[JerzeyBoySTI]

Hey guys, I've been driving my sti for several days now and while Im able to do all the basics i'm still left with a few questions. The clutch... I feel as tho im on it too much. I find myself using the clutch during low speed turns, lets say around my home or in a parking lot. I mainly use the clutch during the turns to avoid stalling. The next question that I have is about starting from a dead stop. Lets say I roll up on a red light. I normally hit the clutch and drop out of first and just coast to a stop. Once stopped , ill put the clutch to the floor and throw the car in 1st. Now every single time a light turns green I litterly crawl out of first and eventually into second and after that its clear sailing. I don't understand how people take off quickly when they start off in first. Should I be starting off in second normally? Thats pretty much all the questions that I can think of lol. Thank in advance for any advise.

[Niles]

If I understand you correctly you've never driven a car with a manual transmission. Basically you'll learn and adjust as you drive, eventually you'll get quicker at geting the car going from a dead stop. Just go easy on the clutch and have fun (Going easy means not letting it out as quick as possible, and not driving around with the clutch part way depressed unless you need to. Sounds like you're doing well so far.)

[lidrew]

Sounds like you're doing pretty good. Everything will come naturally within a year. I was always told to imagine the clutch pedal is red hot. You want to only put your foot on it when necessary because "it will melt through your shoe and burn you" Shift and get your foot off quickly. Do not rest your foot on the pedal when driving.
You should not be pushing in the clutch around turns and coasting through. Select your gear prior to entering the turn and accelerate through. Once you become a better driver you can heel toe if necessary but you dont need to do it in everyday driving
I think it would be really hard to stall once the car is moving and in gear. You would have to be going like 10 mph in 6th gear to stall.
You can coast to a red light if you want to. Just rememeber that when you are moving and not in gear you are not in complete control of the vehicle. Say you're coasting to a red light and someone comes into your lane. You arent in gear so you can't accelerate out of the way. I would usually rev match and do one gear drop to the red light and then clutch in an keep it in neutral till the light turns.
You are taking off in first correctly. It is ok to ride it a bit in 1st from a stop. The guys that are launching so quickly have PRACTICE and let off the clutch pedal right at the point of engagement. It just takes practice.

[LOLSTi]

lidrew has the correct idea.

[juzlookzfazt]

I learnt how to drive stick on a Roush Mustang, THAT was hard, not only was the shifter like super-super-super-super-short throws, but the clutch was insane, like super-performance lol, the catch point came so suddenly, and if you don't take off right, it would stall, hard car to learn on, but it worked. Now, if I was driving a stick car, I can take off like a bat out of hell BWUAHAHAHA.

[Bet on Grey]

I kinda know how you feel, before i got my STi i had a 4cyl tacoma 5 speed, the clutch was so smooth and then i got my STi and it was a total change. Just work on evening it out, and dont worry about rev matching yet. It will come too you in no time. What i used to practise evening was to start from a dead stop in 2nd gear and get it up to speed without any lag. Have you been on any hills yet? Those are the worst when starting off. Good luck and like i said it will come to you in no time.

[jep]

To start from a dead stop, its ok the give the throtle a lil rev (lets say to 2000-2300 rpm and then letting the clutch go slowly while almost off of the throtle. As soon as you cought the engagement point, restep on the gas and then off the clutch. Results are smooth and fast take offs...

[SupraJaySTI]

practice makes perfect... just need more time... trial and error. might just need to give it more gas, but not alot just a tiny bit

[Vypurr]

The guys that are launching hard are also keeping the RPMs around 5-6000 and letting the clutch out!

Don't do that until you have driven for a while. I would hate to see a wrecked car!