I still suck at driving a manual transmission

Savageman69

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Location
ontario
TDI
2012 Highline Touareg TDI
I absoultely hate the brake assist feature, it tends to make you ride the clutch if you already know how to take off on hills. It's a good learning feature I suppose but cmon, do we really need that? I usually let it release first and the second it does I'm off like normal. Can VCDS take brake assist off? Never looked into it.
yes it can mines been off for a long time


OP...honestly if you havent got it by now its likely manual isnt for you
 

Cgiroux

Active member
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Location
Cherry Hill, NJ
TDI
none
well I am shifting much more smoothly now. I still think I could be quicker getting off from a stop. It is as if I almost let the clutch pedal out completely before even giving any gas.

I'd say the only thing I need to work on is downshifting and hills. 1.5K RPM seems to be a good spot to downshift as someone mention in this thread earlier.

Is it bad to feather the clutch (using nothing but the clutch) to get the car uphill? ie; a slightly inclined driveway.

Again as many have said about taking off in first .... When I reverse I dont use any throttle at all , just let it out and let if pull you...it will...

Good. This is what I do too. Reverse seems to be much easier ratio. But is it bad to do this uphill? (reverse or 1st gear)
 
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Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
You have to feather it some to get car moving, uphill or otherwise. Just minimize it without making car jerk, stall, shudder, whatever.

Yesterday I pulled a bonehead maneuver, started my 2001, forgot it was in first and when i lifted foot off clutch (thought it was in n) squalled the tires, car lurched fwd and came within an inch of crunching my welder. Stomped on clutch, the little beast ALH was STILL RUNNING. Skid marks from front tires and back tires from dragging the brakes. Dang that thing has some grunt at idle.
 

Softrockrenegade

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
Howellbama, NJ
TDI
None...2011 Golf DSG (replaced by VW W/) 2013 Passat SE 6M(bought back) Current 2017 sportwagen TSI 4Motion.
It's not great to feather the clutch up hill in forward or reverse. Once you get it rolling just take your foot off the clutch all together and give it some go peal as needed.
 

Chris

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2000
Location
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA
well I am shifting much more smoothly now. I still think I could be quicker getting off from a stop. It is as if I almost let the clutch pedal out completely before even giving any gas.
You'll stress less if you accept that you have to budget some time (a few seconds) to getting underway (where your foot is off of the clutch). Coming from an automatic, most people don't think in these terms at first.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
well I am shifting much more smoothly now. I still think I could be quicker getting off from a stop. It is as if I almost let the clutch pedal out completely before even giving any gas.
)
Don't worry about how fast you get off the line. I know your in NJ but don't let those behind that are always in a hurry get on your nerves.
 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
Try and keep your feathering to a minimum. Sometimes it's unavoidable, so do what you have to do but... the area between fully disengaged and engaged is where you are building heat. It's the clutches job to transfer the energy from the engine to your drivetrain via friction. The byproduct of this is heat and heat is your enemy. From the sounds of it, you are doing much better. Again, the goal is to get the car moving gracefully with the minimum amount of feathering. It's definitely a skill and one that you'll get better at.

The comment above about removing your shoes is valid, at least as a learning tool. There's a difference in feel, or the ability to feel what's going on if you're wearing sneakers vs. heavy logging boots. Good clutching requires you are sensitive to what's going on with the car including sounds and tactile input. Sans shoes, you can feel pretty much everything going on in the clutch pedal.

Good luck with your quest for better 'clutching' and check back. Obviously there's an abundance of advice to be given. In the end, everyone drives their manual a bit different. Find one that works for you, doesn't cook your clutch or irritate the drivers around you and you'll be fine...
 

GCBUG00

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Location
Hartsville SC
TDI
2000 Beetle
Try and keep your feathering to a minimum. Sometimes it's unavoidable, so do what you have to do but... the area between fully disengaged and engaged is where you are building heat. It's the clutches job to transfer the energy from the engine to your drivetrain via friction. The byproduct of this is heat and heat is your enemy..
FlyTDI Guy,
Nicely stated.
Heat is the enemy. As our OP gains in his skills and confidence hopefully the creation of heat will be minimized.
I have to try to explain this at work to some folks and one of the stories is like this.
When a new clutch is installed, its like a Clutch Bank Account. The installation is the deposit to the account, THE ONLY DEPOSIT. Now think of your feet and brain as the withdrawal slips. Minimize the withdrawal (heat) and the clutch account lasts longer. You can only make withdrawals, cant make any deposits to extend the clutch life. Its kinda like tires buy them and then spend them, but no topping them off.
I've told some Dad's working on a father/son project vehicle, often tell the Dad to paint $$ signs on Jr's sneakers to remind him of his role in making withdrawals from the Clutch Bank Account.
Gary
 
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