I suck hardcore at driving, kinda concerned :(

[Mellish50]

So I just got my 2SS 2-3 days ago and its my 1st manual transmission car, Ive never been taught before but ive been getting some help from family and the internet.

My concern is with the clutch, Ive been stalling a lot and downshifting pretty shitty and after awhile I can sorta smell something that (to the best of my descriptive ability) seems like heat but i only really smell it inside the cabin, not really outside the car when i get out and check. Is this my clutch burning?
How long will it last? Will taking a cool-down break and trying again 30min to an hour later reduce the strain?

I thought id be doing a lot better at driving this, though i am making big leaps in progress from yesterday to today, could hardly move the car yesterday (stall fest) but today i can semi go/stop and have even managed to go for a drive and bring the car up into 4th

[Weezerj]

I suggest you go rent a small car with a manual and practice on that. Learning on your camaro isn't the best option IMHO.

[formare]

Keep practicing, release the clutch in a smooth movement and listen to the engine sounds if it's grunting give it a bit more gas. Point is to release the clutch and use the gas to keep the car from dying.

[cleanwhiteSS]

i agree get a 4 cylinder and practice on that.

[Bryan]

Just keep at it and you'll be a pro in no time. I learned on my Camaro. No reason to learn on something else, you're not gonna hurt it.

[Mellish50]

well whats this heat smell? thats whats bothering me most. My starts typically consist of me jerking forward a little bit then giving it more gas and away i go lol

[Bryan]

If the car is brand new its probably just a little clutch smell. I could smell it when I was learning too. Just be careful not to slip the clutch too much and you are gonna be fine. The only way you're gonna hurt your car is slipping the clutch a lot on a high rpm launch. You can start/stall all day long at low speeds/rpm and not really hurt anything. Just be careful

[Jajru]

Originally Posted by formare

Keep practicing, release the clutch in a smooth movement and listen to the engine sounds if it's grunting give it a bit more gas. Point is to release the clutch and use the gas to keep the car from dying.

+ keep at it in a parking lot until you get used to getting it off of 1st, try easing off the clutch and giving it a light consistent push on the gas you will get a good handle on it after a few days dont wanna be stallin all the time especially in traffic. Get used to the sound and reaction of the car as well.... dont want to get used to keeping your eyes on the tach all the time . While downshifting start from bringing the car to a slow roll and shift into 2nd you should get a good idea of the right time to do at higher speeds. Hope this helps
Good Luck

[EMB135Driver]

if you release the clutch slowly, you can get moving without giving it any gas.....give it time and be patient.

You need to learn the engagement point on the clutch....release it too fast and you stall unless you are giving it insane amounts of gas....too slow and the clutch doesn't fully engage, and the surface "slips", creating friction and heat...You are smelling the friction lining on your clutch burning, but a little is to be expected as break it in and you learn that particular clutch and your new car.

keep at it and you'll be a master in no time.

[1o.f00t.570rk]

The biggest thing I had to keep in mind when learning is that the clutch is much more sensitive than the brake or gas in comparison to how far the pedal travels and gives you the result you're looking for.

My first manual I bought this last October, a little 3rd gen Accord, and I probably spent two or three days just practicing starting from a stop in an empty parking lot behind a store. Killed it a lot, and there are still times when I misjudge something and kill it or the Camaro.

But I am always getting better, still learning things, and still having a lot of fun. Thankfully I do a lot of stop-and-go traffick either, so an auto's biggest benefits are lost on me (slow speeds).

[Phail]

Just please for all that is holy dont be one of those people that try to launch a car "slowly" and all you can hear is the engine red lining because you can't control both your feet at once and just floor it to compensate - that will kill your clutch in a hurry.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by EMB135Driver

if you release the clutch slowly, you can get moving without giving it any gas.....give it time and be patient.

+1. Practice this in a parking lot somewhere and it makes a world of difference.

[Inferno2SS]

Originally Posted by Mellish50

well whats this heat smell? thats whats bothering me most. My starts typically consist of me jerking forward a little bit then giving it more gas and away i go lol

The smell is your clutch, more then likely because it is so new. Several of us have had that same smell with our clutch on occasion when it was new.

I would suggest finding an abandoned or empty parking lot and go there to practice. Practice giving it more gas and letting it out a little more quickly. It sounds like right now you are afraid to stall it so you are letting the clutch out too slowly, instead of smoothly at a quicker pace.

[dmginc]

make sure you do NOT rest your foot on the clutch pedal after releasing it, otherwise known as "riding the clutch". even just slight pressure on the clutch pedal could cause it to start slipping especially in an SS.