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

What an amazing experience learning with Nima. Me and my fiance both needed a crash course in driving a manual for our upcoming cross-country honeymoon in Iceland (I had a little experience, she was a total newbie). I called Nima and he tailored a custom a 5 hour lesson to include us both...giving her some minor basics and me the full on lesson, since I would be doing most of the driving. He was patient, friendly, incredibly thorough, and put us in the driver's seat right from the start. My fiance was a bit nervous going in, and after a few minutes, she felt totally at ease! The guy is just a pro. By the end of the lesson, I came away feeling confident and calm with the stick shift. Now we're ready for our honeymoon! I'd recommend Nima to anyone -- it's well worth the drive even if you're not local (we came up from the South Bay). This is THE GUY you want to learn with! read more

Nima, is a very good teacher. He is patient on time and consistent. Moreover i left some hours on the table after life just got generally busy. Nima contacted me multiple times to return the unused hours. You dont see honest individuals like him too often. I will go back for more lessons as soon as i can find some time. read more

I firmly believe that learning how to drive manual is not something you can (or should) do on your own. I first contacted Nima via text and he was very quick to respond. He was flexible with me from the very beginning. We finally agreed on a date and time and met for our first lesson in a parking lot conveniently located near my house. What I love about Nima is how patient he is-- something I think should be required if you are a teacher/instructor of any kind. No matter how many times I would mess up or stall the car (ugh so frustrating!), he remained 100% patient, calm, and understanding. He did a very thorough job at explaining everything and answering any, and all of my questions. He is really good at gauging your progress in order to determine when you should move on. He has been teaching lessons for a long time, and has worked with several clients. On our last 3-hour lesson he even let me extend the lesson an extra 30 minutes because I was so sleepy I needed to stop at Starbucks. I highly recommend Nima's services! He made learning manual a breeze and the lessons were fun at the same time! Lastly, I think his prices are absolutely reasonable. ...Now I can't wait to drive that Acura NSX! :D read more

I endorse Nima fully and won't choose anyone else if you need to learn how to drive stick. My situation is a little special because I have already been driving stick for 4 months on the road, yet I feel I could do better. Right after my first lesson with Nima, my driving improved tremendously. He explained every driving skill in an extremely precise and methodical manner. He also adapts to individual needs based on what one knows, and planned his instruction step-by-step logically and very thoughtfully. Nima's highly effective, high quality instruction definitely falls in the top 1% of teachers I have ever encountered in my life (I have done quite a bit of schooling, sadly). Nima is really as good as one can get for a driving instructor, and a great guy too. Pretty priceless. Trust me. read more

This will be quick. Nima is a great teacher. My next car purchase is going to be a manual transmission and I needed to quickly learn how to drive stick competently. Seeing his yelp reviews, it was a no-brainer to hit him up and schedule for a 5 hour session. He worked around my work schedule and made concessions to work with me at night. The learning experience was painless. Nima is ever calm and composed and if you actually listen to the advice he gives, he covers pretty much every aspect of stick shift driving in the short time you spend with him. By the 3rd hour I was out on the streets, talking sports and chatting away while cruising around Woodland Hills. I never thought I'd be that comfortable in a manual car, but with Nima's clear instruction and calm demeanor, everything falls into place. You won't regret working with him! read more

I just got a stick car from my family as I left for college. I watched all the YouTube tutorials there were, thinking I might just be able to teach myself. Things turned out to be not as I expected. I can operate the vehicle, barely. But I felt extremely nervous driving the vehicle, not to mention stalling and rolling backward up hills. So I googled stick driving for some more tutorial, but ended up finding Nima's website. I texted him on Friday afternoon, and he tried his best to fit my lessons to his busy schedules on Sunday. His instruction is clear, informative and straight to the point. By the end of the second hour, I became much more confident driving my stick car. After the 5 hour lessons, I had no trouble driving the stick car like an automatic. Now all I need is to drive more. If you need to learn how to drive a manual and you are around LA, just give Nima a call. IF YOU DON'T WANNA READ THE WHOLE THING, READ THIS: - Nima gives awesome instruction and tips - You will be a confident driver after Nima's lessons - Even if you think you can drive a manual, Nima perfectionize your driving skills - Highly recommended! read more

Worth every penny! Nima is super patient and very kind. he takes the time to make sure all the concepts are communicated and understood. Tons of tricks to make it the learning easier. You will be driving within the first hour. His rates are also super competitive. I actually came down all the way from SF to take his lessons. Best class and deal you will get. Thank you Nima read more

Nima is a great driving instructor. Everything was very professional, he was on time and patient. I only stalled once! Trying to get the hang of driving a manual transmission again before buying my new car. Only preforming the 1st hour of his course, which covers the basics and maneuvering through 1st gear, coming to a stop and working the clutch. The other parts are much more indepth, but I didn't feel I needed that for now. I'd highly recommend this service to anyone interested in learning how to drive an automobile with a stick shift, standard, manual gear box, whatever you would like to call it. read more

Well worth it, I would highly recommend it to everyone, especially car enthusiasts! Nima the instructor is a very well mannered individual, and very calm, goes with your own pace. Like I said HIGLY RECOMMENDED!!! read more

Learning to drive a manual transmission car was high on my 'to do' list for quite some time. After searching on the internet I found Stick Shift Driving Lessons. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any other local options in my area as good as this service so it was a no-brainer. My original idea was to book 1 hour and teach myself the rest. Ha... I was so naive. I ended up doing 5 hours total in a few sessions and they were exactly what I needed to learn. Nima, the instructor, is very thorough in his lessons and I appreciate his patience and teaching method. He tells you exactly what you need to know in an easy to understand way. His teaching method is also efficient - I was surprised at the pace of my progress. Every lesson was valuable, from the first to the last, and I'm glad I ended up doing all 5 lessons. I wholeheartedly recommend Stick Shift Driving Lessons. read more

For the past year or so I have been interested in the idea of learning to drive a manual transmission. Not just banging through the gears, but really learning the correct method. After a few hours of searching around, I found Nima on yelp and decided to give him a call. I'm 27 years old and up until January 2019 have never driven a manual transmission car before (europeans will hate, but thats how it is here). After 2 lessons and 5 hours behind the wheel under Nima's professional instruction I feel 100% confident getting in any manual transmission car. If you want to buy that dope sports car you've been dreaming of but you're skeptical because it only comes in manual, don't buy an automatic instead, just call Nima and he'll show you the ropes! read more

I would highly recommend taking manual driving lessons with Nima. When it comes to scheduling, he is flexible and accommodating and will work with you to find a time that fits in your schedule. Once you agree on a time, Nima will walk you through a very effective curriculum, starting with understanding the basics, then applying them in a safe, controlled, parking lot setting, before graduating to neighborhood streets, and then taking on busy roads with confidence. Throughout this process, he clearly communicates instructions and is kind and patient, two qualities that are essential when learning a potentially stressful skill. I started with the four hour course, which I'd recommend for the structured curriculum. I then followed up with a few one hour sessions at a discounted price to solidify my knowledge, at which point I felt pretty comfortable driving manual without any guidance or help. Overall, if you want to learn to drive stick shift, Nima is your guy. read more

The best way to learn stick that I could possibly ask for, Nima was an amazing instructor. Very Patient, works out a schedule that is convenient for you, answers any and all possible questions, and helps you understand anything that you might need to know. And when I was looking at other places it was clear that this was the only place to go. read more

Nima is a smart, chill dude. He's exactly who you want to teach you to drive a manual. The rate is also really reasonable. Great value. read more

Nima is great teacher, very patient and will give you all the knowledge you need to drive a manual transmission vehicle. Great communication in setting up our lesson time. Come with an open mind, leave your automatic habits behind, and you'll come away from Nima ready to drive a manual. I had no prior experience before my lesson and a month later I bought my first manual transmission vehicle. I couldn't imagine driving anything else. read more

Nima was a great instructor. I went with 0% knowledge of how to drive stick, after the 5 hour course I feel confident enough to drive stick with out stalling in the toughest situations. read more

Nima doesn't need the praise, but deserves it. Very easy going, very patient and above all very PROFESSIONAL, Stick Shift Driving Lessons is the way to go. Setting appointments has been smooth, and the instructor arrives on time (which gives you that much time to work on the vehicle). After about six hours, I feel comfortable enough to drive a stick-shift through suburban streets. Nima is the man (and a huge baseball fan!) Recommend! read more

This was great. Nima's a calm and patient instructor with an excellent teaching method, at an extremely reasonable price. After a lengthy spell of car-less living on the East Coast, I was surprised when I moved to California a few years ago to re-discover a long dormant love of driving. As I approach finally buying a car, I find myself leaning towards the sporty little numbers that are largely available in manual. A 5-hour lesson with Nima has me ready to test drive that Miata! First off, he was very quick to be in touch and set up the appointments, and when I had to do a bit of rescheduling closer to the date, he was totally accommodating. Honestly, I was a bit nervous going into the first session, still scarred from my previous failed attempt to learn manual on my mom's '87 Integra oh so many years ago. But Nima did a great job of isolating each part of the process so I didn't get overwhelmed by all the new neural pathways needing to be built in order to reliably get into first gear. By the time we moved onto shifting up to higher gears and down to lower gears, I was kinda shocked at how easy it was. By the end of the second session, I was getting into first gear on hills, without rolling backwards! He was also good at pointing out how to listen to what the car is telling you, so it's not just a mechanical experience, but one where you learn how to kind of bond with the car; make it purr instead of just making it go. This lesson was so valuable, I think it will even make me better automatic driver. In sum, there's just no reason to not know how to drive stick in LA as long as Nima's in town! read more

Nima is a Great teacher. He's patient and never loses his cool. When I don't understand or listen (LOL) to his teachings he calmly says it again and wants to make sure I get it. I chose the 5 hour package and we accomplished a lot. I had fun too. He's friendly and professional and I'd recommend him to anyone who wants to learn stick shift. I learned more in the 5 hour package with Nima than I did with friends and family teaching me in the hours combined. read more

He is the best instructor ever!!! Thank you Nima for everything!!! I feel more confident and comfortable driving my stick shift car!!! Thank you read more

If you want to learn how to drive stick shift, Nima is the best man to go to. I was searching on Yelp for a place that would teach me how to drive stick shift and came upon this one. The ratings and reviews told me everything I needed to know and so I went for it. Nima is very flexible with your schedule and is quick to respond to text messages. He lets you decide if you want to get your five hours done in one day or separate two hours for one day and three hours for another. I decided to get my 5 hours done on a Saturday morning. Five hours straight might sound like a slog, but we took short breaks at the end of every hour and a one hour break after the first three hours. All I can say is that those five hours went by in a blink of an eye. Nima and I met up at his preferred location. The locations he picks out for driving couldn't be any better. The first two hours of learning to engage first gear, second gear, and reverse were done in a fairly empty parking lot. On the third and fourth hours, I was ready for residential streets (also fairly empty) to get into higher gears and learn how to downshift. The fifth hour was dedicated to driving on uphill/downhill locations. By the end of the day, I was very confident with driving manual and not stalling or grinding gears at all. The price you get for five hours is a good deal. Backed with the experience of 14 years driving a manual transmission, Nima will teach you all the essentials. He is a very kind, friendly, and cool guy. If you make mistakes when driving, he won't bite your head off. He is calm, patient, and understanding. I definitely recommend learning to drive stick shift with Nima. read more

Had a blast learning manual with Nima. He is very patient and really teaches you everything necessary to learn manual. The 5 hour package is awesome because you can get a good feel for the car and I will most likely go back for a few refreshers. Highly recommend him for all your manual driving needs because he makes it super fun and not stressful. read more

Thanks Nima! I'm on my way to being a racecar driver now ha. Seriously though, I loved learning with Nima! He explains everything calmly and in detail. I don't have the best memory and am a bit slower at picking up on things especially if I'm not able to practice consistently, and he is very patient and understanding! I continue to take refresher courses here and there with him and highly recommend him to anyone looking to learn! read more

Nima is great. A good teacher and he'll walk you through and match your experience level so you're not going through things you already know. Definitely more comfortable on the road after a 2 hour lesson. read more

Nima is a very nice guy and great teacher. I had been driving stick but wanted to improve my skills and make sure I hadn't picked up any bad habits. It turns out I was doing alright and Nima gave me some great tips. Awesome teacher, highly recommend. read more

Nima is a godsend. I had no access to a manual transmission car and wanted to learn to drive stick. He is an incredible teacher and has a knack for keeping you calm as you roll backwards on steep hills. I highly, highly recommend his 5hr complete package in which you go through everything. Even if you can manage driving stick and just need to practice one aspect, the 5hr package will ensure you have solid foundations to build upon and aren't going to destroy your clutch/gearbox. THANKS NIMA! read more

Nima was quick to respond about scheduling, patient and easy to work with, and very clear in breaking down the components of driving stick and giving me room to practice and review. He shared a number of basic mechanical hints that I'm confident will be valuable for a long time. I did the 5-hour package, which as priced was considerably less expensive than at least one other driving school near me in Westwood. If you're looking to get going on stick, it would be hard to imagine a more relaxed and helpful instructor than Nima. read more

I found Nima thanks to these Yelp reviews, and everyone was right! I'd been wanting to learn how to drive stick for a decade and I'm so glad I finally took lessons! Nima's a natural teacher. He explained everything incredibly well. I never felt rushed and I felt comfortable with each step before we moved on to the next one. I was most scared of driving stick on hills, but there was nothing to fear thanks to his training! I would 100% recommend Nima. The 5-hour special was perfect for learning all the ins and outs of driving stick. So glad I found him! read more

Nima is a great instructor. He will teach you very effective techniques to get used to driving a stick shift, and he is very patient. Nima takes as much time as you need to get accustomed to driving a stick shift, and explains things very carefully yet in a simple and understandable manner. I am very glad I went to Nima to learn how to drive stick shift, my dad bought me a stick shift car before I learned to drive one, and Nima helped me learn how to drive it. After taking lessons from Nima, I was able to drive my car with very little trouble. I would definitely recommend him for lessons read more

I've always wanted to learn how to drive stick. I had tried it in the past, but not with much success. Now that I have to buy a new car, I thought maybe I'll look into getting a stick shift. I heard that it adds greater enjoyment to the driving experience; and, living in LA, I can use some of that. As a teacher myself, I can tell you that Nima is a great instructor. As others have pointed out, he is very patient, very knowledgeable, and guides you with a great deal of meticulous care. What I like is that he breaks down the lesson into a series of drills, which he has you do over and over again until you feel comfortable. Once you've managed a few of these drills, he combines them until you feel confident enough to get out on the road. In about three hours, you're basically driving stick. He then takes you out onto the boulevard to try out all five gears, gear match, down shift, make left turns, etc. Finally, he takes you into the hills for one of the most challenging skills involved in driving manual. If you've never driven stick, or it's been a while, you should definitely take the 5 hour lesson. If you just need a refresher--as I will, once I purchase my car--you should go in for a two-three hour tutorial. Very painless, and the time flies. And because he is so calm and patient, you feel no pressure, and after a couple of hours, you find yourself enjoying the experience. And, as far as I can tell, this is the only service of its kind around here. I suppose regular driving schools may teach you how to drive stick. But the big difference is that Nima only interacts with people who already know how to drive. I imagine from regular driving schools you'll deal with instructors accustomed to teaching teenagers--and so, for example, talking to you like you are one. read more

First off. Nima is an outstanding individual and is very dedicated to his work. Teaches you all the basics and gives you the best tips to succeed in driving manual transmission. Very insightful and a genuinely good guy who is honestly trying to help people! The lesson went extremely smooth, he was understanding and patient during the entire process. A lot of years of experience and very easy to talk to, highly recommended!! Thank you Nima! read more

Stick Shift Lessons - The Jedi Master with Miyagi, his Corolla! - Driving Schools Near Me

Nima is the best! He managed to fit me in the morning before my flight to the UK where I would be driving a manual on the wrong side of the road and I hadn't driven a stick in 10 years. He made sure to hit everything I needed to know in a very quick 3 hours and it was worth every second. Driving stick wasn't an issue thanks to Nima; being on the opposite side of the road turned out to be the hard part. Thank you Nima! You really saved me. read more

Nima was a fantastic teacher. He seems to have been doing this for a while, and has experience and patience for those who have never driven stick-shift before. Before, I was too scared and couldn't drive my car I had bought, but after 6 hours with Nima, I have the confidence and the experience of practicing in his car, and not worrying about messing up my car. After going through this course, I love driving my new car and would recommend Nima to anyone who would have to drive stick-shift, or ever thinking about it. Great course, great instructor, and great practice! Money well spent. read more

Well I looked for hours online to find someone to teach me how to drive a manual transmission car then I found Stick Shift Driving Lessons. The reviews Nima got were so good I decided I would try to do the lessons. Nima was such a great instructor. He does really know what he is doing. He explained everything well and was very patient. I WOULD RECOMMEND NIMA TO EVERYONE! You will definitely get your moneys worth. In the time I had with him, I got to drive in big streets and uphills. Now I am not afraid of those steep hills. read more

Not just a great teacher a great guy. I cannot recommend him highly enough. I spent the 5 hours with him and we reviewed and did way more than I thought possible. I was a virtual novice with only a day or two of experience before working with him. However after a few hours we were driving all over LA traffic without a problem. read more

For all those who have been wanting to learn stick - Nima's the go to person. He was super patient - helped me relax even when the car stalled in the middle of traffic. He taught everything there is to know about a stick shift in a very few lessons. All in all a great confidence boosting experience and Nima is flexible with timings too Thanks once again Nima !! read more

Nima was incredibly professional. He followed up promptly with emails and confirmations of address. He was courteous and easy to get a hold of. That's something really missing from most driving school. Thank you for everything Nima! read more

Best Instructor in CA, really patient overall great experience. Learned a lot in 4 hours. 10 stars if I could rate 10.

Highly recommend this school. Great for beginners or those relearning to drive a manual. Thumbs up for the following: Quick response time for scheduling, flexibility in paying for an additional half hour instead of full hour, great instructions in car prior to driving, instructor was flexible in adjusting lesson to what I needed to learn and focus more on. read more