New to the Stick...Advice?

[Camaroman_99]

I'm plannin on getting the stick for my 5th gen.

[Kwaz1335]

If you don't have anybody to help..there are youtube videos available that show how to drive a stick. Some are better than others and you can even learn rev matching while downshifting so you don't burn your clutch out that much faster or even double clutching for older vehicles(you wont need double clutching for the Camaro).Good Luck and remember to take your time..you will not regret learning to handle your baby like a pro

[Xmicro_SS]

First, I know the area you will be driving in since I drive it regularly........Let a friend or family member drive it off the lot if you have no experience prior to the delivery of the car. This car is a beast and WILL NOT be easy for a first timer.

Here is a few pointers. I learned stick later at age 23 (16 Years ago). And every car I have owned since has been a stick, even my SUV! And I drive about 40-50K a year, so I have plenty of experience.

I will give you a few pointers that NOBODY EVER GAVE ME that would have helped the light bulb go on faster.

1 - The Clutch is NOT and on/off switch, there is very much a middle ground. Letting up too fast and "dropping" the clutch at too low of an RPM is the cause of most stalls. Sit and Practice rolling forward. Put the car in first with the clutch fully depressed. Rev up to about 3000 RPM and practice letting the clutch out just til it starts to grab and let the car slowly roll forward ten feet then depress it again. Do this several times untell you start to get a feel for the "sweet spot" where the clutch starts to grab and acceleration begins!

2 - Once you learn the sweet spot the goal is to get the car propelling forward to exit the "sweet spot"(letting the clutch pedal up fully) before you burn up the clutch. The longer you stay in that sweet spot the faster you will wear out the clutch.

3 - Once a car is rolling you never go back to first until the car is at a dead stop. If rolling up to a light at more than 3 miles an hour and it turns green, go to second and begin your acceleration from there.

It is more about getting the car started, than anything. Going through the upper gears is easier........Then you learn to master with time and practice.

It is really about "working the clutch" and finding the right mixture of gas and clutch. But in this car as long as you give it ample gas you are fine. You kind of need to control forward motion more with the clutch than with how much gas you give it, so keep the RPM's up and work the clutch. I hope that makes sense!

As far as damage, unless you are really popping the clutch and whaling the gas, you will mostly just wear the clutch out faster. My first stick was a brand new car and I had to replace the clutch at 30,000 miles!

Now I have got it down, my CRV has 86,000 miles and the clutch feels like the day I bought it, and I sit in NY City traffic for hours which ways heavy on the clutch and my left leg!

Good Luck, do not over think, it is a feel, like riding a bike or playing drums. The more you stress the stiffer you get and the more clunky you drive.

Chill out and relax....be cool

I am always in the area. If you are really stuck let me know and I will help you get the car to a lot for practice, or help you get it home. Anything for a fellow Camaro5 member.

[NightmareSS]

LoL thx...I'll already be coming to see you one day to help me out with that cool ass carbon fiber dash kit you got in your redline...

[NightmareSS]

Originally Posted by 2Muchmark

PLEASE Take my advice: Get a friend to show you how. I destroyed both my clutch and my transmission in less than 2 years on my brand new 1991 T/A, and it cost me THOUSANDS to get it fixed... The fact that I stalled the car a few times just trying to drive it off the lot should have warned me that I had no idea what I was doing at the time.

Take the time to learn how to drive it and your car will last you alot longer.

That what i was worried about besides the fact of looking like an asshole stallin out...but I dont have any friends that drive stick except 2 but ones a fag and wont let me drive his car and the other doesnt have a car at the moment, which sucks cuz he is the one that let me drive the only 3 stick car i ever drove...I think im gonna just gonna take my chances and take it easy! I dont mind burning the clutch but I dont wanna mess up my tranny...I'm a quick learning I should be alright....I hope

Originally Posted by Kwaz1335

If you don't have anybody to help..there are youtube videos available that show how to drive a stick. Some are better than others and you can even learn rev matching while downshifting so you don't burn your clutch out that much faster or even double clutching for older vehicles(you wont need double clutching for the Camaro).Good Luck and remember to take your time..you will not regret learning to handle your baby like a pro

I did that already...LOL...but it didnt really tell me anything I didnt already know...i understand the basic idea of driving stick I'm just a lil nervous for it being my my 4th time driving it with the previous times not being for that long and on top of that about 3-4 years ago...but I feel alot more confident after hearing from all you guys...you guys are great!

Originally Posted by DkknightX

Easy, avoid stopping at red lights on steep inclines or you'll be sorry. Listen, there is a way you can cheat safetly, but it is a trade secret only you and I can know, so shhhhhh. Alright, when you are at a red light on a steep incline and some moron is sitting on your rear bumper, you have to becareful of "rollback." Now the trick here is to make sure you have the parking brake up a little more than half-way and make sure your left foot is on the clutch, the car is in 1st gear and your right foot is on the brake. When the light turns green, you need to gently ease up on the clutch and begin revving to about 3K RPM's and balance it out until you start moving forward. Now, once you begin to move forward, you can safetly release the parking brake slowly and PRESTO! Little to no rollback and everybody is happy. You can use this trick only up until you develop enough confidence to do it without the parking brake and you are CERTAIN you can balance to 1st gear and get moving forward immediately after you release the brake pedal. I still stall every once in awhile but it is extremely rare. Hope this tip helps. I learned on a late model Honda Civic Hatchback so I could learn how to drive my new 2006 Cobalt SS Supercharged. The Cobalt SS/SC was merely practice for my 2010 Camaro 2SS. Goodluck!

Thats what i planned on doing!!!

Originally Posted by duskydunvin

I dunno if LA is like New York in that if you're going 10 over the speed limit you get honked at for going too slow... I'm not worried about disappointing any a-holes. I've been practicing hand gestures for use with the sunroof option. jk

LOL...:middlefinger: :middlefinger: :middlefinger: :middlefinger: :middlefinger:
yea NYC is the same...maybe even more so...especially if you go into manhattan and deal with them yellow cabbies...man do they give you road rage!

[Riderover40]

Get in it and drive it......you will fall in love after your first couple of successful shifts !

[NightmareSS]

Originally Posted by Riderover40

Get in it and drive it......you will fall in love after your first couple of successful shifts !

OH I PLAN ON IT!!!

[Arli]

I think you are "over-thinking" this. I think the tranny can handle your learning curve. When I bought my 2nd camaro (in 1985), it was a 5 spd. My BF at the time had to drive it home for me b/c I had never driven stick. 5 years later, when my husband finally wrecked it, it had 115,000 miles on it and the original transmission. Who knows how many more miles I would have gotten out of that beast, but I learned on it, grinded it a few times, totally beat the crap out of it, and it ran like a dream until good old hubby wrecked it. Don't worry so much. Not as hard as you think

[Rock]

Originally Posted by NUCAR

I doubt you will find a rental piece with a stick....for the obvious reasons. First accept the fact that you will stall the car. Forget the car behind you and don't get flustered, clutch in, restart and calmly try again. Stalling is better that glazing the clutch. I've taught novices to drive everything from a Cobalt to a ZO6! in our back lot. You want to try to get the car rolling with NO gas first. This will begin teaching the muscle memory of where the clutch starts to engage and where is is totally engaged. Once you master the "magic inch" of clutch engagement, you have 90% of the battle won. Keep the radio OFF, the car will tell you when to shift. Down shifting is an advanced lesson. Keep power off when moving through the clutch engagement zone. Burning the disc is an expensive tuition payment and will not be covered by warranty. RELAX, focus and enjoy.

I agree with this poster, first thing I'd do Is practice getting the car rolling with no gas, just slowly let of the clutch until the car starts rolling forward, once it's rolling add gas while simultaneously letting off the clutch. don't let off the clutch until the car starts moving b/c of the gas, once you get some decent movement then let off the clutch all the way. Hardest part is just getting the car to move, everything else is cake. Also take your shifts slowly at first, it's ok if your jerk it a little bit, but you don't want to let off the clutch before you get the shifter into gear or your syncros will scream.
Only other thing I'd say is if you are really nervous about picking the car up and the drive home, just have a friend that's proficient with manuals that you trust drive it home for ya.

[VenomZ302]

Since I'm in a similar boat (except that my dad "made" me learn on his 80's Porsche and I've successfully driven a couple of other Porsches and my brother's G35 coupe), I've got a question that's been nagging me.

Last time I went home, it was to get my car (and auto '07 G35) serviced and my dad came to pick me up in his new Porsche. He asked me if I wanted to drive it and, of course, I said "sure!" I did pretty well with it until it came time to park and I guess I over-thought it and stalled out.

So here's the question. How's the best way to creep into a parking space so as not to damage your fascia? Do you rev the engine and slowly let the clutch out until you creep forward or is there another way? And if you do let the clutch out until you creep forward, what do you do after that? Just keep the gas minimal so as not to accelerate too quickly?

Thanks for the help!

[THE EVIL TW1N]

Originally Posted by duskydunvin

I dunno if LA is like New York in that if you're going 10 over the speed limit you get honked at for going too slow... I'm not worried about disappointing any a-holes. I've been practicing hand gestures for use with the sunroof option. jk

Northern Cali is like that, except that in LA traffic is moving like that even when it's packed!

[LadiesMan217]

Also, find a rather steep hill to practice on...(with NO cars around!).

Once you get the "idea" and feel of it on flat ground...make sure you practice on hills before you venture out into the real world! (If you're embarrassed about stalling the car, imagine how embarrassed you'll be if you roll back into someone!).

[davidj]

Originally Posted by TJ91

Hey guys ive been driving stick good since i was 9. But i noticed that i have been told several different things about burning a clutch. Im not sure on this, but when your stopped at a light, does having your clutch down, slowly burn the clutch? The guy at Ford told my brother this, so at every light i just slip it into nneutral and keep my foot off the clutch, dont want to burn the clutch, can be quite expensive.
Another thing, i used to clutch in and rev, when i drove past girls or when there was a crappy civic next to me, does that burn the clutch?
I know that if your high on the gas, and slowly letting go of the cluthch, i know that burns it.
Im a very good driver when it comes to standard, very smooth, i just have misleading answers on those two, so i just wanted to make sure.
P.S Nightmare, once you grasp where the release point is, then everything will come easy. The only challenge will be uphill battles, boy are those scary when your not experienced. It will take about a week or more for you to fully drive standard smoothly and properly but it is far better than auto.

Holding your clutch in will never cause it to burn up. While your sitting or going. Just don't release the clutch while revving the engine when you are moving. Wait for your rpms to go down to where it was before you pressed the clutch, then release it. Do you know what I mean?

[UCI CamaroFan]

Originally Posted by DkknightX

If you are at a complete stop, you will not burn the clutch as you are not changing the gears while they are spinning. Slowing down, but still moving and then holding down the clutch will burn out the clutch.

Actually, holding the clutch while moving will burn out the Throw out bearing... not so much the clutch.