Anyone learn to drive stick in a Fit?
 

I'm strongly considering getting a 2012 or 2013 Fit in a manual transmission. I got driving lessons on a manual fit from a friend, and test drove one at the lot. I'm still pretty shaky at driving stick, but considering making the leap.

Can any of you speak to driving stick in a Fit? Did any of you learn on one?

There is going to be a bit of a learning curve for any stick shift car. I learned to drive a manual on a 91 Civic, which was the first car I ever bought. Can't remember how many times I stalled on the drive home, but it was a lot. Spent the next week just driving around the neighbourhood at night (less chance of traffic), just learning to get going from a stop. Once underway, it's easy.

The Fit has a pretty good shifter and easy to modulate clutch, shouldn't be too difficult to learn. It's a good skill to have, although the manual transmission is definitely an endangered species, and likely won't be around too much longer.

I've driven a few manual Hondas before. Honda clutches are soft, so it's a lot easier to learn on. Like Olyar15 said, go practice at night at an empty parking lot (preferably Costco ;)). I wish my gf would have gotten a manual, but we couldn't find one in Metallic Plum Pearl :(

i learned on my 2011 fit, if you got the basics down then you should be fine. Took me awhile to adjust to the light clutch on the fit because i was also learning with my friends Tc and the clutch on that was a little heavy.

I like to slide my seat a little towards the back so my left leg extends more straight when i step on clutch. Just personal preference i guess :nod:

Hope this helps :wiggle:

I grew up "driving stick" on an old farm truck, but that was long ago. Over the weekend, I had a friend let me practice in her Fit for an hour or so. I got the hang of it enough to spin us around the block a few times. Today I test drove a 2013 fit and managed to do ok (only stalled out once), but I didn't take it on any major roads.

I'm wondering how long it'll be before my commute to work is comfortable (10> miles of 30-40 mph driving). Also, how long will it be before I'm ok driving downtown (heavy traffic. Lots of start and stop. 30ish mph driving).?

This is all from my experience, could be different from others:

If you practice and get comfortable from 1st gear to 2nd then you should be fine with the start and stop part. If its a steady 30-40 mph i wouldn't worry too much because the hardest part in driving stick is getting started. Once you get that down you should be fine

If you need practice, you can always find a hill (not a steep one) and practice finding the sweet spot for shifting into the first gear. That worked for me

It will take you less that 2 weeks of driving to be perfectly comfortable.

Both of our Fits are auto only because we did not find the ones we wanted with a manual trans. My daughter only wanted a manual trans and it took a lot of convincing to get her to accept the automatic one I found.

Do not worry about the standard trans. You will be comfortable with it in less than 2 weeks. After that you will feel comfortable with a manual trans in any type of vehicle you choose to drive.

Took me some doing to get used to an electronic throttle and a light clutch. I learned on an '01 Cruiser, and got good on an '05 Turbo Cruiser with a heavy as hell clutch and demonic transmission (GeTrag 5 Speed, 5th felt like 3rd, more than once my dad fed me the dash with that mistake)

Driving at 30-40 is easy, depending on if it's hilly. At 40, I'll leave it in 4th, but any slower and I'll bounce between 3rd and 4th.

I tried teaching a friend on mine. Well, I say teach, I was showing him the size of the mountain he had to climb. He had the choice of a Golf in manual or auto, and didn't know anyone who had a stick. 5 stalls later he gave up. It isn't for everyone, but it is one of the most fantastic experiences I've ever had driving a car. Get on it and let her run up the power band in the first three gears on a highway on-ramp, and you'll know what I mean.

I learned on a 91 Civic and had it down in a couple hours.

Driving the Fit is really easy, go for it.

It should be fairly easy to learn the MT and clutch workings on the Fit. But don't be surprised if even years later it is hard to adjust to different car's clutches, the Fit is so light on its controls.

I had my daughter learn on a turbo Chrysler LeBaron about 25 years ago: the most picky hardest stick I've ever had, including old trucks. She hated me at the time. But then she found she could manage ANY clutch, even on rental moving trucks.

If you want easy stick learning go with the fit. If you want universal MT skills find the hardest stick to learn on!

The Fit's engine produces very low torque at low RPM, making it more likely that you'll stall a lot at first. But otherwise it should be a great car to learn on. As others have pointed out, the visibility is excellent, and the gearbox a joy to use.

I learned on my father's VW Beetle back in the '70s. Still remember that great feeling of letting out the clutch for the first time and moving, without having to to pedal or do any work at all. I started laughing.

I could imagine the Fit to be an excellent car to learn in, the controls are light and forgiving (almost too much so). Don't be afraid to slip the clutch a little bit to get rolling when you're first learning to avoid stalling, there's no torque.

You can be very comfortable with a manual transmission in 7 days on the road. The key is to just go for a long, long weekend drive in city traffic. Go all the way downtown without using the freeway. On the return trip home, you'll feel 90% comfortable with shifting gears, and you'll thank yourself forever afterward.

Yeah, the Fit is easy to learn on like everyone says. Each person is different but getting the basics down will take no time, maybe a few days at most. Getting to the point where it becomes second nature where you don't have to even think about it and everything works off reflexes I think takes a little bit longer, maybe a few weeks, it depends on you. Try to put yourself into every possible situation you may encounter to get some confidence. When I first started I was pretty comfortable after about a week, but didn't encounter a steep hill in heavy traffic with a guy literally tailing a few inches off my rear until about a month later. It was a bit nerve wracking, but once you get used to it its no worry. Then you can get into rev matching, heel toe braking etc once you get the basics down if you want.

The Fit shifts easily compared to other manuals I have driven even going to let my wife drive it. You will find it comes down to timing which will become second nature to you over a short time.

I taught myself manual was working at a milk plant when my boss asked me if I could drive a manual truck. I said yes got in the truck manage to drive off and took two hours to complete a 30 minute drive. Even stalling on a steep grade hill going up in a heavy truck. After that been driving standard ever since.

Just remember to push in the clutch when comming to a stop. Hold the throttle at a steady 2000rpm when taking off to prevent stalling.

Do it! :vtec:

These cars are already slow/commuter vehicles but for some reason the manual makes this car fun (like a "go cart" NOT a mustang or S2k). I can be happy with the "go cart" as long as it holds it's value, doesn't break down, and continues to average 35mpg --after 14 tanks. It is geared nicely although a sixth gear would be perfect for 65mph+ (but it is also nice that at 75mph you do not need to downshift to pass....trade offs). IMHO I would rather have the increased fuel economy that would come with the sixth gear and the decreased engine noise from the lower rpms at HWY speeds.

Thinking long term you will be glad you bought the M/T. Easy to drive and easy to learn on (the fit is very forgiving). After a couple weeks you will be comfortable and after a month or so you will be SOOOO glad you didn't get the A/T. Over time you will get better and better and your clutch will see less and less wear.

I grew up driving a stick (my dad's old S-10 is what I learned on) but after not driving one for 12 yrs I bought my Fit. It came right back to me like riding a bike :thumbups:

There are times, usually when I am tired or stuck in traffic, that I wish I had an auto. But 95% of the time I am happy with the manual. Even with the "sport shift paddles" you don't get the feel of driving the M/T.

IMO :o

Good Luck!

Also, on hills the E-brake can relieve alot of "roll back" stress. Eventually you wont need this trick but starting out it really helps!

How to Start a Stickshift on a Hill | eHow.com

When I first started driving a stick nothing was more stressful than someone pulling up right to my bumper when I was on a hill, or killin it while I had a green turn arrow :o

Cheers

In the UK you'll fail your driving test if you cannot do a hill start (using the handbrake) perfectly. In the old days they'd make you stop on a hill, then they'd put a matchbox behind one of the wheels. If you crushed the matchbox when you did your hill start (i.e. because you rolled backwards) you'd fail your test.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to. I move downtown one month from today. Now I live out in the burbs. I'll have a month to learn how to be comfortable before I have to navigate hairy traffic regularly.


I was able to test drive a fit and an elantra pretty easily (two-three stalls in each over 15 minutes or so) after only an hours worth of lessons the day before. I feel like it's coming pretty quickly to me.