Want to buy a GT350 but cant drive a manual!

Ok guys the GT350 bug has officially bitten me. I have a couple deals lined up but the only problem is I don't know how to drive a manual. Am I crazy to buy one of these without knowing how to drive one? I'm thinking I'll be ok and can learn pretty quickly but I would love some feedback. I have some friends that will help teach me but they don't have manual cars at the moment. Thanks!

It's a fairly easy car to drive and having the hill assist will definitely be in your favor....if it were me I would try to learn on another car if possible. I am not sure if there are rentals anymore with manual transmission but that would be a good place to start...good luck!!!

Thanks yeah I can't find any rentals, or schools in the dallas area that teach how to drive a manual. Maybe a good business idea

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I think the better course of action would be to buy a daily beater with M/T and drive around for a few months, then go for it.

If I'm not mistaken I think [MENTION=17459]altjx[/MENTION] learned how to drive manual on his GT350, maybe he can chime in.

i don't think you would enjoy grinding a gear in that nice car or stalling it every now and then. Get a cheap front wheel drive manual or something then see if thats even somethig you like. Thats what i sincerely believe you should do. Either way though you wont be making a mistake, just that one decision is obviously more prudent.

I personally think The GT350 is not a good car to learn manual on. The throttle can be touchy, the clutch feel SUCKS, and it's just a lot of friggin' car. I mean, do what you want but just be aware it's not going to be easy, at least in my mind.

I have had mine for 10 months and still I am not able to teach my 21 year old son how to drive this car. It makes me cringe when he takes it around the block. Touchy throttle and this clutch makes learning on this car terrible.

Thanks for the feedback. Good advice so far

Fwiw I had only driven a manual once in the last 20yrs and was fine hopping right into the R. That once was a 370Z loaner a few yrs ago when I bought my Maxima. I actually felt more pressure not to screw up with it. I will say the very first takeoff in the R was at midnight in a huge indoor open garage with a very slick concrete floor at the dealer with 2 base 350s right next to my car and several people standing around...#no pressure. Smooth as silk

I think I stalled once on the drive home on a hill at a light from not paying attention. No other issues but I also bought my Focus ST a week later to daily drive and get tons of additional practice driving the stick.

IIRC Blaze was the forum user that learned to drive his literally on his way home from picking it up.

My son never drove a stick before. So he bought a VW GTI on purpose just so he would have to learn to drive it on the way home. It worked.

A colleague at work did the same thing buying a 911. It worked for him too.

Mine has perfect clutch and perfect throttle. Probably best clutch I've ever owned. Been driving sticks since 10 years old (seriously). I think I drove a stick car for three years before I learned how to drive a clutched motorcycle at 13. We has those Honda non-clutched motorcycles when I grew up.

You can do it. Have a friend help if needed. I'm sure any friend would love to help in these circumstances.

That's encouraging! That must have been alot of pressure driving that bad boy out of the dealership!I have a Tacoma and a Harley as well so I'll have a little time to learn.

MikenDallas said:

That's encouraging! That must have been alot of pressure driving that bad boy out of the dealership!I have a Tacoma and a Harley as well so I'll have a little time to learn.

Click to expand...

I presume your Harley has a clutch? You're 90% there. Use your left foot instead of your left hand, and your right hand instead of your left foot.

There's a bunch of GT350 owners on this forum from the DFW area. They seem like real nice guys. Hopefully one of them will see this and offer to help. BTW, my M3 clutch sucks compared to my 350.

PencilGeek said:

I presume your Harley has a clutch? You're 90% there. Use your left foot instead of your left hand, and your right hand instead of your left foot.

Click to expand...

Very true! I think I'll be ok... it was very easy to learn to drive a motorcycle.

PencilGeek said:

There's a bunch of GT350 owners on this forum from the DFW area. They seem like real nice guys. Hopefully one of them will see this and offer to help. BTW, my M3 clutch sucks compared to my 350.

Click to expand...

That would be incredible! I would love just to ride shotgun