Driving Standard...

[rochey6957]

Yesterday was the first day I was able to drive my black ti that I did a five speed conversion in. I was all kinds of excited to be driving her now. I've been sort-of learning how to drive standard but yesterday was my first whole day just driving around. I think I put over 100 miles on. At the end of the night Im pretty sure my car absolutely hates me, I hate myself, and I'm pretty sure i should never drive standard again. It was truely one of the most heartbreaking experiences i have had in my entire life. I stall about 45% of the time trying to get into first gear. I cant start on hills. Period. I chirp the tires going into second, often. Im so disgusted in myself I don't really want to try again today.

**** me....

[teen ti]

we've all been there at some point man, it just takes some good practice. keep with it and you'll get it soon enough.

[Bobtail_Bimmer]

Keep your head up! Just takes time. Once you get the feel of it you will be driving like a champ. Over time you will start to know just by sound, feel, etc. when you should shift. Try to practice in areas where there is no traffic so you dont feel pressured to get moving and try feathering the gas when stopped on a hill before moving. Once you get some more practice you should have no issues.

[brandonm]

we all started some where, I know how you feel! I still stall once in a while and I've been driving stick for a year and half, don't give up!

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[1996 328ti]

Practice, practice, practice.
If it came to me, it will come to you.
I find driving an automatic now.

Find a parking lot to practice in as well.
You will have less distractions.

I think a big problem people have is too much gas.
It's a blend of clutch and gas as well as timing.

[pdxmotorhead]

Cant imagine, I started out on tractors when i was 6. Had a farm permit at 12 and drove 18 wheelers to the local elevator. Never even drove an auto til I was about 18.

25 years ago let my wife learn to drive a stick by putting her in my 4x4 putting it in low range and letting her drive it in a parking lot. Once she got the feel for the clutch moved her up to high range.

When we shopped for our E46 it HAD to be a 6 speed. (According to her) I actually would have taken an auto just cause it sees so much city but she says autos take control of the car away from her.. LOL

Have fun youll get it..

Dave

[slow_ti]

Keep with it. Once you get good. You can do all the cool tricks. I hate automatics in anything. It just bores the hell out of me. My girlfriend is the same way and only drives stick (Mini Cooper) and she's kick a$$ at it. She doesn't wanna drive anything else. Shes 18 and learned when she had her permit (16). Just takes practice. She can rev-match and she is getting to learn heel and toe. If a girl can do it. You can do it. Don't be a Pu$$

[Bobtail_Bimmer]

Originally Posted by pdxmotorhead

Cant imagine, I started out on tractors when i was 6. Had a farm permit at 12 and drove 18 wheelers to the local elevator. Never even drove an auto til I was about 18.

25 years ago let my wife learn to drive a stick by putting her in my 4x4 putting it in low range and letting her drive it in a parking lot. Once she got the feel for the clutch moved her up to high range.

When we shopped for our E46 it HAD to be a 6 speed. (According to her) I actually would have taken an auto just cause it sees so much city but she says autos take control of the car away from her.. LOL

Have fun youll get it..

Dave

Im right there with you on that. I started out of a 70's Chevy farm truck slowly pulling wagons loaded with hay and since at the time I was to youg to throw the bales. Eventually graduated to the Massy Fergeson and Zetor lol.

[Mr.Squeelerz]

I remember my first times. My brother and I had bought a truck together and planned to make it a project. This was my first time shifting through the manual gearbox. There was one particular stop light that terrified me, which had me stopped at an upward incline. I feared that was going to roll into the car behind me as I sat at a red light so I had reved up high when the light was about to change and I let the clutch out too fast every time....laying a loud screeching patch of rubber. I laid plenty of patches around town but I eventually got the hang of it. I hated that truck though....

[pdxmotorhead]

Something else,,, Just because I've spent years trying to break new racers of bad habits...

Transmissions are for accelerating. Brakes are for stopping.
Pro racers do not use the engine to stop the car. They down shift when the RPM'S are right to begin accelerating not to slow the car. Downshifting to slow a car is the source of most money shifts, and cars transferring their paint to the wall. Brakes are cheaper than clutches... and WAY easier to replace.

Many will likely disagree.... LOL

Dave

[zoner]

Originally Posted by slow_ti

I hate automatics in anything. It just bores the hell out of me.

I used to say that, too, when I was your age- then I moved to places where they had substantial traffic... Automatics are nice in traffic.

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by zoner

I used to say that, too, when I was your age- then I moved to places where they had substantial traffic... Automatics are nice in traffic.

I know the freeway can be a parking lost, but I drove the Capital Beltway for year. Moved a little faster than the freeway but the drivers where 100 times worse.

[Bobtail_Bimmer]

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

I know the freeway can be a parking lost, but I drove the Capital Beltway for year. Moved a little faster than the freeway but the drivers where 100 times worse.

I think the worst traffic ive delt with was Georgia and Ohio. Georgia while heading to Fort Benning to see my brother and another time driving from Sharonvill Ohio to the greater Cinncinatti airport during 5 oclock traffic while there was road construction. My first time on the road + getting my first car was all one lane back country roads. Those two times i was in hell!