Suggestions on learning to drive a stick shift

One thing I've found helps lots of people get a good clutch feel, is to practice starting without using the gas at all. Just let it up slowly enough that you will start moving forward.

Once you've got the feel right, adding in gas is a snap.

[Hamish McBagpipe]

And, for the love of God, when you're going down a hill don't put the stick into neutral. It ruins the tranny. I learned to drive a stick, no problem, but no one told me that little nugget and I ruined my lovely '83 Civic's transmission.

[FatalError]

Buy and SMG, no clutch no problems... i love my SMG on my car, clutching is for old geezers and the english

[Ray Zee]

its perfectly fine to shift into neutral and it wont ruin the tranny. in neutral it isnt engaging any gears.
you know when you are good with a stick if you can shift without using the clutch except when starting out. you know how to match up the speed of the gears so y0ou can shift into the next gear up or down without pushing in the clutch. then learn to power shift. not really as its on old thing that can hurt your car if you dont time it right. all this stuff will be lost in the future as it is a passing of time thing. same with double clutching when down shifting.

[Blarg]

Driving stick was impossible for me at first and then it became easy. That was because people always advised to step on the gas when letting out the clutch as if it were a matter of perfect timing. It's not. You can have overlap.

[Ray Zee]

yea it takes an hour or so to get the feel of how much gas to give it as you are letting the clutch out when starting from a stop. most give too much and or let the clutch out too fast. sooner or later everyone will likely have to drive one for some reason so learning is important.

[jakethebake]

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Driving stick was impossible for me at first and then it became easy. That was because people always advised to step on the gas when letting out the clutch as if it were a matter of perfect timing. It's not. You can have overlap.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea. I've always overlapped it. As long as you let the clutch out slow, you're alright.

[TheTROLL]

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1) Make sure handbrake is on and gear is in neutral.
2)Turn engine on
3) Put the clutch all the way down and put the car into 1st gear


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Pressing the clutch pedal in before starting the engine actually gives the starter motor a little less work to do. Marginal benefit, but it's a good habit to get into, since it makes failing to check the car's not in gear a lot less serious!

[MrTrik]

Cruise the bars chatting. Find an extremely hot chick that drives a stick. Tell her about you wanting to learn to drive a stick.

If she doesn't laugh -- you're in man. Instant date for next Saturday afternoon or whatever. And just think of the witty inuendo you can work in as the situation allows.

A small gift of appreciation after the lessons and whatever else pops up would make sense.

[jakethebake]

Oh yea. If you're going to drive a stock shift, you also have to go down to Mexico and buy some Spanish Fly.