Best learner MT

[rebel1861]

I am looking for some advice on the best manual transmission car to learn on. I am a driving instructor in Massachusetts and I would like to try to start a program to teach kids how to drive a stick. I was told it was brought up before but turned down, so I thought I would do some research and come up with a proposal. I thought I'd start with a car. I'm looking for a car I can pick up cheap that is cheap and easy to replace the clutch on. So I was just looking for ideas on cars that are easy to drive and very forgiving to new drivers.

[AHTOXA]

Buy the best-maintained car with the most known repair record and best-known reliability track and the lowest miles you can afford. In regards to manual trans - it won't make a difference. Individual car condition, mileage and maintenance done to it in the past will be the deciding factors.

Generally speaking, RWD cars may be easier to have the clutch replaced due to drivetrain layout, but that severely narrows down your choices. I wouldn't worry about that.

[tankinbeans]

The easiest I've dealt with was honestly my Focus, bit that's going to be a bit expensive if you're trying to stay cheap. I'd honestly go with an older Corolla. My brother had one, abused it to no end, and the clutch lasted 250k (110k of those were his). The only reason he no longer has it is because the engine crapped out after years of neglect and an oil change every 50 or 60k miles.

Easy to drive, small, not much to break.

[watkins]

Generally speaking, RWD cars may be easier to have the clutch replaced due to drivetrain layout, but that severely narrows down your choices. I wouldn't worry about that.

Or a first generation Saab 900. Easiest FWD clutch job ever. Its backwards.

[theholycow]

2WD I4 Chevy S10. Very easy to learn to drive manual with controls that feel great, and cheap/easy to maintain/repair. Only problem is they're all pretty old now.

[tankinbeans]

A Ranger in good nick could be a possibility.

[potownrob]

Civic FTW!!! in all reality, most any compact car would fit the bill; civics have VERY forgiving clutches though.

[watkins]

Not a VW. Those clutches are awful.

[theholycow]

Not a VW. Those clutches are awful.

[AHTOXA]

Every single person here (and everywhere) will have a different answer. They will share based on their (globally limited) experience.

I still believe that you buy the best maintained, most statistically reliable, lowest mileage car in your budget.

[AHTOXA]

One thing I will say. Try to avoid super light clutches on modern cars. They are harder to learn on and get a feel for. You want to stay in between a stiff clutch and a super light marshmallow clutch.

[tankinbeans]

Not a VW. Those clutches are awful.

Vague, with no feeling is awful eh? Good to know.

[rebel1861]

Every single person here (and everywhere) will have a different answer. They will share based on their (globally limited) experience.

I still believe that you buy the best maintained, most statistically reliable, lowest mileage car in your budget.

That was kinda the idea. I only have a limited experience of the clutches I have driven same with the people around me. I wanted to throw out the question to see I could narrow down the results. Going in I had some ideas, civics were on the top of list, easy to come by abundance of parts easy to find in stick. I just have never had the opportunity to drive a manual civic. That said I just want find the car that most think would be good to last on.

Also for some reason service record never crossed my mind but in this case it is important so thank you AHTOXA

[Squint]

Civic FTW!!! in all reality, most any compact car would fit the bill; civics have VERY forgiving clutches though.

I would vote for this as well. If OP is going to be officially training people, there might be requirements on age/mileage of the vehicle. Civics across the board are basically the base-line compact car that is supposed to be uber-reliable. A Corolla would work as well, so that might be a toss up if OP prefers Toyota to Honda. I do know that a Civic (at least a few years old, I haven't driven any of the models in the past 5 years or so) have an average enough feeling clutch so isn't feather light or impossibly heavy.

Vaguely related story: I have a friend who is cheap enough that he won't buy a car while his current car is functioning. He drives an early 2000s manual Civic and while he does basic maintenance, he doesn't do anything extra. He has intentionally tried to drive it harshly and the thing just keeps ticking.

OP, while the car is a big factor, you might also want to some basic calculations on how many miles, how much you will set aside for maintenance, how much you would charge, etc... and see if you can make it viable. As much as we are in favor of sticks, there probably aren't a TON of customers that want to learn - especially if the price is way too high. Take a few minutes and do some math to see if this is even viable. But good luck! Hopefully it will work out for you!

[theholycow]

Not a VW. Those clutches are awful.

Vague, with no feeling is awful eh? Good to know.

Feels like it's not hooked up to anything. Completely numb.

Resistance is like the spring from a retractable pen, like a stiff breeze could press it to the floor.

Engagement/friction isn't a zone, it's a point; it's an on-off switch, but it's located somewhere near the top of the range (but not all the way at the top).

Someone who is learning will slowly bring the pedal up, nothing happens. They slowly bring it up more, still nothing happens. They slowly bring it up more if they still have any patience, still nothing happens. They're almost at the top and they bring it up another millimeter and suddenly the car has stalled. Next time they try to remember where it was but there's no reference, there's no changes in pressure, no feedback, nothing.