Learning Manual in A Mustang

[PseudoWombat]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

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[CJJon]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

I can't imagine it makes much difference really.

 

[Chadillac]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

You could absolutely do it but I would be hesitant if it’s your only mode of transportation and you don’t have a good weekend to practice. I’ve always recommended learning in older vehicles that are good and broken in. Generally they’re easier to feel/hear/experience what’s happening. (Any friends with an old truck or jeep?) Driving manual isn’t difficult, it’s just different.

 

[BombZombie]

I mostly learned manual driving in a 2005 Mustang GT. Like Chadillac mentioned, if you have a weekend to practice, and preferably a large open parking lot, you'll get the gist in no time. Important thing is learning those "catch points" when moving from a stop in traffic and lights/stop signs, and those first few gears. Practice, practice, practice Good luck!

 

[ALLSTOCK]

Learning manual in a new mustang probably isnt the best idea.

The stock clutch is very vague, and its very difficult to reliably catch the point.

Get the steeda clutch spring if you are determined to learn on a newer mustang. Its a lighter spring which makes the action of pushing down on the clutch pedal require more force.

 

[Weyland-Yutani]

I don't know if they all have it but my car has hill start assist. None of my other manual cars had that and I guess it helps. I also think it's easier when a car has plenty of torque. Mine is a GT but the Ecoboost is still way more powerful that the kinds of cars I learned on back in caveman times.

 

[ORRadtech]

I learned to drive a stick in my father's Ford pick up. 3 on the column on public streets. It's a memory I'll always treasure.
I taught my son in a new subdivision with streets but no houses.
I taught my daughter in a WalMart parking lot at 2am in a car she had to drive back to college alone the next morning.
My point is it's not hard to learn no matter what you learn on.
Though I must admit I wouldn't want to be in a car with 700hp and a learner...

 

[StangTime]

I don't know if they all have it but my car has hill start assist. None of my other manual cars had that and I guess it helps. I also think it's easier when a car has plenty of torque. Mine is a GT but the Ecoboost is still way more powerful that the kinds of cars I learned on back in caveman times.

Hill Assist is cheating. The OP won't learn anything with that on.
Other than that, go for it. It's not a difficult manual to drive.

 

[5.2 liters of democracy]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

Easy. I had only driven a manual car on the street one time before buying this car. The majority of my learning was on this car and it was very simple.

 

[PaddyPrix]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

Heh, I learned in a f'n Cobra with a clutch so hard I had to push my left knee with a hand sometimes... hydraulic clutches are so much smoother and require so much less effort.

It's the same as any other car, and actually, in some ways, it's slightly easier because we have tons of torque, compared to say, some 87hp Toyota Tercel. It's pretty easy to be honest, clutch in, push button start the car. Put the lever in 1st, and very, very lightly start lifting off the clutch. The car starts moving forward, and keep slowly going until you can feel the car no longer fighting you. Take note, that's where the car grabs.

Congrats, the car is now moving, thanks torque! The 19+ cars have cool features like rev matching which make it considerably easier, but you can always turn them off, although I'd advise not to until you've been doing it for a few weeks or months where you've got it down.

 

[shogun32]

Get the steeda clutch spring if you are determined to learn on a newer mustang. Its a lighter spring which makes the action of pushing down on the clutch pedal require more force.

x100. It's not really that it requires more 'force' it's just that you can now tell the difference between spring and hydraulic piston activation. The Ford spring you have NO idea where the hydraulics are being activated.

Surely you have friends who drive something with a stick, be it Civic, Focus, something. The #1 mistake manual drivers make is once they feel the clutch start to grab they just drop the pedal. Unless the engine you're working with is totally gutless, it's helpful to practice getting the car to move without using any gas at all. Once it's in the zone you move your leg VERY LITTLE, think easing up on pressure. If you botch it the key is to listen to the engine RPM drop and IMMEDIATELY increase pressure on the pedal to keep from stalling or experiencing the whiplash effect.

And no, you can ride the clutch all day and you won't harm it.

When it's time to mix in the gas pedal, first practice holding a constant 1200-1300 RPM in neutral. It's amazing how many people can't hold a steady RPM. Then like you practiced with the earlier idle efforts, slowly feed in clutch. If the engine drops to 1000 increase pressure on the clutch and or fractionally add gas. If it drops below 1000 RPM shove the clutch to the floor and come off the gas and try again. THe point is to surf the clutch on the throttle between 1000-1300RPM and be able to do it every single time.

When that is old hat, now add a couple clicks of parking brake (find where the point where the brakes engage) and leave it engaged and practice pulling away. Then do it with another 2 clicks. Next find a gently to more sloped parking lot/hill or business/warehouse loading dock ramp which often have a decent slope to them. Lightly engage the hand brake and practice putting the transmission under load and then releasing the parking brake. Once you got that dialed, do the same but instead of hand brake use the foot brake. If you roll back a couple feet at first it's no big deal. Practice till you can reliably 'catch' the car with clutch+throttle with only a few inches of rolling backward.

 

[VisceralSyn]

I taught my 16yr old niece how to drive a manual in my car. Slow is fast !

 

[Kleiss1]

The newer ones you can let clutch out and motor automatically revs up a little.

 

[Jetnoise]

Does anyone have any experience learning manual in a newer mustang? I've been throwing around the idea of getting one since my last car got all kinds of messed up. I enjoyed the 10r80, but I've been wanting to learn manual for a while. What's it like learning in a mustang?

Easy Peasy.....go for it.

 

[Jza]

No problem learning in a Mustang. Idle produces enough torque to start moving without giving any gas. Perfect for learning on, just watch out for second gear.

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