Ok, dont laugh but i've never driven stick. Do you guys think the SS/TC is an easy car to drive if you've never driven stick before?

i learned on a 89 civic 10 years ago

i didnt find it hard to drive...but then again....stick ftw :)

i learned for the first time on my ss/sc. it wasnt that bad

i learned on a SS/SC....from what ive heard its harder to learn on a newer car then like a 89 civic

just dont ride the clutch and make sure you dont stall out at red lights :)

do that by putting it in neutral...only have your foot on the brake, turns green, push clutch, shift to first give a little gas, roll off clutch...why am i talking>

this is how i learned....to learn to where the clutch is....dont use the gas....take ur foot and slightly take it off the clutch until the car starts to move then press the gas slightly...do that a couple times and u should get it down pretty ez

yes it will be hard to drive if its your first time since the turbo will spool if you give it too much gas than if you give it too little it will die on you the first of the two will be bad. the best way to learn with any car is to sit there and find the "feather point" where it doesnt launch and does not die. slowly let go of the clutch and find out where it dies than slowly apply gas to get it back to idle.

^ better said than me. i need phonics or something

the cobalt is very hard to learn on, IF you learned on a different car. it took me a few months to get used to the clutch in the cobalt, it's very high, and very short compared to most cars. that means there's not alot of room for error. i got my 2.0 when i was 25, and took my driving test and learned how to drive on a manual. but the cobalt was the hardest car to get used to out of any car i've ever driven.

if it's the first time learning, you will get used to it, because you don't know any different.

the cobalt is very hard to learn on, IF you learned on a different car. it took me a few months to get used to the clutch in the cobalt, it's very high, and very short compared to most cars. that means there's not alot of room for error. i got my 2.0 when i was 25, and took my driving test and learned how to drive on a manual. but the cobalt was the hardest car to get used to out of any car i've ever driven.

if it's the first time learning, you will get used to it, because you don't know any different.

yea when i drove my dads CTS-V i was like holy shit this clutch is easy....cobalt makes u better all around i think in clutch terms

Have you ever heard of anyone learning stick on a car at a dealership before the buy the car? I dunno if that is too silly. Im really interested in upgrading my poopy 2.4L and getting something more fun to drive and i finally go the OK from the misses.

Try asking if you can putz around in an Aveo in the back lot before you drive your nice CobaltSS.

Find a big, open, abandoned parking lot. Takes a lot of pressure off you as there aren't people driving around annoyed with your inability to drive:D

Then find a big parking lot that's got a huge hill and practice going up the hills.

It will probably take you about 15 to 20 minutes to figure out how to roll with it, then just a bit more until you can get going in first gear!

It really is not hard at all. I just started about 1.5months ago and learned on my SS/SC

Have you ever heard of anyone learning stick on a car at a dealership before the buy the car? I dunno if that is too silly. Im really interested in upgrading my poopy 2.4L and getting something more fun to drive and i finally go the OK from the misses.

LOL my dealer gave me a crash course in driving a stick before I bought my car. If you're really serious about buying it, they shouldn't have a problem showing you. First time I ever drove a stick was in the SS/SC I ended up buying. That was a fun drive home from the dealer...

I learned on a mid 80's Volvo how to drive a manual. Took me about a dozen tries to not stall out on first gear. And in any car, first is the hardest. Once you're moving everything will take care of itself.

My first manual Camaro has a clutch that was stiff as hell. I actually had to go to neutral at lights just to give my ankle a break. But then my brother drove it under the assumption he was going to buy it and just killed the clutch before saying that he can't buy it...grr. Other Camaro was an auto...

Then there is the Cobalt. Most unforgiving first gear ever. On it too hard you'll spin. Too soft you'll bog. Then there was the "technique" for preserving the clutch, so I shift very aggressively(3k rpm, letting up twice as fast). When asked why I do that, said it was to keep the clutch from glazing. The reply I got was that it was hard on the crank. Is that true?

Whether it is or not, the clutch is a wear and tear item, while the crank would be under warranty anyway. :P

As for the Cobalt making you a better driver, I don't know. But it will make you more versatile.

the cobalt is very hard to learn on, IF you learned on a different car. it took me a few months to get used to the clutch in the cobalt, it's very high, and very short compared to most cars. that means there's not alot of room for error. i got my 2.0 when i was 25, and took my driving test and learned how to drive on a manual. but the cobalt was the hardest car to get used to out of any car i've ever driven.

if it's the first time learning, you will get used to it, because you don't know any different.

I agree.

I learned how to drive stick on a Tiburon and Elantra and the clutch feel was much easier IMO. It took me about 2-3 weeks to get the feel in the clutch in the Cobalt downpact.

I found that the SS/TC is actually really easy to drive, I had only occasionally driven sticks before.

The hardest thing I found to drive was a 2.2L non-ecotec 5 speed Cavalier, I still find that a bitch. Maybe the guys in the 2.2 Cobalt model have the same problem.

Ive owned 10 cars in the last 10 years and this clutch is the trickiest one out of all the vehicles Ive owned. Its not necessarily hard, but just tricky because you have to get it JUST right - most other cars are very forgiving, this one is not. :).

I learned to drive stick on an old ford ranger - one of the worst clutches Ive ever driven, but it made everything else easy :).

First gear is a bit tricky, from what I've seen.

Then again, my previous car free floated from between first/second and third/fourth. I've tried to start moving in third like 5 times in two days because I'm not used to having to force it into first gear instead of just pushing up and to the left.

Even when in first, though, I've had one or two tricky starts. I expect it to be better when the clutch is more broken in, though.

I will sell you my 94 ford ranger 5spd winter vehicle.. You can shift it without using the clutch if you'd like, you know.. practice... :lol::lol:

i learned on my SS/SC when i bought it. never even tried stick before. the cobalt has a difficult clutch. i've had buddies that have been driving sticks forever have a hard time. you just gotta get used to it, after that you'll love it.

I hate first gear when you aren't smashing it or even varying the amount of gas you give and it starts to jerk kind of. I just shift into second at that point but I dunno.. may be my technique (or lack there of!)

Maybe its just me, but I don't find this clutch difficult as everyone else thinks it is. Maybe I'm just superhuman?

Its actually easier than the SS/SC clutch

Probably b/c there isn't a FI device attached to the LNF via belt.

good thing about the slobalt is no overeving during transition from one gear to the next. yay for direct ignition. i use to rev match in my 2000 si boy it was a pain even though it was easy to shift! now all i do is just keep my foot on the gas!

this may just be me but when ever i first learned. on an '06 ls balt. i was just chillin in the car with the ignition off and i was pushing the clutch all the way in and slowly letting it back out. and i could feel when it had fully released. so i just got to know that feeling on the peddle and then just kept workin at it

This is my first manual....I have only been driving stick for about 3-4 months. I actually find that coby is much easier to actually drive (2-5 gear) but that 1st is much trickier than I thought. I give mine a little more gas and don't let out on the clutch until I am between 2000-2500 rpm. That has helped me a lot. I still don't mess with steep hills, but I am sufficient with traffic and low hills. It took about two weeks to get to this point though. I suggest staying out of traffic and away from hills for at least 2 days until you get 1st gear down.

thats for the support everyone. I'm pretty excited about learning stick and the ss/tc.