I wish I could go lower than the 1 rating. I was given a slot from 8-10 in the night, and I reached the office half an early so that the formalities are done in time. I waited for around 45 minutes in the dark parking lot, the office was closed, although it showed open on the website. I kept calling their number, but no one picked up. I left 4 voice mails also, called in earlier in the day to confirm the appointment as well and left a voicemail then also. No one cared to call me back. And no one showed up on the site for the classes well past 8. Such a terrible experience. I hope no one goes through this ordeal. read more

Jorge was fantastic. I hadn't driven a stick shift in 20 years, but Jorge took me back through the basics and with a little encouragement we were out on the roads in Watertown within an hour. He was patient, clear in his instructions, and all around great to work with. I'm hoping to pick up a sports car before too long, and Jorge's instruction helped give me the confidence to buy a manual if I want. I highly recommend him, and even did so to my wife who is considering learning stick shift. read more

Jorge was encouraging and really great for my first lesson! I definitely should have signed up for more than one lesson in order to feel proficient at it. But even with one lesson, the next time I was behind the wheel of a manual car I was able to drive all around town. He explains really well what you can expect as far as results and how many lessons each person might need. read more

I've learned manual transmission 5 years ago and got my manual license in my own country. But since it's been so long ago, and I wasn't really ready to drive in a manual in the real world and I was always dreaming of getting a manual transmission car. I was nervous, went out for test driving several manual cars, got embarrassed how bad my manual driving skill was, stalled the test drive car 2 times, and I decided to take some serious training to fresh up my memories and also learn some new useful skills of driving a manual. George is welcoming and very helpful. What he taught me, the 'pushing the clutch in a bit' technique with coordination of the gas pedal, is extremely useful. Instead of 'only let the clutch off slowly' to launch, I launched way more efficiently than I did when I was getting my license. So far I've already got 3 lessons in total. I'm gonna get the full 6 courses in the next following weeks. George told me that the clutch of STI is pretty stiff, so if you can drive the STI well that probably means you can drive any other manual cars even more comfortably. I can tell George truly cares about his students and I recommend this to anyone that wants to learn how to drive a manual transmission. read more

I was looking to learn how to drive a manual transmission car because I'm planning on getting a subaru wrx when my current leased car is up i was pleasantly surprised when I found out that I would be learning on the wrx sti. Jorge was a great teacher he very chill and explained everything very easily. The clutch on the newer wrx can be a little difficult at first but once you get the hang of it you can pretty much drive any other manual car read more

Stick Shift Academy - Driving Schools Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Patrick in Simpsonville SC is a gifted teacher who brought me from fearful to confident driving a manual transmission. He articulates very well, even giving analogies for me to relate to as I am not mechanically inclined. He was patient and encouraging throughout the lesson. At 61, I am doing this so I can relieve my husband on long distance trips in his C7 high-performance Corvette, but I had a lot of misinformation and previous bad experiences in my head to overcome. Patrick delivered!! The "driving course" was perfect, allowing me plenty of space for practice and even hill stops & starts, which was my biggest fear for rolling back. If you or someone you know needs to learn to drive a standard, I highly recommend Patrick. read more

I would highly recommend Stick Shift Academy to anyone who is looking to learn how to drive manual in a short amount of time. I purchased the four lesson package, and I thought that this was enough to prepare me to drive in many different conditions, whether it be on the highway or in a neighborhood, perhaps stalling a few times. If you really want to be 100% confident, I'd suggest purchasing the six lesson package. I thought the lessons were structured well. The first two lessons were combined, and I learned how to start and stop the car in a quiet parking lot. By the end of the second lesson, we moved to a larger parking lot and were learning how to shift into higher gears. During the third and fourth lessons, I drove on the major roads in Watertown and practiced starting and stopping in a quiet neighborhood with many stop signs. Overall, the experience was great! read more

Jorge was a great teacher . Super patient and really good at his craft he will guide you through every step of the way in order to be comfortable . Great character to have a chat also during the lesson . Would recommend to someone that has no experience what so ever with stick shift read more

The service I received was excellent. I occasionally drive trucks for my company(always automatics). I am going out of town to a site that rented a truck to use. 4 days before leaving found out the truck was manual drive. After an oh sh-t moment. I called around to find someone to teach me the basics of manual driving. No one could accommodate my tight schedule. After explaining my serious dilemma to Stick Shift Academy the contact person Charlie after 2 days of trying found an instructor(Michael) who was willing to alter his own personal schedule to help me out. Diane the customer service rep got in touch with me & coordinated the whole thing. I purchased the 3 hr course. Met up with Michael (Who, by the way, taught me on his own personal BMW) the day before I left, in the McLean High School parking lot . He explained the differences btwn autos & manual drive cars & how the mechanics of a manual drive work. He attempted to calm anxieties before putting me in the drivers seat. He explained the basics of what he'd be teaching & what I would be doing. After about 15 minutes I was actually driving. After many stops & goes & stops & goes, to get the feel of letting off the clutch and giving gas to pull off in 1st gear we worked on making a smooth transition from 1st to 2nd gear while driving around the parking lot. After a few grinds & a lot a jerks I became not exactly smooth but smoother with pulling of and getting into 2nd. Michael asked if I was up for the real world, although I was anxious I knew in a couple of days I would be in it, so he said "its time to take the show on the road. I eased out on to the main street. We took some less traveled side streets. They were empty enough that I felt comfortable, long enough for me to get up to 3rd gear & had enough stop signs so that I could practice my stop & go & clutching into 1st gear. We cruised around a few busier streets so that I could get up to 4th gear. Michael asked if I would mind driving to pick of his son from a sleep over. I absolutely did not mind, seeing how that was one of the many things he altered in his personal schedule so that he could accommodate mine. His son was about 9 or 10 & to my surprise knew all about gears & shifting. After dropping him off it was time to hit the highway. Off the merge ramp down Interstate 66 into 4th gear, 5th & finally 6th gear. After that, no more shifting to do, so we cruised a few miles while Michael explained about down shifting before taking an exit. Off to another parking lot where he explained & then demonstrated how to pull off while stopped on an incline without rolling back. More challenging than starting from level ground. I practiced for 15 minutes or so. Time for the real world. Cruised down route 123 over to Tyson's Corner Mall. Got caught by a traffic light on a hill. A Range Rover pulled up close behind. I became super nervous, Michael was on the ready to pull the emergency brake, I didn't give it enough gas on the hill & stalled out. Michael encouraged not to panic as traffic backed up. Started up the car & tried again, let off the clutch too soon & stalled out again backing up traffic even more. Michael was a lot calmer about it than I was. He said don't worry start the car & try again. I did & gave it more gas than necessary launching forward while jerking, but I didn't stall out. Smoothed it while shifting to 2nd & 3rd. Went to practice my hill starts a few more times & then back into the real world. Driving around Tysons Corner mall & the parking lots. Lots of hills, stop lights, stop signs and pedestrians. Did fairly well, still a little jerky, but Michael said you cant expect to be super proficient in just a few hours, you're doing fine He said let me introduce you to another real world problem. We went into the parking garage. He wanted me to drive to the top level, between the 3rd and 4th level on the ramp he said stop! Imagine there's a car in front of you & you had to stop on this steep ramp. You would have to be able to pull off with out rolling back. So lets practice that right here right now. Yes, I choked and stalled a couple times, but the 3rd time was a charm. Up to the top & back down again. Lots of cars whipping around corners in the parking lot, had to make a quick stop & forgot to push in the clutch - stalled out again. I was a little frustrated at that, but Michael said you did great, just take that as a final reminder that when you go too slow or have to stop you must engage the clutch or you will stall out, just like you did. I practiced the incline start some more. Never did consistently get it smooth, but I believe I got it good enough for my purposes Michael dropped me off in the mall where I met up with my wife who of course had went shopping. I thanked Michael for his help and was off. Michael, Charlie & Diane were great to work with. If you want to learn, those are the people I suggest you talk to. Wish me luck, I drive the truck by myself in 2 days. read more

I had an awesome experience learning from George. I'll admit that the paperwork process seemed a bit complex but as soon as we got that out of the way (I'd recommend going 15min early the day of your first lesson to take care of this), the lessons were great. I went from very limited stick shift driving experience to being comfortable in almost all situations after three 2-hour lessons. I single handedly drove across the country in a stick shift car about two weeks after wrapping up my lessons. read more

Stick Shift Academy is great! I had never driven a minute of manual transmission in my life and left a two hour lesson feeling like I had some of the basics down really well. The instructor, George, is friendly and a great teacher. He explains things clearly and can quickly understand what you're doing wrong to give you good advice. The car is nice as well, check it out! read more

After reading their rave reviews, i called them up for scheduling lessons. They dont schedule anything on phone. They require you to mail in the application form with fees. No online form or payment method. Seriously? What age are you living in? I am not getting my car registered, just wanted to get a couple driving lessons. Sorry but i'll pass. read more

I needed to learn to drive a stick shift in a few weeks before going on a vacation. In two 2-hour sessions, Jorge got me from zero knowledge to feeling totally comfortable. Driving on the vacation went off without a hitch. He's a great teacher, knows how to explain what to do and guide your learning, and is fun to talk to while you're practicing. read more

Tried this place based on the raving Yelp reviews, so I was really excited to try it out and eager to learn how to drive manual. Was looking to do a few lessons, but only did one 2 hour session and definitely came away feeling like it wasn't worth the money. We started the session off on the wrong foot as we ate up 10 mins for paperwork. Wouldn't have cared but the instructor ended the session 15 mins early as well. Overall I got some manual driving experience, but I found the instructor and I just didn't click from a learning standpoint. read more

I went to George to freshen up on my stick shift skills before getting a job as a valet and he went above and beyond my expectations. It is very simple - if you want/need to learn how to drive a manual car, you go to George. He will take care of you and make you feel like an expert in no time. read more

Thank you Jorge for teaching me to drive a stick shift! I really appreciated your patience and your flexibility in squeezing me into your busy schedule when I wanted an extra session. read more

Stick Shift Academy - This car was great! - Driving Schools Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

I can't recommend Stick Shift Academy enough. I took a few lessons with Jorge it was great. With zero prior experience driving manual transmissions, he got me to a point I was able to purchase my first stick shift car and drive it home with no problem. He's a pleasure to work with and a great and patient teacher. Although it maybe nerve-wracking to start learning, the lessons were always very fun and Jorge's passion for driving and teaching is very apparent. If this is something you've wanted to learn and need proper guidance on, then taking lessons at SSA is a very good idea. read more

Dude what a great place to learn manual. It was a great set of lesson and I have learned how to drive manual!!

I had driven a stick shift but over 20 years ago and with a Renault 4 where the stick shift in on the dashboard - think of a car but it's more like a metal box with wheels and very few features. Anyway after 2 hours of Jorge resorting to PLEase go easy on the clutch - I finally did and on my trip a few weeks later, I had no problem driving even though everything was on the opposite side of the car and the road. I highly recommend taking the classes and before you know it - you will save lots on European car rentals and probably have a nicer driving experience all round. read more

A 2 hour lesson for SSA was a birthday present from my parents, and it was fantastic. I was a bit nervous to start as I hadn't driven stick in a long time, but Jorge was patient, clear and non judgmental. By the end, I felt like I was really getting a grasp, and I'm confident I can get on the road now to practice on my own. Excellent experience, would recommend to anyone interested in learning manual. read more

Jorge is very patient and goes step-by-step when he explains what to do. He is very relatable and easy to understand. Having no experience going in, I walked away from a 2-hour lesson being able to confidently a drive stick shift car! Overall, this a great experience, it was fun, and I recommend you take a class for Jorge if you want to learn how to drive stick. read more

If you've ever thought about wanting to learn how to drive stick, this is the class for you. Jorge is super knowledgeable and patient, and he will have you driving in no time. read more

Went a while ago, but just had time to write this review. Jorge is such a genuinely nice guy and I asked him if I should get the four hour lesson and he said no you'll only need two, "yeah you'll see". He's an excellent teacher who pays 100% of his attention to you while being able to just have a friendly conversation. I went in with no experience and after one lesson I was extremely confident in my abilities. He's very friendly, knowledgeable, respectful and has a fun car to drive. Will be signing my girlfriend up for classes soon! read more

Just finished a 2 hour lesson with George, and am about to celebrate my success with brunch nearby! I scheduled the lesson because I am traveling to Italy in a couple months and I wanted to learn to drive a manual transmission car to have a more authentic experience on the road. George is an excellent instructor- very friendly and patient. We drive around in a parking lot for most of my lesson, and then drove back to his office on the road at the end (without stalling or lurching- success!). George mentioned that different cars feel and drive differently, so I'm sure I'd need to get the hang of it on my Italian rental before I felt totally confident, but George prepared me extremely well. I highly recommend a lesson from him, even just to learn something new! read more

I was waiting to write this review until I had a chance to drive stick in a different car for an extended period. I can say without a doubt that this lesson works. I did the two hour's lesson and am now able easily to drive long distances in all gears safely and comfortably; enjoying the experience is a great added bonus. Jorge will take you to a parking lot at Arsenal mall where you will stop and start, eventually shifting up and down. You will then drive back to the office very indirectly, getting about 45 minutes on the road. Then you go to the office, get a receipt, and go on your way with a strong level of competency in manual driving (assuming you've listened). Recommend highly for anyone looking to drive stick. read more

George was a great instructor! He was patient and explained all of the steps clearly and concisely. In our first 2 hour lesson, we covered all of the basics, from starting in 1st gear, reverse, and even downshifting. He made everything seem really easy, and I only stalled once the whole lesson (which was my fault b/c I panicked and let go of the clutch too fast). We did everything in an abandoned parking lot, but definitely looking into booking a second 2 hr lesson and hopefully get some time on the streets. The car is awesome: 2015 Subaru WRX. I was actually thinking of buying the same model, so George even let me gun it a little bit to see how fast it could go. It's fast. No need to test drive at the dealership! In short, if you're looking to learn stick shift, definitely check this place out. They won't disappoint. read more

Great car to learn in. Great instructor. Friendly, and patient, Jorge will teach you the basics from stepping in to a manual transmission car to getting going in no time. Would recommend highly. read more

I first learned to drive on a manual transmission car and hadn't driven one since (40+ years ago) and I wanted to be prepared for driving in Italy on vacation. I took a 3 hour refresher from another driving school and although I felt I had gained a level of proficiency there I still felt like I was missing what I needed to share the road with impatient drivers that wouldn't know I wasn't a regular stick shift driver. So I took a 2 hour class with George at Stick Shift Academy in Watertown. I learned more in those 2 hours about the proper way to shift and use the clutch and the proper way to rev match (for smoothness at starting up and shifting gears) than I think I even learned in a full drivers ed class when I was 16 when I was first learning the rules of the road ! George taught me how to set myself up using the very narrow clutch catch point window so that I am ready to go when the light changes which sounds like a fine detail but is exactly what you need to avoid having the driver behind you honk at you for taking too long ! And he taught me how to use the same catch point window to back slowly into a parking space with total control. And it was fun taking the lesson in a sports car ! I highly recommend this school to anyone that needs to learn from scratch or anyone who has been driving a manual for years and may have developed bad habits ! read more

You get to learn on a very new Impreza WRX which is the icing on the cake. George is a genuinely nice person, and a great easy-going teacher. He does an awesome job explaining things clearly and will go over any questions you have. Scheduling times during the week are great too. read more