synth19

iTrader: (11)

SO I finally picked up my car today, I've had maybe 2 hrs of MT practice before. I'm doing good at shifting and rev matching, it comes kinda naturally to me... MAIN problem is going into first from a complete stop. I stalled quite a few times today..... it's freakn nerve racking when you're trying to get the catching point in the clutch and all these bitches behind you are honking away...Jesus, did I take 30 seconds of you life away? Anyways.....this is a random rant..I'll practice more tomorrow in a parking lot.......... LOVE the car so far....

john0213

lol it happens to every newbie manuel driver at some point when we are learning sticks~

next time try blip the throttle a bit harder to get higher rpms so ur clutch can be release faster, that will solve the problem until u find the touching point of the clutch~

at least it works for me when i was learning~

woogemooge

man you're in the position i was in 3 weeks ago when i got my Z. haha...i had a total of maybe 30 minutes of stick driving experience before i got the Z.

my friend told me to try to release the clutch *slowly* from a stop without gasing at all...you'll feel the car creep when the clutch is reaching engagement point...press gas and let go of the clutch at the same time, and you're good to go.

synth19

iTrader: (11)

Thanks for the advice guys. My problem is being to slow, not launching fast enough........anyways, I'm still getting used to the clutch and getting a feel for it. I practiced on a S2K during my practice sessions and a '98 Supra TT....Supra was the first, and my first stick car........upgraded clutch was a real pain...if you've never driven stick, I dont recommend a 500hp modded car with an upgraded clutch. S2K was totally different, Z falls somewhat in the middle............

TriX

Actually I would recommend either of the 2 options: option 1 beater car from a friend or from dad or option 2 rental.

Take it to a secluded road and just beat the hell out of it. Practice hard down shifts. Starts from 3k 4k 5k rpm and also different gear starts. ETC. It the end you will be able to drive a sports car much much better.

jleighZ

Trust me, if I can do it anyone can. I royally sucked at first and thought about just going ahead and selling the car. But I am so much better now, although I haven't had a chance to practice on hills, and honestly I am really dreading it, but I know it is something that has to be done.
My main problem was letting the clutch out to quickly and really rough, and then I got that worked out and I wasn't pushing the gas down hard enough. I just practiced for a couple hours one day just starting and stopping on my road, which is pretty secluded.

350zSpeedRacer

You'll be okay! Just get in some more practice. Every car is different and even those of us who LOVE manual trannies still have to spend some time getting used to a new car.

Just go out somewhere empty and practice your starts. Slowly let out the clutch as you press on the gas and you'll get the feel of it. It's all about knowing where the clutch grabs and making it as smooth as possible.

Good luck and I'm glad to hear you still love your car!

Danimsta

iTrader: (3)

damn all i learned to drive a stick on was an altima and an old mr2

must be nice to burn.. i mean.. try... on a s2k and supra

lol good luck man

350zSpeedRacer

Dude, I learned on a 68 Nova 3 speed with NO power steering. LOL ANYTHING is easy after that!

The Brickyard Rat

iTrader: (1)

My son & I hit the road for Tahoe & back yesterday; up I 80 and down on backroads to Sacto. It was his third time behind the wheel of the Z and the first in a couple months. He picked up with the clutch biz where he left off the last time (meaning considerable improvement each time) and really had it down by the time we arrived home yesterday.

Point is, it will come; just keep practicing.

Now I'm beginning to wonder when he's gonna walk in & say "Hey, dad, how about letting me take Zzzz out myself?".

Groannnnnnnnnnnn!

Danimsta

iTrader: (3)

Ryde

I was pretty much in the same boat. Cept I had 0 Manual experience before I got my Z. Thank god my step-fathers a Mechanic and didn't mind...(ofcourse not) takin the Z to a parkinglot and teachin me. I picked it up pretty fast...stalled it maybe 5 times...then once on the road. Mis-shifted once...hehe. That was like 3 months ago. Now I've gotten a good grip on it, haven't stalled in it almost 2 n a half monthz...tho I still can't do a burnout. I just get tire-hop. And I don't want to continue tryin to do one, cause I don't want to burn out the clutch superfast.

Just keep practicin tho...you'll get there.

DaveL

^I'm in the same boat. I had no experience at all. Had to get old pops to drive me to a local middle school parking lot to practice. It was very frustrating, I was so happy to have this beautiful car, but the thought of me never being able to learn & drive it was always in my mind at that time. I just wanted to quit, but I didn't and now it's been almost 4 months & I think I got it done pat.

So just keep working on it bud, no matter how nerving wrecking it can get, you be glad later as you shift with perfection.

synth19

iTrader: (11)

hmnmm..... mods: can we get a support group forum for newbie MT drivers??? LOL

supra crazy

iTrader: (22)

you cant drive MT

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

rouxeny

Dude, I learned on my mom's 4 speed Toyota Tercel which I took out when my parents weren't home.

I would say the keys are to give it a little more gas than you think you should, and if the car starts bucking or groaning, mash the clutch. Mashing the clutch pretty much gets you out of anything. Of course, you won't go anywhere, but at least it makes the horrible noises go away.

Find a secluded hill and practice balancing the car on the friction point. Of course, this will eventually wear out your clutch, but at least at the beginning, it's good practice.

I think the Z is a fairly hard car to learn on. My mom's Tercel was very easy, a very soft clutch and near impossible to stall. A friend had an Eclipse, that was also fairly easy. You could start the car rolling just be easying up on the clutch, no gas needed. Can't do that in the Z.


Final bit of advice, know where the hills are and avoid them until you're more confident, or at least use the parking brake when starting on them. Nothing worse than rolling back into the car behind you.

MastaKillaZ

iTrader: (1)

I learned on my friend's circa 1980's toyota 1/2 ton... first time he let me drive, I stalled the car in the left turn lane of an intersection... after stalling the car for what seemed like a hundred times in a row, and being unable to complete the turn my friend ducked down in his seat so no one would see him with me. I think I saw half my high school drive by laughing... ah, the memories.

zxsaint

Sure you can. If you're slow/smooth enough on the clutch, you can get it to engage without gas. I do it all the time.

polar

iTrader: (2)

It all comes with time.

Heck I took my driving test in a standard 280 ZX

soupnazi1

I'm a newbie who hasn't tried manual yet...just a couple of questions.

1. When you're at a stop light, do you put it in neutral or keep it in first gear?

2. The same question as above, if your stopped on a hill.