Starting from a Stop in 1st Gear - Need tips, My fifth day driving stick Options

[Celicav]

Well, I just got a Manual GT Hatchback, and yesterday was essentially my fifth day of driving stick. I drove it in "real" bumper-to-bumper traffic for the first time, and that was an enlightening experience. My start from a stop is only smooth about half the time, if that, so it was pretty stressful. Any tips or instructions on how to get a smooth start every time? I need very specific info on the clutch and gas pedal position (or RPMs) at the point the car should start moving. I try to remember exactly how I managed a smooth start when I do it, but that is difficult at this time. Thanks!

P.S. Any other tips on making driving stick a more enjoyable experience would be great too!

[Digndoug]

All MTs work the same for the most part, but all are dif in feel.

Try not to directly think about it. That and you dont need to puch the clutch in all the way, only do liek 3 inchs to were you can feel the clutch move. You might want to try with a thin pair of shoes or bare feet to feel it and get use to it that way. That was the only way my bro could learn.

When you start to go in first, start pulling the clutch out slowly until you feel it strarting to grab. which you'll see your rpms drop a bit.. then start to give a little gas. And when i say little, I mean little. You dont need much. The problem is, people ride there clutch or the give way to much gas. it allso just takes time.

It takes me like 5 min of driving everytime i drive a dif car with Mt to get use to it, or not to look like a noob.

Good Luck and it will be well worth it and soon enough you'll never think about it, you just drive like you were ment to .

[lagos]

its only going to be stressfull for the 1st few weeks... after that it becomes second nature.

its always better to give it a little bit more gas (under 2 grand) and let the clutch out smoothly.

[Rjb23]

You don't need to but its bad for the clutch if you don't push it in all the way, its like driving down the road with your foot on the brakes a little. Its wears them out faster.

Basically you just need to go to a parking lot for an hour or so and just stop and start. I learned how to drive a clutch, at least in first or second gear moving cars around my dad's car lot, when I was 15. After I did that for awhile after I turned 16 my Mom showed me how to showed me how to shift into other gears which is cake.

[jgreening]

We all went through what you are describing. Just keep practicing and it will be a breeze in a few days. If you are nervous about driving in traffic, try some time in an empty parking lot. Good luck.

[flipside97LTD]

Just don't take a girl out while you're learning stick! I took out this beautiful pacific islander girl to a concert in the heart of Virginia Beach and I didn't know how to drive stick real well, but I didn't wanna seem like I couldn't drive... Unfortunately, I probably gave her whiplash so bad it wouldn't have mattered anyway. At every light I'd squeel wheels and ahh, it was terrible... Yea dude, just take the car out into a school parking lot on a saturday and practice for an hour or so. That's what i did. It's like riding a bike, once you get it, you won't forget it.

[devilsden97]

try feathering the gas, and yes let the clutch out slowly and smoothly.

To make stick more enjoyable, AVOID TRAFFIC, and Go fast lol

[Celicav]

Just don't take a girl out while you're learning stick!    I took out this beautiful pacific islander girl to a concert in the heart of Virginia Beach and I didn't know how to drive stick real well, but I didn't wanna seem like I couldn't drive...  Unfortunately, I probably gave her whiplash so bad it wouldn't have mattered anyway.  At every light I'd squeel wheels and ahh, it was terrible... Yea dude, just take the car out into a school parking lot on a saturday and practice for an hour or so.  That's what i did.  It's like riding a bike, once you get it, you won't forget it.
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Thanks guys! Funny story. Fortunately, I have a fiancee that I don't have to impress much anymore. I have taken her out already in the car, and yeah, I lost a little pride.

[lagos]

just remember...once u get the hang of it, youll never want to go back to an automatic again

[Celicav]

just remember...once u get the hang of it, youll never want to go back to an automatic again
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Good! Cause I still own my Automatic Coupe, and I still favor the ease of it at this point! But I know I will get the hang of the manual soon.

[SSJChar]

when i was learning(which was like 3 weeks ago) i too had some problems. one thing i found really made it easier was to change your traffic driving just a tad. instead of stopping suddenly, and gasing fast, i try to slow down my car early so that i come to a complete stop as little as possible. i also didn't go fast and try to catch up to the guy infront of me, only to have to brake again, i would slowly start so that if i did catch up to the guy infront of me, he was about to go again, so i wouldn't have to stop. so pretty much coast as much as possible.

[AMCMoe]

Like digndoug said, Let the clutch out a little bit until it starts to grab. Make sure you don't let it out too much or you'll stall, but let it out enough so its at the point where you can let off the break and give it gas quick enough without rolling into the car behind you. Slowly let out the clutch while you give it gas, that will make for a smooth start. Once you start going forward, make sure you let the clutch out slowly whiling giving it gas, even if you're worried about the car behind you or something. Don't worry about what other drivers think. A lot of them have gone through the same thing you are. It's much less embarassing starting slowly than letting the clutch out far too quickly, jerking back and forth then stalling. Good luck!

[purplegt4]

hmm...keep it steady @ about 4.5 grand and drop the clutch...should be smooth sailing from there.

haha can't do that in an auto! well i think you can but that would be bad...

just drive around @ night! there's minimum traffic then. or just drive around aimlessly...well nowadays that's bad cuz of the loans we have to take out to fill up our tanks.

anyways good luck you'll get the hang of it.

[StreetRacing10PS...]

just give it a lil more gas and be gental on the clutch. i wish i had a manual in my celi only time i get to drive a stick is my dads truck. i think its time for a swap tho good luck on getin used to driving stick, once u get it, u willl love it.

[Celicav]

its only going to be stressfull for the 1st few weeks... after that it becomes second nature.

its always better to give it a little bit more gas (under 2 grand) and let the clutch out smoothly.
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Eureka! I finally got it down! I was letting out the clutch pretty smoothly, but was not giving it enough gas (probably 1,000 RPM or less) once the clutch was engaging. I pushed it up to 2,000 RPM and now the car is catching gear a lot smoother. I'm hooked now!

[dustin15brown]

I was on one stop sign with a decent incline for over an hour because i wasn't aloud to rip on it. After this experience dad took me to an empty parking lot and made me do it about 25x with no gas at all... after that it was a breeze.... dont freak out if u occasionally kill it either... it just happens at times... i did it 3 weeks ago in a parking garage..... I left my friggin ebrake on and wasn't using the gas... needless to say.. i laughed hard

[Mystify.]

just remember...once u get the hang of it, youll never want to go back to an automatic again
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Heh, yeah..I've only been driving a stick for about two weeks and I love it. Now I find automatics to be boring, and almost confusing at the same time. I had to drive my mom's car one day and almost burned out trying to reverse out of a parking spot (because I'm used to having a clutch). As to starting out in first, I usually just let my clutch out just before the catch point then start giving it gas and letting the clutch out smoothly and slowly (then just pop the clutch in and coast if I'm in start and stop traffic). You'll get the hang of it, you just need to learn where your clutches' friction point is, from there it's smooth sailing. Have fun starting on hills if you haven't yet, just remember not to panic if you start rolling.

[tin_foil]

I've had some bad experiences driving automatics since I almost only ever drive manuals. One time I hopped in my dad's old ford(an automatic) and started down the road. It was dark, and when I instinctively felt that I needed to chage gears, I started freaking out cause I was waving my right hand all over the seat and floor boards trying for the life of me to find the stick. I was just about the slow down and turn on the interior light and look for it, when it shifted. I felt pretty stupid, but it was funny.

Another time I was driving my mom's auto van, and I started slowing down to turn. So, one again, totally instinctively, I stepped down really hard on the "clutch". Except that I very soon discovered that my "clutch pedal" was actually the brake. It's probably a good thing the van had ABS, cause the wheels all locked up, and I just about gave myself whiplash...I'm so smart....

Yeah...suffice to say, I hate auto's now...=]

[anubis0108]

Well, I just got a Manual GT Hatchback, and yesterday was essentially my fifth day of driving stick.  I drove it in "real" bumper-to-bumper traffic for the first time, and that was an enlightening experience.  My start from a stop is only smooth about half the time, if that, so it was pretty stressful.  Any tips or instructions on how to get a smooth start every time?  I need very specific info on the clutch and gas pedal position (or RPMs) at the point the car should start moving.  I try to remember exactly how I managed a smooth start when I do it, but that is difficult at this time.  Thanks!

P.S.  Any other tips on making driving stick a more enjoyable experience would be great too!
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EXPERIENCE MY FRIEND EXPERIENCE theres no better teacher than yourself when it comes to driving a manual. give it a month or two youll get it trust me itll be second nature itll seem as if it will never get there but it will. Now when it comes to advanced shifting as far as manipulating the car as you would like now thatz a different story but keep at it man ull get it u might have a few angry drivers out there but ull get it manual celicas are pretty easy to handle compared to others ive driven, but then there are sum better ne wayz just keep at it!

[anubis0108]

I was on one stop sign with a decent incline for over an hour because i wasn't aloud to rip on it. After this experience dad took me to an empty parking lot and made me do it about 25x with no gas at all... after that it was a breeze.... dont freak out if u occasionally kill it either... it just happens at times... i did it 3 weeks ago in a parking garage..... I left my friggin ebrake on and wasn't using the gas... needless to say.. i laughed hard
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yea man everyone stalls out sumtimes lolz its embrassing but it happens and da only thign u can do is laugh cause ur gonna look stupid specially if sumone is lookin at ya sexy celica. damn i hate wen that happens. lolz it doesnt happen often but it alwayz seems to happen when u least expect it and sumone lookin hard.

[cyb593]

my oppion since i just learned a couple months ago but on a very good clutch i think it was a stage 3 on a 90 celica gts is stall it out in ur neighborhood and see where the clutch stalls out at(thats where it will catch). so u know exactly where it starts to catch and so when u are in traffic can ease onto the gas and pull the clutch all the way to where it starts to catch. if u know the exact location it is a piece of cake after that. just know the car. just mess with that thought.