6 Good Reasons To Learn How To Drive Stick

Have you ever thought about learning to drive a car with a manual transmission, but weren’t quite motivated to tackle the challenge?

Well, picking up this skill really is worth it, and we’re going to explain why. Read on for our list of 6 good reasons to learn how to drive stick.

1.      Stick shift cars get better fuel mileage.

If you’re like many, your paycheck has direct deposit—it gets directly deposited into your fuel tank.  With a stick shift car, however, you have a better chance at keeping a chunk of that change in your pocket.

The Environmental Protection Agency has found that cars with standard transmission usually beat cars with automatic transmission by 0,5 L/100 km. Of course, some of that depends on good driving habits, too. If you’re driving around on nearly flat tyres with your boot and back seat filled with heavy stuff, well, don’t be surprised if you get robbed at the pump.

Another way you can fight back against high fuel prices is by using fuel credit cards, which hooks you up with either cash back or extra points on fuel station purchases. To get the most out of a fuel rewards credit card, do your research to make sure you understand how the rewards system works and remember to use your card each time you go to the fuel station.

2.      Cars with manual transmission are usually cheaper to buy.

It’s common knowledge that stick shift cars are often cheaper at the lot.

3.      Stick shift cars are often cheaper to fix.

What’s worse than giving all your money to the fuel station on the corner? Well, giving all your money to the mechanic down the street, for one.

However, according to Eddie Alterman, editor of Car and Driver magazine, a stick shift car has fewer parts, so it’s cheaper to repair.

4.     You’ll have more job opportunities available if you can drive stick.

After your department is downsized, you’re excited to come across an ad for a position as a shuttle driver that comes with great benefits —except that, oops, the ad says you need to know how to drive stick.

If you’re in need of a job, any advantage you have over other applicants helps, and that can include driving stick.

Even jobs that don’t seem to have much to do with driving, such as working as a pest control specialist, can require applicants to know how to drive stick if the company vehicle comes with standard transmission.

5.     Manual transmission offers better control.

Many great sports cars still come with standard transmission because they offer the driver more control, not to mention better performance.  

“You think there would be all these unintended acceleration problems if people had stick shifts?” quips Alterman.

Increased control also keeps you engaged in the process of driving, with your focus on the road instead of on your iPhone.

6.     In extreme situations, knowing how to drive a stick shift could save the day.

Two guys from Florida found this out the hard way when they pulled a gun on a young woman and her boyfriend and forced them out of the woman’s 2007 Nissan, which had manual transmission. Once the would-be carjackers got in, they realised neither of them could drive stick and ran away.

Now, we know a fine citizen like you would never think about stealing a vehicle, but the point is that you might be caught in an extreme situation, such as having to drive a friend to the emergency room after carpooling to get to their house, and the only car around might have manual transmission.

In some emergencies, knowing how to drive stick could even save your life!

Not bad, right? We hope you’ll consider these 6 good reasons to learn how to drive stick, or at least remember them the next time you’re glaring angrily at the fuel pump.

Tags: manual gearbox