I'm not a true man :( Options

[Stipt]

Guys......I don't know how to drive a stick but I wanna learn. I wanna get a 3sgte with a manual conversion and was wondering what you guys think. Someone told me to sell my car and get a manual.....and that I might do (even though I just bought this car about two months ago) But if you guys think it would be better. Then please by all means let me know. Also....how much of a hassle is it to convert it from auto to manual?

[pflau]

ok, you gotta learn to drive stick.. whenever I see someone driving a sports car or even a sporty car and I see that 'R N D 1 2' gate I say to myself.. 'ah! another poser' so where are some pointers:

1) use a light right foot.. that's right. you have to unlearn your right foot. an automatic transmission is like a rubberband.. your engine is connected to the drive tran through liquid.. its like turbo lag in first gear. but a manual there's a hard link between the engine and the drive tran so you can literally jerk your car around at 5mph with the gas. the first time you drive a stick you would be like wtf why is the gas so touchy.. well the gas is not touchy.. its because you're so used to the rubberband gas response of an automatic that you think its touchy.. so UNLEARN your right foot and develop a really soft touch on the gas or you'd be jerkying your car around.

2) think of the clutch as the brake working backward because it is what it is. when you brake the brake graps the disc and the car stop. when you let up the clutch the clutch graps the drive tran to the engine fly wheel and the car go. remember how you brake... YOU SLOWLY PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE UNTIL THE CAR COMES TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PRESS THE BRAKE DOWN ALL THE WAY AND THAT'S HOW YOU USE THE CLUTCH!!! you let up the clutch half-way until you feel the car in full go meaning the engine power is almost 100% transmitted to the drive tran and THEN AND ONLY THEN do you let the clutch up all the way.

3) stalling is caused by NOT ENOUGH GAS.. you have to use your very light foot to gas the engine up to about 1500rpm before the engine have enough power to move the drive tran while the clutch is only half up.. you CAN'T GET GOING WITH THE ENGINE ON IDLE.. well you can but it'll take FOREVER.. so give it some gas and remember you DO NOT LET THE CLUTCH UP ALL THE WAY until you sense the car is moving along.

4) uphill start is the most stressful.. especially at a red light when there are cars right behind you.. hope you dont live in san fran.. the trick is again think of the clutch as the brake working backward.. if the brake can stop the car on an uphill.. wouldnt you think that the clutch can move the car going uphill??? the trick is to GAS THE ENGINE MORE while letting up the clutch half way so the car would not roll back. of course you need to switch your foot from the brake to the gas super quick while letting up the clutch to CATCH the drive tran before the car can start rolling back.

5) I think many people scared of stick shifts because they think the clutch is like a "disconnect" between the engine and the drive tran that they have to constantly manage.. while an automatic is like always connected so you feel much more secured. this is WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! have you ever felt insecured about your brakes?? a clutch is a BRAKE working BACKWARD!!! if you can use your brakes you can use the clutch.

6) it is very important that you learn to drive a stick now and get a stick car while youre single because I heard that once you get married you can forget about it!!!



This post has been edited by pflau: May 8, 2003 - 12:33 AM