Gotta brag a bit

I've taught my fiance how to drive a stick shift twice. My little brother has taught her once. She can drive stick well enough that I would trust her to get someone to the hospital in an emergency, and that is about it. She wants no part of it, it is not for her.

Anyways, her great aunt (married to her grandma's brother) used to have an RX-7. She replaced it with a Cayman. Aunt and Uncle never had kids (they're in their 70's). Somehow, my fiances aunt (stay with me here... Great Aunt/Uncle's niece) has it in her head that she is going to get the Porsche when they die. She asked them, "Why didn't you get an automatic? A stick shift is so jerky"

At this point, fiance is in the conversation, and goes off on her aunt. The basic jist was "You don't buy a Porsche and get an automatic! What is wrong with you? Why would you get an automatic in a Porsche? You must be nuts!"

I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it, but it made me happy to hear about it

So, your fiancé just boosted her chances for the Porsche. She'll need someone to help her drive it so that's where you come in.

Now if she just knew how to weld...

I managed to teach my fiance to drive a manual after we were together for about 8 years. I bought an Audi Ur S6, so she had to get her clutch foot in tune. Recently bought a Boxster 2.5 5-speed and we're looking to get rid of our only automatic car.

Never buy an automatic Porsche. PDK is acceptable, but Tiptronic was garbage.

wlkelley3 wrote: So, your fiancé just boosted her chances for the Porsche. She'll need someone to help her drive it so that's where you come in.

Haha, we'll see. I'd be happy if I end up with his guitar.

You guys have accomplished something I never was able to. My wife refuses to learn to drive a manual, she won't try to understand why you need to change gears. So I just get her an automatic, it keeps her happy. Did manage to teach both of our daughters to drive a manual though.

wlkelley3 wrote: You guys have accomplished something I never was able to. My wife refuses to learn to drive a manual, she won't try to understand why you need to change gears. So I just get her an automatic, it keeps her happy. Did manage to teach both of our daughters to drive a manual though.

Well, she sort of can do it. Not well at all though. I think that if I were to get a Civic or Corolla stick, she wouldn't be so afraid of it.

wlkelley3 wrote: she won't try to understand why you need to change gears

This.

Until I taught my wife (then GF), I didn't know this was a thing.

Well done for you, but I don't understand why everyone over here sees it as a big deal 'learning to drive a stick'? Everyone learned to drive a manual growing up, it's just what the cars were. There was no big praise 'wow, you learned on a stick!!' It's a no brainer, especially when you're starting out.

Note, this does not make me anti automatic. In fact I'm actively planning / hoping for a used 981 with pdk in 4-5 years’ time and if I were buying a Porsche new today I’d get the pdk.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Well done for you, but I don't understand why everyone over here sees it as a big deal 'learning to drive a stick'? Everyone learned to drive a manual growing up, it's just what the cars were. There was no big praise 'wow, you learned on a stick!!' It's a no brainer, especially when you're starting out.

Bolded the important part. I taught my fiance, then girlfriend, when she had been driving for 5 years already. Her dad has never learned, to the best of my knowledge. I doubt her mom has either (her mom is now physically incapable of driving with 3 pedals).

Also, when I turned 16, I was one of... 20-30(?) kids in my high school that had a stickshift. And I had a class of 500.

mtn wrote: Also, when I turned 16, I was one of... 20-30(?) kids in my high school that had a stickshift. And I had a class of 500.

He He. That's the big difference between UK and the US. I was one of only three kids in my year to own a car, all three were manuals! At least 50% of my year got their licences as soon as we reached 17, but almost no one could afford a car. Mine cost 30GBP's (approx $45) from the junk yard so I was a big shot with my 875cc 39hp Hillman Imp!

My wife has driven mostly manual transmission models, the exceptions were 65 Volvo 122, 2002 Lexus IS300, 2005 Honda Accord coupe, the remainder (7 other cars) have all been manual equipped

My wife has always had automatic cars and claims she wouldn't be able to learn how to drive a manual. But the first ride I ever took with her driving was on her father's farm tractor!!

I decided it wasn't worth the argument to try to get her to drive a stick.