DDL24

what's other fellow members reaction/experience in similiar situation when significant others want to learn how to drive stick, on a 911?

I already let her drove once in a quiet parking lot...she didn't do too badly. she is already very nervous about driving stick. I am telling her, don't lug the engine, downshift properly....don't be shy on the "go" peddle when move off the line or any other time....enjoy the ride.

Mike in CA

My wife already knew how to drive a MT when I met her, but I taught both my son and daughter how to drive using a stick and their first cars had MT's. For your own peace of mind and your wife's comfort level it might be easier if you had a less powerful (and valuable) car with a MT for her to learn on, but it shouldn't be a big deal either way. If she really wants to learn, and you have the patience to teach her, it can be very satisfying for both of you. Of course, then she'll be wanting to borrow your car!

pissedpuppy

send her to school!

dan212

You are a lucky guy.. She wants to share this with you..

Jay H

Mike is right in that these are expensive cars to learn to drive a manual transmission on. Though, unless you have a $1600 Honda Civic laying around with a manual, you're kinda stuck with having your wife learn on the 997.

But, you can guage pretty quickly how she is doing in regards to abusing (or not abusing) the clutch. If she's "getting it" quickly, keep practicing and the wear on the clutch should be minimal. Of course, if the car is being stalled and smells from a lot of slippage, then maybe it's time to hit AutoTrader for that cheap '91 Saturn with a manual transmission...

Having the wife learn how to drive the 911 may come in handy if you two find yourself in an emergency situation and she has to take over driving... The more stuff you know how to operate, the better in life you can get along at times...

Menmojo

My wife has been asking me the same for quite a while.
I bought her a triptronic boxter so she could pretend she's driving a Porsche.
I hope she doesn't read this but there is no way she is driving either one of my 911's!

2K7TTMIA

The closest my wife is getting to a (auto)Manual will be a car with paddle shifters.

Jay H

So, maybe 5-6 years ago, my wife was really wanting a mid '70's 6.6 liter 4 speed Trans Am with the big chicken on the hood. We found '76 locally that fit the bill. I went to test drive it. I grew up on a farm and cut my teeth on tractor and truck transmissions when I was 11. Straight cut gears, heavy clutches, etc. were no big deal to me since I grew up on that stuff.

The 455ci fires up nicely. For the life of me, I can't find reverse. S**t. I fumble around, finally getting the car out of the space where it was parked. Find 1st (maybe it was 3rd?), roll out into the main road and move from 1st to 2nd. Well, at least I tried to get into 2nd. Dang near got rear ended since it was taking me several years to get that gear change. Finally got that pig rolling, but what a pain shifting. Vague, close spacing, odd transmission (to me anyway).

An hour later I bring my wife over to drive it and warn her that some of the gear spacing is a bit odd, though she's driven stick since she was 16. She gets in this dang car and drives it like she's owned it for 10 years. Zero problems.

So, never under estimate a good woman. They can do some stuff better than we can.

cvazquez

Practice makes perfect... these cars can handle the punishment. Good luck!

seapar

Wife has a manual 2005 Boxster. She doesn't like my C4S with PDK unless were are in a local Porsche club touring event. My advice is get her comfortable driving another MT car in a school and then track setting like a driving skills event; so that if you "spin put two feet in" like on a skidpad in a controlled setting with instructor. That way she will have more confidence.

SToronto

No way, not on my car. When I learned stick and my brother last year, we both took one lesson with a driving school that offers manual transmission vehicles. I'd suggest this route to get going.

Hella-Buggin'

My wife knows how to drive a MT and has driven the 997S twice. Once when we first got it and once when I tweaked my back on a hike. I've tried to get her into it and even go AXing with me but she's not interested. She loved the 997S but loves it from the passenger seat with the butt warmer on high.

X51

Reminds me of the time when I tried to teach my wife how to drive a MT in my red Honda Prelude (an '86). Our daughter was 3 or 4 at the time and she was in the back seat crying "I want daddy to drive!".

I think an MT school would be a good first step........save the marriage.

Spokane5150

I tried to teach my wife to drive a MT 25 years ago when she was 17 years old. She managed to put the car into first gear trying to down-shift from fourth to third. I didn't think it was possible but she did it and I'm sure glad it wasn't my Porsche; probably would have lost all my valves on the pavement. It was a Nightmare!! After that I had her sister take over and she been driving a MT regularly for 25 years.

My buddy drives a Tiptronic Cab2 so his wife can drive his Porsche. No comment...

I've taught my oldest son to drive a MT in an S2000 Honda. Nightmare and I thought I was going to die once!

I'm currently teaching my youngest son to drive a MT in a VW GTI. Nightmare and I had my oldest son take over. I fear for his life.

This process is like watching new people race Autocross. Arms are flailing, High Beams and blinkers are flashing.

Do what you want but I cannot watch. I don't have the stomach for it.

GolfTango3

When it came time to teach my wife how to drive a stick I had one of my fraternity brothers teach her in one of the company fleet Scion xB's.

She had her first drive in the GT3 a couple weeks ago!