I fail at Camaro, stick shift & life (a self deprecating rant)

[2ndgenz28]

motobike

find the cheapest motorcycle, on or off road, don't matter and learn on it.
$2-300 350CC or less. [ride in the yard, in a field, RR tracks, no license or insurence needed, less cost.]


After that you can be in a 12ton truck, at the top of a steep hill, at a stop sign, and be able to take off without killin those behind you driving it your first day.

[acowherd]

Just need more "Seat Time".

[Infern0]

Stay off the brake when you need to pull forward. If you're so close to the person in front of you that you feel like you need to use the brake as a safety measure, then you probably don't need to be pulling forward at that moment anyway.

Go to a striped parking lot and face perpendicular to the parking lines. Practice inching forward to each line using nothing but clutch release. No gas, and no brake for sure. Find the sweet spot on the clutch where it really starts to catch and sort of thread that spot till you get where you want. Once you've mastered that (in an hour I bet), start skipping every other parking line or so and mix in a little accelerator pedal.

You'll have it down in no time at all, and then REALLY start to enjoy the car.

Great narrative in your original post, but lay off the sob stories. Quit being such a "victim".

[Big Brunsy]

Originally Posted by C377

Burning the clutch etc will cost you. Why don;t you use that money to buy a cheap stick shift car. You can look for one one you local newspaper etc. I am talking about spending at most like 1000$. Use that for the winter once in a while and get use to it.

This is a great idea. Craigs List is a good place to look too. I got an old 4speed beater pickup 4x4 for $800. Only problem is when I get out of my camaro, and into the pickup, I always try to put the pickup into the nonexistant 5th gear. I don't know what the rural roads are like up ther in NY, but when I was first learning how to drive a stick my stepdad took me out on a gravel road. That way your wheels will spin instead of stalling.

[IROCanSS]

ehh don't worry, you will get the hang of it. I got a 92 S10 for the wife to learn on. $700 well spent!

#1... try to feel the grab point without riding the brakes.
#2... dont inch forward unless you have to. If you are at a carwah..
#2b... NEVER GO TO A CAR WASH... back on track... let the cars get a bit ahead and then move up.
#3... A good way to learn finesse is to get the car through the gears...1-4 without using the gas. You need some flat space but it will teach you to be easy on the clutch but not burn it.

[Mr Smith]

Ive driven stick since before I had a license and when I drive mine one to three times a week I stall every once in a while. Some issues I have are im 6' 2" with size 14 feet. With the seat all the way back my right knee is in the dash and my left leg is fully extended when the clutch is engaged. That with not being able to feel where exactly my foot is on the peddle causes a stall once in while and some low speed shaky shifts. I will say that when im driving it hard and speed shifting my shifts are spot on. Dont be so hard on yourself..Try to relax and have a good time! It will come to you.

[Matrix]

It certainly sounds like you may have had it in 3rd gear. not sure. One thing though if this is you first manual car then you will be nervous and hesitant and a little hard on the gas and clutch. also it sound to me you were hitting the brakes and the gas at the same time, with partial clutch. This is a common occurrence with novice drivers.

Try to feel the car. On a flat dont use your brakes at all. Just floor the clutch and no gas peddle BUT KEEP YOUR FOOT READY ON THE BRAKE. Lift the cluth SLOWLY until it bites and moves you forward (without the gas peddle). This will smoothly move you forwards a little. Then hit the brakes gently and push the clutch in so you dont stall.

If you find there is not enough power lightly gas it a little so you dont stall.

You should NEVER use the brake and clutch at the same time UNLESS YOU ARE COMING TO A STOP or taking off on an incline. You should use the EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE/BRAKE and the clutch and gas in combintation.

IF YOU KEEP USING THE BRAKE AND THE CLUTCH/GAS YOU WILL WRECK THE ENGINE/CLUTCH.

CLUTCH + GAS for moving away on a flat.

CLUTCH + BRAKE GAS + EMERGENCY BRAKE for moving away on an incline uphill. (OBVIOUSLY not all at the same time)

CLUTCH + BREAK (TO COME TO A STOP)

As a general rule, try and use the EMERGENCY BRAKE as yu are a novice manual driver. As soon as you feel the car biting to go forwards gently release the EBRAKE.

Now, take a deep breath and get that car out and practice in the drive way.

And let us all know how its going,

Ali

EDIT. i would go spend $2-300 on some lessons. This will save you $000s. Might be worth the investment in your car and build your self esteem as a manual driver. There is no price on that.

[Steve Dallas]

If you are on flat ground, you don't even need to give it gas, or at least I don't.

The main thing when driving a manual at slow speed is to know where the clutch engages, and SLOWLY engage the clutch. In fact, if you are only moving forward a little bit, you may not even engage the clutch fully at all.

[13 ZL1]

tommygun,

Try and find a vehicle that does not have a hydraulic clutch. You will have an easier time learning how to drive a manual transmission with one of these. With this type of clutch, you get better feedback as the clutch starts to grab.

[themossman]

After 20+ year of driving stick...I still make mistakes and get a little nervous on hills (why do you think I moved to Florida??? )

As someone else mentioned...seat time cures all. And as you mentioned...there's a point where the clutch begins to engage and you can feel it. I tend to keep my foot on the brake until I get to that point in the clutch and then very quickly move my foot to the gas and continue letting out on the clutch.

It sounds like you were 'riding' the clutch...keeping it in that middle ground where it's partially engaged. Quit doing that! Get used to using your clutch as much as you use your brake...your left foot needs to get used to being very busy.

[OHIOSS]

This isn't my first stick shift but I always use the gas pedal and the clutch. When I use the brake the clutch is disengaged completely or I simple take the car out of gear, let the clutch all the way out and just use the brake to stop or slow down. If you are in traffic there is no reason to use the brake unless you are rolling down hill or something. I take the car out of gear often, my leg gets tired holding the clutch in all the time and there is no reason to do it.

The smell is probably the hydraulic fluid getting dirty from slipping the clutch to much. Look at the brake fluid and see if it is dirty/cloudy. It should be almost clear like water. Get a turkey baster thing and suck out all of the fluid you can get out. Refill with clean, then start the car and push the clutch in and out about 25 times. Check and see if the fluid has gotten dirty again, if so repeat. If not, it should take care of the smell and your clutch should be good as new.

Feel free to PM me and I will be happy to help you if you have any questions.

Russ

[GNVenom]

Your left foot should alternate between the throttle and the brake. DO NOT USE THE BRAKE to manage the clutch slip. Use the throttle instead, and pulse your foot between no engagement and slight engagement of the clutch.

You should NOT smell a clutch. That is definitely not normal!

It doesn't matter if you're going uphill or not. If uphill, and you don't want the car rolling back, you need to be quick between the brake and throttle, all the while, easing up or down on the clutch. Too much slippage (or forcing slippage) destroys the pressure plate and leads to early "chatter" in your clutch.

Practice, practice. Don't be afraid of uphill climbs or "inching" the car where you want it. Just don't use the brake at the same time as the clutch. Disaster will happen.

[JoeP@TeamBeckyD]

Originally Posted by ALLT4

Seat time cures all.

just going to have to spend sometime on the city streets. you'll get it, like riding a bike.

[mulletman]

I suggest having a friend giving some pointers. Driving a manual is more fun than
an automatic once you get the hang of it.