learning to drive stick

[GroupieHoney]

so i'll i've ever driven is automatic. i now have a 5 speed. of course i bought it thinking its better to race with a 5 speed blah blah blah...and how hard can it be? well i've only tried for two days..but damn. lol i get sooo freakin frustrated. its sad. haha. but I will learn by this saturday because i have to be able to take it out to our local car show/club thing. i have a lot of work cut out for me though.

[Illport]

im sure youll get the hang of it...for some ppl(me) it comes natural....and some ppl never feel comfortable driving a manual car!
good luck!

[EvoCrazy]

Well, I guess its kinda like riding a bike. At first its hard, but then you get use to it. I remember my first time, I almost burned the clutch, and messed up the tires.

[GroupieHoney]

yeah i was driving it today and i burnt my tires totally on accident. lol yeah..fun stuff. I'm doing a little bit better already though. But I have to drive with my friends that I'm totally comfortable with otherwise I get way too nervous.

[Illport]

if you spin the tires on accident, act like you did in on purpose...be like, yea, im sweet!!hehehe

[Andydg]

I remember my first time driving stick...old Corolla GTS and I was on a hill rolling backwards a lil' bit, I got nervous and floored it and dropped the clutch.

[GroupieHoney]

ok i have a question now...someone told me today that when you are going to come to a complete stop that you should put ur car in nuetral and just use the brake until ur actually ready to move...then put it in first. i've been just using the clutch and brake and downshifting to first and then just sitting there like that until im ready to go. so yeah...what are you really supposed to do or is one just easier on ur car or what? im so confused!! haha

[jerzralliart]

well driving stick is not that hard once you get the hang of it, for real. i think that taking off in first and reverse are the hardest. anyway when you are coming to a stop pushin the clutch in and puting it in neutral and then pressing in the brake is one way of doing, but probably not the best you can downshift from 5th to 4th and then prob 2nd and then stop if you have time or just press in the clutch and stop like norm and then when you are stoped just put it in 1st. everybody does things different but you'll be ok after a week or two of driving around. but no matter whatever starts to come easiest to you then do it as long as your not doin burn outs whenever you take off or going from 5th to 1st when your stopin, lol

[growe58]

Originally Posted by GroupieHoney

ok i have a question now...someone told me today that when you are going to come to a complete stop that you should put ur car in nuetral and just use the brake until ur actually ready to move...then put it in first. i've been just using the clutch and brake and downshifting to first and then just sitting there like that until im ready to go. so yeah...what are you really supposed to do or is one just easier on ur car or what? im so confused!! haha

If you're saying that you sit at lights with the clutch pedal pushed in
and the car in first gear, IMO that's probably not such a great idea.
Not only are you wearing out the throwout bearing, but if your foot slips
you might lurch into another car and bend some sheet metal. But I do know people who do leave the car in gear just so they can move in an emergency situation like someone coming around the corner out of control. YMMV.

Don't put the car in neutral while moving and coast to a stop. That's illegal in many states and dangerous because you have no manuveurability.

Enjoy the stick shift!