Guys, I just got a nearly new(1000 miles) Black/Sand Beige '09 c2 cabriolet a few weeks ago. I have been lurking as a guest here since that time, but it has been YEARS since I drove a stick and never in a car like this. I know much of it comes with practice, but any tips you could give me to preserve the clutch (and of course not stall out) Kind of embarrassing to drive a car like this and stall it at green lights. Sometimes I can launch with no throttle and other times not without stalling. Is the best technique to rev then release the clutch or just get better releasing with no throttle? And what about on upward slopes? Also, do I quickly release the clutch with no extra throttle to preserve the clutch or release slowly? In higher gears, should I be releasing quickly? I understand these are elementary questions, I like to take proper care of my vehicles and don't want to wear out a clutch out of ignorance/inexperience. Any tips, advice, criticisms, etc. would be appreciated.

 

These engines need some throttle if you want to avoid stalling from a standing start. Just give it some gas before you start releasing it. Don't try to launch with no throttle, or you'll stall it more often than not. Once you build up speed you can release the clutch quickly between gears. The clutches are robust, so don't worry so much about wearing it out. Just don't ride it on a hill waiting for the light to change.

 

Whew...a lot of questions.

1. Consider going to an empty parking lot and practice letting the clutch out without using the gas nor stalling the engine. After a bit, you should be able to get an idea of how far above the floor the clutch starts to engage and how much travel there is before it is fully engaged. Then start taking off, adding throttle.

Your clutch wears the most during engagement -- when it's slipping. So, within reason, you want the clutch in or out, but spend minimal time between. (so, you don't slip the clutch to slow down the car rather than using the brakes; nor do you want to sit at a light with the clutch pedal in, just wearing out the throw-out bearing)

On the other hand, too abrupt an engagement is neither appreciated by your passengers or the car. So, finding a balance between promptly, but smoothly engaging the clutch is the best.

Pulling away from a normal stop, my rpms are about 1500-1700rpm until the clutch is fully engaged.

2. On hills. Come up to your stop. Put the car in neutral, holding the car with your right foot on the brakes like you usually would. When the light is close to changing:
- with you right foot still on the brake, shift the car in 1st gear
- pull up the handbrake and let that hold the car
- move your right foot from the brake to the gas pedal, when the light changes
- take off by smoothly engaging the clutch while releasing the hand brake.

You might have to use a little more rpm on a steep hill -- but not much. Your engine has a lot of torque and can pull away well.

Mainly, take time to get used to the car before you do aggressive acceleration & shifting. A lot happens fast and you need to stay mentally ahead of what needs to happen to prevent damage (well...and look cool).

So, the least amount of wear is when you're driving along with the clutch fully engaged or when you're sitting with the car in neutral and the clutch out. The extent that you maximize those conditions over the life of your car and use your transmission smoothly, you'll be happier.

Once you're more comfortable, get into the habit of double-clutching when you downshift (some people call it rev-matching). You can search for that. But at first, with traffic and a new car -- focus on other things first.

Good luck. A good car.

 

09+ has hill holding..... Get a friend with more experience to ride with you. You're not going to pick up driving from reading. Most importantly have fun!

 

Enjoy the car. You purchased a car that takes some patience to get used to. IMO, the three pedal version is the only way to go. If you need a visual reference, try paying attention to the tach as you let the clutch out and balance the rpms at, say, 1k rpm until the clutch is fully engaged and then accelerate smoothly. You won't stall. As others have stated, go to a parking lot and practice.

 

+1. Welcome and enjoy her in good health.

 

This is news to me. I just bought a 2006 Carrera 4S and I use the clutch to slow down all the time. I let it out slowly because I'm still learning how to heel-toe down-shift.

Is this bad? Any suggestions? Just use the brakes instead?

 

Brakes=relatively cheap to replace
Clutch cost much more to replace. Use the brakes to slow down, not the clutch.

 

I worry about the ebrake on a hill launch. I'm always afraid the car behind me will see that my brake lights went off so they are free to accelerate. I live in the San Francisco area and do take to the car into the city a few times a week.
I simply rev to about 1100 and quickly let out the clutch while balancing with gas.

As far as regular, flat take off's... I'll usually give it a bit of gas to bring it up to about 900.

 

In an open parking lot:
1. clutch in, shift into 1st gear
2. let go of clutch slowly (no gas) until you feel the rpm starting to drop
3. now you are in "friction" zone
4. from this point on, gas and clutch at the same time

 

good luck

 

Not that easy, but try to find manual shift rental car, rent it for a day, practice with their clutch.

 

1. Congrats

2. welcome

3. practice on a different car

4. try http://www.standardshift.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6 everything u need to know about shifting..

 

You guys are giving me some great tips. Keep them coming if you don't mind.

 

The clutches in most makes/models can vary greatly, so not having driven a manual clutch car in some time is not as big of a disadvantage as you may feel. I'd driving nothing but manual cars but they had hall be VWs and was used to the ability engage the clutch without additional gas. Ford manual clutches, on the other hand were very heavy.

The clutches here are super robust, sports car and all, and thus provide a lot of clamping force, which makes it harder to get going from a standing start with just the clutch as the clutch wants to clamp down and apply power more than, say a VW Golf.

So I'd driven manual all my life and when I got my new car, I stalled it quite a bit at lights and after full stops. After 18 months I'm still occasionally stalling or nearly stalling after a full stop. It takes some gas before the clutch engages and then feathering/balancing. And even then, the degree you need it varies from time to time based on incline (obviously) but also temperature it seems.

Practicing with another manual car will help a bit, but will not address the issues with the clutch on the 997.... that you just need to practice yourself in your car.

For starting on hills, the car has a hill-assist feature that if the incline is enough (not that much incline is needed) and you applied the brakes, the car will hold the brakes after let off, to let you get to the clutch and gas. This means you will probably have to overcome that holding action to get moving again, so be prepared for that odd feeling of the brakes still being on despite your foot not being on them, and just driving through that (once enough torque is applied by the drive train or enough time has elapsed, the brakes will let go).

Enjoy.