I've had a couple of practice runs in my brothers' car but today I had the full on experience driving with an instructor. Drove an '05 5 speed Corolla. 1st gear and parking killed me. I noticed that my instructor taught me a different method than my bro did when coming to a stop sign or red light. The instructor told me to engage the clutch while rolling up in 1st and holding down clutch and brake while at full stop. My bro told me that method will hurt the clutch. What he said is to roll up to the stop in with the car in neutral and then brake to a stop. Which is the correct method?

 

I downshift to slow me down when i am approaching the light or sign.

when i am going real slow, ill just throw her in neutral and let off the clutch. unless i am going to roll through the stop sign lol

 

I've never put it in neutral when coming to a stop. I drive like your instructor mentioned and in over 300,000 miles logged with manual trannies I've only replaced one clutch and that was on a tow vehicle. So you tell me...

 

+1

Just FULLY engage the clutch. Any contact with it is engaging, so never rest your foot even slightly on it unless your going to use it at that moment. Hover until use.

 

I always put it in neutral and release the clutch pedal when stopped for a while such as at a stop light ... puts less wear and tear on the throw-out bearing or concentric slave cylinder what ever you want to call it ... plus it puts less wear and tear on your foot. However, at a stop sign or whenever I just have to stop briefly, I leave the clutch held down, shift to 1st gear and wait my turn.

 

I usually just hold the clutch down the whole time unless I'm sitting for a while, and if you need to, you can start accelerating again or downshift faster if the clutch is already in. And if that's the way you feel more comfortable driving, I say do that. And if you're worried about the throw out bearing life, then once you get to be a pro at driving a stick, then you can change your habits once you feel comfortable enough.

 

You're better able to respond when the car is in gear, with only the clutch down than in neutral... but when it all comes down to it, "it's 6 one way, half dozen the other".
BTW, many moons ago when I took my driving test (in a manual) the inspector deducted for leaving it in neutral while coasting to a stop.

 

I agree with the instructor method but never coasting in 1st gear...
On traffic lights, if I'm the first car coming to it when it's red, I'll downshift to second (upon slowing down and all) and stay there with the clutch in until I'm completely stopped...
Then it's in neutral until green or first gear engaged if I anticipate the light to turn green within a few seconds.
The reason why I like to be in second gear is because you can re-accelerate through the intersection smoothly with a good pace should the light change to green.
If there are cars in front of you, then all of this is moot.
It's common sense really, and what feels right to you.

The two things I never do: is downshift to first when still rolling and sit at a stop light with a gear engaged. Those are NONOS.
Again, common sense...

 

At red lights, I leave mine in gear until there is at least one car behind me. That way, if the first car behind me fails to stop, maybe I can avoid a rear ender.... Then I go for neutral and relax the leg. I watch traffic and when our light is next, I put it in 1st ready to roll.

I have heard that coasting in neutral is actually illegal in many states, mainly pointed at trucks coasting down hills, but still, illegal.

 

I like to know how they enforce that one...

-"Sir, I'm pretty sure you were in neutral back there."
-"Really ociffer?? Didn't you hear the decompression valve on my Mustang??"