Learning to drive a manual 5 speed?

Question

I just bought a Nissan 240sx, and I have like one hour of manual driving experience. I stall it out at every stop I make, and many times when I am trying to take off, or go in reverse. It is really embarassing, especially in town, and I need some help. I do fine once I am going until I have to stop, so I need someone to tell me pretty much how to aproach stops, get it going after I'm stopped, etc. Everything!

Any tips I can get would be great, on how not to stall it at every stop I have to make, and how stuff like that?

The car is fine, I just suck at driving and need help.

Answer 1

You are trying too hard to do everything at once. Get in a parking lot and practice going forward in 1st gear, and back in reverse, over and over. That will get you accustomed to clutch and gas with getting involved with shifting gears.

Then practice in the parking lot with 1st and 2nd gear only, stop, back to 1st, then 2nd, stop, and so on -- over and over.

Keep everything slow and easy. On the road, you are too pressured to make everything happend too fast. On the parking lot, no pressure.

Try to keep the heel of your left and right shoe on the floor, using only the front of your shoes on the pedals. This keeps your foot aligned with the pedals and makes it easier to apply pressure.

Answer 2

Go to those driving academy's

Answer 3

when you stop just push the clutch in and put on the brake.  when you take off or use reverse just hold the clutch in and let it up just a little at a time while pushing down your gas pedal lightly.  if you push down your gas pedal too hard and go screeching off you risk burning out your clutch.