learning (teaching) to drive a manual transmission...

[Rainh2o]

He does know how to drive, he's got his permit and has actually been driving for 2 years now, just automatics. I will have to try the clutch control in a parking lot. I will also have to try and see if my car will take off without pressing gas at all, I don't think it will but it will still be a good exercise for him, I even kill it sometimes when I'm goofing around and not paying attention and dont give it enough gas for take off. I think if he can just get the take off under control he will do good with it, when he did get it to take off he was able to shift it with no problem up and down. Just taking off is where he has trouble. I cant afford to sacrafice a clutch at this time. I have only replaced one clutch plate in any of my vehicles and I rack that up to pulling a trailer that I knew was too big for the s-10 too many times and having to slip the clutch to take off while pullin git. It also have 100,000 mile son it when I bought it.

[TEiN]

Originally Posted by Rainh2o

I will also have to try and see if my car will take off without pressing gas at all, I don't think it will but it will still be a good exercise for him...

It will.

All cars will, if you have the patience and the skill.

For six years, I was an instructor at several racing schools, and one of the first things I taught--even to very experienced drivers--was being able to start the car from a stop using only the clutch. I've driven (literally) hundreds of cars, everything from econoboxes to full-blown racecars with >800hp and have never found a single one that couldn't be started from a dead stop using the clutch only--no throttle.

Here's a tip:
Let the clutch out using your ankle, not your leg. Push the clutch all the way in, point your toe, plant your heel, and then start letting the clutch come up by flexing your ankle (lift your toes toward your shin). The friction point (where the car starts to move) will be somewhere within the range of your flexing ankle. When your ankle is flexed as far as it will go (the car will be rolling by now), finish letting the clutch out by sliding your heel back toward you.

Some people will find this difficult (at first), but I've not found a single person who couldn't master this in under an hour. Also, clutch wear while learning is zero.

[cfg83]

TEiN -

Yyyyyyyyup. On the flat with no one behind me I can go from 0 to 4th without ever touching the accelerator pedal.

CarloSW2

[Christ]

I only have a minor correction. Not all cars will do this.

AFAIK, all stock cars that are still as they came off the showroom floor and are intended for Class C operators under normal circumstances are... but that's a huge qualifier for a small statement.

Even light modifications to the engine can make it nearly impossible to do this anymore, though, as well as other factors.

It's more a function of whether the car has the power at idle to overcome the forces holding it in place than anything else, but even a lightened flywheel can make it next to impossible to take off without using the accelerator, because there is less rotational inertia for the clutch disc to absorb to move the car.

Just thought I'd add that in there.

[busypaws]

I taught a nephew on a gravel roadway with slight downhill. I think it is probably easier on the clutch and tires since you don't need much gas to get going.

[luvit]

Originally Posted by busypaws

I taught a nephew on a gravel roadway with slight downhill. I think it is probably easier on the clutch and tires since you don't need much gas to get going.

i thanked you. i'm not training anyone on stick, but that was smart

[Rainh2o]

Originally Posted by TEiN

It will.

Also, clutch wear while learning is zero.

How is clutch wear zero when you slip it to get it moving this way?? Just curious...not tryign to be sarcastic...i know you wear the clutch disk when you take off normally by design but doesnt this put excess slippage on the plate doing it this way?

[SentraSE-R]

It may not be zero, but it's negligible. The soles and heels of your shoes wear away with time, but any individual step you take doesn't wear them much. Any low rpm clutch slip isn't going to wear your clutch much. Drop the clutch at 4500 rpm, or do a shift at redline, and 100 no-gas startups in a parking lot are zero by comparison.

[MetroMPG]

I worked for a quality, national driver training company and taught defensive driving to new drivers for several years (part time job while going to school). This included students who wanted to learn to drive manuals.

Ryland & TEiN's advice jibes pretty well with what worked best.

Also, worth saying: some people shouldn't drive stick. It's even potentially dangerous (relative to an autobox in certain situations we can all think of) if they can't master the skills.

EG: a very few students were taught to match-rev downshift. Most couldn't get that far.

[Cd]

I hate being crippled by having an automatic in my car, but I had a really bad experience with my dads manual car. After almost smashing into the guy behind me (while at a stop light on a hill ), I then stalled the car enough to be a danger to other drivers.
I'd like to own a manual car, but I'm wondering how that would even work now that I am an adult that has never learned.
Once I bought the car, how the heck would I get the thing home ?