[SWFlGuy]

It’s a lost art, good for her.

 

[AF-Odin]

Tried it. Things went OK until it came time to downshift going up a hill. The result was screaming, yelling, and tears (all on her part, I TRIED to remain calm and teach) followed by her getting out of the truck and walking home. Never tried to convince her again.

 

[Need4Speed]

I made the mistake of trying to teach my wife when she was 7 months pregnant. Her poor little feeties could barely touch all the pedals from the seat being so far back. Needless to say, it did not go well.

I am paying for that to this day. All I can buy is boring automatics. At least my Soul has the + - shifter dealy, so when I feel frisky I can do some "manual" shifting. Still sucks, just not as bad.

 

[janice6]

Few of us were an overnight success.

Many women in my family like manuals. They will become proficient with practice.

Some of my girls even like 4 X 4 manuals. They have been teaching their daughters also.

 

[InValhalla]

Tried it "once" too.... Never made it out of the big, empty parking lot we were in.

She was a good sport about it though. We both never laughed so hard. It was a VW Rabbit, and believe me, it was hopping like one!

IV

 

[janice6]

My wife is 5'2" and the clutch spring in the Ram Charger was just too much for her, both length of throw and force required.

But, she has had VW's, Subaru Brat was her real love, and other manuals. Age finally pushed her to Automatics.

She'll be fine.

 

[Sechott]

Few of us were an overnight success.

Many women in my family like manuals. They will become proficient with practice.

Some of my girls even like 4 X 4 manuals. They have been teaching their daughters also.

I’m hoping my 4 yo daughter likes the truck im saving for her. It maybe not a girl thing. If not I hoping a son will come along.

 

[janice6]

I’m hoping my 4 yo daughter likes the truck im saving for her. It maybe not a girl thing. If not I hoping a son will come along.

View attachment 428712

Girls like to be "Cool" too. You may be pleasantly surprised!

 

[grampajack]

If your marriage survives this it can survive anything.

 

[Sechott]

If your marriage survives this it can survive anything.

We’ve been thru a lot dark and pretty rough spots. Divorce never came up and we are stronger than ever. Especially now after things have greatly improved.

 

[SmokeRoss]

Had a gal all of 5' tall and 100 pounds drive my KW with an 18 speed several times when I was not able to be on the job.

 

[Pistolay]

My 5'3", 110lb, 65 year old wife has been driving standards since she was a teenager, and she still loves them. We have 3 vehicles, 2017 Wrangler, 2017 Cherokee, and 2006 PT Cruiser and 2 of them are standards. The 25 year old guy who sold us the Jeeps last year couldn't even drive the Wrangler. Wuss.

 

[pittpa]

Tried it. Things went OK until it came time to downshift going up a hill. The result was screaming, yelling, and tears (all on her part, I TRIED to remain calm and teach) followed by her getting out of the truck and walking home. Never tried to convince her again.

I'm surprised. I thought getting going from a stop was 90% of it. I learned a clutch on my brother's Honda 450 in 1970. Drove it up the driveway in 1st gear and rolled back. Time after time. Got in a car and did it right away.
It seems better to have a teacher you are not emotionally involved with. My high school friiend, a girl, asked me to teach her in 1972. Her dad was at his wit's end. He tossed me the keys. I taught her to get the VW Beetle rolling without using any gas. That gave her the sense of the touch on the clutch. It was easy after that. I was her dad's hero for a while.

 

[lazarus66]

Taught my little sister to drive in my '69 Hemi Road Runner. 4-speed, 4.10 Dana. That car was a beast but she picked it up pretty fast. Had a few laughs along the way, too....

 

[rotorhead1026]

My wife, as a teenager, actually taught herself. The only car available was a manual (a Ford Cortina!), so she got in and drove off, alone. Of course, she had seen others do it.

All three kids can shift. My daughter usually drove my truck.