VQpoweredZ

iTrader: (18)

Hi, to all of you Z owners on this site. The reason I am posting this today is because I have a little problem. First off let me tell you that I am 16 years old. And i just aquired my liscense. Please don't make this thread like every other one ive searched. I consider myself pretty responsible and in no way am i spoiled. I get mostly A's in school as work a job every day after school and ive been saving every dime. My Parents agreed to buy me a 350z next year around march. My problem is I want a manual 350z any trim, i like any 350z. But i have a brother who owns a manual audi s4 and he wont let me learn on that because it has a racing clutch installed etc. I want to learn manual to the best of my ablity and with that i am faced with renting a car but that couldnt happen becasue you ahve to be 21 to rent and no one else in my family knows how to drive manual but my brother and he is 20. So i am thinking of buying a older car for around 8,000 bucks so i can learn effeciantly on that so i dont mess up the 350z's clutch. the question i have to you is, what car is an ok car to get for that price range to drive in between when i get a 350z.
Thanks alot for all your time.

bailey bill

You can learn to drive a stick when you get your new Z. Your not going to hurt, I promise.

Learning to drive a stick is no big deal, and this car is a lot tougher than anything you can throw at it.

I taught my wife to drive my MG Midget when she was 50 years old, and I taught my 3 (teenaged) daughters to drive 2 914 Porsches, and an MR2 turbo. None of them did any damages to any of those cars.
bill

SpoilsofWar

iTrader: (39)

You can learn on the Z, you will be fine in a few days.....

cavallino33

+1 the 350Z would be really easy to learn on.

cleanandquick06

iTrader: (3)

i still cant believe i did but i tought my lil sister to drive stick in my old z and it was by no means stock. you will be just fine. *putting on flame suit*

VQpoweredZ

iTrader: (18)

Yea I always thought that I could learn on the 350z but my parents are hesitant to let me do that. I guess they are over careful and so am I.

kourosH

iTrader: (3)

I went through the same thing as you but I was 18. I got my car in june 2006, and I learned manual on it. My dad would just go out with 1-2 hours a night and teach me/show me/ etc. Have your brother do the same. You will get the hang of it and be on the road with confidence in 2 weeks.

Richy350Z

iTrader: (4)

dude. learn on the 350z. with less than $8,000 u can replace the clutch and use the rest for other parts!!

AlexBG

iTrader: (4)

been driving a stick since i was 11 now 19.

i used to live in Europe and there its nothing but Stick no auto's

my dad handed me the keys and told me to learn how to drive.

I'd say save the 8000 and put it towards the Z
and have your brother just teach you. Its not that hard.

VQpoweredZ

iTrader: (18)

Thanks for all the help this definitly makes me feel more confident ill be sure to show this thread to my parents. But, lets say the only thing i could do is buy this car for the meantime what car would you suggest?

meaj82

iTrader: (31)

Don't worry you won't harm the clutch. Like others say put that money towads the Z. I'm currently teaching my wife to drive it. No harm done to it, still drives like a champ.

StewartZ

iTrader: (2)

Don't spend 8,000 on a car to learn stick that stupid... trust me you would be suprised how fast you pick up stick...

And a few stalls and such isn't gonna hurt the 350

s13SRmadness

youre 16! perfect. (not kidding)
you must have a bunch of friends with all kinds of hooptie manual cars.
cmon dude! phone a friend.
and i let my girl learn on my car and then let her borrow it a couple days after learning. no biggie really. it's just a transmission if she were to wreck it.
she did fine though and she is a girl (obvious i know) and girls do tend to suck at driving manual.... oh wait, no thats a lie. she drove my car not too long ago and i noticed that she shifts smoother than i do sometimes.

joey3am

iTrader: (3)

if you have to buy a car for the time being, definitely do NOT buy a 8k car. buy a POS for like 2k and just save the rest for when you get your Z.

good luck, kid.

VQpoweredZ

iTrader: (18)

okay i really have to have a talk with my parents, thanks a lot for the info.

moflow

If you're getting a car for the meantime get like a honda accord from the late eighties or a nissan sentra or some other cheap econobox. You'll learn manual fine. I bought my first car (an 88 celica alltrac turbo) without ever having driven a manual before. Got it home ok and just proceeded to drive around stalling it every now and then. You'll be fine if you get the Z, if you cant get it yet DONT spend 8K just buy something for like 1-3K.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

This would be March 2008? Well that gives you 13 months to learn to drive a manual transmission. Any vehicle with a manual will be fine for practicing.

bofa

iTrader: (23)

Visit a lot of used car lots to "test drive" various manual cars.

Blacryan

iTrader: (3)

QFT

I was just about to say teh same thing LOL.

350Z_LEE

iTrader: (9)

that is not a very practical solution to your problem. Spending 8k or more on a car just to learn on is stupid. Get the Z and learn it when you get it. or you can pay me 8k and ill drive over and teach you in my Z.