ok so I just got my mini today, also my first manual car. I put a good 70 miles of trying to learn to use it, only stopped cause it started to smell strange.

I know the cars exhaust at first will smoke alot, not sure how much longer and that kinda smells like burned plastic I think, or it could be a combo of burning my tires when I tried to start the car going up hill and using to much gas.

later on a smell was coming through my AC and under my hood, (also how do you open the hood, I only unlocked it from the inside MA didn't tell me any further).

and lastly when I turned off the car for the day a fan was running inside, I guess to cool the engine, not to sure yet. That bad?

 

You did remember to release the handbrake before taking off, yes?

 

I learned that in a different car already, so we can scratch that one

 

so how long does it take the average person to master manual till you dont realy notice it much?

 

Let's hope what you're smelling isn't the clutch!!

There is a little release tab under the hood about 2-3 inches to the right of the MINI tab. Stick your finger under there, you should be able to feel it. Push it up to release. It is the hood's secondary latch.

The fan running is normal. It's either to cool the engine and clear up the moisture that builds up from running your AC (so it doesnt smell bad the next time you run the vent/fan).

To learn manual.. find a empty flat place with no other cars. Depress the clutch fully and shift into first. Slowly let out the clutch (without gas) until you start to roll a bit, but when you feel it about to stall quickly push it back in. Keep practicing this. Roll without gas. When you get the hang of the clutch's "catch point" you can then give it more gas and start releasing it as it goes into gear. When you get the hang of this it should be second nature for different scenarios/weight/hills/etc etc.

It shouldn't take over a week to learn but don't over tire yourself the first day either. Always remember to press the clutch in fully for shifting. Always remember to take your foot off the clutch when not using it either!

 

Yeah, you'll pick up the hang of it pretty quickly... but you will occasionally stall out in the middle of busy intersections while waiting for a left hand turn for a year or more.

Easy to learn, but mastery takes training.

 

Do you normally drive an auto? If so, try adjusting your seat much closer so that when you depress the cluch fully your leg will still be bent rather than straight. That way you'll have much better control of the clutch.

For now, just let out the clutch a bit slower until you get the hang of the CATCH POINT. Only gas as much as you need to get going without stalling for now..!

 

He might have been smelling that sealant or whatever it is that seeps out of either side of the hood for the first few days. Not sure if it burns off the engine too or not....

 

May I suggest always engaging the "sport" button while you're learning...I'm not up the mechanical reasons, but it makes for MUCH smoother shifting and acceleration, especially going from a stop into first gear...it seems to "smooth" the clutch or give it a little more gas as you get going. That's how it feels, at least. Maybe somebody who's a motorhead can explain? (Hey, I'm just a chick, what do I know from cars? But I enjoy learning. ) In fact, if I forget to push "sport" I have actually stalled the car a couple of times (very embarassing, as I have driven a stick for over 35 years!!! Hey, I like to be noticed in my MINI at traffic lights, but NOT for that!)
Besides, once you use Sport Mode, you'll never be happy without it!

 

I would just like to emphasize a point that Defcon888 made which is often overlooked but super important: Taking your foot completely off the clutch when not using it.

Lots and lots of people who have "driven manual for twenty years" still commit this mistake and burn out their clutches in half the time. Now is the best time for you to start the good habit of putting your left foot on the rest platform.

EDIT: This comment was made while the above post was being made, I totally didn't mean that as an insult to minimizevt!

 

+1 on taking your foot off the clutch.

Also, remember to use the parking brake EVERY time you park the car, and leave the car in 1st or Reverse gear.

 

This is exactly the advice given by those two funny guys on the radio (Car Talk on NPR); actually it was hilarious the way they explained to this mom on how to teach her teenage kids to drive stick shift.

Wait, that's going to be me in a couple of months! I have two teenagers that I too will be teaching how to drive stick shift on my new MC!!

Pray for me.

 

clutch has a very distinct smell when it burns, much like really hot brakes. When I learned how to drive a manual, it wasnt on a brandnew car , My dad took me to a gravel road. I dont know if you have those where you live, but its nice because you dont get that jerky motion or kill it. The tires just slide or spin.....WAY better than pavement. Good luck.

 

Tell your kids to make SURE the car is in 1st gear when starting the driving lesson. I learned to drive on a 89 Ford SHO which was equipped with a direct cable clutch (not hydraulic). My dad left it in 3rd gear...where it stayed for the whole lesson. It was a rough lesson to learn, but now I never have any problems with stalling my own cars

 

It should only take a few days to learn to drive stick. It may take a little longer to master it. If you can, get someone to drive with you that knows how to handle a stick. I am just going to repeat some of the items above:

1. Always use the sport button, it gives more power at lower rpm.
2. Make sure your left leg isn't fully extended when the clutch is pressed in fully.
3. Let the clutch out smoothly, while giving it a little gas. You won't hurt anything if you rev the car to about 1500 rpm when starting from a standstill.
4. Wear soft soled shoes, such as sneakers, you get more feel of the pedals.
5. If you stall the car don't panic, Just push the clutch in and hold the brake and push the start button.
6. Every time you shift while moving take your foot off the gas when pushing the clutch, then shift and let the clutch out again then apply gas.

The main thing is you want to try to be as smooth as possible.

 

Congratulations on the new MINI and welcome to "first manual" club. I am in the same situation and trying my best to avoid stalls. I am trying not to use the sport button as it is in break-in period and I fear I may over-rev in the process of launching in 1st. I have my car for a month now and stalls have become a part of life (just restart and go). I know it hurts your ego and definitely the last thing I need before coming to work which sucks.

Cannot really help with the smell..... I just have the new car smell inside. Sometimes the rear wheel area does smell of burnt plastic (not sure if it is exhaust or brakes)

 

letting the clutch out slooowlly is key! you could rev it up to 2k rpm but as long as you let the clutch out slow your car will move (i dont suggest you try this cuz you will burn your clutch if you keep reving it this high, just saying this to make a point)

and like danF said, shoes is very good... sandals... not so much unless you want to take the left one off.

dont get discouraged or depressed! after you get a hang of it, you will lauph at yourself and become confused as to why you werent to get the car going. good luck!

 

Likely smell is the cosmoline burning off the underbelly.

Enjoy.

 

I learned on my new MCS a couple months ago, and I stalled only once this past month. I was driving around and stalling for a day or two, then it gradually got better.

When I was learning on hills, I definitely burned the clutch and smelled it...

Anyway once you get used to the catch point, it becomes easy. I would definitely say to practice on a hill though, so you're prepared for the real thing.

 

I suspect some of it was. One time shouldn't be too much of a problem. The other smells were probably cosmoline (or whatever the protection from salt air during transport is) burning off the manifold and other hot surfaces.

This is how I learned, and I highly recommend it. I ended up getting a car before I could get a learner's permit (bribe to stop me from buying a motorcycle with my own $$). So, I pestered my father to take me over to a private dead-end road so I could learn before getting a permit. I probably spent a month or more going no more than 5 mph, starting & and stopping, and getting to know where the car was. It was a narrow road.

When I got my learners, I was very comfortable with the car and could handle the A-type personality of many drivers on the west end of Sunset Blvd., and Los Angeles rush-hour traffic.

My father was less patient with my brother and pushed him into driving in traffic much earler. As a result, he panicked while turning left at a traffic light and turned in front of oncoming traffic. The woman coming at him never put on her brakes, but she did honk all the way into the accident. No one was hurt, but our car was totaled. Took my brother a longtime to recover from that. I always considered it my father's fault, and felt fortunate that circumstances allowed me more than enough time to learn what is second nature to most adults. We forget how much there is to learn for someone who has never driven. Driving go-karts as a kid really didn't help that much.

 

Im going to have a smiliar problem since this will be my first manual transmission car(still on order). I also have to teach my girlfirend to drive a manual so we will be borrowing some one elses car first cause im not messing up my mini!!!

 

I suggest this website for reference.

www.standardshift.com

I used it quite a bit when I was learning how to shift and there is a ton of good resources on that website.

 

same plastic smell with ziggy went away after a day of motoring but i went from an 03 to an 08 both s models so i put a good 150 miles that day but the sport button kills! first time taking off from a stop with it on i accidently peeled out but im starting 2 get use to the difference still only a week in anyways atleast you dont have 2 worry about rolling back down a hill at a red light when u go 2 take off finally found out it was supposed 2 do that and was amaized by todays innovation

 

so day 2 for me now, going great and verry low amount of stalls, lots of good starts too. suprised how quick it is to get the hang of this

 

smoking clutch will have a simular smell to "burning tires"