I just picked up my S about a week ago and learning just like you. Like Sevnt4 said, I also find reviving around 1.5-2k to give me the smoothest start from flat land.

Have fun and drive safe!

 

Best way to drive this car is rev to 7500 rpm, dump the cluth, and keep your foot on the gas until your dash starts blinking. At that point you can shift. Repeat for gears 3-6. This driving technique is especially great around cops and other authority figures. Happy driving, and I'll see you in traffic school this saturday.

Just kidding. The S2000 is pretty easy to drive IMO. I don't see why wouldn't be able to be comfortable with it by the end of the week. My best advise to you is when you do finally get used to the S, WATCH OUT FOR MISSS SHIFTS!!!!!!!!!!!! The transmission in that car will allow changing gears into 1st or 2nd gear and rediculous speeds with no resistance, so beware.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cyber_x
[B]Thanks for the quick replies, guys...

My question mostly pertains to starting from a complete stop on flat land.

 

Thanks again for the responses. Damn, I guess now I'll have to unlearn revving to 2.5k from a standstill. Final two questions from me on this topic, I promise:

So, based on what you guys have said, the best method for now would probably be to rev to about 1.5k, let the clutch out to the grabbing point, then give some gas and finish letting the clutch out smoothly. Does that sound correct? (I'll eventually try to do it without revving up the engine first, but for now I just want to develop a simple and functional technique that won't destroy the clutch)

Finally, here's the thing that sort of worries me. When I first started driving the car, I was intensely, consciously focused on mechanical aspects of my driving (i.e. what the rpms were, how much gas I was giving, how much I was letting the clutch out). But now that I can at least drive it functionably, I'm no longer so consciously aware and focused on such things. In other words, I'm no longer paying as much attention to them. So, I'm wondering if I'm still actually learning, even though I'm not necessarily always consciously trying to. Would you guys say that the process of fine-tuning one's stick driving is more of a subconscious thing that gradually occurs without really being noticed? (that's what it sounds like from the previous posts) Or, do you think it's something that the driver really has to consciously focus on in order to improve?

Ok, that's all from me...thanks a bunch for all the input, I really appreciate it.

Take care everyone!

 

Last night I started learning how to drive a stick, and let me tell you, DJohnston, that gas-less clutching method is excellent. I had it down in no time and my friend commented on how he wished that he had known this technique when was first starting. So to anyone who is just beginning, use that gas-less clutch technique. Basically what I was doing last night was that technique and then once I did that for a bit iIwould release the clutch and when it started to catch I would slowly put on the gas then brake and do it all again. From what little i have learned so far i can tell that driving a stick is much more fun that driving an automatic. Anyhow, just my .02

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cyber_x
[B]Thanks again for the responses.

 

I was teaching my teenage daughter how to drive a stick. We started with the Accord, but then I switch to teaching her with the S2000 and it was a significant improvement. Part of the reason is the short throw shifter, the other is the close gear ratio -- it is very forgiving when she forgets to up-shift or down-shift, and much more forgiving when she forgets to shift into first gear after a stop (the S2000 would happily start in second gear, while the Accord would stall).

So in my experience, the S2000 is a very good car to learn how to drive a stick. Just don't do it like urpow did: My new S2000 broke down :-( and S2000 Broke Down Part 2 hehe . He burned out his clutch at 771 miles while learning how to drive a stick with his S2000, ouch. That will forever be a lesson on how NOT to drive a stick.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cyber_x
[B]So, I'm wondering if I'm still actually learning, even though I'm not necessarily always consciously trying to.

 

Ok...*now* I get it...haha, j/k. (to be honest, that actually was a pretty good analogy)

Interestingly, friends who've seen me drive have told me many of the same things I've heard here - that I drive fine, my technique isn't perfect but there's nothing horribly wrong with it, and also that I'm overthinking things and "pscyhing" myself out. So, I guess you guys, and them, are probably right, and I'll just be patient and will eventually get it down. I can't deny that it's somewhat frustrating learning this stuff at the age of 24 though, when it seems everyone else drives stick beautifully.

And yeah, I hopefully won't be pulling any crazy stunts and killing my clutch in a few hundred miles...actually, I've driven the car about 2000 miles since I got it (it's a commuter). By all third-party accounts, relative to others, I drive like a pansy, so hopefully that'll work to my clutch's advantage.

 

The correct term to use is "friction point."