My drivers test was in a 1961 Mercury. Not exactly a small car either.

meagain You just reminded me that I need to teach my son before he goes off to college. Not that I think it will be an important skill moving forward, but just something he can have that few others will these days. Hard to believe mechanics don't learn how to drive a manual transmission.

      johnnydoom Plus they probably don't want them learning on a $60,000 Corvette. And yes she has gotten on one a time or two.

        johnnydoom Hard to believe mechanics don't learn how to drive a manual transmission

        Seeing as how most "driving schools" don't seem to bother teaching students how to merge and parallel park, I am not surprised at all that they don't tech how to drive with a manual transmission.

            Walterjn Hard to find a vehicle with standard shift now. Had a couple vehicles with 3 on the tree. Many 4 speeds and one 6 speed.

                Walterjn It does seem wrong, but I got my license in 1984 and they didn't teach you to drive a manual back then. My parents taught me and I taught my wife in the early 90's. It's hard to find a car with a stick now. Even my lawn tractor is an automatic lol.

                  My first car, a Fiat X1/9, had a stick and I didn't know how to drive one. So I had my fiancé follow me home from the dealer so no one could rear end me if I killed it.

                  That happened to my Mom. I tried to convince my parents to buy a car with a stick when I was in high school. My Mom didn't really how to drive one. So she was test driving it and my Dad was teaching her when she killed it at a stop light. The guy behind promptly ran into us. That killed that idea.

                  I've owned 6 cars with sticks although I don't have one now.

                  meagain Walterjn Hard to find a vehicle with standard shift now. Had a couple vehicles with 3 on the tree. Many 4 speeds and one 6 speed.

                  I have one of the few Honda Elements (2004) with a 5 speed. It's been bullet proof and super functional.

                    I have only had one daily driving car that was automatic. Every other car I have driven on a daily basis has been stick shift. I am currently looking for a early 2000's 4 banger with a stick for my daughter. She will be driving in a year and I think a stick will keep her off her phone.

                    Depends on where you live also. No way I would want a stick shift with constant stop and go traffic. A clutch wouldn't last too long either.

                      meagain No way I would want a stick shift with constant stop and go traffic.

                      Yeah, my wife can drive a stick, but wanted a Subaru Outback with an automatic - she got it. Loves it.

                        meagain funny thing is I have always had used cars. All but one was a stick, and on all the standards I would always replace the clutch within the 1st month and never have to replace it again. The only one I didn't replace the clutch, I knew the owner had done that two months before I bought it from him.

                          Shit, they haven't had brownie box set up since what the '60's?

                          The last car with a stick that I owned was a Chevy Nova (The one that Chevy and Toyota built in California). It was just a Corolla with a Chevy interior and a slightly more rounded off body. It was a great little car though. I bought it to drive back and forth to work (about 75 miles per day). 40+ mpg and the drivers seat was as comfortable as anything I've had. I liked it so well that I bought another one for my wife. Mine was red and hers was silver.

                          Par4QC Looks like a full time job just getting to the jobsite. Felt kinda of bad for Sam the blue heeler too. He looked like he could really use some air conditioning.

                            meagain I don't think I've done that in over 30 years. I'd probably hurt myself now. The only pushing I do is my golf cart and if I did jump, I'm certain something would pop that shouldn't.

                              meagain
                              Funny story related to this. There's a town (wide spot in the road) in southern Indiana who's name is the same as my last name (details withheld to protect the innocent) and a big road sign with an arrow pointing towards the turnoff for it.
                              During my college days I decided that sign would be a great addition to my dorm room. So me and a couple of friends went down there in the dead of night, parked on the side of the road (state highway), put on the hazards, and starting working. It took us longer than expected to get the sign and we had all kinds of good samaritans stop and ask if we needed help... "no ma'am we have someone coming". We finally get the sign in the back of my friend's truck, he turns the ignition, and click click click. It's dead as a doornail. Now nobody's coming or stopping and this was well before cellphones and we're in BFE anyway. So we start pushing while my other friend tries to start it by popping the clutch. It seemed like we pushed that SOB a mile before it finally started. But the sign did look good in the room.

                                meagain been there done that. Shit a buddy of mine has a '58 3/4 ton pick up, that had starter issues after driving for a few hours. Many times I have pushed that thing only for him to pop the clutch and not have the key on... Then I made him push, and I would keep the key on and pop the clutch, drive around the parking lot and then come back to him...