From Paper Driver Wife to Manual Transmission Driver

I used to have no interest in cars at all and was a paper driver for over 10 years after getting my license.

After marrying my husband, I gradually became interested in cars, and over about six years, I was able to comfortably drive a Porsche Boxster (981 GTS) manual transmission, and now my current beloved car is a Suzuki Swift Sport with a manual transmission.

The other day, when I met my brother after a long time, he said with a sigh, “I never thought my sister, who had zero interest in cars, would end up driving a manual car. Life really is full of surprises…” but honestly, I might be the most surprised of all (laughs).

So today, I want to share my thoughts from a wife’s perspective on “how to turn a wife with no interest in cars into a manual transmission driver.”

That said, this is just my personal experience and not a strict rule that “this method is the only way,” so I hope you’ll read it as “here’s one example of how it can happen.”

Steps to Turn Your Wife into a Manual Transmission Driver

To sum it up, I think the order is:

Get her interested in cars → Let her discover the joy of driving → Practice driving a manual transmission

Especially with Porsche, since the car’s performance is amazing to begin with, if the husband patiently and persistently encourages it, there’s a very good chance the wife will become a manual driver.

But under no circumstances should you think, “Let’s start by making her practice driving a manual right away!”

That’s because many wives have absolutely no interest in cars to begin with.

If you start from “Cars are amazing! Since this car is so great, my wife will obviously appreciate it too!” it comes off as pushy and backfires.

For a while, I honestly thought,

“With housework, childcare, and work keeping me busy, I really don’t care about cars. Where in my life is there room for a car?”

So I think it’s very important for husbands to understand the basic premise that “wives often have no interest in cars.”

Five Key Points to Turn Your Wife into a Manual Driver

With that in mind, here are five key points:

① Don’t rush
② To spark interest, start by letting her ride in a car with a comfortable passenger seat
③ Once she’s interested, have her actually drive a fun-to-drive car
④ To get her to remove the AT-only license restriction, the husband’s strong enthusiasm is essential
⑤ Accompany her during manual transmission driving practice

That’s about it…

Above all, not rushing is crucial.

I understand the feeling of “I want her to love cars quickly,” but impatience shows and often backfires. It’s the same in sales: the more you rush to close, the more the other person pulls away.

It’s important to take a calm, long-term view and not give up just because she says no once. Trying various approaches is also a key point (this really sounds like work, huh? lol).

Let Her Ride in a Car with a Comfortable Passenger Seat

To get her interested in cars, first let her ride in a car with a comfortable passenger seat.

Never start by putting her in a GT3 or a convertible.

The GT3 is indeed an amazing car, and when I first drove it, I was impressed, thinking “This car is on a whole different level!”

But on the other hand, cars like that are fun only for the driver. The passenger seat is stiff, and at low speeds, it picks up every bump on the road, so honestly, sitting in the passenger seat for a long time is tough.

If you glance over, seeing only your husband enjoying himself while driving is the worst kind of drive for a wife.

Also, convertibles feel great, but some models have quite a lot of wind turbulence (I think the 981 has quite a bit), which can be inconvenient for women with long hair, cause sunburn, and be embarrassing, so it’s better to avoid convertibles at first.

The best cars to start with are the Panamera or Cayenne with superb ride comfort, or a 911 equipped with PASM or a suspension that’s not too stiff (for test drives, etc.).

Then, once she gradually feels “Porsche is surprisingly comfortable” and “it’s a great car,” it’s time to move on to the next stage—letting her experience the joy of driving.

Have Her Actually Drive a Fun-to-Drive Car

I believe Porsche is a car that’s “all about driving.” The excitement level is completely different between the passenger and driver seats.

Even someone who’s a complete novice about cars will be amazed at how easy it is to drive and how different it feels from other cars once they get behind the wheel. In fact, my sister-in-law, who had zero interest in cars, was extremely impressed when she first drove my husband’s 911. (Here’s the article about that↓)

ペーパードライバーの妹に人生初のポルシェ911を運転させてみると？

Don’t just settle for her enjoying the passenger seat; if she can experience the car’s quality and fun by driving it herself, that’s a huge step forward.

Removing the AT-Only License Restriction Requires the Husband’s Unwavering Enthusiasm

Some wives may already have a manual license, but most probably have an AT-only license. (I also chose an AT-only license without hesitation when I was a student.)

However, a few years after we got married, when my husband ordered his first Porsche, a 981 Boxster GTS (manual), he said to me,

“Get your AT-only restriction removed before delivery! This Boxster is definitely fun! I’ll pay for the license upgrade!”

I’m pretty sure I said no more than 10 times (laughs).

“No way, we have small kids, work, and where would I find time to go to driving school? Besides, even if I get the upgrade, I’m never going to drive a manual car.”

But my husband was so persistent, and he said things like “If you can drive a manual, you can drive any car in the world. That’s amazing.” Eventually, I gave in and decided to go for the license upgrade.

Accompany Her During Manual Transmission Driving Practice

Once you remove the AT-only restriction, it’s easy to feel like the goal is achieved (I was like that lol), but that’s just the beginning.

You won’t be able to drive well without lots of practice, so my husband and I went out to practice driving the Boxster about once every few months while our parents watched the kids.

“You can’t keep the clutch pressed the whole time just because the gear has changed!” “If you drive like that, it’ll wear out quickly!”

He nagged me from the passenger seat, but looking back now, I think, “It’s amazing he was willing to let me practice driving such an important car when I was so bad at it.”

I was only able to drive a manual confidently after buying my own manual car and driving it every day (it took about a week), but if I hadn’t practiced on the Boxster first, I wouldn’t have gotten there.

In the End, It’s the Husband’s Enthusiasm…

Writing this all out, turning a paper driver wife into a manual driver is really a huge hassle. If I were in his shoes, I definitely wouldn’t have that kind of motivation… (laughs)

Actually, a few years ago when I participated in a Porsche Driving School with the Boxster, my husband tweeted this on social media:

Today I came to watch my wife participate in a driving school. When we first met, she had zero interest in cars, and now she’s mastered driving a manual car. I’m often asked what the secret is to changing her like this. The answer is simple: presentation skills at home. It’s just like sales.

I see…

When I said to him, “You really kept presenting this without giving up, huh?” he replied,

No, I never really thought of it as trying to make my wife a Porsche manual driver. I just genuinely thought, “It’s such a waste to die without knowing something this fun and amazing.” Also, Porsche is such a great car that I believed she would eventually realize its appeal. So for me, it was all within expectations.

In the end, it’s the belief in Porsche that wins out… or maybe not (lol)