Hey, i just bought a sandstone base z...it is the first manual drive car i have owned, and only driven manual a few times. I know, I know...you have never owned manual, and you get a Z?? I just couldn't see getting an automatic with this kind of car. Just wondering if you guys have any tips for handling hills...i am doing ok on it, but sometimes when i begin to accelarate, it gets kind of jerky. Also, is it possible i am damaging anything being somewhat inexperienced with manual? Haven't heard any unusual noises, so I am assuming things will be ok.

Thanks

 

When I got my first manual car, which was a Prelude, a went to a large parking lot with a mild grade. Then I practiced until I knew I could trust myself in traffic.

 

Just be certain to not roll back into anyone when you're stopped on a hill. I remember when I was learning to drive stick I would HATE stopping going up a hill, only to have someone pull up behind me, right on my bumper...

If you have to, apply the parking break as much as needed to prevent you from rolling backwards.

 

my Z is my first manuel car too, i woner do any of u EXPERTS can teach me some TIP ?? how can i prevent damaging my car?? I am driving ok now, at least i am ok on the traffic, but i wonder wut kind of practice that can help me accelerate faster when stop~GO and also drive smoooooothly. so far, i think my Z is the best car that i hab ever owned...^.^

 

Congratulations on your new cars and (IMHO) smart move in picking a manual over an automatic. You probably have mastered 70% of driving a manual if you have been driving the car for over a day and were able to make it home to type this thread and post. Another 20% will be obtained in the next week and another 5% in the next month. Contrary to what anyone says no one is 100% perfect when it comes to a manual so don't worry too much about the last ~5%.

Here are some quick tips:

1) Use your emergency brake (aka e-brake) as a brake while learning to drive on a hill. You probably don't have three feet so you can use the e-brake as a brake by pushing the button in and lifting it up until the car is not moving. Concentrate on letting off on the clutch and pressing the gas to move the car. The strength of the engine will will overpower the e-brake and once you realize that you are moving forward (and not backwards), release the e-brake all the way down. Sort of tough to explain, but you'll understand once you try it.

2) Always leave yourself as much room as possible when parking Try to find a space at the end of a street or a fire hydrant, driveway, motorcycle, etc in the next spot. Never get yourself into a situation like this guy stuck on a hill in San Francisco. If you find yourself in this situation make damn sure no one is filming you! Rumor has it that this guy had to move to South America because of how "popular" that thread became and Nissan took his car away due to "image" problems.

3) Always lift your e-brake as much as you can and leave the car in first gear when parking. You never want to end up writing a story about your car rolling down the driveway and going through the neighbor's fence.

Good luck!

 

Assuming your not grinding gears while shifting I doubt your doing much/any damage to the tranny. You might be wearing out your clutch at an excellerated rate but thats about it.

I taught my son to drive a manny tranny on my Zzzzz. His only problem was launching in first. What finally helped him was:

-push in clutch & put in 1st

-slowly release clutch untill car inches forward.

-hit the gas & let clutch out.

With lots of practice on in a level, large, empty parking lot he finally got it.

 

If the car is jerking when you start, you're probably letting out the clutch too quickly. Try letting off the clutch in a smooth motion as you give the car gas. It's all a balance and feel thing.

 

when all else fails, burn the clutch, seriously, of all the stuff you can potentially do to the car, replacing the clutch after 5-10k miles is the least serious, much better that hurting the motor or the gears.

not saying its GOOD to burn the clutch, just saying personally when its a choice of whether to maybe burn the clutch or maybe stall the car, I choose the first.

might just be me.

oh and we all had to learn somewhere, and its not always possible to find a junker to learn with, I know atleast in my case, my first car was an auto, now autos are very common, Im sure many of the older than me drivers in 30s and 40s all started on a stick shift, not the same today.

 

spend some dough and take a class at a drivers school...lot cheaper than replacing a burned out clutch

 

I still have some difficulty going from 1st to 2nd at times. I haven't ground a single gear since I acquired my vehicle, but I can't seem to make the transition from 1st to 2nd a smooth one.

I also had some difficulty getting into reverse from a stop on a hill. I can't seem to find that spot where you feel the clutch engage like I could on other vehicles. On my other vehicles I'd simply release the clutch until I felt it engage (which would stop it from rolling), then I'd hit the gas. I've killed my poor Z about 3 times trying to do the same...

Is there a Z performance driving school? Perhaps the local Z car club would be of help as well

 

finding a driver to teach you shouldnt be too difficult, its finding a car...

I too have yet to master the 1-2 shift smoothly, I remember hearing that alot of people couldnt get it.

its just very difficult, if I go really slowly, slip the clutch alot, itll be pretty smooth, but who has time for that.

the one cool thing, if I drive any other car, with like a "normal" clutch, its smooth as glass.

 

Just wanna say thank u for all the INFO...^^