Who's first stick was a Speed3?

[BlueWagon]

Ok, there have been many opinions on whether or not to get a speed3 as their first manual car. I would like to hear from those who have done this and ask how they did learning wise and do they recommend the Speed3 as a first manual car. I'm in the same situation as a few members on this forum. I'm contemplating the speed3 but have only practiced a few days on my buddies Integra. Thanks!

 

[stockms3]

I drove stick since I was 13 lol......

But I think speed3 is very easy to drive.

 

[paylew]

The only other standard I drove before was a 98 Jeep Wrangler, in the middle of nowhere at 2AM, years ago. The hardest thing for me to get used to was letting the clutch out without dumping it, which took a few days. I was too scared to drive it home, so I made my fiance do it and caught a lot of s*** from the guys at the dealership. We went to a parking lot and I just drove around in circles and scared the color guard. I see no reason not to go for it, just be easy on it until you get used to it.

 

[intak3_bLkMs3]

i think the clutch would be the hardest to get to i had troubles with it and i came from an 05 spec v and i also have a manual truck but once u pick up on it its cake

 

[essejkcamraw]

driven stick before...but on a 94 civic hatch with a race clutch an short shifter (hondas are the easiest cars to learn stick on IMO) but never owned a manual myself. so, the speed was my first stick. the clutch is a little different but give it a week and you'll have it down pat.

 

[PaPaSpeed]

If you don't do it now, you may never do it. Go buy it, and practice. It's a fun car to drive.
Enjoy!
My first stick was not a Mazdaspeed, it was a 48 Packard.

 

[Speed3ForMe]

My SPD3 is my first stick. Took a while to get use to it, but that's because I do mostly highway, so a lot of the time spent driving is in 6th gear.

 

[CrazyT]

Not getting the Speed3 because it's manual while you otherwise want it/can afford it is absolutely ridiculous. It's not that hard. It's just like the other thread on this topic. If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you got it.

I know you didn't ask for opinions (mine are worth their bandwidth in gold), you wanted to hear from the people that did. So no, it wasn't my first manual transmission. But it was my first FWD and that didn't stop me.

 

[954_ms3]

my Speed3 was my first manual car, it's really not that hard to learn at all. CrazyT is 100% right, not getting the Speed3 based on the fact that it's manual is kinda silly. i've owned the car 6 months now and driving manual is just part of day to day life now

 

[scatt nasty]

I learned how to drive stick when I drove 3 hours to a concert with my friend in Atlanta and at 3am it popped into his sloshed mind that he had a tattoo apt at 8 and was too drunk to drive.. I got a slurred crash course and ended up only stalling like 6 times.

 

[Moultese]

Speed3 was also my first manual transmission car. My first car was a 2003 Focus ZX3 automatic. Parents wanted me to get an auto because I was 16 and inexperienced. So I made it a point to get a stick for my next car.

Ironically, the first car I drove that was a stick was a 2003 EVO, lol. I knew the logistics of driving a stick, but never actually operated a vehicle equiped with one. It was a....interesting....test drive to say the least. But I picked it up really fast. By the end of the day, I had test drove an EVO, 350Z, 01 Mustang Cobra, and S2000 and I was a manual master!

 

[60181]

Ok, there have been many opinions on whether or not to get a speed3 as their first manual car. I would like to hear from those who have done this and ask how they did learning wise and do they recommend the Speed3 as a first manual car. I'm in the same situation as a few members on this forum. I'm contemplating the speed3 but have only practiced a few days on my buddies Integra. Thanks!

it's a manual.....if you've never driven one, then it won't make any difference as you'll have nothing to compare it to.

you'll jump it and stall it via letting the clutch out too fast over the first few days, but no worries. that's normal if you're a newb. my wife has driven a manual before and did it.

I simply took her to a remote parking lot 2-3 times for about 15 minutes, then out on the road and back to the lot. Three days later, she was a little rough in 1st, but stopped stalling it.

take the leap. after about 2-3 weeks you'll never go back to an auto. trust me.

 

[Moultese]

it's a manual.....if you've never driven one, then it won't make any difference as you'll have nothing to compare it to.

you'll jump it and stall it via letting the clutch out too fast over the first few days, but no worries. that's normal if you're a newb. my wife has driven a manual before and did it.

I simply took her to a remote parking lot 2-3 times for about 15 minutes, then out on the road and back to the lot. Three days later, she was a little rough in 1st, but stopped stalling it.

take the leap. after about 2-3 weeks you'll never go back to an auto. trust me.

You obviously don't have to drive through thick traffic every morning, lol! That's my only annoyance with a standard. If I had the cash (i.e. won the lottery) my d.d. would be an auto.

 

[stockms3]

You obviously don't have to drive through thick traffic every morning, lol! That's my only annoyance with a standard. If I had the cash (i.e. won the lottery) my d.d. would be an auto.

see if i won the lottery I wouldnt need a D.D., just a lambo to get to clubs lol

 

[Tooch]

I learned to drive on a dodge ram 50 yep you heard me ram 50. That thing had no body weight and no complexity to it. didnt have a tach and it was manual?? basically you reved until you could hear the engine lol

 

[60181]

You obviously don't have to drive through thick traffic every morning, lol! That's my only annoyance with a standard. If I had the cash (i.e. won the lottery) my d.d. would be an auto.

I've driven a stick in Chi-town...no issues....but then sure, if I had my choice, I'd drive a tip-tronic/manu-matic like....but not in a Speed 3.

 

[60181]

I learned to drive on a dodge ram 50 yep you heard me ram 50. That thing had no body weight and no complexity to it. didnt have a tach and it was manual?? basically you reved until you could hear the engine lol

Gotcha beat.....learned to drive in a regular stick, but then also in a 3spd on the column....Yeah...that sucked....but it was on a my dad's company vehicle....A Ford pickup. Three on the Tree Baby!

 

[BlueWagon]

Thanks for all your inputs! Time to go test drive one and see if I can get a decent deal this time of year.

 

[Moultese]

I doubt you'll get a decent deal on the price, but a lot of dealers are doing 0% for 7 Years, which is just amazing.

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

My MS3 was my first car so all I've ever known is a stick. When I drive my friends cars I constantly find myself trying to shift with their automatic transmission.