bren5279

iTrader: (15)

Hahahah that sig is hilarious.
But yeah I think Ill just learn normal driving first..... one step at a time I guess.
The biggest problem thats bad (not just annoying) is that Sometimes it starts lurching on me and I have no idea how to prevent it

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

dont go so low in your rpms.

xexok

It really depends on your feet and style of shoes. I wear size 13 skating shoes so they are wide as well as big and its real difficult for me. I can basically toe-toe shift by putting the left part of my foot on the brake and the right part on the gas lol. If you have smaller feet and not as wide shoes it should be much easier to learn.

bren5279

iTrader: (15)

why is it that when Im actually driving the car it seems like such a chore and not fun, yet after Im dont after a day I remember it as being so much fun and I have the overwhelming desire to do it more

merrill77

Huh? Which parts of the drive train is it hard on? (other than the clutch...maybe)

Rx8vsMalibu

Are you giving it too much gas before releasing the clutch all the way?

daffyduc

Lurching on up shifts means the revs did not drop off enough... let the clutch out slower. lurching while putting around means you need to be in a lower gear. lurching due to parking lot driving means you are in first.... it does that.... 1st is used only for starting from a dead stop. use second or third around parking lots... rev match your down shifts before getting on the brakes so you dont have to heal toe.... (size 12 here, no heal toe for me....)

learn in a parking lot and be sure to practice on hills... with the normal brake in, let the clutch out enough not to roll back then quickly transition from brake to gasand let the clutch out about halfway until rolling, then fully release the clutch.

the RX's clutch is light and sensitive... it can be a little hard to learn at first but once you get used to it you will be able to drive anything... the biggest complaint I have is not the lack of torque but rather how quickly the revs drop off ESPECIALLY with the AC on. that makes it much more challanging... once you aclimate its really a great setup,.... I am glad they did not put a heavier fly wheel to compensate... it would have ruined this car....

try not to let the revs drop below 1.5K if they are below that push the clutch in a roll if you need to go slower or tap the gas to speed up a little...

also keep it in what ever gear you are in while rolling to a stop... select the proper gear when you start to accel or poop to neutral after coming to a complete stop. start in first... shift between 4 and 5k for normal driving shift higher as needed for merging, passing etc.

I have trained many people to drive stick and some people pick it up very quickly others do not... most get there within 30 minutes of practice some people require multiple sessions... I learned to drive in a 1970 ford F9K dump truck.... no syncros 10+ gears... double clutch only.... trust me, the RX is easy to learn on by comparison... practice is the key.... dont be afraid of stalling it, you will not hurt anything, if you stall it in traffic just start it up and move on, no worries.... nothing to be ashamed of... everyone has done it myself included...

manuals have a lot of rewards... they are a pain at first but after you get used to it you would not have it any other way... I know I wouldn't... I drove a few auto RX8's and they lacked the soul and feel of the manual...

oh and practice bumping the throttle to 2K rpm over and over again... idle, bump/hold at 2k for 3 sec, return to idle... same with the clutch repeat going from floor to the friction point over and over to get the muscle memory working for you.... it will come in handy...

relax, practice and enjoy..

bren5279

iTrader: (15)

Oh I dont mean lurching as in I reved it a little to high and it pulled forward all the sudden as I let the clutch out. I mean lower revs, let it out to fast or something and Im suddently jerking forward and backward, kind of like stop, go, stop, go, stop, go, about 2 a second

Thanks for the tips daff

Rx8vsMalibu

You are too slow at changing gears and the rpms are dropping off too much. It happened to me too at first. Try to change gears a little quicker, by making the whole process seem like one smooth, fluid motion instead of 3 separate movements (clutch in, change gear, clutch out). Also try to give it a bit of gas as you release the clutch, so that you will bring the rpms up a bit if they drop too low.

daffyduc

could also be the other way around... if you pop gears too fast the revs lurch the car forward... it takes some getting used to either way... again it all comes with time... you will get the hang of it... practice and play with letting the clutch out faster/slower quicker gear changes/ slower gear changes... changing at higher or lower revs... get a good feel for how she behaves and eventually you will settle into your grove...

Best of luck...

Speed_8

when you hit 3500rpm change gears, its what i do, or start at first the rev got to third then 5th and 6th to cruise on the highway

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

Once you get the hang of it you can drive between 1.5K-3K. Saves on gas, is hard on the engine, and is not a whole lot of fun. But it can be done.

Really though once you have driven for about 10 mins, its better to drive it like a stolen rental car. The harder you are on the engine, the smoother it will run and longer the engine will last.

-----
Forgot to add its hard on the flywheel and clutch to start in second gear. You can get hot spots and wear the clutch down faster.

oltmann

Heel-toe is a misnomer for most people. Practice braking with the ball of your foot and your big toe on the right side of the brake pedal. Do this every time you stop. As you get comfortable, keep moving your foot to the right until you can just barely feel the throttle with the right side of your foot.

Now, to blip the throttle, move your knee to the right. Don't think about the throttle, just move your knee.

Practice coordinating shifts with blips and you're there.

Large feet are probably an advantage, they just make it harder to figure out the positioning at first. Long legs, however, are completely useless for driving.

There is probably some point where a foot is simply too big, but I can assure you, it isn't a 13.

xexok

Oltman I don't know what the problem is but its very difficult for me to do. There just is not enough room down there for my foot lol. Its possible its just my technique though. I don't know if I have longer than average legs or not by my seat in every car I have owned is generally so far back that if any sits behind me they just about get their legs crushed.

daffyduc

I have not found a use for heal toeing... I adjust revs before the corner or quickly between the transition from brake to gas.... I am not trying to smash lap times, just have a fun ride home :D

bren5279

iTrader: (15)

OK so Ive gotten a chance to go home and drive it again. And I officially have starting from a stop down fine, So no more advice needed on starting

But now my BIG problem: It lurches BIG TIME, whether when shifting, or not shifting at all with just being in a fairly low gear, just letting off the gas or tapping the gas, even If I am rediculously sensitive. OMG HOW IT LURCHES!!!! Im starting to get the feeling that theres something wrong with the actual transmission.
I have an R6 so I know lurching throttle, and this is like 10x worse than even that, Even when not shifting!!!!

Is there anyone Near Mooresville NC (N of charlotte) this weekend who wouldnt mind checking it out for me and telling me if its just me or if its the car?

oltmann

Maybe your engine mounts are shot? I was having the same kind of issue when I first got mine, and I also thought it was my clutch technique.

Usually the right mount is damaged the worst, take off the front wheel and it is easy to inspect.

jasonrxeight

maybe you have oil in the intake and its gumming up the throttle body?

ThatNewGuy

iTrader: (2)

I think he's just talking about the typical manual transmission lurch you get when...you're in a low gear, 3-4k RPM's and holding it, you let off, then get back on. It's hard to get that smooth. I find that happens quite a bit in traffic. It sounds like the OP's just not very familiar with a manual transmission. Not trying to be condescending. That's just what it sounds like.