New to the Stick...Advice?

[KJS]

Don't worry, be happy! like this guy here >

[cam2fst4u]

Originally Posted by KJS

Don't worry, be happy! like this guy here >

[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.

[SIK07GTSTANG]

Resurrect Steve McQueen, steal a GT390, and have him teach ya.

[BigSlik]

Yeah this was a concern of mine as well. So I'm taking it,after reading the posts, that its harder to stall because of the torque the car has.? Would I be correct in this assumption?

[UCI CamaroFan]

Originally Posted by NightmareSS

Funny that was my 300th post and the 300zx i drive now is what has inspired my to want to drive a manual transmission!

Oh and I also just wanted to add that I've thought about renting a car to learn on but how am I supposed to drive it out of the lot without looking like an ass...LOL
Actually I can prolly manage that but still, what do you guys think?

I actually recently learned how to drive stick shift. My grandparents in Illinois have all their vehicles in only stick shift, so I just used their vehicles. However, I only resorted to this after I could not find a rental place that had any manual cars... all the people I spoke to said they have not rented manual transmissions in many years.

Anyways, I drove back the truck that I drive now (the 2001 ford f-250 power stroke, which is also a manual transmission), from Illinois to California... and after driving stick shift for 2000 miles, I can now say I am used to the way it feels. It just takes practice and determination.

I suggest finding an old beater truck for a few hundred dollars on like craigslist or something, and teach yourself on that.

[predatoryangel]

Definitely don't get frustrated if/when you stall out.

I learned how to drive on an old stick pickup. Even knowing how to drive a stick, when I got my 01 SS I stalled out several times, and grinded the gears once or twice. Very painful. But ya just have to expect every car to be different.. and don't dare have someone in the car with you who isn't totally patient.

[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.

[DkknightX]

Originally Posted by NightmareSS

Ok...Ive asked about this a few times in multiple threads but i figured I might as well start my own thread to get responses from some more people...

I ordered a 2SS/RS in manual but i dont really have any experience driving stick. Well, I drove it a few times on a couple of my friends cars which included an old ass Volvo turbo, 95 Civic bubble back, and a 2006 Mini Cooper Type S...But the last time I drove any of these was atleast 3-4 years ago, so whatever I learned then is likely to have been forgotten. Although I do know the basics as to what i have to do as far as getting it moving. Getting into first was tough at first being the first cars i drove was the old Volvo and the Civic with a worn out clutch. I won't 4get how i stalled it 3 times at a light in the Civic. But when I drove the Cooper it was a breeze. My guess was that the clutch was brand new and it caught easily. Which is what im hoping will be the case for the Camaro. Give it a lil gas and ease of the clutch till it catches and once you get rolling you can fully release the clutch. Now knowing when to down shift is something im not familiar with and I'm really nervous that im gonna look like an asshole in traffic! Besides that, I dont want to mess up my tranny...Now I know alot of you might be thinking that i shouldn't even be getting manual but I want it. There isnt a day that goes by now, that I don't wish my 300zx was stick. And I dont know anyone with a manual car that will let me practice on and I don't want to pay for a class at some driving school. I think I'll manage just fine but I am still a bit nervous for when I go pick up my car. I live in New York and I ordered in New Jersey only about 25mins away with no traffic...but the dealership is on the side of the highway and when i pick it up i have to merge onto the higway and drive that baby home over the bridge! (PLEASE GOD DON'T LET THERE BE TRAFFIC!)

I know there isn't much you guys can do to help me without actually showing me first hand but if there are any tips or advice you can bestow upon me to help calm my nerves, take it easy, and help me not ruin my tranny it would be greatly appreciated! Come on Camaro5...help a Camaro brother out! I'm all ears...

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!

Downshifting will come naturally as you begin to use the cars lower gears to help slow down your momentum when making left or right turns. Once you master downshifting on turns, you'll be able to change lanes on the highway to maximize accelerating and really take off from there!

[DkknightX]

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.

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.

[coquinn8846]

You will do fine. I have 2 older brothers that wrecked everything they drove, so when I turned 16 I was daddy's girl and he bought me a 3000Gt. I had no clue how to drive a stick but he told me you scratch it or wreck it you will be driving your brothers piece of S%$&. So I went over to to school every evening with one of my brothers and in about a week, there was no more green horning or burning the tires. I having be driving now for about 13 years and I will only drive a manual. A lot of good advice on here and remember stick with it. My dad passed away 6 years ago and I tried to teach my mom to drive his truck and she backed over the neighbors fence the second day. She freaked but stuck with it and after a couple of weeks was able to drive his truck. Don't stress just go and practice in a wide open space and just remember if you burn the tires or stall it, just laugh and try again. Good luck and have fun learning.

[duskydunvin]

I'm in the same situation. I practiced for maybe 1 hour on an '86 Trans-Am when I was 16 (24 now) and on my friend's Civic about a month ago. Killed it a couple times but was in traffic with no probs within 15 min. Still haven't got the downshift figured out but don't worry, you'll be able to get around safely.

Don't forget to practice starting from a stop on hills or planning your routes away from hills until you build your confidence.

I've been taking mental notes on what speeds my automatic shifts at now, hopefully that will help. We'll see.

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

[jeffny09]

im pretty new to driving stick too but i had bought a beater and learned quick
i think driving stick is like riding a bike youll never forget how to do it though you might be a little shaky at first you wont fall off-once you know it you know it
first is always the hardest as u said a little gass and let off the clutch a little bit and youll be fine buddy

let me know if i can help!

since we r both in ny

[Sterling]

I say just make sure that the launch control is on and just nail it! You can't mess it up.