first learn how not to stall and take it easy on the clutch kid. SRM has more going on then you can comprehend at this point.

When I teach people how to drive stick, I teach them how TO stall the car! I want them to know what makes the car stall. Hills, breaking without clutching, easing the car into an idle roll, etc. When the driver gets an idea of where the car's clutch engages, and what it feels like just before a stall, it makes it MUCH easier to learn how NOT to stall the car. Stalling a couple times in the beginning isn't really bad for the car, but learning not to stall at all is even more valuable.

That is an excellent recommendation for beginners!

quick question... on hills a buddy of mine recommended that while at stop... with foot still on brake... slowly release the clutch near to right before engagement point so that once you release the brake to hit the gas.. the car won't be rolling back as fast because it is slightly engaged... i tried this the other day and it seemed to work good especially when cars are right behind your as$!.. my question is.. is this ok for the transmission, or is the e-brake recommended.. i just hate doing the e-brake cause i feel like its to much tings at once.. and im a lazy guy :ughdance:

It should be fine as long as you're not doing it for the entire duration of the light. Like do it only when you're ready to take off.

NOoooooooooooooo, dont do it in the 370, PLEASE!!!! Get someones civic, the incline is a clutch killer if not done properly....not in the 370, please...

I have found i dont really need the ebrake for a hill, i just put more gas than normal and release clutch tad bit faster, it kind of shoots me foward faster than i want but it seems to get the job done.

I am sure one day i will need the ebrake technique wich is why i want to be semi good at.

I don't recommend this. It's not a good practice. It takes a bit of learning, but you will eventually be able to just let off the break and know exactly where your clutch's engagement point is and be on the gas before rolling back. I'm on hills all the time, and if I roll back at all, it's not more than an inch. It's just a matter of knowing your car. If you're in someone else's car, sure, use the e-brake, but don't ride the clutch.

Best practice is that you should never sit at a light or stop in neutral for the following reasons:

A) If you're a good driver and you leave enough space in front of you while you sit behind a car at a stop, you'll have a better chance of getting out of the way in time if a car is coming up behind you too fast to NOT hit you. (Let them hit the person in front of you, but get the hell out of the way!)

B) When you're on an incline (hill), it takes longer to put the car into gear. Having the car in gear with one foot on the clutch and one foot on the brake will save you plenty of time and you'll be ready to just get on the gas to prevent roll back. (Remember, you must be in total neutral for more than a second before the car picks up speed on a roll back.) So the time between your right foot getting to the gas from the brake peddle is VERY short.

C) Staying in the habit of always being in gear will help prevent forgetting you're not in gear at a light, or forgetting to clutch in at a stop.


I'm sure there are more reasons, but these are the reasons I personally keep the car in gear at all times.

isnt your method considered riding the clutch? wich shorten its life span? I sort of read you want to go into neutral so you dont ride the clutch.

I respect the love for a manual car. I, myself, have never learned to drive manual because there have never been any of those cars around me for me to learn in. I would actually love to to learn how to drive manual. It seems very engaging.

That being said, the new Z seems to redefine the difference between the two transmissions as far as performance goes. In a car where the two available transmissions allow delivery of almost IDENTICAL HP/Torque numbers, I don't see how anyone could pick the manual as far as straight up pedal to the metal performance goes.

Sure the manual is much more engaging and fun, I can't comment on that. I don't deny that from those that say that. However, in a straight line I'd like to see who would be able to clutch shift faster than the push of a paddle shifter and actually have a faster time, possibly.

Those are just some thoughts that have come to my head.

My source is 370z.com.

Not at all. No where in my method do you ride the clutch. My method is simply this:

When you're at a stop - Left foot clutch in, right foot brake on.
When you're on a hill - Left foot clutch in, right foot brake on.
When you're going - Right foot gas.

At no point do I say that you should be at a stop while clutching and gassing. Riding the clutch is when you're "halfing" the clutch and gas with the goal of not using the brake and not moving forward or backwards.

My point was that you should ALWAYS be in gear. That's not riding the clutch at all.

And to clear the "terms" up, the only way you can be in neutral is when the shifter is not in gear. Clutching in while in gear is not a method of being in neutral as "neutral" is a transmission term.

In my opinion it depends on the situation. Here in the Atlanta area if I'm at a stoplight that I know is going to be at least 2-3 minutes then I keep the car in neutral until I know the light is about to change then I go ahead and engage the clutch a couple of seconds before the light changes. No way am I going to sit there with the clutch in for 3 minutes...

I see what your saying, i just assumed foot in the clutch was considered riding. I read some where maybe even on here, while your driving dont even let your foot rest on the clutch put it on the dead pedal so you dont press in.

But obviously as your saying theres no gas involved in your scenario where the other ones there is.

^^^ Correct on both counts. Don't rest your foot on the clutch and with the clutch completely disengaged, you can't ride it.

There's a "dead peddle" in all manuals where you can rest your foot. It's to the left of the clutch and usually puts your foot about 3/4 the distance of the clutch travel. First time I was learning to drive manual I had no idea about that and my leg was getting really tired. LOL

luckly for me i read first so i have been making full use of it. But i have to say reading and doing are WAY to different things.

I am going to attempt to perfect your method for minor hills.