Hey everyone! I just bought a 2002 Mini Cooper S, This is my first manual car and I am worried about when I take off sometimes it is jerky. This is all user error, I am wondering if that will hurt the clutch or the car in a serious way while I am learning to drive a manual. Only stalled it twice and once was because I left the E-Brake on....

 

It should be fine. As long as you are not reving it to high RPMs and taking forever to release the clutch. You should be able to keep the RPMs around 1,000 and slowly, 1-2 seconds, release the clutch fully until you learn to drive a stick. You will probably have it learned in a day or two with a little practice. Your best bet is to find a large empty parking lot and just do start and stops until you are comfortable then go from 1st to 2nd. You'll get it, don't stress, that's what gets you in trouble. If you stall it, push the clutch in, turn the key to the off position and then restart it.

 

My last car went through two teenagers learning how to drive a stick and it's still going strong. You'll get the hang of it.

 

I've been driving around (started in a parking lot like you said) and now have been just driving around, First gear and downshifting are the things that need the most work. Reverse was something at first but now it is easier thanks to just practicing. I just had a nightmare happen coming back. Since I live on the outskirts of Seattle we have hills, personally being from Michigan I'd call them mountains. Driving up this mountain hill, a school bus stopped traffic on a two way... I had to peel out because I don't know how to hill start. (I used the E-Brake to help me)

 

That is exactly what you want to do on a hill. Hold the E brake with your thumb on the button. When y ou are ready to pull away pull up on the E brake handle slightly, push the button in and hold it in, slowly release the E brake while you slowly let out the clutch and apply a little throttle. Again some practice will help. You will master this pretty quickly too. You can practice on flat land doing this. Get used to trying to drive off with the E brake on so you know where you can let the E brake down and have enough power to accelerate up the hill. Works great for down hills also but it's a lot easier. Good job! Congratulations on the new car by the way!

 

Thanks! So far it has been fun love the supercharger whine, and thinking about upgrading it to a 15% reduction sometime but first priority is the crankshaft O-ring which leaks a very small amount of oil every 10,000 miles. Then speakers because my fronts are blown out...

 

Just a minor point here, but the FIRST thing is to master the stick shift, THEN you can mod away!!

Good luck. Sounds like you are on the right track. And remember that there is NOBODY who can say in all honesty that they never stalled a stick shift, even long after they mastered the procedure! Sometimes the brain and the body aren't always on the same page~~

 

Good point. True about stalling. I have riden motorcycles since I was 6 and driven a manual vehicle since I was 10 and I stalled my MINI a week ago after 40 years of driving a stick. I'll get the hang of it soon

 

About two years ago I was driving my Miata waiting at an intersection to turn right. My brain and my left leg were somehow in different zones because I just lifted my left leg suddenly as if I was about to WALK instead of drive. Car stalled, I was embarrassed. Only been driving since 1966 so I guess I need a little more time behind the wheel too!

 

Welcome to NAM, yukinoinu. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.