Great instruction, non stressful & goes over all the fundamentals Would recommend for anyone new to driving stick read more

My wife reports that the lessons were 100% worth it!!!! She did the VIP package and feels so much more comfortable getting to know her new car! Thank you so much!!!! read more

I recently took a 3-hour lesson from Nima. I wasn't sure how he was going to get me from zero to driving home in my manual transmission car. But he did! Here's what happened: He started the lesson with familiarizing me with the clutch, accelerator, brake, and gear shift box, and how to properly engage each. After this, he taught me to start the car and move it into first gear. He was very patient and calm and never appeared frustrated when I made a mistake. Only when he was sure I grasped each concept, would he move on to the next skill. Someone in another review complained that he was on his phone. I'd like to clarify this. At one point when Nima wanted to test my newly learned skills, he told me he was going to pretend to be on his phone or take a nap in order to mimic a real life scenario where I was on my own with the car. He was NOT actually on his phone, nor taking a nap. It was a learning tool he was using to see if I could drive without his assistance. Actually, this was a great way for me to feel confident in my ability to drive because I didn't need his help too much during that exercise. At the end of the lesson, he asked me if I was ok driving home alone (I used my car for the lesson). He offered to follow behind me in case I stalled the car. I thought I could drive home with everything he taught me so I told him that would not be necessary. I would never imagine I could drive stick in 3 hours time, but Nima was an exceptional teacher who managed to prepare me sufficiently for the task! If you're hoping to learn how to drive stick, call Nima. He really is a great teacher and a caring person to boot. read more

Reviews rave about Nima being a fantastic instructor. I have little doubt that's true given so much praise. However, when I contacted him via his website about lessons in Pasadena, one of the three stated locations on his website, he replied two days later stating that there's a $65 trip fee for lessons in Pasadena. Since that additional fee wasn't mentioned on his website, his response dampened my enthusiasm for utilizing his services. read more

I wanted to learn how to drive a manual car so I signed up for a lesson with Nima and that was a great decision. Nima is a wonderful instructor and is extremely patient with me as I learned each step of the way. Nima was also kind enough to book me even though it was super last minute. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a reliable driving school. read more

When you see that someone has this many 5 star reviews, you wonder if they're really as good as everyone says and I can say that Nima definitely deserves 5 stars. I can't tell you what a nervous wreck I was. I have anxiety in general but getting in someone else's manual car without previous experience was especially scary. Right away, Nima made me feel super comfortable and I stopped being so nervous. He has a way of explaining things that makes it easy to understand. He's extremely patient and calm and even indulged me because I get really talkative when I'm anxious. You can tell he's been doing this for years because his methods are very refined. Everything is broken down by the hour and I was so glad he said the first hour was the hardest so I knew it was only going to get easier. The 4 hours flew by and my confidence was completely different by the end of our session. Now I am comfortable driving my boyfriend's M3 without thinking I'll mess up his car. If you're hesitating at all, don't! You'll be fine and probably have some fun along the way :) read more

Nima is a consummate professional. He is tremendously accommodating and will work with you to schedule your sessions however they fit into your busy life. He is personable, patient, and intentional, characteristics that lend themselves very well to teaching a technical skill such as driving a manual transmission car. He couples that with his well curated communication and well thought out lessons to provide very high yield instruction. I would and have recommended this course enthusiastically for anyone looking to learn stick. Nima helped jumpstart me from a complete newbie to a canyon carving enthusiast newbie and I have never looked back. Considering he provides the car, scouts the locations, and provides the instruction and direct feedback, I think his prices are an incredible value. Nima deserves the highest marks, if you're considering booking a lesson, just do it, you'll be glad you did! read more

Nima is a great, very calm and patient and a good teacher. I already had a little bit of experience driving a manual but wanted to take his course to refine some skills as well as learn new ones. I wanted to make sure I wasn't nourishing bad habits and wanted the guidance to help rid myself of the anxiety of driving in LA traffic ! Nima agreed to do my lessons in my own car which was awesome. Doing that saved me having to "adjust" or relearn the lessons as our cars are quite different. His being a Honda accord and mine a V8 SS Camaro 1LE! I took the 4 hour class and the time FLEW by... So I would suggest just doing that to give yourself the maximum amount of time to really practice and refine your skills as well as giving yourself a lot of time for questions to arise. You would be surprised on how many questions you will have during that 4 hours. I highly recommend taking his course wether you kinda know how to drive a manual or brand new at it. Like all new things, it will take some practice and time to be a pro at it but after the lessons you will have much more confidence as you get better. I am now enjoying my Camaro so much more having gotten to know her and using the skills Nima taught me. I'll be Fast & Furious in no time :) read more

First off I must say I can now drive in the streets with a manual ! My dad bought me a manual car to replace my auto "training wheels" car to my pleading(borderline desperate begging...)I took 8 hours in total to feel comfortable in the streets. We met up in a public parking area. Word of caution: drivers in this area are CRAZY and DANGEROUS. Nima is a great instructor because he takes time to add layers slowly. First getting used to the clutch and etc etc. His times are usually filled up at the most desirable times so you might want to make an appointment about 2 weeks ahead. Overall, I would recommend Nima to anyone who wanted to learn how to drive manual. I finally feel like the upper crust of the driving world hehe. If he can teach me, he can teach you. He had to repeat some things because I'm not that bright. FYI Cash only since he is a instructor guys ! He doesn't have an atm machine lol read more

Nima is the Mr. Miyagi of the manual transmission world. If you're not into waxing on and waxing off this might be a little difficult but stick with it and you'll drive away feeling accomplished and ready for any manual transmission experience. He explains the process thoroughly and his coaching skills are friendly yet assertive. He's always open to questions anytime during the drive. What I liked most was the structured curriculum. Each repetition he has you do connects with each step afterwards. Focuses on the foundation and makes clear the habits that an automatic driver will have when switching to manual. Overall my experience was well worth it as I had fun learning and driving manual. In summary, great teaching technique and structured curriculum Thanks Nima! read more

Nima was a fantastic teacher. I bought a stick shift car a couple weeks ago and have been driving it consistently (a little bit shakey with minimal stalling), but wanted to get over my anxiety of driving the freeway and hilly roads. He went over the basics and other things that I was having issues with. I felt 100% confident in my ability in driving stick and the anxiety that I once had went away. The lessons were well worth it because I was able to break out of those bad habits that I had before and learned new skills that I wasn't taught before. He was very professional and he was very prompt when responding to email and text messages. The fee for his lessons were reasonable. He was able to fit me into his busy schedule at such short notice. I highly recommend him! read more

Nima is fantastic! I've been wanting to learn how to drive stick for awhile but didn't want to rely on friends or family to teach me for various reasons. I found Nima via Yelp and made an appointment through his website and couldn't be happier! I tend to get very stressed and anxious behind the wheel (especially during any type of driving lesson) but didn't feel this way at all with Nima. He's super patient and has a really great teaching process. He spends about 5 or 10 minutes explaining the mechanics and process behind everything before we put it into action. He is also very open to questions and was able to explain everything I was confused or curious about. I did a total of 5 hours of lessons and learned how to start, stop, reverse, upshift, downshift, and go up and down hills. I actually went to a dealership the day after I finished my lessons with Nima and test drove a manual car by myself (I really didn't think I would be able to do it)! I'd highly recommend Nima to anyone interested in learning how to drive manual. He's a very kind and talented teacher and I will be referring any friends interested in learning manual to him in the future. read more

I hired Nima to teach my son how to improve his skills driving a manual trans after I got a bit frustrated :-). He was a great teacher, used his own car for the first 2 lessons and our car for the 3rd. Highly recommend. read more

I waited about a month or two after taking my lessons with Nima to review what he has taught me. I was in the market for a new car and I found the perfect one, it was a manual however and all I knew for my past driving years was the magical auto transmission. So me forcing myself to buy the car was a great way to also force myself to learn manual transmission since it is a great skill to have not only for jobs but just in general, you never know what could happen! Overall Nima was a great instructor. He's patient and he wont move on to the next part of the lesson until you are comfortable and ready to do so. I purchased the full plan and we got done within the time-frame Nima had originally setup; I did not feel rushed to fit the time frame. I stalled a couple times and made some mistakes, however they were corrected and I was back on the road. At the end of the lessons, I felt I learned enough to get my new car back home, however hill starts still freaked me out at the time and they still kind of do (although i've become pretty fluent with it now.) The same day, I brought my car back from Anaheim and I couldn't have felt better about this accomplishment in my life, all thanks to Nima! If you're debating about buying the full lessons, just buy 1 hour and see where it takes you.. maybe you'll want to buy more later. Don't sit there like i did doubting myself, go out and get it! Thanks again to Nima, god speed to you. :) read more

Stick Shift Lessons - Thanks to Nima, I had enough confidence to drive my new SI (Left) back from Anaheim the same day I got my lessons. - Driving Schools Near Me

Nima was a great instructor. I was super nervous for my stick shift lessons, but he kept me pretty calm throughout the whole lesson. I opted for the 5 hour lesson, and I learned a lot. I have some practicing to do, but overall I got the hang of driving manual. The prices were reasonable as well! Everything went great and I highly recommend Nima! read more

Had to drive a little far for these lessons but they were definitely worth it for the piece of mind it gave me to learn from someone who knows how to teach this skill, which can be pretty nerve wracking if you have no experience (like myself). Nima is incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and helped me feel way more comfortable by the end of my time with him. He's a great instructor and makes things easy to remember with lots of repetition and practice. He covers all of the basics of driving stick in a linear fashion - you have to learn one thing before advancing to the next - and makes sure you have it all down. Would 100% recommend him to anyone wanting to learn this skill! read more

Nima was so beyond amazing! I would give him 6 stars if I could. Here's why, Me and my dad have just recently picked up a Mustang Shelby GT 350, and for those who don't know, that car only comes in a manual. My dad took me to an empty lot and it just wasn't working, he got to a point where he was starting to think I was the only person in the world who couldn't drive a manual. I stalled that car so many times that he gave up. That's when I called Nima. I texted him asking for help and he got back to me within 20 minutes of me texting him. He was so easy to schedule, he fit me in the next day! So I drove down to meet him and he got out and shook my hand and was so beyond friendly, and we got in the car and he helped me so much. He explained everything very thoroughly, he even noticed that I play volleyball and started using references so I could understand how to drive more easily. I went from stalling every time I turned the car on to not stalling at all the 5 hours I spent with Nima. Today was my last hour with him and I can proudly say that I can daily drive a manual. If you are looking for someone to teach you manual, he is your guy. Super helpful, thorough, and he won't move on until you're comfortable doing it. The best part is he is fun to talk to as well so it's like making a new friend while you're learning! It's too bad I can't learn to drive manual multiple times or I would go to him again. Honestly he was amazing! read more

Stick Shift Lessons - Me and Nima after the lesson:) Such a great guy:)! - Driving Schools Near Me

Nima was amazing!!! Explained everything so it was easy to understand, and he makes you feel at ease behind the wheel, even if you have zero stick shift experience. Definitely would recommend him if you have never driven a stick like I hadn't! read more

What a scam! Buyer beware!!! If you need to cancel for reasons beyond your control the will keep all of your money! Very dishonest and unprofessional, won't even return your calls or even consider giving a partial refund. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING BUSINESS PRACTICES read more

Great investment if you want to learn how to drive manual transmission the right way! Nima was great. He responded quickly to my inquiry and was flexible with scheduling. I wasn't sure how much time I needed but he was vey accommodating. All the pertinent information was emailed me and he even confirmed our appointment the day before. Our schedules allowed us to start earlier than expected. He covered all the fundamentals before even starting the car. His method of explaining the various aspects of driving a manual made it easy to grasp. He ensured I was proficient with one step before progressing to another. When I made mistakes he calmly instructed me how to fix the error and had me repeat until I got the hang of it. We spent five hours covering everything I needed to operate a stick shift. While I was a bit nervous before the appointment, Nima made me feel extremely comfortable even when correcting my mistakes. If you're interested in learning how to drive a manual the right way, Nima is definitely your guy!! Well worth the money and then soom. read more

Nima is the man. I contacted Nima about lessons for my daughter. My daughter's work and school schedule is tough to fit in with mine as well being we were 4 hours away. Nima would text or call with options on dates we can make the trip. Finally after 2 1/2 months from initial contact my daughter and I both had Sat off, I immediately contacted Nima. He said he could fit us in Sat morning. Long story short- my daughter said Nima was kind and knowledgeable. She now drives around with ease (no longer popping clutch at stop signs or issues shifting). I'm proud of her and appreciate Nima's patience on working with our crazy schedules. This is my first time ever review. Nima I want to say thank you!! You were patient, respectable, and 100 percent the person to see. I'm telling you guys reading reviews right now...... ( I read almost all of his reviews before our 4 hour trip booking.) If you are interested in learning how to drive a manual car, book Nima for a 5 hour lesson. Great prices for lifelong learning. He even refunded us for an hour we couldn't make at end. Honest man that I wish continued success with his awesome business. Thanks again! read more

I took 4 hrs of lessons from Nima with no previous stick experience whatsoever. About a month later, I had the confidence to buy a manual. So there's that! Nima is extremely thorough and very patient. His teaching method is well-honed. He provides a great, safe environment for beginners and I recommend him highly to anyone who wants to learn. read more

My sister says her lesson was really good. Nima gives great instruction and detailed yet simplified instructions. I got a solid foundation that I know can continue to be built upon! It's amazing how he covers everything. The time flies by fast, so I highly recommend 4-5 hours if you want it stick and truly get the best lesson! Tiffany and Candice rate it well. read more

I purchased a new car back in May that was only available in Manual transmission and wanted piece of mind before "daily driving" in LA. Nima is a very good teacher and instructor. He was punctual, calm, cool, and collected during my two visits with him. Driving Manual isn't difficult, but it is easy to develop bad habits and tendencies if someone gives bad instruction. Nima was able to answer any questions I had during my instruction and I would advise anyone who is maybe intimidated or wants to learn to drive "stick" to do so under his tutelage. Thanks again Nima! read more

Contacted Nima in November about lessons. I had found a Ford Fiesta ST in San Diego I wanted to buy and planned on heading down there one Friday after I took three hour lessons with Nima that very morning. He'll have you start out very slowly (small stuff like pushing the clutch pedal in a hundred times while the car is off) and gradually work you up to eventually driving around a small parking lot. When I told him I was an NBA fan, he gave me an analogy related to basketball (which I have now since forgotten but made sense at the time) that really helped understand how the clutch pedal works in relation to the car. We finished the final hour of the lesson driving on side streets. Long story short, the car sold literally minutes before I got to the dealership in SD but I ended up buying something faster and more luxurious. Nima is a great instructor. I wholeheartedly urge those with limited experience driving a standard transmission (like myself) to pay for the full five hours. While we covered much ground in the three hours, five would have been perfect to nail down other techniques such as starting on a hill (By far the hardest thing to learn). The five hours is a deal for the level of instruction you receive and the fact that you are learning one someone else's car. read more

I have wanted to learn stick shift for a while, being a pretty big car guy I figured it would be fun, so after searching around for a good stick shift driving program I found Nima. I was a bit nervous at first, one of my friends sort of taught me how to drive stick in his car a few years back and I remembered it being difficult, but when I arrived and got in the car, Nima instantly helped me feel comfortable behind the wheel. we started slow with clutch control exercises and moved up from there. I never stalled while shifting (I did a few times while adjusting my food on the clutch but that is just bad automatic habits) and when I did stall the few times he was very calm and explained what I had done wrong. Would highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn manual but is worried about the difficulty! read more

Nima is hands down the best instructor I've ever had in my 28 years of life. He is such a naturally talented teacher, and I'm pretty sure he could teach an infant how to drive a manual vehicle. Nima is very thorough, and he won't move on to the next step until you've fully grasped each concept. Although he is very patient and takes his time, he will not drag out your lesson longer than is necessary. He is very efficient and does all that he can do to allow you to learn in a quick, safe, and thorough manner. Aside from being a great instructor, he's also a cool and down to earth guy, which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. He will happily answer any questions you have, and he will test your knowledge along the way to make sure you're retaining all of the information that he's covered. I absolutely recommend him to anyone who is considering taking stick shift lessons. You will not regret it. read more

Nima was --incredibly-- professional, patient, and a great teacher. I came in a nervous first-time stick shift driver (hoping to learn as a new year's resolution) and left feeling confident I could drive a manual! PROFESSIONALISM ================= Even before I got to my lesson, I knew Nima was awesome. I rescheduled my lessons more than four times over e-mail and every single time he was flexible, enthusiastic, and helpful. He followed-up when I forgot about e-mails and texted/called closer to the date; when I couldn't make it to the first hour of my lesson because my car was blocked into my space, he kept in touch via phone and couldn't have been more patient. PATIENCE ========= During the lesson, Nima gave a great, experienced breakdown of how to learn things. He adjusted well to my learning style (doing things over and over and over and over; I'm terrible with just listening to step-by-step directions). I bought the 5-hour package and learned getting into 1st, up-/down-shifting, parking, reversing, driving on small/larger city streets, and going up/down hills. Even when I stalled at an intersection with oncoming traffic, Nima smoothly pulled the emergency brake and talked me through getting the car moving again. GREAT TEACHER ============== All in all, this is a great way to learn to drive manual. As a young, solo female, I felt very secure getting in touch with Nima, getting in his car, and learning to drive. You won't go wrong with his lessons! read more

On the list of essential manly skills, just below shaving and just above bear wrestling, you will find driving a stick shift. Sadly, despite several people making several previous attempts in empty parking lots over the years, no one in my life had been able to teach me this skill... until Nima at Stick Shift Driving Lessons. He is, as other reviewers have suggested, an incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and helpful. From the outset, he ensured that I was comfortable with each concept before adding on the next one, and showing how each skill built on the last. By the end of the 5-hour lesson package, he had me starting on uphills without rolling backward, which, as everyone knows, is the bane of anyone learning to drive a manual. Thanks to these lessons, I'm convinced my next car will be a manual, and I will probably come back to Nima for another hour or two's refresher course before I take the keys to my own car. Nima, sir, I salute you for ensuring that, the next time I'm asked, "Can you drive stick?", I can proudly (and manly-ly) answer: "Yes. Yes I can." read more

This past fathers day, my wife bought a NASCAR experience for me. That means I got to drive an actual NASCAR race car all by myself!!! When the time got a little closer, I realized it had been over 15 years since I drove a manual transmission car and I needed a refresher course! I did a quick search on CL and found Nima in Woodland Hills. Nima has a way about him that made me immediately feel welcome, comfortable and at ease. He's an incredibly attentive and patient instructor. Within 20 minutes I was driving around a neighborhood, stop and go, uphill etc without much effort. He's great you guys! By the end of the lesson I felt lucky to have found such a mellow and easy going instructor - if my daughters needed to learn on a manual transmission car, I'd have no hesitation to send them over to Nima! At race time I was so much more confident to drive and it was a much more enjoyable experience. Many thanks to Nima! read more

Great instructor for a great price. I can reiterate some of the other comments regarding Nima's patience, knowledge, friendliness and effectiveness. I would also add that his scheduling flexibility is a major plus- he was able/wiling to accommodate my proposed lesson time of 7am during the week given my work schedule- not likely to find that a normal driving school. After two sessions totaling 5 hours, I felt 100% prepared to get into my new manual transmission car. If you are thinking about getting a stick shift car without extensive prior experience, I HIGHLY recommend you spend some time learning/practicing with Nima. read more

Scratching this off my to-do list! I did it! The cat is out of the bag . . . that I never knew it was my secret, but somehow I'm amazed all my friends thought that I knew how to drive a stick shift when I told them that I completed my lessons. Nima is very professional, thorough and patient instructor. Definitely an opposite experience compared to my ex; maybe that's why he's my ex. Anyways, enough about that guy. Nima is on-time and will worked with my busy schedule. He is considerate and very patient with all the numerous question I gave him. He make sure that you understand the concept before moving to the next topic. Once we went through the basics. We jumped into the car and in 30 or so minutes, I was able to drive around the parking lot without stalling the car. On our last session, I was driving on the streets, shifting gears like I was a professional (a little exaggeration there, but you know where I'm getting at). For any car enthusiast, the experience is priceless. read more

I picked Nima after reading all other Yelp reviews. I've been wanting to learn stick for the longest time, and although I've messed around with my friend's old beat up truck, I never quite was comfortable with it. Nima is amazing, he is incredibly thorough, patient, CALM (which is important cuz I panic) and just a pleasure to work with. Note: Do not schedule your first lesson after a hardcore work out session. I did Legs the night before and my muscle control was lacking. I only completed one hour, will definitely reschedule the other sessions. :) read more

What can I say?!! Those were the best 4 hours of teaching that I've had in a long time. He's patient, GOES through EVERYTHING before you start, he doesn't criticize you but helps you understand when you have little bumps along the way. Nima is just an awesome stick teacher. I highly but highly recommend him if you want to learn manual. And the best part of him he doesn't make it intimidating at all. The moment I met him and we started my lesson I felt confident and sure enough I learned enough of driving stick that I feel confident enough to drive one! Thank you Nima and I will definitely get another lesson just to practice and just to polish some of the "bumps" Once again Nima was awesome!! I went back for a refresh course and well I felt more confident to drive with stick and lets just say im extremely happy that he is my instructor!! As people have said hessians patient and the fact the he reminds you of small things to correct your driving..he's not stern but he just reminds you to take it easy and slow and go is the way to go espically when your a beginner!! I feel that three more sessions and I'll be able to say I can drive stick with confidence!! Thanks Nima!! I'll see you soon!! If I give 100 stars I would!! read more

I had zero experience driving a manual car unless you count shifting while my mom drove the car. The wife and I bought a third car. We wanted something a bit more fun and sporty. So we went with a Fiesta ST, but this car only came in 6 speed. Oh Oh. The wife promised she could teach, but after a couple of lessons I knew I would need more help. So I contacted Nima. He was available on three days notice and I got the lesson done in 5 hours. The time goes by quick, but I was ready to drive stick as soon as I was done. I HIGHLY recommend! read more

All the positive reviews here for Nima and his program ring true - the man is a natural teacher and of course excellent driving instructor. I had never pressed a clutch before in my life but Nima got me started in a parking lot in West LA and by the end of the day I was able to work my way around some small local streets. The five hour package is a fantastic deal and got me from total newbie to a fairly proficient manual transmission driver over the course of two days. I'm glad he made some things like, "if I don't say anything don't worry, it means you're not doing anything wrong" clear. Learning to drive, be it for the first time or just in a new transmission, is always a high-pressure ordeal and it's nice to have an instructor who's just there to help you and facilitate a positive learning environment. (Rather one that screams at you for every little mistake and turns you into a nervous wreck on the road). Thanks to Stick Shift Lessons I managed to test drive quite a few new manual cars for my new purchase and am now rolling around in a stick shift Genesis Coupe R Spec. I still hear Nima's voice in my head sometimes when I drive! read more

Awesome instructor and very patient!!! 1. He schedules an appointment when its most convenient with you 2. Right off the bat, he sits you down in the driver seat, and talks about the basics and guides you through every single thing. 3. He breaks down everything into details and answers all your question 4. Everything is hands on, such as going into first gear and then takes you onto the street on your second appointment I would recommend the 5 hour special. You will learn the basics of manual driving and after completed you will be able to drive a manual car. *BTW: cheapest manual driving you will find. read more

Wow. Professional. Courteous. Available. Reliable. Easy to Follow and Understand. Nima is the Best Driving Instructor. He is hands down available to his customers, very considerate and he will go through each step with you over and over (and for me, over and over) again. I am truly happy I had my stick shift lessons its a trait any driver should be able to do and I thank Nima 100% for it. Also, I paid for a set of hours and was never able to make my last hour. He called me to get my address to send me back my credited payment. I mean, amazing! read more

Nima was pretty awesome. He's a nice guy, with patience and seems to have done this long enough to have developed a really worthwhile curriculum (so to speak). I had one experience trying to learn stick when I was 17. It involved a really old Datsun with a worn out clutch and an impatient father... So, it was short and not sweet, never to be repeated. Nima explains, gives tricks/hints, follows-up and is generally a very good service provider. I imagine he would be a good service provider no matter the service, it just so happens that in this instance Nima helps people to feel confident behind the wheel of a manual transmission vehicle. I would recommend Nima's service to anyone who wants to learn how to drive a stick and feel comfortable during the learning process. Thanks Nima. read more

I was about to purchase a new car & I have always regretted not getting a stick shift car. It was over a decade since I had driven stick shift, and I decided to take the 5 hr course to refresh my memory.. Nima is a great instructor and he is very patient. He let me spend more time on my problem areas while covering the entire course. Totally glad I took the course :) read more