Embarrassing....I need practice driving a manual. Anyone local? (Sutherland) :(

[Daymoe]

Personally, I believe that everyone should be forced to drive manual unless they have a disability of some sort. Its too easy to drive an auto car, brake and accelerate.

[Pinch]

At the moment I have 2 auto's and a CVT. Before I went to the land of "NO AUTO's" I did a one day refresher course in manual driving - courtesy of a $33 a day Hyundai Getz from Avis.

Had no probs, just wanted to get my confidence back before I drove on the wrong side of the road with Italians.

If you are a bit hesitant - get the full insurance for another $15.

[DBourne]

no one seems to have offered him some help.

The missus and i have a spare charade (mid 90's) which is a 5spd manual which i am sure i could grab for an arvo to come down and teach you.

Its the car i first learnt on, decent friction point (ie, middle of the peddle).

[Tuddy200]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

my advice, (if its worth anything)- my technique is: start car, ingage clutch, select first. let clutch out as slowly as possible (i know this can be hard, my old XH ute was a ****** for this.) the second you find a drop in revs (if you dont stall). thats your grab point -(as i like to call it). Memorise the grab point!!! you dont have to be driving, just on the spot. preferably do this in a nice quite area. once you have found and familiarised yourself with that grab point, do it a few more times. that is the key!- no matter how many times you practice, and regardless of what you are driving or learning in, that grab point is your friend!. once you can find it all the time, Then hillstars, and take offs arent an issue.

I have to agree with that. I have had 6 people drive my car. I no longer stall it and can do hill starts no problems at all. So can my father who is a bus/truck driver for over 20 years now so I'd expect that, and on of my friends who jumps it alittle but doesn't stall and she races, however, only a shitty corolla .

However, if anyone else gets in and trys to drive it, they always end up stalling it. I got drunk one night and my mate tried to drive my car home, all I can say is I smelt fried clutch for the next couple of hours and then he tried to say he could drive his mates VE SV6 Ute up north no problems at all and give it a good fang around! I feel sorry for the ute!

You could also get the XR8, with 6 speed manual. Drop a Textralia Twin Plate clutch in with a rip shift and I have heard that combo is unbreakable, unless you doing some serious bad driving!

It will become second nature. All the company cars I drive are Auto, so I opted to get a manual for some fun driving and now manual driving is also becomming second nature to me, same as feathers, I get in a company car and look for the clutch and swear at my self when I reliease it's Auto.

Real test this weekend, finally get my car back after 6 weeks without it, and haven't driven a manual since, so I may stall it, esp. since it will have the Tex Twin Plate clutch and rip shift!

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

no one seems to have offered him some help.

The missus and i have a spare charade (mid 90's) which is a 5spd manual which i am sure i could grab for an arvo to come down and teach you.

Its the car i first learnt on, decent friction point (ie, middle of the peddle).

Oh thanks mate, why don't I see if any of the local blokes can help out before you head over - but I'll definitely keep your offer on hold.

[madmelon]

I live in Sutho. My cousin has a manual EL XR6- I'll ask him if he's willing to help. My sister has a manual 323 V6, she said she'll let me teach you on it but expects a bit more than a 6 pack for the "privelege". The clutch on the XR is a "bit how you going" and the 323 isn't what you're after but I'd take the 323. It's smooth, easy to drive and very forgiving.

[Airmon]

Mate if you want to spend, a mate of mine is currently selling a Manual Pulsar for $500, its a nugget and not the worlds best car, but for learning to drive its a great car to start on. Has rego, and when you're done with it you can put it on ebay for $500 or $400 or something and you should make your money back.
I'm in Campbelltown, if I was a bit more local or had a bit more time I'd offer my Mazda.

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by madmelon

My sister has a manual 323 V6, she said she'll let me teach you on it but expects a bit more than a 6 pack for the "privelege".

Thanks for the offer - whats she after? I'm flexible, but put it this way, much more I might as well ring a driving school (and ask them to take the signs off the roof before they come!).

[madmelon]

PM sending...

[falconboy]

Received and replied.

Not sure I could handle the extra embarassment of being taught a manual by a girl. Nah, joking, I'd get over it.

Still prefer to find someone with a falcon since thats probably what I'd be test driving to buy....

[mainyard]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

my advice, (if its worth anything)- my technique is: start car, ingage clutch, select first. let clutch out as slowly as possible (i know this can be hard, my old XH ute was a ****** for this.) the second you find a drop in revs (if you dont stall). thats your grab point -(as i like to call it). Memorise the grab point!!! you dont have to be driving, just on the spot. preferably do this in a nice quite area. once you have found and familiarised yourself with that grab point, do it a few more times. that is the key!- no matter how many times you practice, and regardless of what you are driving or learning in, that grab point is your friend!. once you can find it all the time, Then hillstars, and take offs arent an issue.

My XH is a bit of a with the clutch as well, just on the old cable.
it has the tendency to kick back at you right on the friction point, it made for a lot of fun times when i was learning to drive. :

[PoMmYwOG]

I basically taught myself how to drive manual on my dads 80 series cruiser with a heavy duty clutch. Tell you what it was one heavy mofo and my left leg was sore after a drive, but within maybe 3 drives i got used to it and now i can drive anything manual. Driven my mates 180 with brass button(that is such a pain in the a$$, revs are ur friend...lol) various trucks, various cars.

The best manual i have driven was an ED XR6. The gearbox was smooth and the clutch was nicely weighted.

Worst i have driven was prob between my mates corolla (clutch grabbed right at the end) and a hyundai accent (clutch had no feel what so ever).

Best thing to do is just jump in a car (rental if u dnt have one)and have a play around until u get it. Doesnt take long.

[DBourne]

the car isnt important mate, just try and get in 1 with a forgiving clutch, drive around, get used the all the actions of using the 3 peddles and gearstick, then itll take you 35seconds to translate all that info over to another car.

[falconboy]

Yeah, not really fussed what, as long as its not a 68 mini. Possibly got something lined up.

[redranga]

Everyone should be made to learn and do a driving test in a manual.

At work ive been to a few callouts in the last few years and have had to drive the broken down vehicle back to our depot and asked the other workers to take my service truck back to the depot, but they cant because they cant drive a manual.

What if someone injures themself at work and needs to be driven to hospital eg snake bite? As a matter of safety everyone should have to drive manual.

[XR6TCraig]

Worst case scenariono, go out and hire a Hyundai Getz for the day and then just drive it around suburban Sydney. It will cost you $50 plus fuel and will get you accustomed to that third pedal, you can drive it alone ( to save any embarrasment) then its just a matter of adjusting that technique for the different cars you test drive.

The problem is, every car is different. I own a manual XR6T ute with an aftermarket twin plate clutch and am used to its take up point.

The other day I test drove a manual Typhoon. Same car (virtually) as mine, both with twin plate clutches ( albeit different brands of clutch) but with a and it was totally different to drive as the take up point was in a different spot. As a result I was left with a few less than convincing shifts and take offs.

Same thing in my wifes Honda Civic. Shift points, clutch grab or take up and pedal weight are very different. Swapping from mine to hers can be a bit like a learning to drive all over again.

[WPN XR6T]

PM Sent

[falconboy]

Thanks all for your comments and assistance. I've had several very kind offers and on Monday I'll be embarrassing myself and going for a drive with WPN_XR6T. I hope he's patient and understanding.

Thanks mate, looking forward to it.

[vztrt]

Just remember over rev the car and ride the clutch a bit until you get use to it. Its better then stalling and you need to have the keep pressing the accelerator pedal mentality and not the take it off as soon as you move like many who drive auto's do when they try manual.

[JetBlack351]

talking about learning manuals. i learned in a ford transit van driving it around in a place i used to work in when i was on my Ls. then after driving for 2 years my head gasket blew on my auto ef and i had to drive my brother vn 5 spd manual piece of garbage and very nerve racking at first but it only took a bit over a week to get used to it. best way to learn listen to what people say and put that to use. you;ll work it out very quickly. it is all about confidence jump in i can do it i can do it. and you'll be driving with pleasure in no time

[falconboy]

Well. Today was the day.

A big THANK YOU to WPN XR6T (Matt) who came and helped me out today - I can't believe we were out for about 3 hours!! I got to show Matt who's not originally a Sydney boy some of the local area as a bonus. I think I've got someone else impressed with the Shire. We might end up neighbours. So how did it go you ask?

Firstly, I'm not sure if Matts very game, or very silly. Ha Ha He brought his 3 week old Fiesta XR4 for a complete stranger to learn manual in. :

As expected I was a bit nervous (read: petrified), and it showed in my initial driving. Main problems were not being used to giving an auto the higher revs I was a bit scared to over rev it, and was also taking my foot off the clutch too quickly. Not sure if it was resting on a nerve or if it was stress, but my left foot was shaking on the clutch.

It took a while to get used to the car, but once I worked this all out, and relaxed a bit, I didn't do too badly at all, if I may say so myself. I'm pretty confident on the flat without too much stress, as I am now a lot smoother releasing the clutch. Also not too bad with the handbrake starts either. Someone mentioned taking my foot off the juice once it started moving, as you might in an auto, and yes, that was a problem too.

At the end we did a couple of k's in the traffic from Sutherland to Blakehurst (near Carss Park Bowling club for those in the Shire) which I was pretty relaxed surprisingly - but by this time starting off on the flat wasn't an issue and I knew there weren't any hills coming up. .

I think with more practice I will be fine - my main issue now is a bit of 'panic' now and again in certain circumstances (cars waiting for me etc), which of course just makes things worse. The only thing that would stop me driving anywhere regardless of road conditions is not being relaxed enough under pressure to do a start on a hill (handbrake or slight incline without handbrake). Other than that I'd be fairly happy.

Only had one car honk me - after being in 5th instead of 3rd, of course at the corner I ended up in 4th instead of 2nd, which didn't get me going well and I stuffed it. What peeves me off is isn't it obvious if someone has stopped in the middle of going around a corner they are having some sort of trouble??? Needless to say the twit was in a holden ute.

Oh, I reversed into a bin. Mate, I hope I didn't mark the new cars paint. : In my defence I had gone down a dead end car park with little space to move with everyones wheelie bins there.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed driving the manual. Its so different 'driving' a car rather than let it all do it for you. Being brought up with Commodores and Falcons, I've never been keen on 'small' cars, but the Fiesta is a great, easy little car to drive. Hope your clutch is ok mate. :togo:

I think Matt might be mad though - he asked if I'd like to drive it all the way to the Euro Ford Club day on Sunday (to Singleton?) (I think on my own as he was taking the XR6T) - I think he had a bit more faith than I did! I don't think I'm quite ready for that, I'd have a heart attack if nothing else. But thanks for the offer mate. It would have been good practice if I had the balls to do it.

I am so very greatful to Matt, and on top of that, he really is a nice guy too, and I'm pretty sure the first I've ever met off a car forum. :

Stay tuned for next weeks episode: A refresher on the Fiesta, then a drive to Holsworthy to swap to his XR6T. Should be interesting indeed.

[vztrt]

So how much is a new clutch for a XR4??

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by vztrt

So how much is a new clutch for a XR4??

At least it was fairly new so its got a few hundred k's left in it.

I think I only smelt it twice.

[falconboy]

Well, after being chucked in the deep in to drive straight down to Holsworthy in the Fiesta, we then swapped for the XR6T - after a couple of times around the block we headed back. Not sure why but I've read complaints about the brass button clutch and sureshifters not being enjoyable for daily drivers? Well, this thing is an absolute pleasure to drive, even for a non-manual driver. I could quite easily get used to driving that indeed. No doubt I'd get a speeding ticket though. :

Truthfully - getting back in our only car at the moment, a 97 Civic auto is as boring as hell!

Thanks so much Matt. You're a good bloke. Wanna swap the falcon for a civic? Didn't think so.