Need Help Driving A Stickshift... UPDATE!

[Floridabassking352]

I got a brand new 2007 Toyota Scion tC today!!! My rents bought it for me after my old Toyota Camry crapped out last week (transmission finally went). Anyway, this new car is a stickshift and it's so frustrating! I've never driven one before and it's kinda hard learning. Basically, my problem is with starting when I'm in neutral (ex: if I were at a light or pulling into traffic). Either I stall it or I give it too much gas too soon and let the clutch off too fast resulting in a very unpleasant, abrupt jerk before I get moving. Also, I have trouble starting when I'm on a hill (cause the car starts rolling backwards).

Does anyone have any tips on learning to drive a stickshift? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[burleytog]

Just drive it.  In time you will learn.  Just start saving now for that new clutch.  

Can't say that I understand buying a young driver a manual when all they've driven is an automatic.   :-/

[Bladesmith,]

Practice,practice, practice.   You'll eventually develope a feel for it.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Just drive it.  In time you will learn.  

Like a baitcaster.  It's a feel you will learn quickly.

[Cephkiller]

When I was teaching my wife how to drive a stick (Muddy would have had something to say here, I'm sure   ), she got stuck trying to start on an incline.  She started freaking out and yelling for me to help her.  I got out and started walking home.  About five minutes later she actually stopped and picked me up!  She was able to do it from then on.

[Long Mike]

When I was teaching my wife how to drive a stick (Muddy would have had something to say here, I'm sure ), she got stuck trying to start on an incline. She started freaking out and yelling for me to help her. I got out and started walking home. About five minutes later she actually stopped and picked me up! She was able to do it from then on.

[Floridabassking352]

Just drive it. In time you will learn. Just start saving now for that new clutch.

Can't say that I understand buying a young driver a manual when all they've driven is an automatic. :-/

Burley, the '07 Scion was cheaper than the '08, and it just happened to be the last one at the dealership (and it was a stick), but I really love the car cause it's very sporty looking. I was hesitant at first but my dad said he wouldn't have got it if he thought I couldn't drive it. Plus, he believes I should know how to drive a stick. Anyway, I love the car and I'm DETERMINED to learn it (when I don't get something it eats at me until I can do it). Also, the car has 7 airbags, ABS, and it gets decent mileage.

[FishingBuds]

Be the clutch, feel the RPM's vibrating thru your foot, they are talking to you,  hear them :-?

Their saying-" Floridabassking352 you need more practice"

new cars don't justify learning to drive an engine, find out who's got an old truck with manual steering,breaks and clutch- man oh man you'll feel that engine that away. ;D

[Cephkiller]

I'd be extremely upset if my dad bought me a brand new '07 vehicle and it had a stick.  It would make me furious  :

[burleytog]

I'd be extremely upset if my dad bought me a brand new '07 vehicle and it had a stick. It would make me furious :

You and me both.  I'd be so mad I don't think I would drive it for at least an hour or two.  

[the captain]

Now come on yall, I am 16 and can drive a stick truck or car, at different times of course, with minimal trouble except the occasional stalls, as for starting on a hill you keep on the brake and let the clutch out until its almost ready to stall at this point the engine will hold you in place long enough to get off the brake and on the gas then you do just that get off the brake and in the gas, give enough till it starts revving a little then let the clutch out and your on your way. It's all a game of give and take you give a little gas at the same time you let the clutch out for the most part you'll eventually get the hang of it. For the first couple of rips or until you feel comfortable you should drive with the radio and all other noisy things turned off so ou can hear the engine, you have to be able to hear the engine and do what it needs you to do whether it be shift or anything else. Just a few pointers. Oh yeah I may add I am 16 now but I was driving a stick when I was 12.

[Floridabassking352]

???????????? Where are these comments about not liking a new car coming from? I hope my post didn't put out a vibe that I'm ungrateful for the car, cause that's definitely not the case. I think the car is awesome. I'm not at all upset cause I didn't get an automatic (the stick is actually more fun to drive... when I'm not messing up, lol.) I'm just a little agitated that I'm not learning how to drive a manual transmission as quickly as I would like to.

[burleytog]

I'm just bustin your balls... ;D

[Red]

just practice...maybe in an open lot or something...soon you will learn the clutch and when, where, how it feels when it "catches"...then you will be able to hop in any manual shift vehicle and drive it perfectly...practice,practice,practice...you will get it

Cliff

P.S. Stick shift IS more fun to drive i think...but it tends to suck in a traffic jam!

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Just drive it. In time you will learn. Just start saving now for that new clutch.

Can't say that I understand buying a young driver a manual when all they've driven is an automatic. :-/

Burley, the '07 Scion was cheaper than the '08, and it just happened to be the last one at the dealership (and it was a stick), but I really love the car cause it's very sporty looking. I was hesitant at first but my dad said he wouldn't have got it if he thought I couldn't drive it. Plus, he believes I should know how to drive a stick. Anyway, I love the car and I'm DETERMINED to learn it (when I don't get something it eats at me until I can do it). Also, the car has 7 airbags, ABS, and it gets decent mileage.

7 air bags wow good luck and dont even nudge another vehicle MOST insurace companies TOTAL a car that had airbag deployment .You will learn to drive one takes time but when u do u wont go back to a auto.I learned to drive a stick shift when i was 10 yrs old old studebaker we used on the farm to haul tobbacco.If i didnt learn to drive it i got my arse whipped.I learned in about 3 hrs LMAO.The goood ol days  8-)

[FishingBuds]

???????????? Where are these comments about not liking a new car coming from? I hope my post didn't put out a vibe that I'm ungrateful for the car, cause that's definitely not the case. I think the car is awesome. I'm not at all upset cause I didn't get an automatic (the stick is actually more fun to drive... when I'm not messing up, lol.) I'm just a little agitated that I'm not learning how to drive a manual transmission as quickly as I would like to.

Hey Floridabassking352 lets see if you know where we're coming from, and it just may get fun.

My first car was a 1968 Ford Galaxy 4-door that grandma gave $100 bucks for and I still had to pay her back. I put on a Glass Pack-the sucker was Blue with soup can rims, looked like a moon shine car on the movie GATOR(bert reynolds) I had to wait three years on saving to get my baby 1970 Ford Torino GT-I miss her :-/

Welp I'm depressed now

[bassboy1]

Now come on yall, I am 16 and can drive a stick truck or car, at different times of course, with minimal trouble except the occasional stalls, as for starting on a hill you keep on the brake and let the clutch out until its almost ready to stall at this point the engine will hold you in place long enough to get off the brake and on the gas then you do just that get off the brake and in the gas, give enough till it starts revving a little then let the clutch out and your on your way. It's all a game of give and take you give a little gas at the same time you let the clutch out for the most part you'll eventually get the hang of it. For the first couple of rips or until you feel comfortable you should drive with the radio and all other noisy things turned off so ou can hear the engine, you have to be able to hear the engine and do what it needs you to do whether it be shift or anything else. Just a few pointers. Oh yeah I may add I am 16 now but I was driving a stick when I was 12.

I am 14 and can drive one purty well.  I started out in a grassy field and am on to parking lots, and deserted back country roads.  My hardest issue is backing up with a trailer.  I tend to ride the clutch, and when it needs the little burst, I let off to fast.  Usually the weight of the trailer stalls it.  Other than that, I am pretty good.  But, it takes practice, and that takes time.  Don't give in.  You'll get it.

[cart7t]

I love driving a stick.  My last truck had one but I sold it for an auto because of having to drive back and forth everyday in traffic. Now with the new job I don't have the traffic but I don't have my stick anymore either.

 

Practice, practice, practice.  You'll get it.  

[Panamoka_Bassin]

Driving a stick-shift can be both a great time and a pain in the pants.  Believe it or not, I leanred to drive manual from the (ahem) "intrepid" Tred Barta.  He took me (and his BMW) to a parking lot, and told me to watch, listen, and feel when he clutched and shifted gears.  After a few times around the lot, he made me drive, but from a dead stop to 1st gear only.  Then he said, "Now, try starting in second gear."  Big difference.  With your new car, you may find it easier to get going in 2nd as you'll be using a much higher rev and won't really need the low end unless you're on an up hill slope.  At that point, try stopping and "balancing" the clutch and throttle to stay in one place on the hill.  It takes some practice, but you'll be thankfull later on when you don't have to set your parking brake.

[Cigarlover 1]

Try to think of it like a teeter totter. As on side goes up the other must go down at the same pace.

[Taliesin]

Not sure what to add here. I learned how to drive a manual on a '76 Plymouth Volare stationwagon. Yeah, it was a while ago and that was what I learned to drive on.

My personal thought is that all driver's ed cars should be manual.

It does take some practice, but I HATE driving an automatic.

Start out in a parking lot. Just practice getting the feel of where the clutch starts the engage. Don't give it any gas yet, but just sit still and learn where the engine starts to bog down without letting it bog down enough to stall.

Next start moving a few times. you only need to go 5 feet or so, then stop and do it again.

As far as inclines, find one that is deserted to practice on (might be late at night?). For steeper inclines (local boat ramps) I still set the parking brake, give the engine a little gas, let the clutch out until I "break even", let off the parking brake, then give a little more gas, a little less clutch, and off I go.

[midnight_madness]

Lots of good info to help you out in here, heres my .02. I taught my 3 sons (all by the time they was 14) how to drive a stick. 1st i let them sit in the passenger seat and learn the gear pattern by changing gears when i told them to. After they had it down pat, i put them in the drivers seat and we started with the clutch and gas. With the car/truck off, we would simulate driving, and we worked out slowly letting out the clutch. After a few minutes we started the car/truck and then they had to move us. Appling enough gas to keep from stalling and letting out the clutch like they had learned before, (slowly) then we was on our way. Yea, they stalled it several times. And I have owned one car in 21 years of driving that wasn't a stick shift. I was taught to drive a stick when i was 12 in a 72 Cheyenne Pickup with a 3 speed on the column. Good Luck

[tipptruck1]

Its all in how the car feels. Don't go by the dummy light or tach. Iam to the point when I drive a stcik I can shift just by feel. I never used a tach speedo or a dummy light. As for the hills go just heel the brake and toe the clutch. Just push in the clutch with the front of your foot and release the brake shift in to gear and go easy on the gas. So good luck.

[the captain]

Try to think of it like a teeter totter. As on side goes up the other must go down at the same pace.

Exactly thats as good as words can say it for the most part.

[jeremyt]

I first learned to drive at 13 on the farm. It is a lot less stressful if you don't have someone that knows how with you. Once you learn and try to teach someone it can be just as frustrating for you not to be able to tell you how to do it as them being the one learning and having the hard time. I had a hard time till my uncle told me let the clutch out slowly and give a little gas, let the clutch out more til you feel the truck start to roll, then ease the gas on down and ease the clutch the rest of the way out. AKA the teeter totter effect.