Who's first stick was a Speed3?

First manual transmission car

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1982 VW Jetta. It basically drove exactly like the Rabbit GTI at the time, and it awoke the love of cars in me when I was like 14 and my dad let me drive it on some back roads. It was slow, but the chassis was alive (I can kind of guess why Alfa Romeo like their cars so much).

The next car we got was a 1986 Jetta GLI and I swear Mazda recycled the transmission from that into the MS3. Although I haven't found "Twoverse" in the MS3 yet, which is when the gear lever when into some lobby between reverse and second when trying to engage second gear. There was usually some grinding and whirring noises when this happened.

Still searching for twoverse in the MS3.

Easiest by far is any Honda. They have the most linear forgiving clutches, toggle switch gearboxes, and will take abuse like nobody's business.

MS3 not so much. The clutch is like a racing clutch in it's grabbyness, and the gearbox has mystical barriers that require deliberate movements, but the worst is that drive by wire throttle laggyness that interferes with uphill starts and cocks up rev matching and smooth changes.

However, like I would presume in an Alfa, there's something about this driver's car that makes you forgive all that when you're actually driving it. I b**** about FWD this and throttle lag that, but it always puts a smile on my face when I'm actually DRIVING it.
 
Just "feather" everything. My first stick was a speed3 and I was very heavy-footed. Now when I drive my GFs corolla, I find myself to light on the gas coming off the lights and stop signs. (hand)

Also practice whenever you can. I took my car out late at night and drove back and forth on the same roads that had minimum traffic. Now its second nature and I enjoy every second of it.

I also had a phobia of hills and inclines for a lil bit lol
 
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