1st and reverse are the hardest at first...and then shifts will just come with time.

 

I Just bought my fd this past sunday and its my first maual car and its working out good for me. I do need to improve though and thank this post for learning a few new techniques.

 

I learnd how to drive stick the first weeks I got my license. four years later I wanted a sports car and a stick. my current FD series was my first stick car and its great. its easy to learn stick within a days time and even the more powerful FD was easy to control and balanced well. I eventually upgraded the clutch to a stage III later on which I don't recommend for beginners, stick to OEM and you'll be fine.

 

Yeah, that's a really good point about the clutch.

An upgraded clutch can be really hard on the drivetrain if your clutch skills aren't very good. Beginners tend to be tough on clutches and/or drivetrains too. So my general advice of not getting more clutch than you need applies especially to beginners.

 

yeah my FD was my first manual, think i only stalled it out a total of 6 times maybe. I also had the best place to learn, okinawa japan, bumper to bumper 24/7 ******* sweeeeeet. What i dont recommend though is a metal shift ****, i hate, i tend to miss thrid sometimes when im doing my "spirted" driving thing. But i thought overall it was a good car to learn on. its also ten times better then my bro's srt4, that thing kinda sucks.