so i just got my car 3 days ago(96 civic EX 5 spd) and i still find myself stalling it every now and then at intersections, most of the time i can get into first fine but when i get nervous i think i let out the clutch a little too fast, after first gear i have no problems, its just that let out the clutch and give gas at the same time thing that still gets me sometimes. so how long does it usually take to get used to doing this? and does anyone have any helpful tips?

thanks

 

I've taught people to drive stick in 1 night; to practice what I tell people to do is let the clutch out slowly till you feel the car start to lurch forward then press the gas pedal down at medium speed as you let the clutch out. If you are nervous and get uncomfortable, ride the clutch a bit; keep the clutch in enough that the car doesn't stall but still moves forward; then let the clutch out at a constant speed pressing the gas a little more as the clutch is released.

 

seems like every time i try to do that my car starts bucking(i have the feeling i let the clutch out too fast) and if i keep giving gas, it will eventually start moving, but im sooo scared of stopping at major intersections and stalling.

 

Well let me just say I bought my first car in July and its a 5 speed. It took me 4 days of parking lots before I could drive streets. Im teaching my gf manual right now, so this is what I tell her. First let the clutch out a few times (lots of times) till it engages (starts to pull), then push it in again and repeat till you know when it engages pretty well. Then push on the gas very slightly so it revs (very slight slight rev) and hold it at a constant rev, now let the clutch out slow (while your still holding the rev) and the car will pull and go. If you rev too much youll spin the tires, but whatever its better then stalling out and youll get used to how much gas to give. In my car the second I let the clutch out and it starts to pull I have to punch the gas hard to keep it from copping out. Try it...

Oh and congrats on the manual, autos suck...gas, break, gas, break, their pretty much go carts.

 

thanks, your method actually works pretty good, i get her up to like 1500 RPM and start letting the clutch out slowly, and when it starts moving i give it more gas, although i managed to stall it once doing it this way, i think because i let the clutch out too fast, but who knows, hopefully ill have it working flawlessly in a week or two.

 

ya one more thing my gf screws up on, remember after it engages and your moving, you still must let off the clutch slowly. She feels the car move and thinks its all ok and then lets off the clutch fast and it stalls. So just keep that in mind also.

 

yeah, thats exactly what i do some times, i get nervous at intersections and think its ok to let off faster and it bucks and stalls.

 

Yeah, it's just a matter of practice, everyone has their own learning curve. Once you get it down it'll be like second nature, you won't even realize you're doing it.

Oh, and also, once you get it you'll never want to own another auto. Ever.

 

yeah the other night i went around my block just stopping and going for like 20 minutes, so i pretty much got it going now, and i agree about the auto, ive only had a manual for 4 days and i cant even imagine myself having bought an auto, and when i drive my parents's cars i always try finding the clutch with my left foot when i first step in lol.

 

yeah stopping and going is definately the way to learn. Theres a road nearwhere i live thats just a straight uphill for about half a mile. So when i learned i just got the launch, then id stop and do it all over again, then id get the launch stop and do it again. Just remember if the bucking starts to freak you out, push the clutch back in and you get another shot (without stalling). Also, the bucking (i used to do that alot when i started) most of the time comes from letting it out too fast. Id get nervous and just let it out so i think thats prob what you're doing too.