How do the rest of you overcome this?

I usually let the clutch out about half way... just enough that it starts to catch so that you aren't rolling backwards...then I just hold it there until the light changes to green.

My question to you experts... Is this bad for my tranny or engine?

 

That's really not recommended as you're putting unnecessary wear on your clutch. You should be using the brake or e-brake to hold your position--that effectively keeps you from rolling back.

Depending on how good you are with the clutch, and how much roll back you are comfortable with, and how steep your hill is, will determine which method you use.

 

I was always told...by my dad, years and years ago when I was learning to drive...that "riding the clutch" like this on hills was indeed bad for the clutch. My common sense tells me that dad was right, and thus I've always avoided this behavior.

My more rational guess is that if you do this holding-it-with-the-clutch thing and live in a very hilly place (e.g., San Francisco), you'll toast your clutch in short order. On the other hand, if you do it rather infrequently, the extra wear won't be a huge big deal.

But the best advice is to practice starting on hills by NOT doing this, and get sufficiently proficient that you can start out on a good sized grade without riding the clutch. You'll get it eventually with practice. I should note though that in my 28 years of manual-transmission driving, the MINI is one of the more difficult cars to launch on a very steep hill. I think that this may have something to do with the electronic accelerator and/or the low torque at the bottom end.

Good luck!

 

I just don't trust my speed in switching pedals.

Give me some pointers on the e-brake method.

 

In 1963 when I got my licence,one of the tests that everyone got from the registry cops was the dreaded hill start.if you rolled back at all ,you failed.The use of the emergency brake is definately the way to go.Clutch is slowly let out at the same time as the e brake is released.Using the clutch alone will toast it in short order.Peace. Jock

 

What kind of hill are we talking about here? Sure, the ebrake thing works...but I tend to only use that when I'm trying to drive up something like the side of a cliff...never on regular public roads. You should be able to launch -- again with practice -- from at least a 45 degree grade. And it's unusual to find steeper hills in common driving. I don't want to be a hardass here, but you really need to learn the manual tranny technique if you want to be proficient in everyday driving (since you have a manual transmission car...nothing wrong with automatics, IMO). Launching every day with the ebrake technique on hills will be cumbersome and is basically like driving with training wheels.

 

It's all timing and practice. I was lucky enough to learn stick in an old '82 Subaru with it's "hill-holder clutch" feature (press the brake pedal, press the clutch pedal, release the brake, clutch holds the brake). Man, that thing worked like a charm and more cars should have it. But after awhile, I stopped 'thinking' about it and just did it and stopped using the hill-holder. Practice, practice, practice...

I've never used the e-brake technique. I've tried it a few times and it just seems too cumbersome.

Yes, using the clutch to hold the car still will burn it up in short order and is not good practice in any situation.

And once in awhile you're going to stall it. This is normal. :smile:

_________________
In a dimly lit service garage in Hell, condemned mechanics are forced to constantly diagnose the electrical system in a BMW E36 3-series in a futile attempt to shut off the CEL.

 

Definately don't ride your clutch to hold the car in place for any length of time.

How steep of hills are we talking? I've driven in San Francisco, and it does take a little bit of technique adjustment to handle hills like that. I mean, I've driven all over the US, but some of those hills in San Fran really, truly made me uncomfortable. I can't beleive people paved roads that steep.

If you're in San Fran or someplace really "comparable", the e-brake technique will be a good learning tool for you.

Basically, come to a stop. Put the car in nuetral and take you foot off the clutch. When you're about ready to go, grab the e-brake, and hold your thumb on the button the entire time. Pull the ebrake hard enough that you can take your foot off of the brake pedal - so now, you're holding the car in place with the hand brake, ready to release it because your thumb is still on the button. You are done using the brake pedal. Push the clutch in, put it in gear, and start letting out the clutch and building revs. When the clutch starts to grab and the car starts to pull forward, slowly release the e-brake and let the car go.

 

Practice practice practice

Only two positions on the clutch. Fully depressed or OUT. Just give it enough gas when starting on the hill. You'll get it . Confidence follows practice.

After a short while it will become Automatic

 

e-brake starts are pretty easy:
with the e-brake applied and the hand on the lever slowly let out the cluth till the back of the car slightly 'dips'. Then release the brake and the clutch. Thats it.

 

I drive in SF quite a bit. Use your hand brake, that's what it's for! It's easy on you and the car.

 

AMEN......same thing's been said on another thread....some guy can't handle air conditioning and hills at the same time.....(I'm also guessing BRG job.....sheeesh....the beasts are problematic......)

 

I overcame my fear of hills by practicing in a parking garage that had steep ramps, late at night. Although, I must say there arnt too many hills in these parts.

 

Colorado Springs is chalked full of 'em. North, South, East, and West.

 

My $.02...

I live in Pittsburgh, so pretty much every start I have is pointed up hill. I'm frequently stuck in traffic on giant grades, as well, and all this is to say that I've gotten quite good at the hill thing.

I think the e-brake tenchinique is largely silly (opinion)--think about it: if you just practice and learn to start "normally", then the only things you have to think about are moving your foot from the break to the gas with relative quickness while letting out the clutch. If you employ the e-brake, then you have to feel for the clutch to engage, give it gas AND find the coordination to make your hand release the brake at the appropriate time. Perhaps it's just me, but I find limiting the coordination necessary to my feet to be far, far simpler.

Just practice. :smile:

 

Don't you think this is kind of harsh? I mean, first of all, a 45 degree hill is *extremely* steep and at least in my area, would only be found where someone had perched a house way up on a cliff and had to pave their driveway down the face of the hill. Also, I've driven manual transmissions for 20+ years, and still have occasion to use the handbrake once in a while. The usual situation is where I'm sitting on a fairly steep hill at a stoplight, and some fool pulls up behind right on my bumper. While I *can* launch in the normal fashion, it's likely that my car will roll back a foot or so in the process, probably hitting the car behind. So I happily use the hand brake to help out in this situation.

Another interesting thing happened the other day. I was headed to the theatre, and the entrance to their parking lot has a very steep ramp, about the length of the MINI. It was raining. Because there was a line to get into the lot (you had to pay), I ended up sitting on this little ramp waiting my turn. When I was able to continue, I tried a regular launch, and went *nowhere* - the DSC/ASC wouldn't let me move. I guess the wheels were slipping enough to cause it to kick in. I finally got moving when the car grabbed a patch of drier pavement. It was one of those moments when you wonder who's really driving the car, you or the ECU.



>>What kind of hill are we talking about here? Sure, the ebrake thing works...but I tend to only use that when I'm trying to drive up something like the side of a cliff...never on regular public roads. You should be able to launch -- again with practice -- from at least a 45 degree grade. And it's unusual to find steeper hills in common driving. I don't want to be a hardass here, but you really need to learn the manual tranny technique if you want to be proficient in everyday driving (since you have a manual transmission car...nothing wrong with automatics, IMO). Launching every day with the ebrake technique on hills will be cumbersome and is basically like driving with training wheels.

 

MINIs have a tendency to burn the clutch very easy in steep hills. In Mexico City, where there are some very steep hills in part of the city, I know of at least 10 Coopers that went through clutch replacement because it burnt on the hills.

My car went through 2 clutches (second one was defective and burnt in 2 days without even going on steep hills).

I´ve also heard this is happening to Z4s.

The dealer recommendation was to use the e-brake, since even without putting pressure on the clutch, it does suffer quite a bit when starting from a complete stop going uphill.

My third clutch is holding on. I use a combination of e-brake and regular starts depending on traffic conditions.

 

You mean you use your parking brake while cruising on the Periferico???? It is supposed to be a high speed road you know......

 

>>My $.02...
>>
>>I live in Pittsburgh, so pretty much every start I have is pointed up hill. I'm frequently stuck in traffic on giant grades, as well, and all this is to say that I've gotten quite good at the hill thing.
>>
>>I think the e-brake tenchinique is largely silly (opinion)--think about it: if you just practice and learn to start "normally", then the only things you have to think about are moving your foot from the break to the gas with relative quickness while letting out the clutch. If you employ the e-brake, then you have to feel for the clutch to engage, give it gas AND find the coordination to make your hand release the brake at the appropriate time. Perhaps it's just me, but I find limiting the coordination necessary to my feet to be far, far simpler.
>>
>>Just practice. :smile:

It's true. Practice makes perfect. Especially when no one is behind you. But give me a brake, I mean "break"; using the "ebrake" insures you will not roll into some clod stopped two inches off of your bumper.

Of couse if you are good 100% of the time from brake to gas, you would not need to employ this "silly" technique. But there are too many mortals driving Minis IMHO.

Including me. And I never rolled back an inch on the steepest incline using the ebrake. I just miss "fly off" ebrakes. We should get MINI to bring them back!

regards,
Red

 

The handbrake approach is pretty much second nature. On any appreciable grade, just set the handbrake. Slowly release the clutch until you feel the slightest motion and release the brake. No problem and much easier on the clutch.

 

Thank god for perfect drivers and human beings....where would we be without them. Why, I bet we would never get to hear the word "silly" applied to the use of an e-brake.........on a hill......

 

Try a little heel-toe.
You won't need your e brake.

 

Hold up the emergency brake with the button depressed as you let off the clutch and accelerate. Lower the brake when you feel the car try to move forward. Obvious.

 

Don't listen to the nay-sayers, if the e-brake thing helps you feel more comfortable on a hill, then use it!

 

Back in my younger days, I too practiced in parking garages! The car I learned to drive in had a clutch & I just about burned it up. Needless to say my Dad was quite upset when he was trying to teach me how to use it on the hills in a park close to our house. I can only say that it comes with experience although my husband still uses the emergency brake method on very steep hills. Me, I let go of the clutch,hit the gas & GO

Lois