Taught My Daughter to Drive a Stick Today...

[zerbitini]

in my 6 week new 135i. I'd have preferred to rent a car for the training, but sticks aren't available.

Six stalls in a row before we got going, but from then on everything was smooth. She never stalled it again.

It takes serious self control to stay cool, keep smiling and be reassuring as your clutch gets dumped and the car lurches to a halt... repeatedly. The hill holder clutch was invaluable.

Someday it'll come in handy for her.... and as importantly, I'll be able to say that I taught her!

[bmwsam]

You're a great dad! My dad taught me when I was 16 on his BMW and now that's all I drive. Just be patient

[jeremyc74]

I've taught a couple of girls how to drive manual transmissioned cars over the years, and you're right....it's not easy to watch them do it wrong multiple times as your clutch is cooking, but it's worth it when they get it right.

[CrazyIvan]

Something I dont have to worry about, I have an auto. But I do want to teach my kid how to drive a manual. A few years from now, like 14

[Tom K.]

Don't think I'd do it on my 1er - my hat's off to the OP!

I taught my daughter many years ago on a Renault LeCar (55 hp & even less torque, IRC). The shift linkage was so bad that engaging 3rd involved skinning one's knuckles on the radio and 2nd & 4th seemed to reside in the rear seat area. But she was very determined and actually managed to find 1st on almost every other try. Of course on the Renault, clutch wear was the least of our worries.

Tom

[BForbes]

I taught about 6 people on my S2000 over the years. I had to explain to them they need to REALLY rev it up to get her moving in 1st. It's not the same thing with the 1er.

[miro2296]

My wife needs to learn, but still hesitant to teach her on my 1. I might have to give in and let her learn.

[Addict...Nah Im A Junkie!]

Cool dad alert!!!!! I'm sure your daughter will have fond memories many years from not about her dad.

I remember sitting on my dad's lap when I was four and steering while he worked the pedals and shifted. 2 months later he let me help shift when he clutched in. It was a rather fun experience that I remember to this day many many years later.


To teach someone, the key is to go to the dealership with said family member etc and test drive a 2 seater car so that the salesman cannot come. Then go to a empty parking lot and have an initial lesson. Bring car back and repeat with your own car if they got it well enough to not fry your clutch.

[Dr_Jones]

my father let me try in his 330ci back in 2002. The lesson was short

hats off!

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by BForbes

I taught about 6 people on my S2000 over the years. I had to explain to them they need to REALLY rev it up to get her moving in 1st. It's not the same thing with the 1er.

That's very true. I think teaching them on a car like the S2000 would be more difficult than the 135i because it's easier to kill it without the right amount of throttle application.

I think the 135 is probably pretty neutral. It's not completely lacking in torque "off idle", but at partial throttle it's not a monster either. I taught a couple of people in the GTO, and that was pretty easy. All you have to do is basically let the clutch out slowly and it's off. The thing would pull out in 3rd gear so easily my brother (who knows how to drive stick) did it a couple of times without even realizing he was in 3rd until we got moving. (aftermarket short throw shifter made it hard to tell). The problem with that was, when they got into something normal, they didn't really understand why it was so much harder to get going.

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

That's very true. I think teaching them on a car like the S2000 would be more difficult than the 135i because it's easier to kill it without the right amount of throttle application.

I think the 135 is probably pretty neutral. It's not completely lacking in torque "off idle", but at partial throttle it's not a monster either. I taught a couple of people in the GTO, and that was pretty easy. All you have to do is basically let the clutch out slowly and it's off. The thing would pull out in 3rd gear so easily my brother (who knows how to drive stick) did it a couple of times without even realizing he was in 3rd until we got moving. (aftermarket short throw shifter made it hard to tell). The problem with that was, when they got into something normal, they didn't really understand why it was so much harder to get going.

I learned to drive stick on a 1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R my uncle owned. THAT was a touchy clutch with a very narrow engagement zone and no torque low down. I felt horrible for weeks afterward for the abuse I put on it.

[cagekicker]

you are the man!

[randomquickness]

My dad taught me when I was 12...in hay fields with a 70-something dodge truck. I think it was a 4 speed even?

congrats! I believe everyone should learn to drive a standard!

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by randomquickness

My dad taught me when I was 12...in hay fields with a 70-something dodge truck. I think it was a 4 speed even?

congrats! I believe everyone should learn to drive a standard!

I learned originally on a '67 Jeep Wagoneer with a 3-on-the-tree, in a hay field as well. There was so much slop in the linkages it was impossble to tell what gear it was in.

Later on when I actually started driving I perfected the skill in an S10 with a 4 speed.

[Tom K.]

My first car was the ideal vehicle for learning to drive a stick - an old, well used '52 Dodge with fluid drive. Unlike the semi-automatics of that period, this was simply a standard 3 speed manual (synchro on 2nd & 3rd) with a fluid coupling included between the engine and clutch. While the clutch was normally used, one could stop the car in gear with the clutch engaged and the coupling would slip enough so that the motor wouldn't stall. You could actually keep it in 3rd all day long, although the honking of cars in the long line behind you was encouragement enough to downshift.

As I got proficient in driving a stick after a couple of years, the coupling began leaking so I simply had it welded shut and effectively converted it to a standard MT.

Tom

[Zuzu]

Well done..Its not an easy task in the beloved 1er.

I tought my three kids how to drive stick... Two boys and a girl..And the amazing thing is that my 24 year old daughter is the only one that has remained driving stick..

[JimD]

I taught myself to drive a manual as did my son. My first car was a 66 mustang 6 cylinder with a 3 speed manual. You had to slip the clutch quit a bit to launch it but I drove it home after buying it. My son's first manual was his 77 Ford Pickup. 300 inch 6 and 3 on the tree. He finally let me drive it last weekend (he's had it several years). It is not an easy or fun vehicle. Light steering, stiff clutch and brakes. Lots of torque. I had no trouble but would prefer to drive one of mine. But it saved me setting up my fold-up trailer to get a few pieces of wood.

If I were to give my daughter a lesson, I would use my Suzuki SUV. It has more low end torque and it's 3 years old. The 128 is probably easier to drive but I'd rather she abuse the Suzuki. My son gave her a lesson in his Suzuki SUV (which was mine at one point) and she managed to get it to move but he said she was pretty rough. She hasn't asked for another lesson.

Jim

[themyst]

Oddly, the salesman who sold me my 350Z back in '02 was the one who took an hour to teach me how to drive stick. After about 5-6 stalls and bogs, I was good enough to take it home.

[SlickShift]

Props for using the 1er! Good to see parents teaching their kids to drive a manual car.