good decision

[genericuser]

I hope I don't end up regretting this, but here's what I did.

My production date is scheduled for may 1st, so I called up the dealer yesterday and changed my order, because I could change it up until tomorrow.

I changed my 3s from manumatic to stick

I don't know how to drive stick yet

But I'm willing to learn for this car..

Any thoughts?

 

[RyanJayG]

stick > manumatic > automatic

you made the right choice.... learning stick isn't hard, and its way more rewarding, unless you have to drive through gridlock traffic to get to work everyday.

 

[genericuser]

I live in philly so around my apartment it'll suck, but I work out in conshohocken PA (a 15 minute ride from my apartment on the border of philly/montgomery co). And my way to work includes a really fun hilly curvy road.. I"m starting to think I made the right choice.

 

[RyanJayG]

absolutely.... nothing transfers power like a clutch... torque converters never feel right to me.

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

Yeah, definatly made the right choice. Even in gridlock, I like driving a stick better than an auto of any sort, really makes me feel what the car is doing better, plus, I can control where it shifts, which is good for not only performance, but also gas mileage aswell. Learning stick isn't hard. Once you've learned how to get the car moving, it's a breaze, I mean, it took me 15 minutes to learn how to start the car rollling smoothly without stalling, or popping th clutch. Then, about another 5 to learn to shift. Sure, it was still rough at first, and there was a few panicky moments where I'd stall and whatnot, but I mean, it's pretty easy. Most people I know learned this way too. Just steer clear of starting from steap grades, until you have a better feel for your clutch, and all that jazz.

 

[genericuser]

yeah, I live in a hilly area.. that may be a problem.


The way I see it is that people have been driving stick long before automatics came out.. and they drove them in hilly areas.. I'm sure I can figure it out

 

[fkmp5]

sean: you made the right choice!! after a good day of owning the car you'll have it down.. it's a lot easier than you think so don't let the anxiety get to you. after a weekend you'll have it mastered. after a year you'll be doing some heel-toe downshifting.. haha. okay, that might be pushing it

just remember you can give it all the gas you want but the car doesn't go anywhere until you start to ease up on the clutch. hold the RPMs around 1000 - 1500 and ease up on the clutch really really slow when you're starting out. as long as you go slow you won't spin your tires..

in a day or two you'll get the hang of it and you won't have to hold the RPMs you'll be able to do it all in one fluid motion.

good luck and enjoy the mazda!

 

[Jpasta]

my 3 was the car i learned how to drive stick in, and let me tell you i LOVE it

at first i kinda hated it, but now im come around and I've said, ill never buy


another automatic again

 

[Dave2521]

my 3 was the car i learned how to drive stick in, and let me tell you i LOVE it

at first i kinda hated it, but now im come around and I've said, ill never buy


another automatic again

(mswerd) , Same with me. Learned in my 3 and wont ever go back to Auto. again. I feel more in control with my car plus no more just siting and moving your foot from one place to the next, now you got your hands and both feet working!

Good luck man, Really easy to learn one you know how to get rolling.

 

[dulog]

I'm jealous! I love my 3 but sometimes wish I had a stick. I knew going into the deal that it would be this way but 1) the car isn't just for me and she doesn't drive stick and 2) the car does a lot of city driving since we live in the city. However, even in the city I'm still wishing I had a 5 speed sometimes. Traffic doesn't seem to bad here, it's actually when I go out to the burbs to go to a big box store or something that traffic seems to suck. Oh well, the manumatic is better than a regular auto imo.

 

[ingreenSD]

learning stick

seanmcsean,

you made the right choice. knowing how to drive stick can actually come in handy (emergencies) if you have to drive a friends car etc. plus its FUNER and GOODER IMHO. don't sweat about learning how. i was in the navy stationed in memphis and bought my first brand new car. toyota tercel 5spd. couldn't afford the auto. anyways i bought it on a rainy nite and if you have ever been to memphis on a rainy nite......learned how to drive stick on the way back to the base. good luck