Stick Shift NOOB
 

I got a 99 Protege at the beginning of the summer and it's really wicked. Dark Green with beige interior, in great shape, i totally love it, only problem is i can't drive it.:(

I have improved somewhat since i started learning it, at least now i'm not stalling it 9/10 times that i try to get going. I'm able to let the clutch out gradually and usually get going without stalling, but i can't let the clutch out and press the gas quickly without stalling.
And since i'm not lucky (or unlucky) enough to live somewhere like Kansas, i end up rolling down all sorts of hills while i'm trying to get the car in gear.

I don't think i've had enough practice with it yet, but i just thought i'd ask if anyone here had any suggestions for me. Any tips/tricks or easy ways to learn. Any help would be appreciated.

Re: Stick Shift NOOB
 

hrmmm it took me like a day or 2 or driving to get used to it, just drive it more, you'll get the feel in time.

its all about practice. u just gotta drive it.

once you get starting from a stop smoothly you'll be able to do quick starts. i practiced on steep ass hills: basically you drop the clutch while giving it a lot of gas to keep the clutch from rubbing like hell if you try to do it slow. it takes a lot of guts to do in stop and go traffic up steep hills unless you're totally used to it

When my g/f bought her sentra GXE two years ago she got a 5-speed with never driving one. She figured it was $800 dollars less then an auto.......I had to test drive the car and drive it home for her. Then we spent a good 5 hours teaching her how to drive it. She did okay and was driving well after a couple weeks. She is okay now, but her clutch feels like it has taken a good beating.

She has driven my car twice since I have owned it only due to consumption of alcohol.......

In order to get to be a good manual driver, you have to drive and get used to all kinds of situiaions you can get into.

Drive, drive, drive.......

-R

It took me 2 days to learn about a week to master, but I drove non stop around neighborhoods and other places where it didn't matter if I stalled. It's not a big deal, people stall out. If someone laughs don't get nervious, just start it up and go.

E-Brake Assistance
 

If you're often faced with incline launches from a full stop, I'd say it's worth your while learning how to use the e-brake to prevent rolling backwards. When you’re first learning to drive a stick it’s nerve racking enough just starting out on a flat surface-- But when you’ve got people behind you on a hill, well, most all of us have been there and know what that’s like!

In addition to learning the basics and getting a good feel for driving your manual, you should probably also practice driving on a slight hill with no other traffic on it. Come to a stop on that hill and put her in neutral (with your main brakes engaged, of course). Then engage the e-brake to prevent you from rolling backwards when you let off on the main brakes. Put the car in first, put your hand on the e-brake ready to release it, and ease up on the clutch to start your launch while simultaneously easing up on the e-brake. With a bit of practice you’ll get that technique down and then you won’t have to be concerned about rolling backwards while you’re still getting comfortable driving your stick. After awhile you won’t have to do that anymore, as you’ll be quick enough to start off without it.. That said, when I’m on a really steep incline with people closely riding my ass, I’ll still use that e-brake technique once in awhile.

I’ve always been a modest driver in most respects, but I’ve always appreciated driving a manual nonetheless. You’ve gotta love the control and feel it offers, and I can't personally imagine driving anything else.

Anyway, keep practicing and you'll be in safe control soon. :bt:

Thanks, i'll just keep practicing as much as i can. I've been driving it around my neighborhood where i can take my time and not worry about stalling.

I'll let you know how it works out when i take it into traffic!

Re: E-Brake Assistance
 

:shift:I haven't used this technique yet because first i'm trying to learn to start on a hill using only the clutch and the gas. I do plan on learning to use the e-brake while starting though because i'm sure it would be helpful in some situations. A few times in the course of practicing when i've had trouble starting on steep hills, my dad (teacher) will hold the e-brake and release it as i get into gear. It'd probably be better if i learned to do this myself though. :p

from personal experience, fear is your worst enemy... although some of you dun realize.. it's the thought of rolling backwards that stops you from your routine drop clutch and gas... if you can start on a flat ground, you can start up a hill...

just get to a hill where you know definitely no cars behind you, and just let it roll backwards... once you get used to the feeling... you wont have second thoughts...

just my 2¢ :)

practice makes perfect, be one w/ the car and just feel it out

In addition to what everyone else said, it also helps to understand how the transmission works. Obviously practice makes perfect, but it can't hurt to know what happens at the end of the shifter.

I took an automechanics class before I had ever even tried to drive a manual. Once I finally got behind the wheel of a manual about 6 months after taking the class I got into first gear without stalling even once just because I knew how not to make the engine stall.

It's not surprising that most people who drive automatics don't know how they work, but considering that manual drivers are usually car enthusiasts, it IS surprising how many of them don't know how a manual transmission works.

sit in ur pro and close ur eyes.
visualize urself as a race car driver. (make the vroom nises too)
play with the clutch and get a feel for it and shift.

then go driving all over the country-side.
with ur eyes open.

:D

It's just practice. I learned when I was 14; my uncle threw me in his jeep, showed me where the shifter and clutch were, and left me in the middle of a wheat field. It took me about 5 hours, but I drove it back to the farm...Luckily for you, the Protege is a lot easier to drive than an 82 Jeep Scrambler...

I still do the handbrake trick, if I'm parallel-parked on a hill. Makes it much easier to pull out (or back in, for that matter).

The handbrake trick is for pussies. ;)

Heel-toe that bitch. Heel on the gas, toe on the brake, left foot on the clutch, and go go go.

Pluto316 - nobody "masters" driving a manual in a week. Nobody. I consider myself an average driver, and I'm sure I could show you quite a few tricks to successfully driving a stickshift smoothly, aggressively, and intelligently.

And in no way have I mastered anything, even driving manual cars (not my P5 unfortunately) for 15 years.

But until you can haul your car down from 70 to 30, and then heel-toe rev-match downshift into second and power right out of turn as smooth as an automatic....you've got shit to learn.

But the practice is oh, so fun!!!

~HH

i usually add a bit more gas before downshifting and upshifting that helps with the smoothness. not too much though or the engine will rev too high...you need to know how much and that takes practice.
you need to feel the car.

yeah, it's true nobody learns to drive a stick in a week...maybe you can move the car from point a to point b but that's about it.

learning stick takes along time ...i'm still learning, i'm pretty ok right now with my smoothness and get compliments from people how well i drive.
it's always a challenge to drive a stick well and i still have to learn the heel and toe technique .

just be careful when starting up from a hill in wet or snowy conditions during winter time ..if you add too much gas you might spin the weels and not go anywhere.