worst experience... yet rewarding!

[Zephry]

This is my account with my new 2002 Impreza WRX.

I had finished taking an one hour crash course on manual shifting from a friend of mine three days before I purchased a brand new spanking manual WRX. When I heard Subaru is bringing the WRX to US, I just had to have it! I am 21 years old and I drove my Pontiac Grand AM too long.

Now on to the embarassing and frustrating experience...

I refused to test drive the car when the salesperson offered me the chance. I said I was too tired to drive. I wasn't ready to embarass myself in front of him. After the financing process, I was handed the car keys. But guess what? I couldn't start the damn car. So I had to call the salesperson to start it for me. Well then I stalled. It was embarassing having workers and other customers staring at me. Well luckily I only stalled once. There aren't any local Subaru dealers so I had to drive about 2 hours from home. I made it out of the Subaru dealer ok, and I somehow entered the highway without grinding gears or stalling at the stop light. I was panicking and sweating because crash course didn't include driving on a real road... only the empty parking lot. I was constantly cursing at myself and complaining. Then something unimaginable had happened. As soon I hit downtown Austin, there was a bumper to bumper traffic on the highway. I began to curse louder and I felt my palms getting wet. I was frustrated. And when I thought things can't get any worse, it began raining. I thought God hated me. And to top it off, my house is on top of a very steep hill. That night my parents were scared to death as I tried to park my brand new car.

Well that was about a month ago. I am a much better driver now but I still have anxiety attacks when I am in a traffic or on a hill. I am not an 100% manual freak, but I would recommend auto if you want hassle free driving. Manual is fun and will force you to be a more alert driver. Anyhow, Impreza WRX is a great car! Even my girlfriend loves it!

Thanks for reading!

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[M3sum]

Awesome dood, way to tough it out
At least you got to do the crash course on another car, not the WRX

[cnk]

That's great man. You gotta learn somehow right? As for hills. . .try using the e-brake to hold yourself still. Then work the clutch and gas as you normally would. As soon as you start feeling the car try to pull, slowly let the e-brake down and go. Takes some practice, but when you're on a steep hill. . .that's a pretty good way of doing it. . .at least until you learn how to heel-toe.

Calvin

[jdmcivic]

lol....thats great... ...glad you got through everything ok...in a few weeks youll be ready to rally, you should pick up on shifting pretty quick