Hi guys ,

I've been on this site for about a little over the year, I had an 06 MB Auto Z , and I just sold it and purchased a new 07 6MT. I learned to drive the car in about half an hour. But I'm still not good, and I still don't know all the PROPER procedures in shifting, slowing down, and I still ride the clutch sometimes.

Just wondering if any experienced drivers out there want to get together and maybe spend half an hour or an hour with me to get the basics down? I would appreciate it, if you could let me sit in your car and observe for a bit and ask some questions, and then do the same in my car. I think after that I will be a better driver and be more comfortable in traffic situations.

If you guys have about an hour or two to spare, please PM me and afterwards we can get lunch or dinner, depending on time, and i'll pay up to $15 for a good teacher!

Thanks guys I appreciate it.

Ted

 

I'll help if you want. I learned on a steep driveway a when I was 16 years old from my father. Wouldn't be a great idea to mess up that brand spanking new car so take as long as you need to learning how to drive properly. No need for a hourly rate maybe some gas. Not really experienced though never tracked/drifted/scca.

 

hey whats up buddy, thanks for the fast response... i don't mind paying for gas, i don't need professionals, just someone who has driven stick for at least 2-3 years and can drive like its second nature. so with your experience, it sounds just about what i need. PM me with your contact info and we can set something up.

Thanks..

Ted

 

FWIW- I've been driving sticks for over 20 years. I bought my Z a couple of months ago and I still don't have this clutch down. Sometimes it's smooth sometimes it's not. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "hard" to drive, but I don't remember taking this long in any of my other cars to get used to a clutch.

 

lol its just experience... no one can really help you with that... u cant "teach" a sugeon thats been a surgeon for 2 years to be better than a surgeon with 20 years of experience. it just comes naturally with experience. im pretty sure u know the basics. just practice.

 

I here ya, its been a while since I've had a stick and its been a little rough, doesn't bother me, but it does the girlfriend. I tend to slip it a little too much off the line in first and release it too quickly form 1-2. The others are cake. I find I have to pay attention to my feet if I want to shift very smoothly. I don't mind being a little rough though, most of the time its just laziness, not that the 07 Z clutch is tricky or anything.

SZ

 

Usually it comes with time. If you were closer I show you how to work that clutch.

 

after driving a integra as my daily driver, every weekend when i get into the Z, it feels odd and my shifts aren't smooth. i could help you but i'm in san diego. make an excuse to drive down here and i don't mind helping u at all.

 

well, i can help if still needed.

i live in alhambra, so i'm not very far at all.

 

Cars with no torque are much easier to drive smooth than cars with. The Z does have a strange uptake, but the 2007 I drove was much better an more natural than my 04.

 

thanks guys, anybody willing to help out or just meet up and drive a bit just PM your info, i do know the very basics... and i do know that it takes experience... but it would help to see what everyone does while they drive so I know what NOT to do...

 

hey joey3am, if u have time, maybe we can meet up on the weekends as well. PM me if interested. thanks.

 

Was that modlist from your previous Z?

 

remember to give some gas 1st while releasing the clutch slowly when shifting between gears......it took me a few hours of practice b4 i got used to it back then...also stay away from steep slopes for beginners

 

The Z is a special beast. It's much easier to learn in a 90 Tercel two days after your 15th birthday in rush hour on a hill when you've never driven a car outside of a parking lot, much less a stick.

I'm not telling how long I've driven stick for, but here are a few tips.

1) stop riding the clutch, now! It's the quickest way to wear out the clutch. When you first start you have to think "put my foot on the dead-peddle, put my foot on the dead-peddle" but after a while you get used to it.

2) Taking off in first is the hardest. Shifting up is really easy, it basically involves putting the clutch in, moving the lever to the appropriate position, and letting the clutch out. For the Z especially, get off the peddle quickly. You can't try to force the engine into going smoothly by letting the clutch out slowly, if you're at the right RPM you should be smooth enough doing it fast. Also, learn to listen to the engine and feel how it runs to know when to shift, ignore the tach for the time being. (That Tercel didn't even have a tach). It will start to whine when it gets too high and cough when it gets too low. Oh, too high means shift up, too low means shift down.

3) With the Z taking off is tricky. Luckily the car has enough torque to do most of the work for you. Basically give it a little (teeny-tiny) bit of gas and let the clutch out a little slower than when you're shifting. Unless you're on a hill, it doesn't need much gas at all. This takes a lot of practice.
a) To practice: You should go to a small incline, facing up the hill and put the e-brake in, now try balancing the clutch and gas until you feel the pressure let up off of the brake. Then take the break out and practice holding the car in place just with the clutch and gas. Once you get used to that practice taking off on a hill.

4) Engine braking is not something you need to worry about right away. Just know that when the engine lags (starts coughing) you shift down. But, when you feel like you're ready, take your foot off the gas, and start down shifting a little before the engine would lag. This will cause the engine to slow the car down. As you practice you can be more aggressive.

Good luck!

 

Oh and for God's sake, hold the shifter like a man (no offense).

 

I've learned in an hour with my dad screaming in ear in the passenger seat.. you need to be yelled at to learn.

 

I taught my wife to drive stick by having her to learn hot to take off from second gear. This will help you get really familiar with the clutch. It lets you know where is the clutch start to grab. So give it a try. Also for hills. Put your e brake on and let off the clutch slowly till the rear start to squat then relesea the e brake. I don't know about most of the drivers around here, but don't look for the next gear, just let the shifter to it by gliding it in. Lean that and then learn the fun stuff.

hope this helps

 

I never knew how to really drive a stick until I got in the car with an old-school street racer (like 70's old school). It was like his hands were never still. Amazing.

 

I'm kinda close to your area so if you want to learn on a beater you can try my daily driver out.