How do you drive your car?

[Carnivore]

Aight, im curoius on how people drive their standard cars(clutch). Ive been driving stick for about a year now, and i think im very bad at it. To start out, before i hit the gas i will let the clutch out a little then hit the gas, but my gas pedal is so damn touch i can never to a smooth start, its always mad loud, i need a tach. i guess my question is to you guys that drive stick good is how do you start out nice and smooth without destroying your clutch, and when i get a tach, what should i keep the RPM's at when starting out......1 more ques.. what is the sign(s) of a bad clutch?....actually i tihnk i jus need a adjust mine, not sure, help, peace

[4-Door Flunky]

When a clutch starts going bad, it'll slip. If you're on the highway, and you start going up a hill, and give it the gas, you can hear the engine revving higher, but the car doesn't go any faster. As it gets worse, you'll have your foot completely off the clutch, and when you give it gas, you'll hear it rev wayyyy up.
After a few months of that, it'll get hard to downshift. Eventually, you'll be the only person that can drive your car, 'cause you'll know how to give it just enough gas to get it to go, without giving it too much, which'll make it slip.
Finally, you'll be on the roadside (usually after one last, big hill) and your car will not move under its own power until the clutch is replaced.
As for learning to drive with the clutch, don't worry about it. People could tell you all sorts of stuff, but it'll just come naturally with practice. You'll get the hang of it!
Flunky
PS-Definitely, give it a little gas FIRST, then let out on the clutch smoothly.

[FourthGenHatch]

Your suppose to give it more gas then let up off the clutch, not the other way around, or else you car will be starved for gas and have the clutch slowing it down causing it to sputter because it can't maintain over 800rpms.

As for a Tach I don't even use mine unless I'm trying to redline every gear. I go by the sound of the engine when I shift.

[gunnmen01]

I usually beat mine most of the time....


gunnmen01

[civicHBsi91]

everyone drives differently, like when i drive the lx i have to rev high to start going cuz it has 250,000 miles on it and it stumbles in acceleration and me and my dad are the only ones who can drive it, how come you still drive poorly? ide think after a year of driving a stick you would be alright by now

[Carnivore]

i can drive standard jus fine, its jus starting out at a dead stop i jus can't get it somtimes, makes me mad that i suck at starting out, but i will get better

[seth 90DX/ZC]

Well, I usualy drop around 3000-3500 Rpm's then hit about 30 Mph in first and slam it into second about 4000 Rpms, then I usualy go for third at about 4-5000.... Seems to work for me, I get around REALY fast and I burn alot of expensive gold... I mean gas.

[Civic Jim]

Floor it then DUMP the clutch, j/k

it just takes p[ractice to get it right, but after a year you should have it licked by now

[frikkinfaaast]

i dump the clutch about 4500 rpm, nail the gas, wait for redline, kick the clutch and slam second, wait for redline, kick the clutch and nail third, wait for redline, kick the clutch and rip back into fourth, i usually take my foot off the gas to shift fifth tho, cuz 5th always shatters in hondas.

[91civicDXdude]

i dump the clutch about 4500 rpm,

I dunno about you, but with my d16z6, anything over a 3,000rpm straight launch will give me smoking tires all the way through 1st gear.

with slicks, possibly 4500

[Melt]

I still am not that great at driving the stick in the civic and ive had it for like a year ... but the stock clutch really sucks, and im used to more grip like my MG and our old blazer had.

[frikkinfaaast]

if ur clutch sux its probably generic or glazed, my stock honda clutch chirps the tires shifting third

[91civicDXdude]

if ur clutch sux its probably generic or glazed, my stock honda clutch chirps the tires shifting third

with NOS maybe. And are you running slicks? because you're dumpin the clutch at 4500rpm and not spinning and then barking 3rd gear.....

[frikkinfaaast]

yeah they spin but it still launches away quicker. if i launch lower my car falls on its face, i have no low end power anymore

[frikkinfaaast]

what i like to do is put on my racing helmet, then i pull up to a red light and right before im at a complete stop i lock up the brakes. (this makes your helmet jerk a lil bit and also serves to get the attention of the ppl next to you) now i look at them, then back straight, they will be staring for a while, then when i see green i gooooooooo