Nima is an easy going guy, very pleasant to talk with and, as you would expect a very experienced stick shift driver. I am an aspiring car guy, so when it came time to get another car I decided to learn manual to see if I would dig it. and with Nima's help I learned, I DO dig manual! He has a great professional training plan and really gives a no-pressure vibe every lesson. I do recommend the 5 hour package because you get your moneys worth. You wont learn to rev match so you can downshift going 60 on muhulland, but you will learn solid basics which will allow you to get out on the road with confidence. the rest you learn from experience on your own. great guy, I recommend him to anyone willing to learn. read more

Had an hour lesson going over the basics/refresher course. Nima is very calm and personable. He thoroughly explained before and during what is good and bad. I learned a lot and asked him a few questions. It is very Covid safe as well. I will plan another lesson for other aspects. It was a fun. read more

Excellent teacher! Definitely going back for refresher courses as needed.

After being a very busy year, finally I found a time to do the lesson. I went for it yesterday, and did the 5 hours package. Every hour is learning a new thing, and keep practicing what I have learned in the past hours. Nima makes everything more easier to understand, and he is very patient and nice, he caught every detail and made me more confident to drive stick shift. It's great to find him and took the lesson! read more

I did the 5 hour VIP package with Nima today and couldn't be happier. He is such an awesome teacher that thoroughly takes you step by step and advances only when you are comfortable to. If you are thinking about just doing a couple hours vs. the 5 hour VIP package, trust me do the VIP package you will be so happy that you did. The 5 hours goes by so fast and you learn something new every step of the way. Uphills and downshifting is a breeze for me now, whereas before I was a nervous wreck. I'd recommend anyone looking to learn or even brush up on your stick skills to go to Nima you will be happy you did! read more

I chose this place because of the amazing reviews and everyone says how patient he is. However, I did not have a great experience. The good thing about it was when we started my lesson, he explained everything I should know thoroughly. As I got the car in motion, I noticed several times he was on his phone just saying directions while not looking at what I was doing. I wasn't expecting him to be on his phone because I'm paying him to teach me. The worst part was when I had made one mistake a few times, to which he called a silly mistake. He exclaimed at me: 'What are you doing? Why are you doing this? This is the 3rd time you've made this mistake. No one makes this mistake, this isn't a mistake anyone makes. What are you doing?' I didn't know what to respond. We continued without any correction or explanation from him, and it happened again. Again, he exclaimed those same words to me. At this point, his voice was slightly raised and he clearly didn't seem happy with me. Out of pure embarrassment I couldn't help but cry. I was so embarrassed for making that mistake a few times that I had wanted to stop the lesson early. While I was trying to calm down, he kept saying 'Is there something going on at home? Is something going on at work right now? What's wrong?' I did not appreciate that as my personal life has nothing to do with the two hour lesson I was doing, it was clearly the way he reacted at me twice for not understanding something. At that point I was so burnt out from doing the same steps every 20 seconds for an hour and a half, going in circles, non stop with no break, and then hearing him talk down to me was not ok. He tried to tell me he wasn't upset and that he sometimes needs to repeat himself to get a point across. I didn't believe that. Somehow he convinced me to continue the lesson and finish strong, but I was terrified to make the same mistake again. I honestly was not trying to make that mistake and was clearly struggling. I should have just left but I finished the last half hour staring at the clock waiting for it to be over. I didn't even get to learn what I had wanted to learn, for that I would have to schedule two more hours. I will definitely not be scheduling anymore hours. read more

Nima is amazing. He is calm, patient and most of all thorough. I cannot recommend him enough, I had two lessons and during the entire time not once did he get upset, even though he had many reasons to be! I can't think of anyone better to go with than Nima. read more

Nima is so good at explaining the mechanics of stick shifting it makes things easy. He has the art and lessons nailed down at this point and in a few hours I was hitting the streets. As many times as I stalled, he was patient and went over every mistake in the most helpful manner. I had a few friends try and explain it but they were terrible compared to Nima. Because of him, I was confident in test driving and purchasing my manual car. He's an honestly great guy too! read more

I recommend Nima because of his patience and thorough teaching style. You will feel very comfortable driving your stick after the lessons are done. This is coming from someone who purchased a brand new MT off the lot with no experience. I stalled constantly and was too scared to drive the vehicle after a while. However, after Nima I don't see my car as a regrettable purchase anymore and am happy with my progress. Thank you. read more

I've only attempted to learn manual for 30 minutes total before finding Nima. I traded my automatic for a manual not knowing how to drive it a week before I found out about Nima. I took the 5 hour course and it was amazing. He was flexible with my unpredictable schedule which I appreciate. The pricing is extremely reasonable for the quality of teaching he provides. I never thought about it as expensive. To me, its a lifelong investment and his pricing compared to other places is amazing. Nima is extremely patient, composed, calm, and crystal clear. I am not exaggerating when I say this, but the way he speaks and his tone/voice is one of a kind that I haven't found in any type of teacher, even teachers I've had in my educational career. He is perfect for teaching. Every lesson we went through had a meaningful purpose and built on one another. I only stalled one time in the 5 hours I drove with him, on a pretty steep hill, compared to stalling 7-10 times in the 30 minutes I drove on my own before. I went home after I finished the lessons and took my car out with my dad who used to drive manuals many years ago and he was impressed with the difference the 5 hour lessons made. I was so nervous and stressed when I tried to learn at the dealership, but when I took my car out after the lessons with Nima I was confident in my ability to drive it smoothly. I want to practice on my own for a week and if I come up with any questions or doubts, I plan on going back to Nima for another one or two hour lesson. The drive to the Woodland Hills area is worth it. He has the routes all planned for many different types of driving situations and levels of traffic which is a huge plus. Something I never thought about before and glad Nima showed me was entering driveways/parking lot entrances at the appropriate speeds, and he has a route planned for this situation as well. He is also a great conversationalist and very open. I will definitely recommend him to anyone interested in learning. Thank you once again Nima! read more

I did the 5 hour lesson with Nima and it was a blast. Nima is very patient and explains everything really well. I learned a lot in five hours and while I'm obviously very far from being experienced driving manual, I feel much more confident in my skills now. Very fair price for the type of engagement Nima offers. 100% recommend for anyone who wants to learn how to drive stick. read more

I did not want to do this. I am not a confident or coordinated driver. I took a 5 hour lesson. Nima was exactly what I needed in a teacher. He's a natural teacher, of course, but he could also sense I needed a coach. Nima motivated me and kept me engaged for the full five hours. Out of character I wanted to call it quits every 20 minutes, but instead Nima kept me focused and truly learning things every moment. My time was jam packed with constant improvement. I could not have chosen a better instructor. read more

Nima is great. He approach and method of instruction is well thought out, well articulated and crafting by obvious years of experience in his craft. Aside from the basic instruction, Nima's insight and "pro tips" are more than worth the price of admission. The long and short of it is, if you want to learn, sign up for some lessons with Nima and you will learn! No fancy explanation needed! read more

Nima is a great guy. Not only did he immediately contact me on the phone after emailing him, but he was very flexible in scheduling an appointment. The opening minutes of an introduction 'sticks' with us, and my impression of Nima was nothing short of stellar. Coming into the appt, I was totally uncomfortable with my skills driving a manual. The way Nima broke down the basics and key concepts gave me a simple understanding of what I was getting into. The way he structures the lessons build your confidence, and prepares you for the next drills. Within the first session I was able to drive on main roads!! even something as challenging as driving on hills, Nima was able to easily teach this using what you've already learned. I cannot recommend him highly enough I need six stars!!! Thanks Nima ;) read more

Nima was 1 hour and 14mins from me in woodland hills but because of all the great reviews I saw for him I thought ....might as well pay for a great instructor and hope for the best. Glad to say it was totally worth the drive. Nima is very knowledgeable and is able to explain things in a very simple way and makes it easy to remrmber. He goes through all the good practices and has me do them multiple times on my own. I'm pretty confident driving manual now after the 4 hour lesson. read more

Hey, do you wanna learn to drive stick quickly and with a relaxed, cool teacher? Nina's your guy. Even when I almost stalled in the middle of a busy intersection this dude calmly helped me through the jitters and into 2nd and 3rd gears. Never have to worry about manuals again. I bought his 5-hour pack and we worked through all different types of challenges that arise, from beginner stuff (getting into first, parking, reversing) to advanced (city driving, downshifting, hills). USE THIS GUY. He's really nice and obviously good at this. read more

I'm a car guy. You know, one of those guys who can tell the difference between a 56 Chevy Nomad and a 55 Chevy Bel Air from one tailfin glinting in the weeds a thousand feet away. But I couldn't drive stick. Not until last week, after lessons from Nima. It was embarassing, frankly. And it wasn't for lack of trying, but of course previous "lessons" basically involved trying to drive my old college roomate's stick shift Sentra back from a party because he couldn't stand up. "Dude, just feather it out. Feather it out bro!" wasn't particularly helpful. Fast forward more years than I care to admit and I found Nima by looking up "stick shift lessons" here on Yelp. I'd much rather support a small business than one of the commercial driving schools, so I signed up for an initial two hour lesson. Nima has an almost Zen approach to driving, and a level of patience that I only wish I could achieve. It was like having a good friend show you how to drive a stick, a good friend who doesn't freak out that you're trashing his clutch. The first two hours were concentrated on launching the car in 1st and reverse, getting a feel for how the clutch works and how not to stall; the second two hour lesson gets the other gears involved and practical driving skills out on city streets, the third two hour lesson expands on the practical driving and adds in hills. Hills. The last time I drove a stick shift vehicle was in 1996. I was on tour with a band and the van was stick shift. We were in North Carolina, and I got stuck in traffic on a hill on I-75 and simply could NOT get the van to move forward up the hill; it would buck and stall, or I would roll uncontrollably back towards the semi truck behind us. I gave up. Nima had me launching from a dead stop up a steep hill with no rolling back in about 10 minutes. And for that, he gets my highest recommendation. read more

I had no prior experience driving a stick shift until I took a lesson from Nima, and the experience was so good I went back a few months later for a refresher before buying my first car! Nima is really quick with communication and scheduling, and once I was behind the wheel in his car he's got a calm and patient demeanor and made what could have been a nerve-racking experience easy and smooth. I went all the way from Long Beach to Woodland Hills TWICE for lessons from this guy so you bet that I would recommend Nima to anybody! read more

I finished the 5 hour package with Nima in Pasadena and I can say that it was the best stick shift lesson I've ever had. Nima was very calm and explained a lot of material before getting started. I had trouble with matching the clutch release and accelerator but by the end of the lesson I had gained a pretty good understanding how to drive a manual car. Nima gave me a lot of other valuable information pertaining to manuals and I'm very pleased with the experience. read more

Nima and I had been corresponding for over a month. I took lessons with a another school but then didn't get much practice after. I have to know manual for my job. I had a few stall outs and struggle drives so I contacted Nima around 11am today and by 5pm I was starting my lesson. I did one hour and plan to go for more. He gave me the basics and fundamentals I needed to do the job I must each day and I feel very very confident that I won't stall out or be nervous when required to drive manual. I plan to practice as much as I can so my lessons stick ;-) thank you so much Nima and see you again soon. read more

First off....again.....Thank you Nima!!! This guys is a great driving instructor. His explanation of how things work and his patience are keys factors in helping you learn to drive a manual. He was able to schedule me for 2 lesson for a total of 5 hours very quickly. The location he chose worked well in my getting the hang of things and getting used to his vehicle. After my 5 hours with Nima were up...I flew to Nor Cal early the next morning. I took possession of my dream car (1965 Mustang Fastback, complete with a high performance V8 and a super stiff racing clutch and 5 speed manual transmission, no power brakes or power steering). I drove my Mustang 450 miles in a 7 hour period to Los Angeles in heavy stop and go traffic on the 5 freeway and was totally relaxed and comfortable in doing so...never flinched or blinked an eye. My lessons with Nima gave me 100% confidence in my manual driving skills and I am sure he can do the same for anyone else out there!!! Oh...and before you try to shop around or find someone local.....I'll tell you I tried that. And, it will be hard to find anyone that does stick shift lesson. Don't waste time. Call Nima and get started.....this gentleman will get you started, driving and finished up and driving a stick before you can find someone else of his caliber if there is anyone out there (and I doubt there is). Last thing...I have been driving a stick now for 1 week. I gave my father a ride in my "new" car and he said that I drove the car like it has been in my garage for decades! That comment from my father is a testament to Nima's teaching skills! read more

I was anxious about learning manual and Nima was just awesome. He is calm, composed and knows exactly how to teach new learners in a steady and practical way. Not to mention I felt totally comfortable with him right away. If you are nervous or want to learn at your own pace he totally will work with you and make you feel excited and motivated to move forward. Thanks Nima ! read more

Nima was fantastic. He was an incredible teacher, and he was really accommodating. My wife and I are about to travel to Corsica, where I will only be able to rent a stickshift. I only found this out recently, and Nima was able to squeeze me in for an early morning shift before I left. He also adapted his usual 5-hour routine into a couple hours for me based on my needs, since I've driven stick a few times before and only had a couple hours available. If I ever buy a manual car, I'll definitely be going back to Nima for more thorough lessons. And I would recommend him to anyone I know. read more

Excellent....my son learned how to drive stick shift in a few hours using this company's vehicle. No stress on me....no stress on my clutch...what else could you ask for. From the feedback I got from my son (he is 18), he was really happy with the instructor, the course and the car....2 thumbs up. I'll definitely use this company again, when my daughter turns 18 in a couple of years. read more

I spent 5 hours with Nima and had such a good time. I went from knowing JACK to being able to make my way around streets. I needed to learn stick to be able to drive a Westfalia Van from Pittsburg to LA, and now I feel confident I'll be able to do that, no problem. Nima is a very good coach. You know that he's mentally with you every millisecond that you're driving the car. He's a very active participant in your experience and he really tries to help you understand what you're doing, physically and mentally. He's always repeating things while you're driving that you'll remember later when you're in your own vehicle. I can't say enough good things about this dude. If you want to learn, just go here. read more

If you want to learn how to drive stick the right way, this is exactly what you need. I've been driving my new BRZ for 3 days now and I've been loving it more each and every day. If it wasn't for Nima, this would've never been possible. The 5 hour package was just enough and I completed it in one day in and around the rose bowl in Pasadena. The lesson is the right amount for you to start building your skills up from scratch. After the lesson, you can start perfecting them more each time you drive. I can safely say that Nima was THE reason I can call myself a manual transmission driver with pride :) read more

Well were do I start I was looking online for hours on end trying to find and affordable teacher that could teach me. Well I found Nima and read the reviews online and on his website so I decided what the heck ill go for it. So I got the 5 hour VIP package for $200 bucks and in those 5 or so hours I now feel confident enough to drive stick on my own. Not to say I didn't stall the car I did. There was even a point in time when I stalled in the middle of an intersection Nima was super calm just said Press the clutch all the way down and throttle it a little and I was good. He could of easily yelled at me but didn't. We worked on up hills as well as downshifting and rev matching for more advanced techniques. My girlfriend also wants to learn how to drive stick and I can easily say that I know a guy that's a great teacher I highly recommend him. read more

Nima saved me. I had to learn stick because I am going to Spain next week and manual rentals there are much cheaper. Nima said no problem and taught me in one day. Now I am ready for my Spain adventure thanks to him, thanks Nima! read more

Waste of time and money. The instructor wanted to take a break and 'rest' the car. He had no patience. This was my first time ever trying to learn and he made me feel I couldn't learn. read more

Excellent instructor. As soon as I met Nima, he put me in the driver's seat and the lesson began, no time wasted. I first learned how to put the car in 1st gear and stop, in a parking lot. Then when I was comfortable with that I started learning how to shift up to higher gears on the street, in a very safe environment. Then I learned how to go uphill and how to reverse and park, and much more :) I like how flexible the lessons are, you can decide how much time to spend practicing each skill. Also, the instructor is super patient, and very honest. I'm glad I took these lessons, I can proudly say that I learned how to drive stick shift :) I highly recommend this school. read more

Not only was he a fantastic teacher, but he was an extremely pleasant man to spend 5 hours in a car with. I really enjoyed my lesson, and would highly recommend him to anyone who's looking for a manual driving instructor. read more

I recently had a 5hour lesson with Nima and just a few days ago went back for another 2 hour lesson. I went back because I wanted some more practice. Nima is awesome! He is calm, friendly, knowledgeable and easy going. You will definitely learn a lot from him. Just like anything, you must practice, practice, practice! He will teach you what to do and how to do it but you must practice on your own afterwards or you will never master it. I went on my first legitimate drive this evening and his 2 major rules(3seconds and 5 seconds) kicked in and I drove home without a problem. If you want to learn stick, go with Nima! He's the best of the best! read more

I travelled from San Diego to LA to take a 3hr lesson and it was worth the time. I had tried to learn in San Diego earlier. But I wasn't comfortable with starting on hills. I desperately wanted to learn as I wanted to buy a stick shift car. After the experience with Nima, I wish I had come here first time itself. First of all, the 5hr lesson is very well organized (i took only 3hrs though). Started first hour in an empty parking lot. This proved most helpful because it is easier to learn when you are not under pressure compared to a backroad. After the 1hr in parking lot, I felt a lot more confident. In the last hour we practiced a lot on uphill starts. I would highly recommend Nima as an instructor read more

Fantastic experience! Nima was a great instructor and very effective. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn to drive stick!

If you want to learn to drive stick, learn with Nima. He is calm and clear, and the lesson progression really helped to build my fundamentals and make me feel confident driving on the street. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn or brush up read more

I'm gonna give you guys an honest review. I did the 5hrs package, 3hrs on a Saturday and 2hrs on Sunday. By the end I felt I was confident enough to be driving on my own. Did I stall a lot in the beginning? Hell Yeah! But after awhile I got the hang of it. Inclines are still a little tricky for me, especially when I have to enter a parking garage with an arm, ugh. I usually cheat and put the parking brake up, play with the clutch till I feel the bite and give it a little gas, drop the brake and I'm rolling again. Maybe I'll do another session for just inclines and hills. Anyway, I definitely recommend learning from Nima, he's patient and easy to talk to. Plus he didn't yell at me like my dad use to when I was learning how to drive. LOL. read more

Great teacher, very easy-going and most of all extraordinarily patient.

Nima is a great instructor. Highly recommended! He patiently explains the steps and goes over them until you're comfortable.

Just had the 5 hour deal with Nima this week. Did not know how to drive such at all. Nima is a very skilled teacher, but also very patient, and precise. Manages the time very well. If you're just learning manual, take no less than 5 hours. Time flies, especially when you're engaged and learning. Very much worth it! read more

Look no further if you want to learn how to drive a manual. Nima is a very patient, knowledgable and great instructor. I took the 5 hours class. Fantastic experience! I am glad I chose Nima as my instructor. read more