Driving a manual transmission car...

[GreekGodX]

I say more practice!! Luckily for me my dad had a company car that I got to learn how to drive a stick on. I'm sure you've heard it all already...

Let the clutch go until you feel the car moving forward give some gas and slowly release the clutch. Keep playing to find out the right amount of clutch release and how much gas to give. From there you should be golden.

[PeteSB75]

First suggestion: The friction point is key. That's the spot on the clutch where the engine begins to engage. My best suggestion for you would be to go find a fairly steep, but seldom used road, preferably with a light/stop sign at the top. Sit at that light, and for a full red cycle at least, do not use your brakes. Ride the friction point on the clutch and the gas just enough to keep the car from rolling backwards, but not so much that you start going forward.

Second suggestion: Watch the speed with which you engage/disengage both the clutch and the gas when shifting. Both should be VERY smooth and simultaneous. You want the clutch to only be fully engaging as you are coming off the gas. You want the clutch disengaging as you are coming back on the gas. The way it was explained to me was to pretend I was driving a limo. A little practice and you'll be fine.

Third suggestion: Learn how to power shift and tell any passengers that you are just working for maximum acceleration

[BUCASmoker]

Originally Posted by GreekGodX

I say more practice!! Luckily for me my dad had a company car that I got to learn how to drive a stick on. I'm sure you've heard it all already...

Let the clutch go until you feel the car moving forward give some gas and slowly release the clutch. Keep playing to find out the right amount of clutch release and how much gas to give. From there you should be golden.

Yeah... it's not that I can't start... its just that I can't start smoothly. I think I need better work on letting the clutch out smoothly.

It just seems weird that I can drive the Jetta perfectly smooth, but my TSX is still all jumpy.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by BUCASmoker

Yeah... it's not that I can't start... its just that I can't start smoothly. I think I need better work on letting the clutch out smoothly.

It just seems weird that I can drive the Jetta perfectly smooth, but my TSX is still all jumpy.

It's just the difference in clutches. VW uses a short clutch with smooth syncro's and a long friction point. My parents used to have a manual Dodge Neon and the transition from driving my Corrado or Passat to that when I went to visit them was hard to get used to. By the time I'd be fully off the clutch pedal in the VW's the Neon's clutch would still have engaged. The first couple start attempts would always result in either over-reving or a stall until I got used to the Neon again.

My guess is that the TSX has a very short friction point and that is what's giving you the jerky engages in low gear compared to you buddy's Jetta. It's just a matter of practice before you're fully used to the TSX.

[BUCASmoker]

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

It's just the difference in clutches. VW uses a short clutch with smooth syncro's and a long friction point. My parents used to have a manual Dodge Neon and the transition from driving my Corrado or Passat to that when I went to visit them was hard to get used to. By the time I'd be fully off the clutch pedal in the VW's the Neon's clutch would still have engaged. The first couple start attempts would always result in either over-reving or a stall until I got used to the Neon again.

My guess is that the TSX has a very short friction point and that is what's giving you the jerky engages in low gear compared to you buddy's Jetta. It's just a matter of practice before you're fully used to the TSX.

That was what my friend said (the guy who owns the jetta) - that the TSX has a shorter throw and a shorter span for the clutch.

So what's a good way to compensate for the short friction point? Go slower through it?