Got a 5-speed SS/NA this week and I think I'm doing alright, I've read alot on how to drive and it has definitely paid off. Questions:

1) Is it bad to just creep forward in first by putting it in gear, and letting out the clutch just enough that the car is creeping (adding no gas), or is the clutch burning anytime you're in the "friction zone"?

2) Speed bumps. There's some pretty big speed bumps at school going up a slight incline, will I be okay in second slowing right down?

3) Park in first or reverse? Doesn't matter?

Thanks.

 

1) don't make it a habit.

2) you SHOULD be ok going as slow as you can in second

3) facing downhill = reverse
facing uphill = first

NEVER RELY ON YOUR E-BRAKE TO HOLD THE CAR ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HOLD THE WEIGHT (IE PARKING IN GEAR)

 

Its not awful to creep... don't hold it in the friction zone for longer than you have to, though. Just enough to get the car rolling, then push it right in. Same thing goes for reverse, bring it out while keeping the RPMs at idle speed (gas if you have to, like if you are on a hill, but only keep it at idle speed), and again only slip it to get the car moving then push it in.

2. slowing down in 2nd? Um, yah... lol. You can go as slow as you want in any gear, the computer will give the car gas to prevent it from stalling. For speed bumps I usually have it in 2nd, put it in N while im at idle in 2nd, then I shift into 1st without the clutch and then go over the bump at idle speed in 1st.

3. Park in 1st or reverse. I do both, depending on my mood.. LOL

 

1)anytime your clutch pedal isnt either on the floor or right out, its slipping. its not great to do that and will lead to pre-mature clutch failure.
2)i slow right down in 1st, push the clutch in and roll over speed bumps. however, im quite low and have to take them very slow, you will be fine going over in 1st with the clutch out.
3)doesnt really matter, in theory you should be able to park in neutral with the parking brake applied, but gm parking brakes suck with rear disk.

 

I also clutch in for speed bumps and go over them slow, then clutch back out. Depends on the bump, the ones at my work are brutal so I go over them at like 2mph...

The clutch can take abuse and some slip... it's when people rev the **** out of them while slipping them is when they burn out. Sliding them out a bit at idle or so won't hurt. How do you think I get around when im on long island? haha.

You have to remember the electronic throttle on these cars, you do NOT need to give the car a shitload o gas to take off. I barely even touch mine. My RPMs are between 1000 and 1200 when im taking off, and i let the clutch out pretty fast. Same goes between gears, once those RPMs drop to where they need to be, I am off the clutch really quick. No slip = no wear = getting 100,000 miles out of my clutch lol

 

Thanks boys. I think I'm taking too long when I launch the car though. Like you say it shouldn't take that much gas, but when I don't add enough I can feel it start to die. I'm more comfortable launching when I let the clutch out slower then I can better predict how much gas I'll need, but then it takes too long to get moving but at least I don't stall. When I try to do it too fast I'll squeak a tiny bit or the car will get moving too fast and I'll have to clutch back in to avoid hitting the guy in front of me. Suggestions for launching?

 

Practice in a parking lot instead of traffic. There are thousands of different ways ppl get going from a stop, but you kind of make it your own thing. You've got to mess with the clutch and see where the grab point is to get the hang of it, and once you do, you'll be able to get going way quicker with less slip and gas.

 

1) i wouldnt do it often. especially not for long distances. you want the clutch engaged or disengaged as quickly and often as possible.

2) wouldnt know, my gearing/power is different

3) reverse

 

1. It really doesn't matter. That's city driving for you, you're going to wear the clutch either way. I do it every single day. I mean if you have to creep up, then do what you have to do. People on here are so weird about treating a stock clutch like it's ******* gold. It was made to take abuse / ******* up. No one is perfect.

2. I usually just throw it in neutral and go over them slowly, then once my two front wheels are over, I put it in first gear and go on my way.

3. I never park in gear, I always use the e-brake, but I would say first gear, if I had to choose. That's what the dealerships usually do, the ones around here, anyway.

 

You should be parking in either 1st or reverse along with the e-brake. If you just leave it in neutral and your e-brake fails, you car will roll into either other cars, or down a hill with nothing to stop it.

To get the car moving just start letting out the clutch and just as you're doing that give it a tiny bit of gas. Don't gas first and then let the clutch out.

 

You always have to slip the clutch somewhat to get rolling from a stop. The trick is simply to minimize the amount of time you slip it.

The same applies to gear changes, up or down... Try and match revs up the upshift so you can just let the clutch out in one motion. For example, on the 2-3 you can hesitate ever so slightly and let the clutch out when the revs drop approx. 2k rpm. If you do this right, you can literally let the clutch out as quick as you want, there's no slip, and it's 100% seamless.

Downshifting, I ALWAYS match revs. Don't let someone convince you that you need to go as far as double-clutching, but matching revs saves slip and wear on the clutch, too. Another example: you're downshifting 3-2 and you're at around 2k rpm in 3rd... If you blip the throttle to somewhere between 2,800 and 3,000rpm as you downshift to second, you can let the clutch out extremely quickly. Furthermore, your passengers won't feel any lurch whatsoever.

These things I describe aren't exact, it's all feel. Apply the general ideas, however, and your driving will be much smoother while reducing wear on the clutch.

I'd recommend always leaving it in gear to park, too. To decide first or reverse, imagine which way the car would roll were the e-brake to fail. Would it roll backwards? Leave the car in first. Roll forwards? Put it in reverse. The idea is to have the car stop on the tranny should the e-brake fail.

 

ya, try to find the point right where the clutch starts to grab on release. get in the habit of letting out to that point and then from there is where you apply throttle as you feather the clutch out farther. thats the easiest way to learn to be smooth when pulling out.

 

have you practice taking off from an up hill thats gonna be your challenge you master that and you should be set cause that was the hardest thing i had to do in my car

 

This is definitely going to be a challenge for you OP. When I first got my car, I had to learn fast because there is a hill outside my complex that has a decent slope.

This car is my first stickshift and I have 14K+ miles with no problems.

 

ya for sure. but if you find that catch-point, like i was sayin in my previous post that seemed to help me on hills too. ive been driving manuals for like 10years now tho, so its just become 2nd nature at this point. like anything, once you get the hang of it, you dont think about it and just do it

 

E-Brake = fail

My first car.. left it outta gear.. just had e-brake pulled.
Lol.. came out the next morning to find it across the street in a ditch. /failboat

 

I learned stick oin my car. OEM clutch lasted me 65k. It didnt help with my turbo causing it to slip in every gear at WOT even after removal, it still has life left and im sure can be used in a stock car regular driving without a problem!

 

1. Is it bad, not necessarily but you are wearing the clutch. Best practice is to learn to get the clutch out as quick as possible with as little gas as possible. The SS/NA transmission is a little smoother than the one in the SS/SC so a little practice and you will have it down. If you can get the car going without using any gas you have "mastered" letting the clutch out and it is definately time to move on to letting it out quickly and smoothly.

2. You can slow down in second and go over the bump, won't hurt anything. Personally I have always found it easier to slow down and clutch as I go over the bump then release the clutch.

3. You should park in First (with the parking brake of course). You always park a manual and leave it in the lowest gear. The Cobalt F23 transmission gear ratio for first is 3.58 and for reverse is 3.31. Is it really going to make much of a difference though.... probably not, 3.58 and 3.31 are close enough that it shouldn't matter.

 

Congrats on getting a stick... all the guys are right... but one thing I can tell you as a chick right now while you are learning try to not wear really high heels or flops....

Even after a zillion years of having sports cars that were stick once in awhile I still do the panic stahl.

Completely agree with them about the e brake and put the car in gear! My 350Z and the SKY both will sometimes move with the ebrake just up.

Also, to I don't think they said this but not all sticks are the same like there is a difference in the clutch and sticks in all my cars I have had from the 300Z to the 350Z to the Mustang and the SKY... so just know that if you drive someone else's.

You will do great!!!!!

 

This.

The shifters in some cars are much harder to move and the clutch pedals in others are much harder to press down. A lot of people on here that have driven other stick shifts apparently find that the Cobalts is a bit trickier to master. I really wouldn't know as I learned to drive stick on my car.

 

for #3 ..DO NOT rely on the e-brake...its about as good an e-brake as putting a stick behind ur rear tires to hold u

 

ive driven the 2.2 manual, owned a SS/sc and now a SS/tc (aswell as owned numerous other manual cars/trucks). i felt like for whatever reason, the SS/sc was the trickiest in general, especially for hills. the new tc isnt too bad tho. i got used to it the first day and i feel like its a little more predictable.

 

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TRACTION BEFORE SHIFTING INTO 2ND

thats the number one way us ss/sc guys burn out our clutches, no offense you dont have as much power than us so it shouldnt be as big of a problem but still avoid it at all costs

 

The only other Balt I have driven is a 2.4L SS 5-speed and besides being a bit faster, it had a slightly different feel to it.


I would have gotten the car, but the dealership who had it were being ****** so I couldn't get a good deal on it.

 

thats the only one ive yet to drive. lol.

im sure its a nice car tho. if you arent confident in the deal in front of you, its always better to walk away. there will be others