Best way to teach wife to drive 6spd NOT in the car
 

We don't have a manual car at home, nor friends with one. I really really really don't want to teach her how to drive stick on a (soon-to-be-mine) 986 S. Anyone have any smart ideas? I thought about renting a car on Turo but I feel kinda bad doing that. Granted I've taught many people to drive stick without destroying the clutch, but you never know.

Driving school.

Start with this. My Mrs did 2 or 3 lessons in a dual control car then I let her loose with me in a brand new car I got just for the learning. I figured my manual Boxster and an auto AMG weren't too suitable for a learner driver!

driving school is a lot cheaper than a lawyer. Then ask a dealer to test drive a stick any-car and let her drive. Say up front you are seeking to see if a stick will work for your family.

I taught my younger sister to drive a stick but I doubt either of my kids has ever driven one. I know they never owned one.

A city I used to fly into for biz regularly (~ weekly) received a manual Mustang once. First time there the Budget counter girl begged if I knew how to drive a manual. Thinking it might be a POS Suzuki or Kia (I'm cheap when reserving rental cars b/c you most often get bumped up to a higher class) I inquired back "Maybe. Why?"

She advised they had a brand new Mustang nobody there can drive and since most people are traveling on biz they don't want to rent. If you can and wouldn't mind you'd first have to run it thru our wash b/c it's filthy and we can't let it go out that way... but we need to get it into rotation so we'll cover your fuel for entire rental. Hey, free gas is free gas and so I did as a MT is fine by me wherever. Must've only ever been one or two others who also took b/c often times I'd come back the following week to find car in exact same spot next to building with what seemed to be exact same mileage I dropped off. First two years was a black Mustang which was replaced then by a white one (also manual).

So... Check your local Enterprise, Budget or other rental locations...often times they get in an errant fleet vehicle (occasionally Mustangs, Camaros and pick-up trucks) or two w/ a manual. Smart call not teaching on your own vehicle if you have trepidation.

Good luck :)

Didn't even realize this was an option but a quick Google search reveled otherwise

Great tips but curious why you mention a lawyer?

I believe he was suggesting that it would be cheaper to attend driving school than have to hire a lawyer to defend a woman who, while learning how to drive a stick, caused an accident. That'd be a great cause of action.

I understand your reluctance with your soon to be new to you car but she's not going to hurt your car by learning on it. Heck, over the last 10 years, I had 4 boys learn on an 84 Alfa. If a 30+ year old Italian car can take it, I'm sure the Box will be just fine. 3 out of the 4 boys currently drive manual transmission cars.

BTW, still haven't had to replace a clutch in the Alfa (or my Boxster)!

I guess I was lucky. When I met my girlfriend of 47 years, she was driving a 1968 Camaro with 4 on the floor!

Lovely car and even more lovely woman.

Except for trucks and vans, we have always had sticks. We currently have a Boxster, a 1973 911, and a Saab 9-5 Aero wagon......all manual transmissions.

Our old Chevy pickup and another Saab Aero wagon are autos.

I thought it was for the resulting divorce from trying to teach his wife.:) The insurance company would be responsible for defense.

Taught my daughter stick on the Boxster S. Not a big deal. It was actually perfect for teaching her to pull away in first gear. If you let out the clutch slowly you can get the car car moving smoothly without giving it gas.

Hous hold with four cars and just one automatic. We are a house of driver’s so everyone knows how to drive a stick.

Maybe it's not a big deal then. Closed huge parking lot and typical exercises for a few hours shouldn't destroy the clutch? I'm probably getting the IMS done anyways when I first get it, along with clutch , so I guess we should be ok if we get her started prior to that work being done.

That scenario will probably be OK. The destructive time is when she gets to a hill with a light + traffic. Inevitably she will have to slip the clutch. Porsche clutches are not the most robust to begin with.

You could probably pick up a old manual Honda Civic on CL for around $500 and sell it after she gets the hang of it. Just a thought.

Seriously? She's your wife right?! Teach her in the vehicle you intent her to drive. Don't be a weenie. If she breaks the car, she is your wife the car is, a car. Grow up snowflake.

Your comment has changed my entire perspective. Thank you.

Reading this as a UK person is quite enlightening/amusing. Over here if you learn and pass your test in an auto you cannot drive a manual. Until the recent advent of PDK and DSG 99% of people learnt in a manual car. Lots learn with their own family, some in their regular family car but more often in a small cheap ish hatchback or run around. Most people still get some lessons at least with an instructor. Here you have a dual control car so the instructor can brake and operate the clutch for you if needed.

I think I'll spend the $75 on an hour of instruction time for her to get the essentials and then transition to the boxster in a parking lot for the rest. Thanks everyone for great information.

I'm going to say he mentioned the lawyer because in many cases, when you try to teach your wife how to drive a stick, it can lead to marital Discord and divorce.

Don't ride the clutch! You're in the wrong gear!

And I can say, even though I am divorced, I did teach the ex-wife to drive a stick and we didn't divorce over that. She actually drives a stick very very well. I taught her on an Alfa Romeo, so she can drive an Alfa Romeo she can drive any car.