How do I use a manual transmission?

It’s one of those things you must just do.

Left foot works the clutch, right works the brake and gas pedal. Starting at a full stop, you go from 1st to 5th in order. You have to depress the clutch in order to shift the gears.
When you come to a full stop, you always go down to 1st gear, and work your way back up.
When the car is moving forward, you do not keep the clutch pressed down; you only use it when you are shifting gears, or are sitting at a full stop.

You will feel like an idiot, and will stall out the car at first. Just stick with it, and don’t get embarrassed. Everyone struggles at first.

Try it in a big empty parking lot first, and for as long as it takes to feel comfortable.

Try it as well on a hill (preferably on a deserted road where you won’t have to worry about traffic), because there will be times you have to start from a dead stop when the car’s first reaction after you take your foot off the brake… will be to start rolling backwards. You have to be able to start up regardless… especially when there IS a car behind you.

It’s a pain to learn. Your teacher should wear a neck brace, but it is real driving, and you will learn to feel the car, and it will make you a better driver.

Here’s what I know:

Hold clutch and turn key.
Keep clutch depressed?
Shift into first
Release clutch and simultaneously depress gas pedal
Accelerate
Get off gas completely
Depress clutch
Shift into 2nd
Release clutch and simultaneously depress gas pedal
repeat

What’s wrong in that?

Your step 4: “Release clutch and simultaneously depress gas pedal” should have a “Slowly” in front of it. You are not dumping the clutch at a race track. You play a balance between te throttle and the clutch.

If there is a shift light, use it.
Don’t be too embarrassed. Everyone stalled the car when they were learning.

I still maintain that it’s better to not have preconceived notions about how to drive a stick shift, until you are in the car with the instructor. It’s a simple thing. The driver just needs a lot of space, like a large empty parking lot…and, a patient teacher.

The best of well-intentioned instructions before hand, can make it unnecessarily confusing for both the instructor and the driver.

You’re not going to learn to use a clutch online. Just wait until someone can get into the car with you and teach you.

How to Drive Stick Shift (cartalk.com)

Funny story – my family never had an automatic. I still drive sticks. At age 16, I entered driver’s education class, and I was freaked out and confused for a day or two. “How does this automatic WORK?!”

Use your ears! Left foot pushes the clutch down….right foot on the gas. Gently let the clutch pedal up…be ready to give the right pedal gas as you hear the engine strain from the contact of the clutch. You fail and start again. The main thing is to listen to the RPM….keep her at just above idle speed and as the clutch engages and the engine strains and slows….give it just a little gas and then let up on the clutch all the way and you are rolling!! Don’t forget to push the clutch pedal down and shift down to second…repeat up and over to 3rd gear and smile!

One thing that is not mentioned here is that each car is slightly different, and that is even more true for stick-shift cars. The throttle response of the engine, the “personality” of the clutch, and many other little things make it nearly impossible to give a “one size fits all” answer.

For instance, most cars cannot take off in 3rd gear, especially not going up a hill, yet my ‘89 Golf could do exactly that, if you held the revs at a certain point and let out a little slower than normal on the clutch. However, when I tried to use the same techniques in my ‘90 Civic that I did in that Golf, I wound up chirping the tires nearly every time I took off from a stop and I never dared trying a third-gear launch even on level ground.

I will say that you seem to have the basics down though. But my point is that you probably will make a few mistakes no matter what we tell you. I’ve driven quite a few sticks in my day, but the last time I drove my roommates car, I got that kind of wrong due to unfamiliarity with that car’s unique characteristics.

@Cruiser Mostly correct, though I question the part about “just above idle speed”. Then again, that may be just because I had one car where that was a recipe for stalling.
Regardless, yes, you need to listen to the RPM and adjust the pedals accordingly. I only ever had one stick with a tachometer, so listening became very important.

@jaytkay He last time my mother drove a slushbox, she kept stomping the brake pedal hard with her left foot :P

I won’t try to give you any specific advice. You have to develop a feel for the clutch. As @jerv says, every vehicle is different. You’ll learn to feel the feedback through your left foot and coordinate with the throttle on your right.

… and keep your ears open.
But it isn’t very hard to get the hang of once you actually start to drive stick. Sure, you may stall the engine or jerk the car a few times, but you’ll catch on pretty quick.

@jerv You are correct in that you do have to nudge the engine up and above idle speed before engaging the clutch. It’s been 20 years since I drove a clutch car. ;)

If I can do it you can.

I not only have to listen and hear the engine, but also feel the engine.
I’m not quite sure how to explain that.