I've had Kazzie for almost three weeks now and am still learning all the quirks that come with a 6-speed manual. The neighborhood I live in hates garages. They put them all in the back so I have to wander through a very narrow alley and it goes uphill slightly. Because of those pathetic construction workers vandalizing my dad's pickup and stealing his wheels and stereo, he put up a sliding gate around the house. It's soooo slow that I have to hold the car for 10 seconds. I was taught to hold the car by resting both feet on the clutch and gas. Is this how you're supposed to do it? I am then supposed to slowly add more gas while letting out the clutch at about the same speed. How do you all hold the car on a hill? With the brakes or the clutch? I can't do it. I stall 3 out of every 4 times and have to restart. I try to get the car moving and wind up stalling again. To make matters worse, the people who designed the curb were too lazy to flatten the ramp going up to the driveway so I have to roll the car over a small bump that eventually rises back up to sidewalk height. I'm worried that I'm putting a lot of excess wear on my clutch and starter by doing this. I just can't find the right amount of pressure to hold the car. I let it out as slowly as I can and it stalls so quickly that I can't stop it even if I slam the clutch back down. Is the transmission built to such high tolerances that there's absolutely no room for error? (The tranny is made by a German company called ZF) I've heard from people with very old cars (15+years or more or over 120,000 miles) that their trannies are so easy to drive because they're all loosened up. Will the tranny eventually become easier to use or is that not going to happen for a long time? Sorry for the long post, I'm on the verge of tearing my hair out because I still can't get it right.

 

Did you get DSC with your Clubman? If you did, it will have hill assist. If you press the clutch in and hold the car with the brake pedal, when you release the pedal, the car will hold the brake on for 2 seconds or until the clutch is released all the way.

I think a better way if you don't have DSC is to use the parking brake insted of holding the car with the clutch/gas pedals.

 

No...do not do that!! Do as Minidrivr says. If this doesn't make sense, ask...we can provide additional details.

btw, good for you for asking!!

 

Pull up that e-brake or hit the brake pedal while you wait for that gate to open. 10 sec is waaaay too long to hold a car on an uphill by slipping the clutch.

As for stalling -- if you haven't already turn on that Sport button (IIRC all R55/R56 Coopers have the Sport button(?)

 

Using a clutch on a hill. Hold it with the brake. Actually at all stops hold the car with the brake.

Either fast feet or a parking brake are needed. Using the hand brake is the easy way. I learned on a car without a hand brake so fast feet were necessary. Takes a little practice. Taught my kids that way too. First practice fast starts (starting with feet on brake and clutch). Then put them on a hill (happened to be 10% grade) and had them practice until they could limit the 'back roll' to 1 ft or less. I then turned the engine off (simulating a stall) and had them start the car, then take off.

charlie

 

Yes, definitely don't do that. Follow their advice, you want to keep clutch/tranny wear to a minimum.

 

At stop lights its even better for the clutch if you shift the car into neutral and let out the clutch until it is time to go again.