Hey guys, I'm learning to drive standard I used to drive a turbo'd eclipse automatic, but sold it and am buying a Cobalt SS S/C and I need all the tips I can get.
- How to Use Clutch/ Shift
- What RPM to shift at for different gears
- And anythign else i need to know
Please be specific guys!!
Thanks Alot!

- Kelso

 

Or will pay 100$ for someone in Calgary, Alberta to give me a 1/2 hr lesson...
Thanks

 

call me---I had my class 5 for 15 years and my class one lisence for 10 years (I can drive an 18 speed) Maybe I'll let you drive my Firebird too.

Mike 697-7568

 

Thanks, Just a quesiton before, What times/dates are you available ?

 

Sundays are the best. Weeknights are not as good but something could be worked out.
Saturdays I work sometimes but am off early at 3pm.

Where in the city do you live?

 

Alright, I live in the S.W. but anyway my mom thinks this is not a good idea and I should get trained at AMA or w/e. But I really dont want to wait for december to learn to drive standard... But.... What mom doesn't know wont hurt her lol...

 

seriously? teach yourself man...

you driving a turbo car before, you should have a knowledge of cars somewhat, so just teach yourself and feel it out on your own, if your desperate im sure the owners manual explains how to change gears.

i would feel embarrased to have to meet someone i didnt know to make them teach me how to drive stick lol

 

Just practice.. It takes people different amounts of time. It took my a lilttle while to learn but my girlfriend picked it up the first time I let her drive my Sentra..

Just have a feeling for the gears. You'll feel the clutch start to catch and the car start to roll. Once your out of first gear its really a piece of cake. Getting started is the hardest part.

 

I learned stick in a 1975 chevy blazer.

And yeah, the only real trick is the initial start.

as for 'what rpm to shift at' .. um .. generally before redline or before the engine explodes
only in racing (or testing for ultimate fuel economy) is it critical to pick what rpm your shifts are at, for daily driving around town you can shift at much different rpm.

You're used to hearing how the engine with your automatic sounds as it changes gears while you're driving, a lot of "when to shift" you can base on just listening to the engine as you drive, dont even need to take your eyes off the road to look at the tach. (now of course if you have the stereo blasting and cant hear the engine then you might want to keep an eye on the tach but when learning make sure you can hear the engine).

If it sounds like the engine is screaming then maybe you should shift into a higher gear , and if it sounds like the engine is running slower than it would at idle in nuetral then you should clearly downshift

 

Alright, Thanks guys. Also, like when I'm going to a red light and say im in 3rd do i go 2nd 1st N?

 

i usually put in N then wen im stopped shift down easier and less stress on the engine

 

hello, I am also going to try and get an 06 cobalt ss.
i havnt been driving to long at all, i am only 16 and have been saving up since i was a kid, my parents said they would help me pay for a little but anyway, I took lessons with AMA and all that but I have never driven a standard in my life. My cuzin is going to teach me a little, but then I would like to progress If you could please help I would like to know EVERYTHING there is about it. I can't get my car untill october anyway because of the GDL in albeta.. Thanks alot for your time guys

 

Your suppose to break in whatever gear you are in and then shift to neutral towards the end of the stop before you stall. shifting to neautral right away will put unnnecesarry strain on your breaks and downshifting is not necessary.

I also agree about shifting by ear. My first car didnt even have a tach lol.

 

Hmm alright let me put this to work.
Lets all imagine here, these are my exact actions.
Okay, Im at a light and It turns green(Im in neutral right now), I hit the gass untill before redline, release gas, clutch in to 1st, press gas, and repeat till say 3rd, Then i aproach a red I start to brake then near the end of my break shift from 3rd to neutral? Am i going to be at this light or would of i stalled somewhere far back? hehehehe

 

um...
in 'general' :

press clutch in, give engine 'some' gas so the rpm is above idle (how high rpm you need depnds on many factors and you'll have to get a feel for it. plus if you're on ice or snow you'll need to compensate etc.), ease out the clutch and give more gas to begin accelerating.
Then shift into second before rpm gets too high, by pressing the clutch in and letting off the throttle some as you shift into second (as you will need lower engine rpms in 2nd gear at that same road speed) and let the clutch out and smoothly increase throttle to accelerate again.
same process for 3rd.
then brake as you approach the stop and press in the clutch and shift to nuetral before the engine stalls.

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EDIT: check out this link maybe : http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html
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You probly wouldnt have stalled, but your next stop would be OK tire for some new tires after leaveing all your rubber at the intersection. TO start its a gradual transition a little gas a little less clutch, slow and steady untill you get the hang of it. Its all about practice. The more you drive the easier it will get to start from a stop.

 

One good explanation that helped me learn was to think of the clutch as an "inverse break".

The way you feather a break pedal to stop smoothly is similar to the way you accelerate from a stop with the clutch.

 

Well theres actually a whole website deticated to learning to drive manual, check it out:

StandardShift.com

Thats a direct link to the article, which is excellent. I personally know how to drive stick and am very familiar with all the techniques, and after reading the article, everything seems accurate and helpful.

Check it out and see what you think

 

Alright, well That helped, I read it over for about 1/2 hr and am going to put my knowledge to the skills tommorow afternoon

 

Amazing find.