sheesh... maybe honda should license tiptronic for 05

 

Actually you can go slowly in first gear, but it is a delicate balance so you don't end up surging forward. Try second gear.

 

Avoidable (?), in the situation you're discribing, no! Bad for the clutch? Well, it's not good for it per say, but in first gear with the engine very near idle, you're not putting any real pressure on the clutch either, compared to what you might be doing under other circumstances. Also, really, what percentage of the clutches operational life are you driving in this mode anyway? It's just a normal aspect of driving the car through it's operational life. You're not abusing the car, you're just driving it, and as such, you're introducing a little wear and tear along the way. You can't get around it, it's just a fact of life and I wouldn't worry about it.

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

PS: Reuxp67 recommended using second gear. I don't necessarily agree with his thinking. Yes, it will make it easier to drive smoothly, avoiding that sudden surge if you get on the gas a little too much and/or release the clutch a little too quickly. What you'll also be doing is putting more wear on the clutch because you won't have the mechanical advantage that the lower first gear gives you. In the end, what it's all about is finese. Learn to feather the clutch in gently and you won't have to rev the engine to 2500 or 3000 rpm to move off a standing start. JMOOC!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ruexp67

 

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I learn anything, I feel much more comfortable when I learn from the ground up. Follow the link below and understand the inner pinings of a manual transmission. It's not the best article in the world, but it's got enough diagrams for even my mom to understand how stick shift works.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm

If that doesn't give you a good enough mental image, keep reading it and thinking about all that the article says while you're performing the motions of driving. It will all come together and you'll know what causes wear/tear.

I don't think the article says anything about throwout bearing...but it hits on the important parts well enough.

For more...surf around the site and also check out: http://www.turnfast.com

Hope this helps you get to more worry free driving. 'Cause I agree with the 3rd guy...the car's great...don't worry yourself to disliking the drive. Peace.