next month, but I've found Kevin King through A1 so I've booked a slot with him.

mudguard

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#3078697 22-May-2023 15:55

Wombat1:

How do you forget to drive a stick shift? its like driving a bicycle, it just comes back naturally. We went through a phase of not having stickship cars for over 10 years, I am back to driving one again and could not say I had any hassles re-learning.

I don't think it's so much forgetting. It's the odd little thing. I have an old EG Civic with an Integra Type R motor. Under normal driving you have to shift about 3500-4000rpm, which is fine for me or my brother. But anyone else gets in and shifts at a normal RPM and just bogs or the revs drop too fast (very light flywheel) and they bunnyhop.

I drive about 50,000kms for work in an auto and hadn't driven a manual regularly for over a decade, (but previous 15 years was all manual driving). It's more driving in nose to tail that I remember how tortuous it can be as everyone else just rolls along essentially at idle.

Nikras:

This is good advice. Yes, I am looking to get a Civic type R. A dream of mine from young. If there's any time to get one and learn how to drive it, it's now.. right before they become history.

Well depending which Civic Type R you're thinking of getting... The new ones, FK8 and FL5 have rev matching and a lovely clutch so it's an absolute dream to drive, and coming back down the box there's no need to heel and toe!

Technofreak

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#3078727 22-May-2023 17:38

Earbanean:

Technofreak:

You'll know you've got it properly sorted when you can do a hill start without having to use the handbrake and can time the use of the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals to move away smoothly. 😎

How do you do a hill start without the handbrake?

Very easily, in fact probably easier than using a handbrake once you perfect it. There will times on steeper slopes when the handbrake option is necessary.

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tweake

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#3078730 22-May-2023 17:44

Technofreak:
Very easily, in fact probably easier than using a handbrake once you perfect it. There will times on steeper slopes when the handbrake option is necessary.

correct. i have had a couple of vehicles that have dash mounted handbrakes, right in front on my left knee. which makes it really hard to use the handbrake and clutch at the same time.

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