Low and behold. I'm sure the majority of you are experienced with driving this way. I for one have not been. I went out once or twice before, stalled as any begginer. Now I learned on my CobaltSS, and boy it is fun. I've got it down pretty well in a good 3-4 days of driving. It's so great on that open highway space....I love stick-shift :D

Wouldn't have a sports car any other way!!!

Right on, good on you for learning.

Spending a LOT of time in the car for a few days is essential. I drove the car for at least an hour or two for three days straight when I first started learning, and had it down after that. I know others that have tried it, not driven it for a week, spent an hour in it again, then nothing for a week.... no good. You need some quality time in the car to get the 'feel' right.

Just take it easy, though. Don't abuse the car, and don't drive around like a madman. :)

yay i learned stick too just the other day.
my father in law gave me his old 89 ford ranger 200k miles truck.lol

its a piece of junk that runs good! lol.

took me a couple days but i got the hang of it.

best advice i can give is no advice..lol nothing anyone says can help you learn it...its just a "feel" lol.

yay i learned stick too just the other day.
my father in law gave me his old 89 ford ranger 200k miles truck.lol

its a piece of junk that runs good! lol.

took me a couple days but i got the hang of it.

best advice i can give is no advice..lol nothing anyone says can help you learn it...its just a "feel" lol.


Not really, if you're just learning the best advice to give someone is tell them to read up on the transmission itself.. not some how to drive guide but understanding the transmission itself will help.

Next for a beginner, while alot of people will say to "feel" the clutch thats just going to cause them to stall time and again. Start off lightly on the throttle get the engine up to about 1500 RPM's then gently let off the clutch.

If you get worried you're going to stall; off the throttle and on the clutch. Eventually you'll get it down, then you get to work on shifting without using the clutch. :cool:



If you've never driven and are wanting to learn, the most fun way to do so, is going to dealership to test drive a vehicle that has a standard transmission. While it gets you some time on it, the look on the salesmen's faces are priceless.

I say learn without the gas. It will teach the beginner where the engine engages rather than just blurring it with extra rpms. This will help them master more advanced manual skills, such as starting on a hill or even holding the vehicle at a stop on a hill with the clutch and gas pedal.

That is how I learned. I had to stop at a stop sign at teh top of a hill without using the brake, just balancing teh gas and clutch. Took me 5 hours of going around that block and stalling out but it was a great learning experience.

Yeah i know i got to learn how to drive a clutch very soon i have never learned because of all the cars that are manual all of them are broke. :( But i have driven once in my frinds 91 Eagel Talon TSI but that was only one time.

I have more probs out of auto's LOL! My truck is a 5spd and everytime I get out of drivin an auto car I forget to put it in park and cant get the key out of the ignition. It annoys the shit out of me.

I have more probs out of auto's LOL! My truck is a 5spd and everytime I get out of drivin an auto car I forget to put it in park and cant get the key out of the ignition. It annoys the shit out of me.

LOL i only did that once with my grandfather's Jeep but that was the only problems that i have had with auto's.

I learned to drive in a 89 CHevy Berretta GT and that thing was horrible, there was no first gear i had to start in 2nd gear, which i got a hang of but when i tried to drive my brothers redline i stalled it everytime cuz first gear is allot diffrent then 2nd gear starting out!!!

I learned to drive in a 89 CHevy Berretta GT and that thing was horrible, there was no first gear i had to start in 2nd gear, which i got a hang of but when i tried to drive my brothers redline i stalled it everytime cuz first gear is allot diffrent then 2nd gear starting out!!!

Holy crap no first gear that sucks.

yea it really did worst thing ever

Try starting in 4th. Now that is fun.

haha that sucks that engine or trany would last long at all

It pbly wouldn't I only tried it once just to see if it would.

It pbly wouldn't I only tried it once just to see if it would.

That is very darring to do that i bet you have to rev up pretty high to get it to go.

Try starting in 4th. Now that is fun.
LOL I did that shit once too! The smell from my clutch burnin all to hell was horrid!!!!

LOL I did that shit once too! The smell from my clutch burnin all to hell was horrid!!!!

I bet it did smell real bad.
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Yeah there was a lot of revving and a lot of bogging. Luckily I had 250 ftlbs of torque to help me. I think before i turn in the lease I'm going to try 5th gear. I don't remember my clutch smelling bad. It has been very durable.

:cool: http://home.comcast.net/~jaharley/Videos/Harley_1.wmv :cool:

Yeah there was a lot of revving and a lot of bogging. Luckily I had 250 ftlbs of torque to help me. I think before i turn in the lease I'm going to try 5th gear. I don't remember my clutch smelling bad. It has been very durable.

:cool: http://home.comcast.net/~jaharley/Videos/Harley_1.wmv :cool:

LOL i bet.

Yeah well mine reeked to high heaven... and my clutch went out shortly after LOL... I only had about 140ft/lbs to work with

Yeah well mine reeked to high heaven... and my clutch went out shortly after LOL... I only had about 140ft/lbs to work with
Could that had any play on mestting up you clutch? :rolleyes: LOL J/K

Ummm not just yes but HELL YES!! all that revvin and holdin on the clutch in a weak ass 4 cyl. Yeah that run did a lot of damage to it. The clutch was like paper thin when we pulled it out and (I have no idea how this happened) the RING GEAR around the flywheel stripped LOOSE! You could spin the ring of teeth around the rest of the flywheel! LOL Oh well got a new one out of the deal

Ummm not just yes but HELL YES!! all that revvin and holdin on the clutch in a weak ass 4 cyl. Yeah that run did a lot of damage to it. The clutch was like paper thin when we pulled it out and (I have no idea how this happened) the RING GEAR around the flywheel stripped LOOSE! You could spin the ring of teeth around the rest of the flywheel! LOL Oh well got a new one out of the deal

Holy $hit that was so nuts.

Yeah u shoulda seen it

Yeah u shoulda seen it

LMAO yeah that would have been cool to see. :D

ya gotta have the stick shift!

ya gotta have the stick shift!
Yeah especially if your gettin an SS!!! LOL

ya gotta have the stick shift!

I know most likely i will end up learning soon in my girlfreinds 05 Hyundai Tiburon GT. But i got to find some extra time. To much damn homework.

Learnin on a brand new car isn't always a good idea, I mean for that brand new clutch anyways. Oh and waitaminute!!! Your girl can drive a stick shift and you cant?!?!?! Im j/k man! Sorry I had to!

Learnin on a brand new car isn't always a good idea, I mean for that brand new clutch anyways. Oh and waitaminute!!! Your girl can drive a stick shift and you cant?!?!?! Im j/k man! Sorry I had to!

LOL i know it is real bad i know it sucks so bad it kind of kills me. :(

Learn on a rental LOL!

Do the SS's even come in automatics?

Do the SS's even come in automatics?

No the non supercharged SS might when they come out.

Yes the 2.4L N/A motor WILL have an auto. A 4spd I believe.

Yes the 2.4L N/A motor WILL have an auto. A 4spd I believe.

Yeah that is what i thought.

the way i learned was by riding my dirtbike for years first i guess.but as for my first clutched car.youre not going to believe this..i was walking to the the place where we all hang out.one of my friends and his girlfriend pull up in his formula/s cuda and they yell/slurrr at me to get in.they are both drunk as hell!he tells me to drive!i tell him ive never driven a clutch before and he dosnt care.he says hell teach me.i wanted to get out but figured they would wreck into something if i did.i stalled it three times in a row!that clutch was like pushing in 50 pounds!he got pissed and told me to let him show me by,me letting out on the clutch and him pushing down on my gas leg.i laid an incredible burn out while he was yelling at me to change gears.4 hours later i was in love with muscle cars and could drive the hell out of one too.we never went anywhere slow that night.

Yeah I learned clutches on a dirtbike too, a Kawasaki KX 60! That lil thing would fly!

Well i have driven stick once but that was in my freinds 91 Eagle Talon TSI. But for my first time i did nit even stall it once and i even was on al hill he was very surrprised because when he had to had to be taught how to he stalled a few times. But i had some problem getting the patter down right i really did not practice the patern of the gears.

My first car was a 5-speed, '89 Mazda 323. I drove the hell out of it for 4 years then sold and and got a used '91 Firebird Formula with auto. I was looking for a 5 speed (6 speed didn't come out till the next body style, I think '93) but got a great deal on that car. Traded that in later on a '98 Grand Prix GTP which only comes with auto. Haven't driven a stick-shift for about 10 years now. Had a little trouble getting used to the clutch on my Cobalt SS after learning on my 89 hp Mazda. I would either break the tires loose or almost stall it :p After about 30 minutes of driving around the city I got it down smooth again. Now I just need to learn to heel and toe... :D