Quote:
Originally Posted by jdesclafani
i drove a sti which is the first higher HP manual car i ever drove and didnt stall it...had an easy time adjusting....i think ill be good by the time i get the car
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Here's a seldom mentioned tidbit that is cruelly hidden from most new drivers learning to drive stickshifts:
It's actually easier to learn on a bigger engined vehicle with plenty of torque than to learn on a wheezing little econobox...
Why?
Because you are a lot less likely to stall a car with an engine that makes decent torque down low especially when trying to drive off the line with normal traffic, than trying to get the launch down just right with a car that has a gutless torque-less engine.
But I wouldn't put the Mazda3 in that category anyway. It has a decent little engine 2.0L or 2.3L I think, but the 128i with it's 3.0L I6 and 200ft-lbs of torque should prove to be much easier to drive.
Just focus on learning how to drive smoothly with the car, like with the clutch takeup & matching RPMs, or selecting the right gear for the speed/acceleration you're expecting from the car....
I'd say, ask a seasoned stickshift driver (NOT another 20 year old friend) to ride along with you even if it is only on every other day or so, and let them give you some pointers and skills to work on improving.
Good luck.