Starting to get better

[Cody2399]

This year has been the first year in my incredibly long career of driving (6years haha) that I've had a manual transmission. Both my truck and camaro have em and I'm altogether very happy with them. I don't do much driving, I've started school again so that'll change, but I was definitely worried that the manual transmission on the camaro might have been a mistake, but now having it for coming on 2 months it's starting to come to me a lot easier than when I started off. It's such an enjoyable experience now driving it not having to beg and plea with god to keep that stop light green so I don't have to stall in the middle of my take off lol. I've always wanted a manual transmission in my camaro and now that it's starting to come to me I couldn't be happier.

Have any of you guys had troubles like I've experienced in this learning process? I'm starting to see now how practice makes perfect, it just had me feeling a bit uneasy before I started to catch on.

[gringo]

I've stalled it a few times at red lights when I first got mine. A quick restart and a smoother release of the clutch pedal got me going again. Haven't stalled it since in a long while. Every car is a bit different.

[JLSuperfly]

I remember when I first started to drive a manual (27 years ago). My biggest fear was stopped on a red light on a steep hill. In San Francisco, there are a lot of them. I know of the hand brake method but my brother who taught me was so against it.
Now, there is this feature called Hill Assist. I hate it so much.

[Cody2399]

Originally Posted by gringo

I've stalled it a few times at red lights when I first got mine. A quick restart and a smoother release of the clutch pedal got me going again. Haven't stalled it since in a long while. Every car is a bit different.

Yeah, I've stalled more than I'd like to admit haha

Originally Posted by JLSuperfly

I remember when I first started to drive a manual (27 years ago). My biggest fear was stopped on a red light on a steep hill. In San Francisco, there are a lot of them. I know of the hand brake method but my brother who taught me was so against it.
Now, there is this feature called Hill Assist. I hate it so much.

Oh? I've had it kick in and save me a few times haha what do you not like about it?

[Gunmetal Speedster]

We've all been there! My camaro is my first manual, had it for just over a year now. Gotten it down quite nicely, and it's a great feeling!

[christianchevell]

You have to learn to give it gas before you release the clutch its crucial especially with a cam and a idle of 950 and bucking below the 1300 area....its a skill from being used to having cammed manuals...

[camguynj]

If you don't like that fnnn HSA feature (as many don't) there is an easy way to get rid of it. See my post #135 in this thread http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...300649&page=10. Takes about an hr. Very easy

Biggest problem with HSA is the DIC msg doesn't stay on long enough. So if you missed seeing you have to guess if it's on when you're on a incline. If you guess wrong you either stall, burn your clutch or smoke your tires. GM should have designed HSA to release the brakes instantanously when detecting that the clutch and brake pedal have been released combined with an increase in rpms ... if they fnnn program that CAGS sh*t ( gear,rpms & engine temp) they could have done this too! At the very least they should have displayed a red LED on the top middle of the dash trim to get and keep your attention along with the DIC msg until it released the brake.

[jokrz187]

I don't mind the hill assist but when it is engaged, it feels uncomfortable coming out of it. that's my only complaint about it.

[TintcoatTrooper]

Originally Posted by Cody2399

This year has been the first year in my incredibly long career of driving (6years haha) that I've had a manual transmission. Both my truck and camaro have em and I'm altogether very happy with them. I don't do much driving, I've started school again so that'll change, but I was definitely worried that the manual transmission on the camaro might have been a mistake, but now having it for coming on 2 months it's starting to come to me a lot easier than when I started off. It's such an enjoyable experience now driving it not having to beg and plea with god to keep that stop light green so I don't have to stall in the middle of my take off lol. I've always wanted a manual transmission in my camaro and now that it's starting to come to me I couldn't be happier.

Have any of you guys had troubles like I've experienced in this learning process? I'm starting to see now how practice makes perfect, it just had me feeling a bit uneasy before I started to catch on.

Op, i bought my old 2010 SS (now in 1LE) at 19 with a 6 speed and never even sat in the seat of a manual before so yes i completely know where your coming from but after a year of driving manual i will not get a coupe any other way.. its nice every now and then to drive an auto but even in those i find myself searching for a third pedal so its literally become second nature ..... at first i was about to trade my car back in because after a week i was still bucky but then i realized... the TR6060 LOVES patience be slow and smooth with the shifter and the clutch pedal and shell reward you every time.. people literally think there in an auto untill they see me shifting then there like wait... this is a stick!! THATS what practice does so just keep at it!! My shifting is already smoother than my brothers A8 SS from 1-3 lmao

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Cody2399

Have any of you guys had troubles like I've experienced in this learning process? I'm starting to see now how practice makes perfect, it just had me feeling a bit uneasy before I started to catch on.

It's natural to be somewhat apprehensive in the beginning, and until you have some practice under your belt, "you don't even know what you don't know".

You'll probably manage to stall a MT car or truck for as long as you're driving such vehicles. It just won't happen nearly as often and it won't rattle you when it does.

I'm sure I had a little difficulty with this in the very beginning, but given that the very beginning for me was back in the 1963-1964 time frame, expecting myself to remember now how much trouble I had or for how long it went on would be asking a bit much. I do remember that it was no longer a problem by the time I took my road test (else I'd have failed it right there on the spot).


Norm

[InFiD3ViL]

I got lucky when I was around 14 years old.

My mom had a 1981 Nissan 280ZX 5-speed that was not registered. I was staying with her for the summer in Warner Robbins AFB. We kinda had a dirt track on our property. Well, it was like 5 acres of field and dirt...I turned it into an oval track lol.

She basically said 'Here's the keys, go learn to drive stick in the field'. As you can imagine, I had a freakin' blast in that car for 2 months.

So for me, learning to drive a car also included learning to drive a manual at the same time. That's why it's second nature to me now. Yet here I am at 42 years old and in an auto Camaro...go figure.

[1Coopgt]

What bothers me more is dropping it into Reverse at lights as I'm about to take off. It really messes with the folks behind you. V6M6 they really should have used the same tranny for the V6 that the V8 uses.

[Chevy Runs Deep]

I learned to drive on manual, and had many stick cars b4 the camaro. That said, hill start kicked my ass for about a month b4 got used to anticipating when the rear brakes release. Stalled numerous times on my steep driveway and in and around atlanta which is very hilly. Very embarrassing lol.

It's also very rewarding once you get a hold of it. I found myself rev matching constantly, heel toeing corners and off ramps, and listening to decel pops. Banging gears and nailing every shift is like automotive nirvana. No boring trips anywhere. I'm watching my Yukon collect dust because I always jump in the SS and don't really even use the radio.

[JLSuperfly]

Originally Posted by Cody2399

Yeah, I've stalled more than I'd like to admit haha



Oh? I've had it kick in and save me a few times haha what do you not like about it?

I don't like it because I have stalled a couple of times with the Hill Assist activated. Also, there is no way that I know to turn it off. Actually, I hate is some much have I known about it during the test drive, I would have considered an L99.