Hey guys I just bought a 2006 cobalt ss and I am so stoked. I took everyone's advice a few years back when I got my 2005 lt sedan and decided to save all my money to get an ss instead of modding my lt (good advice) haha so I had my first time learning to drive a manual tonight it was pretty nerve racking. I feel like I'm gonna break my engine haha I know it's my first time and everyone probably gets so much doubt stuck in there head. I read the manual transmission sticky and watched a lot of YouTube videos and it's a easier in writing and on video without a doubt. Anyways Just wanted some input and personal tips. thanks guys.

 

Our cars are a bit torquey. First gear if not done correctly is like a bucking bronco.
Driving a manual is all about finding the friction point. That's the point of clutch force where it's starting to move the car. After you find that point you just add more gas or less clutch to get you moving.

 

Just take your time til you get the hang of it. Shift slow if you have to to make sure that you aren't grinding gears or missing them. Once you get the hang of it things will naturally go faster.

Be careful not to ride the clutch too.

 

Haha, this car is not one I would want anyone to learn how to drive manual on with how short first gear is and the torque. but none the less, good luck.

 

lol I learned how to drive a stick on my car. Went to the dealership, bought it and learned how to drive it home the same day lmao. It wasn't my VERY first time, I'd driven a stick a couple years before once, stalled it out then my friend never let me drive again haha. It was interesting to say the least.

First gear isn't all that bad after a while, but I'll tell you I rarely go from 1st to 2nd without bucking a little bit lol after 5 months too!

 

This is basically how my friends taught me on their cars before I bought my 2.2 in manual years ago. Once you're rolling just get a feel for shifting gears (I'd recommend a large parking lot with no people, cars or light posts) before taking it out on the roads. Once you're into traffic the first few times it can be a bit nerve wracking, but before you know it you'll be shifiting gears without even thinking about it. Good luck

 

dude three weeks ago when I first got mine, I had thought I made a huge mistake and completely doubted myself.. I was so scared of it, kept stalling, popping the clutch...I ended up going to a middle school near my house, about 30 mins in the parking lot my dad walked me through it all, practice practice practice, I can drive it solid now. The gas pedal and clutch work together. You will get it, I promise! Practice smoothly going into first gear, over and over, and then over again.

 

I'm loving the feedback it really helps, thanks guys. I'll probably be going out again tonight after work for my second go at it. I hope that I can get the hang of it quick I was having a lot of trouble getting it going into first.

 

Just take your time and get a feel for the gears first. Practice on the highway...then cruising through a town. Our cars have a smooth clutch (IMO) and it's an awesome starter car to have a manual tranny in!

 

one good tip i know is to try to shift after 3000k, especially if you have a heavy foot of any kind. if u cruise too much under 2000 revs, it will strain your engine and clutch.

i myself also like to double clutch downshift while i slow down/stop. watch a vid if u don't know what that means.. then again u should get a handle of the basics before u try that haha

 

really? under 2000 can strain the system? I heard that was an old wives tail.

I usually shift at 2K if I'm driving down the flat country road lol

but I ALWAYS double clutch to downshift, its way smoother, the shifter just falls into gear with no effort. but when I put the clutch in and blip the revs and DONT double it then the shifter feels notchy as hell and the car bucks

 

Yea, dude i think theres a sticky about this, someone's clutch was slipping so they tried shifting above 3k more and it seemed to have stopped slipping. then they let their mom drive for a day and she was granny shifting not double clitching like she should and it was slipping again

 

i find, the best way to learn to drive standard, is dont have anyone tell you how to do anything, dont read anything, just get in and go, thats what i did when i first started driving, and ive been driving nothing but 5speed cars for the past 4 years, it gets easier and more natural in time

 

haha. double clutch...you cant double clutch with a synchro transmission.

 

I tought my wife (gf at the time) to drive manual on my car and now she has a 6 speed lol. I just told her to take off in first without any gas until she could do it without stalling it. then I went on to showing her how to shift while moving and now she's pretty much a pro.

 

I did the same thing. Went to the dealership, traded in my old car, bought the SS. Figured I just plopped down a shitload of money, I better be able to get it home.

You CAN, it just doesn't do diddly except give your left leg an extra workout.

OP, just take the car out to a flat, open parking lot and dick around until you find what works for you. REALLY the only critical piece you need to know is how to get rolling from a stop, everything else you can learn as you go. If you don't get starting out down first, EVERYTHING will be more frustrating.

 

I dont double clutch on upshifts, just the downshifts, I cant regularly downshift smoothly for some reason

 

Pretty much what I did too.... My dad had taught me years ago when I was first learning to drive , but I never got "Good" at it. I did alright the few times I drove my Dad's Ranger and my brother's S10 a few years ago too.

I notice first gear is MORE of abucking bronco with ZZP's tune then with Intense's tune....

I think ZZP has the throttle responce programed quicker then Intense does/did.

Learn to rev/match and learn what speed is what RPM in what gear...
IE: 40 in 4th is 2k
IE: 40 in 3rd is 2500
IE: 40 in 2nd is 4K
IE: 40 in 1st = Blown Engine

 

Loving all the info guys thanks. Yeah I think tonight I'm just really gonna focus on mastering how to shift into first smooth and get going. Last night I went from 2nd to third without any hesitation. Now going from 3rd to 2nd was a different story.

 

umm not sure if it was said, but when im holding the shifter i like shiftin 1-2 with my hand on the right side of the shifter then 2-5 with my hand on the left side of the shifter. as i was holding it like a ball and got excited and did 1-2-1 and boom went the rockers

 

i learned on my old s10 and been driving stick for 6 years now and i have to say the cobalt is mush easier to learn on than the s10 (or something like our '97 chevy 454 5 speed at work ). but with that being said just be easy on the clutch and smooth on shifting, it's hard to explain in words but once you get the hang of it you won't forget it. and to the guys that say they need to double clutch to downshift just rev- match, for example doing 45mph and you need to drop 4th to 3rd... in a pretty quick motion put the clutch in, stab throttle to let's say 3500rpm while shifting into 3rd, and then quickly let out the clutch while the rpm's are still up.. no bucking or jerking. i'll have to try and make a video at some point

 

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/gene...l-tips-197545/

its a good read,

 

I think the Cobalt has been the easiest manual car I've driven. I've even taught my wife how to drive on it. The car pretty much wont stall if you let out the clutch slow enough so it's simple to get it moving.

 

Went out again tonight with my dad and dedicated the whole time to getting going into first gear. it took me an hour and a half about to do it smoothly. I'm finally getting there I think. I still am releasing the clutch too fast every now and then but not too bad. Tomorrow I'm gonna work on reversing. Again shifting up has been no problem for me which is good. Feeling pretty good for my second time. I feel like I'm making good progress. My dad's pretty rough on me about it haha so I'm trying to prove myself.