New (frustrated) owner

I just picked up my car from the dealer about 4 hours ago and I am totally tearing my hair out. This is my first car, brand new AVEO5 SVM and It is a manual and i CAN NOT DRIVE IT. I am actually breaking it, it seems. I have never been so frustrated in my life. :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:I have been learning manual the last few days since I purchased the car and this car is good for people who know manual (i.e. sensitive gas and nice gear shifting and good clutch) but other things are terrible for someone learning a manual!! God help me!! I want to cry and take the car back:frown:, it already has the service engine light on. I could cry all night long about this, I am such a big baby. Don't laugh at me, but if you have any tips in general or advice that helped you as you learned manual let me know.. i have a problem with the gas, either too much or not enough and I end up stalling it. Or I cant remember the 1000 things like e-break off clutch in 1st gear bla blah... wow do people with automatics take it for granted or WHAT?!

Hello. Sorry to hear about your frustrations. The best advice anyone can give you when learning to drive a stick is to relax. Find the largest parking lot you can to practice in. You need to get to a place where you won't be nervous about the traffic behind you and a large parking lot will allow you to make mistakes without getting anxious about the drivers behind you. I've had a few sticks in my time and the easiest one by far was in a small car similar to the Aveo: a Geo Metro. Even my wife was able to drive that stick with very little training. Find yourself a place where it is only you on the road and practice, it will come to you. Good luck.

Thanks. I actually drove it a lot today.... I forced myself to. I am having a hell of a time reversing. The 07s have this feature where you pull up a little ring on the gear shifter to go into reverse and half the time it doesnt and i almost almost hit someone and it scared the crap out of me and i had to park the car and let my friend take over with the driving. i want an automatic so badly but whatever this is my car and im gonna make it work haha i just spend 85 bucks putting in a sweet cd player so its all good lol thanks for the advice

Dewaynep gave you very good advice. Relax and go to a large empty parking lot. Start with the car in neutral and push the clutch all the way in and keep it there. Practice finding first gear and reverse. When you are ready to apply gas, just give it a little gas and ease up on the clutch. There is a certain point in the clutch travel where it will grab. Once you know where this point is you can release the clutch moderately quickly until you reach this point and then slow down until you pass through this point. If you know someone who is experienced driving a standard shift, have them go with you to the parking lot and work with you.

You do not want to "pop" the clutch (just let it release on it's own). Very bad and this will cause a lot of stress to your clutch and transmission.

As I pointed out in another thread of yours, it takes very little pressure to properly shift a standard transmission. A small child can easily do it. Trying to force things will lead to premature wear and breakage.

Again, just relax. This is not rocket science and you can do this easily if you relax and apply yourself. Better to give too little gas and stall the engine than too much gas so that you are doing "rabbit" starts. When in the parking lot, you should train yourself to listen to the engine and hear when it is time to shift into first or reverse. I don't look at the rpm guage but my guess is that for first somewhere around 1200 rpm is about right and for reverse as well, though reverse in the Aveo5 seems geared lower than first so maybe 1000 rpm would do it. As you release the clutch and the car goes into gear and you start moving forward (or backwards if you are in reverse), gradually increase the pressure on the gas pedal. It is better to go too slow than too fast.

Once you feel comfortable in the parking lot, try some city/suburban streets. A good time of day would be early on a weekend morning. That way you won't encounter much traffic and can concentrate primarily on the shifting of the transmission.

Once you are comfortable driving your standard transmission you should go back to the empty parking lot when snow hits your area (if it does) and practice driving and braking in the snow so you get used to the reduced traction.

In time, driving a standard shift will be as natural as breathing to you. I have been doing it for many years and don't even think about it. I have had problems the few times I've driven an automatic transmission because when I hear the engine revving to a certain point my hand automatically goes to the shifter and my left foot "looks" for the clutch. It is quite unnerving not to find the clutch.

Good Luck and Persevere!

When I taught my daughter, I told her to listen to the engine. Give it just a little gas and then keep the sound of the engine at that same place. As the clutch comes out and the engine starts to slow, give it more gas to keep the sound the same. That works whether you are trying to start on a San Francisco hill or flat land.