I do that first part you talked about when I'm on a hill sometimes.

I guess the e-brake trick must be if you know where the grab is and thats apparent right before the car stalls I just press the clutch in a lill more to keep the car from stalling out.
But Vegas dont have hills like that out here.

 

Double clutching is not necessary on modern cars. It's a mythical holdover from the days before synchros. The only people who double clutch anymore are truckers.

I learned stick when I was 15 on a Ford ZX2. It had 50k on the clock when I started and I switch between it and a Ranger until it had 90k. Flat out it would do a whopping 112, and for about 20k miles the fork on 3rd was bent (probably by some fault of mine) and you had to be going just the right revs to get it in. Now my dad still drives it, and it's pushing 115,000 miles and has had its transmission rebuilt twice. It handles like a newborn donkey, has bugs on the grill that I think are actually crucial to the structural integrity of the paint, and has several holes in the exhaust so it sounds a bit like a lawnmower. What a great car. Well, no, it's a terrible car, but it's kind of like your old faithful Labrador that just shambles around the house and pisses on the rug.

What I can't figure out is all the girls who think that even though daddy had to order their Saturn Sky with an automatic, they can somehow handle a motorcycle. Or the guys in my squad who have a phobia of stick shift but somehow think they'll be able to handle a fighter jet.

 

That's one method, but its not particularly good for your clutch. The e-brake trick is better, but just holding the foot brake until its time to go then heel-toeing the gas is best.

 

My current heel-toe method is "JDM style". Don't think that's a good way to get the car rolling.

 

Only if you enjoy buying new clutch parts. I think you would be surprised how hot a clutch assembly gets using this practice, not to mention the additional wear.

What's wrong with holding the car on a hill with the brakes and learning how to start out from there? It can be done, and with grace.

1.3L

 

wtf?

 

I just bought my MT rx-8 two and a half weeks ago. First ever MT car I've owned or driven. Before buying it I spent like 2 weeks looking at videos on how to drive MT. After getting it, my dad drove around with me hands on for around an 1.5 hrs daily for two days, then I started going off on my own. You don't really need someone with you to learn, I just felt comfortable getting live advice. Have not EVER heard any grinding noises (just remember to always have clutch fully in before touching the gearshift) and my mantra is to use the clutch as sparingly as possible. I tried the ebrake uphill also and didn't like it so I forced myself to learn the standard method of slight gas and just getting to clutch bite quickly. Although the first 4 or so days, my heart rate went through the roof every time I hit an uphill with people behind me. My first time I dumped the clutch at like 5k rpm and it SCREEEECHed away...but anyway man, the key is to relax and practice a lot on neighborhood streets, etc and you'll be ok. Been 2 and a half weeks and I'm already working on speeding up my shifts...
Anyway besides uphills, stalling can be lame but you'll get through that phase quickly.