The wife and the Volvo

[theWIFES_S70]

I've taught all mine and about 12 other young ladies to drive stick. It's a public service thing. Hasn't cost me any clutches yet, and even if it did the karma bucket is well filled.

Hey Steve, do you teach:
- first gear, with the clutch and brake pressed, at every red light;
- or, neutral with foot on the brake pedal?

My wife always keeps the car in gear at every red light and I keep telling her, "it's like you want me to know how to replace a clutch..." I was taught to do the latter.

[kippster41493]

I've taught all mine and about 12 other young ladies to drive stick. It's a public service thing. Hasn't cost me any clutches yet, and even if it did the karma bucket is well filled.

Hey Steve, do you teach:
- first gear, with the clutch and brake pressed, at every red light;
- or, neutral with foot on the brake pedal?

My wife always keeps the car in gear at every red light and I keep telling her, "it's like you want me to know how to replace a clutch..." I was taught to do the latter.

When I teach people for normal driving just to put it in neutral and coast if coming to a light and hold the brake pedal, I don't see a need to keep it in gear unless you're anticipating something to where you need to take off right away which almost never happens. One of my friends (when coming to a light) will hold in the clutch and move the gear selector down to the next gear the slower they go (with out actually letting off, just going through the gears with the clutch held in in hopes the light changes before they stop) which I never understood fully. I get the reason behind it, but it just seems easier to coast then go into gear if the light does change.

[abscate]

I've taught all mine and about 12 other young ladies to drive stick. It's a public service thing. Hasn't cost me any clutches yet, and even if it did the karma bucket is well filled.

Hey Steve, do you teach:
- first gear, with the clutch and brake pressed, at every red light;
- or, neutral with foot on the brake pedal?

My wife always keeps the car in gear at every red light and I keep telling her, "it's like you want me to know how to replace a clutch..." I was taught to do the latter.

Its complex.

The easiest thing on the car is to slip into neutral, although coasting in neutral is considered bad practice (and actually banned in some states)

With young ladies in the city, I train to stay in 1st so that situational awareness can trigger a quick exit as required.

(One of my kids broke up a car-jacking yesterday, 77 year-old assaulted and driven off, and she pulled over and confronted the perp, who took off. Im both terrified for and proud of her)

[theWIFES_S70]

Wow... that's nuts. You have a great girl there, man! I'm proud of her, too.

[850 LPT]

I've taught all mine and about 12 other young ladies to drive stick. It's a public service thing. Hasn't cost me any clutches yet, and even if it did the karma bucket is well filled.

Hey Steve, do you teach:
- first gear, with the clutch and brake pressed, at every red light;
- or, neutral with foot on the brake pedal?

My wife always keeps the car in gear at every red light and I keep telling her, "it's like you want me to know how to replace a clutch..." I was taught to do the latter.

I still have this ahead of me, my daughter just turned 16 and she is studying for the learners permit. Once she gets that it's 850 with a stick time.

Wish me (us) luck.

[abscate]

When my long suffering bride and I were dating she learned stick (having lived in NYC all her life) on a

1965
1200cc
40 HP
Beetle
The clutch return spring and pedals were rusty, so you had to pull the clutch back up with a piece of string.
No e-brake (Somm - don't read this)

I don't know how she got through it.

[1337]

Here's a good video to change hearts and minds for you battle wagon guys hahaha.

This video and another similar one I've used to convert people over it's great!

HAHAHAHA! The guy who made this video is such an idiot, but he's my kind of idiot.

[eigenvector]

Wife here. My husband and I owned a '95 850 station wagon -- this was the first car either of us has owned. We both really love the car, and its community of enthusiasts that has allowed us to work on the car ourselves.

Unfortunately we got rear-ended almost two weeks ago, and its definitely a total loss. However, the car did its job because both my husband and I are relatively unharmed from the accident. Will definitely be taking the money to buy a new Volvo station wagon. Gonna try to get turbo this time.

[abscate]

I love my 1999 turbo, but the P2 NA 2.4 liter is crazy efficient, like 32-34 mpg. quiet and cool.

The best way to buy these is 3-4 years off lease when the original owner has paid your depreciation.

-Hamiltonian

[Teddy1975]

I've taught all mine and about 12 other young ladies to drive stick. It's a public service thing. Hasn't cost me any clutches yet, and even if it did the karma bucket is well filled.

Hey Steve, do you teach:
- first gear, with the clutch and brake pressed, at every red light;
- or, neutral with foot on the brake pedal?

My wife always keeps the car in gear at every red light and I keep telling her, "it's like you want me to know how to replace a clutch..." I was taught to do the latter.

Its complex.

The easiest thing on the car is to slip into neutral, although coasting in neutral is considered bad practice (and actually banned in some states)

With young ladies in the city, I train to stay in 1st so that situational awareness can trigger a quick exit as required.

I've been driving for about 22 years now, all the time only in stick cars. The car I got my permit in was a 240 DL. I guess that's where my love for Volvos started.

I remember learning how to use the engine to slow down coming to a light. It is mostly for mountain driving (going downhill) but I use it all the time. It does cause wear to the clutch, but I save a bit on the gas and brakes so I guess it breaks about even in the end.

So I'll apply the brakes gently, so the brake light lits up, shift to a lower gear and let go of the clutch pedal. Continue to do so until I'm in second gear and then leave it in first with foot on clutch and brake, if I know I'll only be waiting for a short time. If I know I'll be at the light for a minute or longer, I'll put it in neutral or even turn off the engine.