Advice driving manual transmission....

[Clydefrog]

best advice i can give you is to just practice, its all FEEL

 

[MikeTheC]

It sounds you're dumping the clutch too quickly. You need to find the "medium point" - where you're allowing the clutch to slide JUST ENOUGH while applying power through the throttle. Doing this in 1st gear will prevent stalls and spinouts. It'll make 2nd a lot smoother, too.

This (and pretty much the rest of what's in your post) would be why I've never driven -- and indeed will probably never drive -- a manual transmission-equipped vehicle. That, and the fact that I hate the thought of having to constantly manually shift for my car. It's something I feel should be automatic and simply not require my manual involvement in.

But then, I have never been that much of a car person anyhow. Wish I didn't even have to drive one. Oh well, c 'est la vie.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

It is personal preference entirely. Honestly - driving a stick is easier for me (and safer) than an automatic. No thought goes into it.

With a stick - you're actually driving the car - and are more connected / in tune with the engine and the road. With an auto - you just point and steer - just feels like many "control" elements are lost with an Auto.

With a stick - I can tell you exactly how fast I'm going without even looking at the road or the speedo - just by the sound of the engine. With an auto - it's a guessing game to me - and they ALWAYS seem to shift when I don't want them to. (and vice-versa)

FYI - I do enjoy driving.

 

[xsedrinam]

Got a small hilly isolated road where you live to practice stopping on an incline (like at a stop sign) and taking off? You'll get an accelerated lesson on "feel" by getting the hand of it.

 

[iGav]

Should I be a bit slower off the clutch?

You shouldn't be on the clutch at all in that situation.

Not only is having the clutch halfway in going to exasperate component wear (as robbieduncan stated), you're also reducing torque to the wheels which can upset the inertia of the car as well as potentially inviting a whole number of other issues.

When driving you should either be on the accelerator or on the brakes you should never be coasting.

A perhaps better approach for doing what you describe given your current experience of driving a manual car would be to begin braking, bringing the car down to a speed that will allow you to safely negotiate the corner, then change to the appropriate gear for the road/engine speed prior to the corner, and then begin accelerating through the corner in the correct gear this way maximising available traction whilst maintaining a consistent vehicular balance. It's not very exciting granted, but it's preferable to the way you describe above.

Then as you accumulate more experience, begin to learn the more advanced techniques as pointed out by robbie.

Hope you're enjoying your new motor though.

 

[yg17]

I think I worded that wrong.....

I have the clutch fully in up until I'm halfway through the turn, then I slowly let it out. I know leaving the clutch halfway in like that is bad

 

[iGav]

I have the clutch fully in up until I'm halfway through the turn

There's no need to do that, just select the appropriate gear for the road/engine speed prior to the turn and accelerate through the corner.

 

[absolut_mac]

You have received a lot of excellent advice so far, so I have only one thing to add other than practise, practise and more practise.... preferably not on your new car.

Working the clutch is a delicate balancing act between the clutch and the accelorator. Every engine has a different feel for what is right as far as revs are concerned when letting out the clutch. As the clutch comes out, so the accelerator should go in... gently and slowly.

You know you've perfected it when you can hold the car on a steep incline without using the brake, and then slowly and smoothly pull forward without sliding back at all.

Lastly, note that it's harder, and requires more precise balancing, to shift up than to shift down.

Good luck and enjoy your new car

 

[Rodimus Prime]

It takes time and pratice to get good on a manual. It is a balancing act between gas and clutch. It takes time to get it down. Right now slightly higher RPMs than you need is a better choice while learning. Also let the clutch out slowly while learning. Over time it will get quicker and easier. I think now from a dead stop I think my clutch is completely engaged in under 1 second.

Also most of the time you do not need to take your foot off the clutch pedal before it is time to shift to 2nd. For me my foot will be just about ready to push it back in when I get my foot off of it. Quite off my foot will hover over the clutch until at least 3rd gear because of how quickly I will need to shift again.

Like others have said when you get used to driving a manual be careful when driving an auto because your left foot will want to stomp on the clutch and let me tell you it hurts the neck. This along will pissing off the driver behind you.

 

[yg17]

Like others have said when you get used to driving a manual be careful when driving an auto because your left foot will want to stomp on the clutch and let me tell you it hurts the neck. This along will pissing off the driver behind you.

Haha, I'm already doing that. I drove my mom's car the other day and pushed in the imaginary clutch pedal before turning the key

 

[mrock]

As others have said, one of the best ways to practice clutch control and balancing the gas is doing hill starts.

Find a deserted place on a hill (not too steep but not flat either!) and put the handbrake on.

Clutch in, get the RPMs up to over 2000 and then slowly lift the clutch until you find the bite point and then then hold it. Take off the handbrake and then move forwards slowly.

Stop. Apply handbrake, repeat! Practice makes perfect.