Quote:
Originally Posted by 63falcondude
I just can't relax in it. Always having to think about keeping it smooth. I can only wear one pair of sneakers when I drive it.
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I'll put it to you this way: If you still have to think while shifting, you haven't adjusted yet. It's sort of like when you think about breathing and suddenly it becomes a deliberate and burdensome act. It might be hard to remember, but I'm sure when you first learned to drive, every little action required a lot of concentration for things you probably do very naturally now like merging onto busy highway onramps, keeping an eye on road signs and lane markers, and the dozens of other things you probably don't even realize are involved during driving because you're used to them.
I will say this though: Of all activities related to driving, manual shifting is the most deceptively easy looking. There's also a ton of peer pressure in automotive forums like this to go for a manual which really skews people expectations once they try it, which is why it's better to rent a manual car and daily drive it to see if it's for you. Manual transmissions, much like getting out to crank your own engine like in the old days, connects you to your car more but isn't necessarily better when viewed from a convenience standpoint. But just remember: Once upon a time, there were no automatics. People of all types, including mothers making a daily grocery run, had to learn stick.
Other than adjusting to it, there's nothing to do but take a $10k loss. Deep down, you know this fact and are looking for consolation I think. The only real 3rd option is a transmission swap which will be a lot more expensive if not impossible.
Personally, I would drive your other cars doing the week but take the Camaro out for a non-stop drive during a quiet period of the weekend. A 2+ hour drive with a mix of highway and city driving. Do this every weekend you can until the anxiety goes away such that it can be a daily driver again. It could and probably will take months.