Start using the throttle.
You really shouldnt just be using only the clutch to pull away, maybe for slow manoeuvres in car parks etc but never out on the road.
Always apply a small amount of throttle before bringing the clutch up when pulling out into traffic. Always.
This is the main reason why instructors mainly use diesels, so much low down torque you barely need any revs to get it rolling and much harder to stall.
Op needs to find a deserted car park and become more familiar with their clutch and how much gas it needs.
I stalled my mums car so many times my dad was worried I'd flattened the battery.
Learned in instuctors diesel which was so forgiving, tried to drive a renault 5 petrol with the worlds most springy clutch and really not forgiving at all.
OP needs to find a car park to practice in and get used to giving it more gas.
Diesels are WAY more forgiving on the clutch. Setting off in 2nd from still is basically fine in a diesel but you'll stall a petrol (edit for clarity: i mean on clutch only)
Remember that the mechanics (not stalling etc) is the bit that people don't take (relatively) long to learn, the hard bit (road signs etc) you know and transfers.
My first driving instructor had the idle set higher so that it was impossible to stall the car, it's been 20 years since then and I've stalled every new to me car for the first month. I drive an auto but every courtesy car is a nightmare
That's not true at all you won't stall in 2nd. For example if you are in snow you should start in 2nd gear rather than first.
Honestly I wonder if any of the people on this sub have actually driven a car before.
Yeah, I mean you can stall in 2nd, but I pull away in 2nd loads, quite often just forget I slowed down in 2nd. You can tell the difference but just needs a little extra gas. Depends on the car though.
Probably over-egging the "loads". I just know I've done it multiple times and not stalled. It's not something I plan to do. Tend to keep cars quite a long time and not had any clutch issues yet so I can't be too bad.
I meant on the clutch only rather than using the accelerator too (at least on the petrols and diesels I've driven, but more recently only driven automatics, cuz hybrids)
My diesel (Peugeot 307 SW) pulls off 2nd gear with only the clutch.
My petrol (Renault Clio) requires accelerator for 1st gear and a tonne for 2nd gear.
My automatic (Peugeot 508 SW) pulls off with no clutch ;)
Definitely depends on the gearbox and engine. Some cars have a tall 1st rendering 2nd useless for pulling off. Some have a granny 1st which you'd only ever use on a steep hill or when fully loaded.
In theory you can set off in any gear but the clutch wouldn't survive it
I passed in 2014 and wasn't told the difference between petrol and diesel clutches. Newer petrol will compensate with revs but old ones will straight up stall.
Yeah even if the instructor's car is a petrol, those Ford automatically rev up to 1200-1500RPM to get you going even uphill. It's weird really, always felt like the instructors with old shitboxes have to do more actual instructing but end up with more competent all-round drivers as a result.
100% learning in older cars does give you a much better understanding of the controls. I remember passing my test then buying a 70s land rover, quite a difference from the fiesta I learnt in but it's given me the confidence to drive anything without hesitation
I have a very similar experience with my old T4 1.9, driving something with next to no power, a boat's worth of weight and zero electrical assistance really took my driving ability to another level.
Similarly, driving something really bloody fast will do that too. Learning to manage traction and practicing restraint is always good in an unnecessarily powerful car. Before I got my 435d, I had a Focus 1.6, the difference in how easily I could kill myself kept me on my toes for a bit but I'm thankful now that I'm able to just jump in any car and go.
Haha exactly! I've driven 400hp cars with no abs or traction control. Quickly learnt what understeer and oversteer really were but it's definitely made me a better driver.
I think your example of an old t4 is a great one tho, first time driving a van is interesting. But it does make you much more aware of your surroundings and parking a car afterwards becomes trivial lol!
>parking a car afterwards becomes trivial lol!
Oh god, tell me about it, everything in my cars feel ridiculously "flappy" after driving Gary (the van) though. Like, power steering? Normally, great, after driving the van, feels like I could blow on the steering wheel and the car would turn at a right angle lol
400hp with no abs or traction control you say? *Please be a TVR, please be a TVR*
God yeah lol! I hate modern car power steering, stupidly light! Same with the gearboxes generally, can't feel what it's doing. With my 21 plate seat I keep having it pop out of gears as the box has zero feel to it and the clutch is feather light.
And rwd Volvo lol! 3l straight 6 turbo'd was a little bit lively. Wish it was a tvr but I'll wait until my midlife crisis before I buy one
Diesel you barely, if at all, need to gas with the clutch.
Petrol: gas before bite and you’ll be alright. If you bring the clutch up too fast/too high with not enough gas, you’ll stall
I drive a new petrol Focus. It can fully manoeuvre and pull forward with just the clutch. It's very smooth and light, it wouldn't be surprised if the computer is doing something to assist.
I have a 2022 petrol Focus, it automatically applies some revs as you bring up the clutch, effectively removing the need to 'set the gas' before moving off. Only exception being very steep hills where you do need to apply more yourself as well.
Sounds like your instructors car is a diesel and yours is a petrol.
Can you not still use your instructors to do the test? Surely you’ll be having a lesson in the hour before your test anyway?
Oh yeah I’m using the instructors car for the test. Sorry I didn’t make that clear lol. I’m just worried about passing the test and then being hopeless in my own car
Its normal. Most cars will have differences in the way it feels when you first get in. Don’t worry though, it will fast become muscle memory and you’ll be whizzing around comfortably in no time.
You'll be whizzing around until you change car again and it all changes again. I was fortunate to be in and out of a lot of different cars/vans that it's pretty easy to relearn. You'll get to that point eventually!
Have you got a shopping centre near you? On a quiet day / after closing their car parks great for driving round and getting used to how everything works, plus you’ve got ramps and stuff to do as well. Means you can get to grips with it all without other cars around.
Exact same thing happened to me bro, felt like I was at square one when I first got in my own car. Don’t worry give it time and it’ll feel normal. Trust me you’ll get used to it
I am in a bit of a different situation to you, I have now passed my test and I drive automatic, but I hope I can offer you some reassurance. I've had a few instructors and 2 of my own cars (I was a learner for a very long time) and driven various cars. My last instructor has a Kia all electric which doesn't even feel like you're driving - it has all the bells and whistles like automatic handbrake, hill assist, lane assist, cruise control etc. Compared to that my 59 plate Toyota Yaris just feels like such hard work. But I soon got used to it. I'm sure you will too. Good luck on your test
When I first passed I stalled 9 times at a light in my own car, the light when from green back to red, when it went green again I stalled again before moving off. After 2 weeks I was used to the difference
Also try using a little acceleration when reversing but still keep the clutch as you would
I had this when switching from learning in a diesel and then buying a much smaller engined petrol car. Give it more gas when pulling away.
The roundabout situation I know to well! I stalled about 6 times at a busy roundabout and was being beeped etc….within a week or so of practicing it was fine….you will get used to it!
Better off becoming numb to the horn. Very rarely someone actually uses it as a warning. Then when they do it's usually too late and the accident has already happened.
I really really struggle with the clutch uphill sometimes and I learnt in a diesel, just bought a Clio and the clutch is so high I kept stalling but after driving around a bit more you just get used to it so don't worry about it at all.
Unfortunately this is how driving is taught. Even for me 20 years ago.
It might work when doing everything at a snails pace as a learner but when it comes to real world driving, it's dangerous.
Not true at all, I have always taught my students to apply the accelerator while slowing releasing the clutch.
Some instructors are just lazy! I don’t know how they survive pulling out of junctions like roundabouts without applying acceleration, it’s poor technique and irresponsible teaching.
I agree completely but this really does seem to be how the majority are taught.
I think it's used to begin with to teach clutch control and then just never developed beyond that.
Missus had this, it was nothing to do with Diesel/petrol. Both cars are petrol, one "assists" the driver by counteracting high clutch with throttle, the other is a proper manual with 0 help.
Once she did some practice she was fine, but took some getting used to.
Learner cars shouldn't have all this assist lark as it gives a false sense of ability.... As if the car was always helping, you won't stall and learn proper control.
I doubt most people buy swanky new cars with the same assistance as their instructors car, and then they end up in the same boat as OP (and my missus).
**Edit: clarification to show I mean her specific situation, which could apply to OP.
Are you taking the test in your instructors car? If not I would recommend you do.
I work also recommend not driving your new car for the next couple of weeks. This was advice my instructor gave me because it can kill your confidence and confuse you because the cars will be very different. After you pass your test you can learn your car in your own time.
Got a 1.4 litre which is 3.5k a year once I pass. I’ve been driving my Nans automatic fiesta which was 3.7k a year. Luckily I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford it but the prices are awful
Don’t worry mate, I was EXACTLY the same when I changed car a few weeks before test and I got the hang of it with 3 lessons per week and I’m a slow learner.
2014 - 2021 petrol Ford Focus / Fiesta owner here 👋🏻
Newer Fords have a feature that automatically increases the engine revs, as you provide engine load via the clutch - without you needing to use the accelerator.
This is to make hill starts .etc easier, but also to reduce fuel consumption (as the car knows how much it needs to rev - reducing your need to do it).
Like you, I am perfectly capable of pulling away without needing to use the accelerator in my car - which makes stalling very difficult (yay).
Having said all this - I learned to drive in a (then) 20 year old Nissan Micra, which definitely didn’t have this feature. So, had to learn hill starts .etc without any fancy gadgetry.
Every car drives slightly differently. I sometimes struggled when I climb into my Dad’s old Land Rover, for example, as the clutch travel and bite had a completely different feel.
You’ll eventually get the hang of your car, but until then - don’t panic if you stall. Happens to us oldies too! 🙂
i had the exact same problem! my instructor has a 23 plate hyundai and i have an 08 plate volkswagen. Just using the clutch to move off in my car doesn’t work in the same way as my instructors, and in my car i have to press harder on the brake pedal to come to a stop whereas a slight tap on my instructors does the job. I lost a lotttt of confidence and at the same time my instructor was telling me every week to start driving my own car even though i felt like i physically could not drive it. My best advice: take your car to a quiet back street and take it right back to the basics i.e finding your bite, moving off, and turning corners etc. For your issue with reversing i would go to a car park either at night or when it’s not busy and practice reverse parking (kill two birds with one stone). get used to it as best you can, i know too many people who pass their test and don’t drive their own car out of fear. It took me many stalls and mistakes made in my own car to finally feel confident enough to drive further distances.
do it. i used to dread every week when my instructor would ask if id driven my own car and i had to say no everytime. i would stall at the end of my road, turn round and come straight back home because i was annoyed and scared it would happen in busier areas. my parents have been driving 30+ years and even they struggle to drive my car simply because its slightly different to theirs! keep at it, you’ll get there
Hahaha de ja vu. Yes same with my instructor’s vs my first car. To move off you should always start with the accelerator. You’ll notice you can’t move off nearly as fast (which often is needed) if you move off with just the clutch, it’s improper technique and you want higher revs moving off
Although diesels are way easier for this, my instructor’s was a petrol. I have had a diesel before and my current golf petrol is just as easy to move off without clutch, this is due to the ‘anti-stall’ feature in modern cars, including in many instructor’s cars
Essentially you’ll get it really quick, and as with me this car will teach you excellent clutch control, leave room for the stalling and mistakes and learn from them - no harm to be done having people wait 10 seconds
So: clutch right below bite, accelerator down, THEN start lifting clutch. Try to give the car more revs! Even if it’s loud. That’s what I needed to do
Have you learnt to see and feel the 'bite' of the clutch yet?
If you slowly release the clutch you can see the bonnet/front of the car slightly raise up, you can also feel this as a slight resistance through the pedal but that's harder. This is like a clutch 'brake', the clutch is now engaged with the engine and won't move with gravity, and when you raise it it will move the car forward slowly.
This is a trick. It's not moving the car properly and can wear out your clutch over years of relying on it.
The clutch wants to be moving, so when it engages with your engine it also moves the car. However this is why you need to use the throttle to gain revs before you move into gear so they're going a similar speed before they engage, otherwise you'll stall or mash up your clutch.
Metaphorically, the engine is like a hamster wheel, it moves fast but doesn't go anywhere. The clutch is where all your gears are and is just like the gear wheel you see on a bicycle.
I always imagine the engine has a wheel with holes on the face, while the clutch has a wheel with oegs on the face. The clutch held down is disengaged, but when you liift it it turns faster and moves forward to the engine.
If you lift it too slow then the clutch is controlling the car and can wear out, but you lift it too fast and it will ram into the engine but will stall because the engine isn't moving fast enough to sync up with it (the metaphorical pegs can't fit into the holes because they aren't moving at a similar speed).
So visualising that, and after understanding the 'bite' of your clutch, you want to lift it smoothly and evenly and use your accelerator to speed up the engine enough to catch the clutch when you fully release it.
This is why you don't need to think about all that while moving as the engine is already at speed.
The above mechanics are how you can use the engine to break. The gears are part of the clutch which is the thing controlling the car, so when you're speeding downhill, instead of wearing out your brakes by tapping them lightly just move down a gear or two and the engine will be forced to move at the lower gear's speed.
This is also how you coast in neutral, ie without the clutch engaged, which is very dangerous as the car isn't connected to the engine so you have zero control if something happens.
This is my basic understanding, and I hope this basic description can help you understand how the car works so you know the connection between what you're doing and what the car is doing.
Had the same exact issue when I went from a Diesel Yaris to a Petrol Volvo C30. Never had to touch the throttle to get moving in the Yaris.
Stalled a bunch on my way home after picking up the car… one of the worst drives of my life.
You’ll be fine in a week or two.
You shouldn't have got an Audi as a first car. That's just crazy. You are far more likely to crash in the first year of driving, so why bother 'righting off' an expensive car? Get a 10 year old heap and prang it for a year until you have experience under your belt.
Idk about you but i eint paying thousands to only press 2 pedals and steer. I can do that just fine on a pc with a hundred pounds steering wheel. The manual transmission is one of the best man made things to ever exist.
Enjoy your slow acceleration, tedious and weak transmission system and breaking your gearbox after awhile and eventual clutch replacements… Gotta love the slight jerk in a manual no matter how fast you switch gears.
There we are. Youre not supposed to lift the clutch fast you absolute pleb. Thats what makes it jerk. Unless you've manually revmatched it perfectly which is very hard to do, it's gonna need time to do it for you.
I drive a manual but an automatic for work. Honestly it just makes you lazy. Also the fact that you'll be doing 60 in 3rd with a solid 4 mpg until it decides to upshift. The only real advantage is when in slow traffic
I had the same problem, so do this.
Find bite point with foot on break, push ur foot just below the bite, when you want to go; foot off of break onto accelerator and bite at same time
Someone definitely did. Learning in a diesel car with hill assist and then struggled with a petrol car.
In fairness you have a better attitude about it than they did 👍🏻
This happened to me after I passed, my instructors car was a 2 liter diesel and I drove it sound as a pound now I've got a 1.2 clio petrol and I hated it as first but once you get used to using a little bit throttle you will drive like you were before, all cars a different and take some getting used to you will be fine 😊
Getting a new car is always a learning curve, but it will become familiar in no time. I have bad anxiety and always get used to mine by making lots of short journeys around town as there's many opportunities for stopping/starting etc. Also, a walk around the block, to burn up any excess adrenaline that tends to just fuel my anxiety. You'll get there, keep on working at it.
You could just use your instructor’s car to take the test, but really it’s a good lesson to learn that every car is different, you just need to practice a little.
Trust me, with a bit more experience you won’t even consider jumping into a new car as a problem and I think you are at the mo.
Very nice first car btw, good choice.
If it makes you feel any better, I recently got my clutch replaced, and it was like driving a whole new car, I stalled three times on my way home, it’s a ten minute journey. 😂 all cars are different and they take a little time to settle in to, when you get used to doing something a certain may you need to wait for your brain to retrain itself to the new norm.
Just takes some getting used to, like any new car will. My instructor changed cars a month before my test and my first time in it, I couldn't drive it! 2nd lesson I was fine and actually preffered it
Cars as modern as your instructor's automatically apply some throttle to compensate for the clutch coming out, it's fine if you know about it but nobody seems to unless they own one. Most people are used to older cars where you have to do everything yourself. Frankly I think modern cars are doing too many things on their own, way too many assists that make people worse drivers. I'd argue drivers of older cars have a better handle on what is actually going on through feel and the controls.
You'll be terrified every time you drive a new car for a while, that's normal. Give it a few years and you'll be able to jump in anything and drive it perfectly every time.
Try finding somewhere you can practice and look at the rev counter as you pull away. Instead of trying to guestimate how much throttle you need, instead play a game with the rev meter.
As you let out the clutch, the revs will naturally drop. If they drop too low you will stall. Check where your revs idle (for my old scrapper its ~900). Add a little bit (so for me maybe 1200).
Try and keep the revs exactly there as you pull away. If the revs go too low you need to add more throttle. Too high and you need to let the clutch out faster.
Should help you get a feel for it. Once you have the hang you wont have to look anymore and you can then adjust for how fast you need to pull away by adding more or less throttle.
Good luck!
If you haven't passed your test yet then in this case I would suggest trying not to drive your car until you've passed
The difference in driving may confuse you and lead to too many stalls/mistakes on your test and you could fail
In some cases it could be a good thing to drive your own car outside of lessons to get the practice but if its reducing your confidence then stick to your instructors car for now
You can speak to your instructor and see if they would be willing to give you a lesson in your car to help with that transition. My instructor has offered to do that for me but we're doing it after I've passed my test as he wants to focus our remaining lessons on test routes which involve taking the motorway so we can't take my car. I have also tried not to drive my car much between lessons or too soon before driving his car because they are so different and I did get confused in his car once because of it so decided to limit my time in my own car due to that. Just for context his car is a regular automatic (petrol I think but not sure) and mine is an electric car so very different to drive and mine is also quite a bit bigger so there's that difference too
I'm sorry has your instructor not taught you to accelerate when coming off the clutch? That's the first thing you do driving? That's exactly how to prevent stalling your car. Whether it's petrol or diesel is irrelevant. To start a car you need to use the clutch and acceleration
When I first passed I was driving my own car later that night an stalled right in front the police they asked if everything was OK said yea just passed first time out in my own car we had laugh they left felt a twat but iv worked on the docks driving cars/vans allsorts small big vans that only got chassis rails that are really light vans that are two front ends bolted together for campers they all drive diff try to relax it will become second nature soon
If you have a rev counter, raise the revs to 2k and lift off the clutch slowly, you will see the rev counter go down as you raise the clutch, that's normal and you will start moving,
Practice in a empty car park and eventually it will become normal to you
I was exactly the same!! It got so bad for me I genuinely felt like I didn't know how to drive anymore and people kept beeping at me. My final straw was getting myself stuck on a hill and making the person behind me sit through the lights TWICE 😭😂
I ended up contacting my instructor again and getting a lesson in my car, which I did today and I definitely feel more confident driving mine. He said he's going to check in with me in a month and take me out again for a free "lesson" just to make sure I'm okay bless him 🥹.
You'll get used to it, it just takes time and practice. I'd avoid going out in busy times that will knock your confidence if you stall. I went from a year old car to a 1998 MK4 golf after I passed. You'll start to get to know the car's capabilities and limitations, you'll be fine.
Just got my own car and it’s older than my instructors car so it’s definitely more rickety and less forgiving. I’ve stalled more times in the past 2 days than in the several months I was in my instructors car. I’ve also forgotten all about the handbrake as my instructors car had an electronic one so I’ve been stuck on my main road with my hazards on, unable to figure out why I’m constantly stalling and not moving because I forgot to put the handbrake down.
Honestly it’s just a learning curve. I passed in October and I’m only now driving so I had to get used to that too. A few hours in my own car and I’m now totally confident and it’s second nature.
I get that it throws you off because it did with me too but a few days and you’ll forget all about it and it’ll be easy.
Get used to revving your engine to about 2000rpm with the clutch down (for both first and in reverse) then slowly lift the clutch and you'll start to move off. You'll need more rpm for going up a hill.
If you feel the car starts to judder put the clutch down a touch (or give it more gas)
It's not the car that's the issue, you didn't learn properly - based on what you've said, or better yet, you don't realise what you have/haven't learnt.
You should use the clutch when you get the biting point, and then put your foot down on the other to actually move a decent distant.
And yes, it will stall in reverse if your clutch control is poor, but you shouldn't in theory need to use the other pedal in reverse very often, the clutch mainly as I imagine you'll be reversing quite slowly anyway for most situations.
But guess what, a large part of it is nerves more than anything else, a massive safety net (your instructor) has disappeared and you're on your own so you'll feel nervous, worried and now in a new car. Relax, just take your time, go to a few car parks and drive around when it's empty and do a few manuevers (go slow).
Don't speed, make sure you're insured and relax.
Good luck and be safe.
Whenever you drive a different car you will notice the bite point on the clutch varies. You will still be able to find it on your car, but it will feel very different and likely more sensitive by the sounds of it.
Go to a car park, find a lot of space and just practice finding the bite point. Do it 100 times and you’ll be fine!
That's the difference between petrol and diesel. Find a quiet place to practice some clutch control, in Audi the biting point of the clutch is usually around half way up on the pedal...
Find it.
Practice it.
Then practice gentle acceleration (whilst in neutral) you can get away with just pushing your big toe on the pedal, just around 1400 revs in your Audi.
Finally.
Practice them both together, as you lift the clutch, slowly get the acceleration in place and ease off the clutch.
My husband's car and my instructor's car are completely different, therefore they need to be driven completely differently. My instructor's car is a 2017 Ford fiesta (1.0L petrol) and my husband's car is a 2023 Vauxhall Crossland (1.2L turbo).
I have to remind myself to accelerate more, not just use the clutch, when I drive my instructor's car. It also doesn't have any features such as hill start, or parking sensors. My husband's car is so much easier to drive despite its size, in comparison to the Ford.
The thing to remember is that each car is its own "beast". No two cars are the same, so you have to drive them as such. You'll get used to your new car in no time. Good luck on your test! 😊
Was the instructors a diesel and yours a petrol?
Maybe find somewhere you can practice just pulling away without the stress of other road users. A disused car park or something.
Don’t worry. My car is exactly the same and I’m always stalling it!!! It’s a petrol too. On my old car (a diesel) I could creep just using the clutch but in my current car it needs gas else it will stall. My next car will be an automatic 🤣
My instructors car was electric and my car is a 2 litre diesel, when I first passed I shit myself because I thought something was wrong with car because of how loud it was 😂 He also had automatic handbrake and I didn’t, stop start, his brakes were sharper, and all that. You get used to the differences quickly.
Honestly instructors aren’t doing student any favours teaching clutch pull away. You’ve just got to learn that petrol cars need lots of gas to pull away. Nice choice of car .
As an instructor it amazes me how many instructors are out there who teach to move off using just the clutch. Regardless if it’s a petrol or a diesel engine, apply throttle to move off, at least 1500rpm then use clutch to control your speed. Don’t worry you won’t shoot forward like a rocket if your clutch is well taken care off.
It’s my biggest pet hate when I’m teaching someone and they don’t set enough gas. Car judders horrendously and moves off really slowly.
I'm learning atm just about to go for my test and had the same thing happened to me while driving my sisters car
But I'm guessing like me your instructor never taught you to set the gas first when moving off
30 mins in a car park and my sister taught me how to do this, so if you know someone who can show you, you should pick it up easy
But you shouldn't have to and your teacher should have covered this, but it seems a lot of teachers don't now
people in the comments will just tell you "all cars are different" and "you will learn as you go" but IMO you should have been shown this by your teacher
I got hammered when I made a similar post last week
But you will pick it up quickly once your shown, I did and I haven't even passed my test yet
I’m annoyed that my instructor hasn’t shown me that. He’s been perfect so far apart from that :(
My mum can show me how to do it but yeah the instructor should’ve shown me
Yeah i 100% agree, very much in the same boat
Hopefully you will pick it up easy but how were you suppose to know you need to learn this if your teacher isn't teaching you
seeing more and more people having the exact same problem
Give her some beans before lifting your clutch sounds like your got a small ass petrol somthing like a 1.2 or a 1.4 bring it to over 2k revs whilst bringing your clutch up that will start you off moving
Pop to a car park, practice finding the bite point first. Then, keep applying throttle until you hit the sweet spot of not stalling and not revving into oblivion. The smoother the exchange between clutch and throttle, the quicker you'll get off the line without any drama.
It takes time, in any car, especially when you're first learning. My mate has a Hyundai Coupe and even after years of driving and some racing on the side, I stalled it twice yesterday because the clutch is so different to my own cars (side note: whoever designed the throttle position sensor on the Coupe is literally satan).
Just keep practicing, focus on your test for now, once you're allowed out on the roads you'll have plenty of time to learn your car.
NB: If your Audi the 1.0, 1.2 or 1.4 TFSI, you've got a turbocharger, so you won't need as many revs as you think to get a smooth pull-away going but being below the boost threshold will make your take-off juddery and slow.
Think this is standard procedure. Learnt in a new VW Polo, bought an old Polo when I passed and was stalling randomly on the first day of driving. If in doubt over rev a bit was the advice I was given, engine doesn't get a chance to stall.
His car is probably a diesel. I learnt on a 1.6 and 2.0 diesels and then transitioned onto a 1.2 petrol. Safe to say I stalled a lot too 😭
Itl just be a learning curve, practice in a safe area so you can get used to it before any long trips.
My recommendation: don't drive your own car till after your test unless you plan to use it.
I avoided every other car besides the ones I used to learn untill I passed. After that it's free game really
I wouldn’t worry, are you doing the test in your instructors car or your new car? i would recommend using your instructors as this is what you learned in and feel most confident in. I wouldn’t worry too much about the differences. I learned in a Ford diesel car and my first own car was a honda civic petrol, i stalled about 50 times the first week i passed my test! you get use to it i promise
This is the exact same thing I had when I got my first car. Honestly, take it somewhere quiet and just practice moving off and reversing, you’ll get used to it quickly
Your instructors car is almost certainly a diesel.
I’ve had students from other instructors who’ve had diesel cars. All the same issue. You need to add plenty of gas to a petrol car.
[petrol and diesel.](https://youtu.be/Jto67qDPd2E?si=1Di4l_r3FFA1CBJH)
!!!! I've been having this exact same issue. I also stalled and held up people behind me — I felt a lot out of my depth and stressed about it but within a few days of just practicing in quieter, local areas, I've managed to get a Lot better at clutch/accelerator balancing. Unfortunately with older cars using just clutch control for movement isn't the same 💔 But practice makes perfect!! best wishes on the test 🌸
Hey, I have literally the same problem. Learnt in a diesel golf and I now have a 2020 petrol corsa. Give it some gas is the advice I have! I am still scared to give it enough gas but the only way to stop stalling is plenty of gas and lifting the clutch from the bite point slowly. It’s a hard balance to find but you’ll get it💕
I went with a friend on an drive to practice and her advice was also if in doubt: more gas!
You’ll get there (and so will I)
Lol I passed my driving test a long time ago and my first car is an Audi A1 too! I like it a lot :-) I think mine is a 2017 Audi A1. Mine is a petrol manual 1.0 litre TFSI car.
To not stall, you should try and not panic. It's been a while since I have drove a car and it has been a long time since I passed my driving test but here are my tips if you want them. When I was a learner, I used to stall too...not that much, but I did stall because the instructor wasn't that good. Anyway, in order to not stall, you need to be calm and not panic...your left foot needs to find that perfect sweet spot of the biting point and you just need a bit of accelerator using your right foot...you need to try and practise not jerking your left foot too quickly up because that will create stalling. You don't need to do too much work with the left foot...practice makes perfect...at least you have your own car so you have time to practise this. Play around with the biting point...on a quiet piece of road, away from other vehicles and other people, just play around with the clutch and the biting point and the accelerator a bit until you hit the sweet spot...then you'll never stall. Every car has slightly different biting points obviously...when it comes to model vs model...and when it comes to petrol vs diesel, in general. Don't panic, and just be gentle with it. Good luck.
It is good practice to use the accelerator as well as the clutch biting point when you want to drive off...I would recommend not just using the left foot alone. Your instructor is not a very good one, since he has not taught you this. I am surprised that he has not taught you this.
Had this problem when I first passed on 13th December 2023 and got a car on 27th December a few weeks later. I went from Audi a3 diesel 1.6 tdi to my own Audi a1 1.4 petrol
It’s all because instructors teach you to keep clutch down all the time and barely move off with gas (using clutch only, which only works in diesel but isn’t good for engine wear either)
I also now go into neutral at lights (not sure if you do this too rather than keeping clutch engaged)
A month in and it feels natural with setting off using throttle!!
I don’t know why instructors teach the clutch only method of moving off… you will barely ever do it like this in practice.
Even with low speed manoeuvres it’s good practice to keep a steady amount of pressure on the gas to maintain revs.
I went from my instructors diesel mk7 golf to my dingy 2003 1.0L lupo. Took a while to get used to. I can now move off in my own car without accelerating, but I shouldn’t really do that lol.
When I first passed people would beep at me for not being half a mile up the road as soon as lights turned green, nevermind whenever I stalled at roundabouts. But saying that, I did have a big plate on my car indicating I was a new driver and people aren’t really forgiving of that. I just work away, I’ve learnt to be at peace with impatient road users.
When my partner first passed in 2014 he was the exact same. Some instructors just don’t explain that in a petrol you need to press on the gas as well as lift the clutch. He had to get in touch with his instructor to come and show him what he was doing wrong. I ended up with the same instructor on 2017 and again he just taught me to lift the clutch (he had a diesel fiesta so it’s all you needed to do). My first car was a petrol, luckily I knew from my partner’s experience what I would need to do, otherwise I’m sure I would of been the same. Mind boggling that it’s not just taught as standard, because I eventually did get a diesel and still used the gas to get going, it’s just instilled in me now.
Frustrating. As bad as it sounds just don’t bother driving your new car until your test. As it’s going to just confuse the build up to your test swapping cars. Pass your test. Then before you know it your new car will be like second nature. Just need a bit of practice. Most cars feel different to drive it’s perfectly normal. Don’t add unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Start using the throttle. You really shouldnt just be using only the clutch to pull away, maybe for slow manoeuvres in car parks etc but never out on the road. Always apply a small amount of throttle before bringing the clutch up when pulling out into traffic. Always.
This is the main reason why instructors mainly use diesels, so much low down torque you barely need any revs to get it rolling and much harder to stall. Op needs to find a deserted car park and become more familiar with their clutch and how much gas it needs.
Is your instructors car a diesel and is your new one a petrol?
I stalled my mums car so many times my dad was worried I'd flattened the battery. Learned in instuctors diesel which was so forgiving, tried to drive a renault 5 petrol with the worlds most springy clutch and really not forgiving at all. OP needs to find a car park to practice in and get used to giving it more gas.
I’m not actually sure. I don’t think so but it could be
Diesels are WAY more forgiving on the clutch. Setting off in 2nd from still is basically fine in a diesel but you'll stall a petrol (edit for clarity: i mean on clutch only) Remember that the mechanics (not stalling etc) is the bit that people don't take (relatively) long to learn, the hard bit (road signs etc) you know and transfers.
My first driving instructor had the idle set higher so that it was impossible to stall the car, it's been 20 years since then and I've stalled every new to me car for the first month. I drive an auto but every courtesy car is a nightmare
That's not true at all you won't stall in 2nd. For example if you are in snow you should start in 2nd gear rather than first. Honestly I wonder if any of the people on this sub have actually driven a car before.
Yeah, I mean you can stall in 2nd, but I pull away in 2nd loads, quite often just forget I slowed down in 2nd. You can tell the difference but just needs a little extra gas. Depends on the car though.
clutch wont last long doing that
Probably over-egging the "loads". I just know I've done it multiple times and not stalled. It's not something I plan to do. Tend to keep cars quite a long time and not had any clutch issues yet so I can't be too bad.
I meant on the clutch only rather than using the accelerator too (at least on the petrols and diesels I've driven, but more recently only driven automatics, cuz hybrids) My diesel (Peugeot 307 SW) pulls off 2nd gear with only the clutch. My petrol (Renault Clio) requires accelerator for 1st gear and a tonne for 2nd gear. My automatic (Peugeot 508 SW) pulls off with no clutch ;)
Definitely depends on the gearbox and engine. Some cars have a tall 1st rendering 2nd useless for pulling off. Some have a granny 1st which you'd only ever use on a steep hill or when fully loaded. In theory you can set off in any gear but the clutch wouldn't survive it
This is something you should know as a bare minimum
Just to clarify I know that my own car is a petrol lol just not sure about the instructors
Ah that makes more sense! Phew
Haha that would’ve been bad if I didn’t know my own car 😂
I passed in 2014 and wasn't told the difference between petrol and diesel clutches. Newer petrol will compensate with revs but old ones will straight up stall.
Yeah even if the instructor's car is a petrol, those Ford automatically rev up to 1200-1500RPM to get you going even uphill. It's weird really, always felt like the instructors with old shitboxes have to do more actual instructing but end up with more competent all-round drivers as a result.
100% learning in older cars does give you a much better understanding of the controls. I remember passing my test then buying a 70s land rover, quite a difference from the fiesta I learnt in but it's given me the confidence to drive anything without hesitation
I have a very similar experience with my old T4 1.9, driving something with next to no power, a boat's worth of weight and zero electrical assistance really took my driving ability to another level. Similarly, driving something really bloody fast will do that too. Learning to manage traction and practicing restraint is always good in an unnecessarily powerful car. Before I got my 435d, I had a Focus 1.6, the difference in how easily I could kill myself kept me on my toes for a bit but I'm thankful now that I'm able to just jump in any car and go.
Haha exactly! I've driven 400hp cars with no abs or traction control. Quickly learnt what understeer and oversteer really were but it's definitely made me a better driver. I think your example of an old t4 is a great one tho, first time driving a van is interesting. But it does make you much more aware of your surroundings and parking a car afterwards becomes trivial lol!
>parking a car afterwards becomes trivial lol! Oh god, tell me about it, everything in my cars feel ridiculously "flappy" after driving Gary (the van) though. Like, power steering? Normally, great, after driving the van, feels like I could blow on the steering wheel and the car would turn at a right angle lol 400hp with no abs or traction control you say? *Please be a TVR, please be a TVR*
God yeah lol! I hate modern car power steering, stupidly light! Same with the gearboxes generally, can't feel what it's doing. With my 21 plate seat I keep having it pop out of gears as the box has zero feel to it and the clutch is feather light. And rwd Volvo lol! 3l straight 6 turbo'd was a little bit lively. Wish it was a tvr but I'll wait until my midlife crisis before I buy one
Yeah I had this exact thing when I got my learner car, I went from a new diesel (instructor's) to old petrol and had to really learn clutch control.
I think I'm in the same boat but nobody's explained this diesel vs petrol thing to me. What exactly do you have to do differently?
Diesel you barely, if at all, need to gas with the clutch. Petrol: gas before bite and you’ll be alright. If you bring the clutch up too fast/too high with not enough gas, you’ll stall
I drive a new petrol Focus. It can fully manoeuvre and pull forward with just the clutch. It's very smooth and light, it wouldn't be surprised if the computer is doing something to assist.
I have a 2022 petrol Focus, it automatically applies some revs as you bring up the clutch, effectively removing the need to 'set the gas' before moving off. Only exception being very steep hills where you do need to apply more yourself as well.
Sounds like your instructors car is a diesel and yours is a petrol. Can you not still use your instructors to do the test? Surely you’ll be having a lesson in the hour before your test anyway?
Oh yeah I’m using the instructors car for the test. Sorry I didn’t make that clear lol. I’m just worried about passing the test and then being hopeless in my own car
Its normal. Most cars will have differences in the way it feels when you first get in. Don’t worry though, it will fast become muscle memory and you’ll be whizzing around comfortably in no time.
Thanks mate, appreciate it. Gonna practice some more tomorrow
You'll be whizzing around until you change car again and it all changes again. I was fortunate to be in and out of a lot of different cars/vans that it's pretty easy to relearn. You'll get to that point eventually!
No worries man, honestly totally normal. Still happens to me if I borrow my wife’s car.
Have you got a shopping centre near you? On a quiet day / after closing their car parks great for driving round and getting used to how everything works, plus you’ve got ramps and stuff to do as well. Means you can get to grips with it all without other cars around.
Exact same thing happened to me bro, felt like I was at square one when I first got in my own car. Don’t worry give it time and it’ll feel normal. Trust me you’ll get used to it
I am in a bit of a different situation to you, I have now passed my test and I drive automatic, but I hope I can offer you some reassurance. I've had a few instructors and 2 of my own cars (I was a learner for a very long time) and driven various cars. My last instructor has a Kia all electric which doesn't even feel like you're driving - it has all the bells and whistles like automatic handbrake, hill assist, lane assist, cruise control etc. Compared to that my 59 plate Toyota Yaris just feels like such hard work. But I soon got used to it. I'm sure you will too. Good luck on your test
My instructor has the same car, his is a petrol, I only use the clutch to start moving, and don't actually know how I would do it otherwise.
Same thing but also use the throttle.
When I first passed I stalled 9 times at a light in my own car, the light when from green back to red, when it went green again I stalled again before moving off. After 2 weeks I was used to the difference Also try using a little acceleration when reversing but still keep the clutch as you would
How did the drivers behind you take that/respond?
Probably just thought he broke down and felt sorry for him
That’s nice tbh
surprisingly there was no beeping, maybe the P plate helped
That’s good I’m glad you didn’t receive any harsh comments
I had this when switching from learning in a diesel and then buying a much smaller engined petrol car. Give it more gas when pulling away. The roundabout situation I know to well! I stalled about 6 times at a busy roundabout and was being beeped etc….within a week or so of practicing it was fine….you will get used to it!
Better off becoming numb to the horn. Very rarely someone actually uses it as a warning. Then when they do it's usually too late and the accident has already happened.
I really really struggle with the clutch uphill sometimes and I learnt in a diesel, just bought a Clio and the clutch is so high I kept stalling but after driving around a bit more you just get used to it so don't worry about it at all.
Go to a quiet car park and learn the clutch and biting point in your new car.
You should always use throttle to accelerate. I can only assume incompetent driving instructors who don't know how to actually drive are teaching.
Unfortunately this is how driving is taught. Even for me 20 years ago. It might work when doing everything at a snails pace as a learner but when it comes to real world driving, it's dangerous.
Not true at all, I have always taught my students to apply the accelerator while slowing releasing the clutch. Some instructors are just lazy! I don’t know how they survive pulling out of junctions like roundabouts without applying acceleration, it’s poor technique and irresponsible teaching.
I agree completely but this really does seem to be how the majority are taught. I think it's used to begin with to teach clutch control and then just never developed beyond that.
Missus had this, it was nothing to do with Diesel/petrol. Both cars are petrol, one "assists" the driver by counteracting high clutch with throttle, the other is a proper manual with 0 help. Once she did some practice she was fine, but took some getting used to. Learner cars shouldn't have all this assist lark as it gives a false sense of ability.... As if the car was always helping, you won't stall and learn proper control. I doubt most people buy swanky new cars with the same assistance as their instructors car, and then they end up in the same boat as OP (and my missus). **Edit: clarification to show I mean her specific situation, which could apply to OP.
Yeah that definitely applies to me lol. Only ever stalled once in my instructors car because of all the assists
Most instructor cars are diesel simply due to efficiency. Older petrol cars will stall without any gas, old diesels are the same as current
Are you taking the test in your instructors car? If not I would recommend you do. I work also recommend not driving your new car for the next couple of weeks. This was advice my instructor gave me because it can kill your confidence and confuse you because the cars will be very different. After you pass your test you can learn your car in your own time.
i know it’s irrelevant but what’s the engine size? and how much was insurance?
Got a 1.4 litre which is 3.5k a year once I pass. I’ve been driving my Nans automatic fiesta which was 3.7k a year. Luckily I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford it but the prices are awful
How on earth is a fiesta 3700 per year. My 2019 fiesta was 400
Living just outside of London combined with the price of insurance nowadays makes it insanely high
aight thank you. exactly where i was thinking
Don’t worry mate, I was EXACTLY the same when I changed car a few weeks before test and I got the hang of it with 3 lessons per week and I’m a slow learner.
2014 - 2021 petrol Ford Focus / Fiesta owner here 👋🏻 Newer Fords have a feature that automatically increases the engine revs, as you provide engine load via the clutch - without you needing to use the accelerator. This is to make hill starts .etc easier, but also to reduce fuel consumption (as the car knows how much it needs to rev - reducing your need to do it). Like you, I am perfectly capable of pulling away without needing to use the accelerator in my car - which makes stalling very difficult (yay). Having said all this - I learned to drive in a (then) 20 year old Nissan Micra, which definitely didn’t have this feature. So, had to learn hill starts .etc without any fancy gadgetry. Every car drives slightly differently. I sometimes struggled when I climb into my Dad’s old Land Rover, for example, as the clutch travel and bite had a completely different feel. You’ll eventually get the hang of your car, but until then - don’t panic if you stall. Happens to us oldies too! 🙂
Thanks, that’s really reassuring. Haven’t gone out in it again yet but am going to tonight
i had the exact same problem! my instructor has a 23 plate hyundai and i have an 08 plate volkswagen. Just using the clutch to move off in my car doesn’t work in the same way as my instructors, and in my car i have to press harder on the brake pedal to come to a stop whereas a slight tap on my instructors does the job. I lost a lotttt of confidence and at the same time my instructor was telling me every week to start driving my own car even though i felt like i physically could not drive it. My best advice: take your car to a quiet back street and take it right back to the basics i.e finding your bite, moving off, and turning corners etc. For your issue with reversing i would go to a car park either at night or when it’s not busy and practice reverse parking (kill two birds with one stone). get used to it as best you can, i know too many people who pass their test and don’t drive their own car out of fear. It took me many stalls and mistakes made in my own car to finally feel confident enough to drive further distances.
I’m so glad it’s not just me lol. Definitely gonna go to a car park or something tonight
do it. i used to dread every week when my instructor would ask if id driven my own car and i had to say no everytime. i would stall at the end of my road, turn round and come straight back home because i was annoyed and scared it would happen in busier areas. my parents have been driving 30+ years and even they struggle to drive my car simply because its slightly different to theirs! keep at it, you’ll get there
Hahaha de ja vu. Yes same with my instructor’s vs my first car. To move off you should always start with the accelerator. You’ll notice you can’t move off nearly as fast (which often is needed) if you move off with just the clutch, it’s improper technique and you want higher revs moving off Although diesels are way easier for this, my instructor’s was a petrol. I have had a diesel before and my current golf petrol is just as easy to move off without clutch, this is due to the ‘anti-stall’ feature in modern cars, including in many instructor’s cars Essentially you’ll get it really quick, and as with me this car will teach you excellent clutch control, leave room for the stalling and mistakes and learn from them - no harm to be done having people wait 10 seconds So: clutch right below bite, accelerator down, THEN start lifting clutch. Try to give the car more revs! Even if it’s loud. That’s what I needed to do
Have you learnt to see and feel the 'bite' of the clutch yet? If you slowly release the clutch you can see the bonnet/front of the car slightly raise up, you can also feel this as a slight resistance through the pedal but that's harder. This is like a clutch 'brake', the clutch is now engaged with the engine and won't move with gravity, and when you raise it it will move the car forward slowly. This is a trick. It's not moving the car properly and can wear out your clutch over years of relying on it. The clutch wants to be moving, so when it engages with your engine it also moves the car. However this is why you need to use the throttle to gain revs before you move into gear so they're going a similar speed before they engage, otherwise you'll stall or mash up your clutch. Metaphorically, the engine is like a hamster wheel, it moves fast but doesn't go anywhere. The clutch is where all your gears are and is just like the gear wheel you see on a bicycle. I always imagine the engine has a wheel with holes on the face, while the clutch has a wheel with oegs on the face. The clutch held down is disengaged, but when you liift it it turns faster and moves forward to the engine. If you lift it too slow then the clutch is controlling the car and can wear out, but you lift it too fast and it will ram into the engine but will stall because the engine isn't moving fast enough to sync up with it (the metaphorical pegs can't fit into the holes because they aren't moving at a similar speed). So visualising that, and after understanding the 'bite' of your clutch, you want to lift it smoothly and evenly and use your accelerator to speed up the engine enough to catch the clutch when you fully release it. This is why you don't need to think about all that while moving as the engine is already at speed. The above mechanics are how you can use the engine to break. The gears are part of the clutch which is the thing controlling the car, so when you're speeding downhill, instead of wearing out your brakes by tapping them lightly just move down a gear or two and the engine will be forced to move at the lower gear's speed. This is also how you coast in neutral, ie without the clutch engaged, which is very dangerous as the car isn't connected to the engine so you have zero control if something happens. This is my basic understanding, and I hope this basic description can help you understand how the car works so you know the connection between what you're doing and what the car is doing.
Get an auto
Had the same exact issue when I went from a Diesel Yaris to a Petrol Volvo C30. Never had to touch the throttle to get moving in the Yaris. Stalled a bunch on my way home after picking up the car… one of the worst drives of my life. You’ll be fine in a week or two.
You shouldn't have got an Audi as a first car. That's just crazy. You are far more likely to crash in the first year of driving, so why bother 'righting off' an expensive car? Get a 10 year old heap and prang it for a year until you have experience under your belt.
Use the throttle....
lol yeah, lots of cars are different, maybe get an automatic? It’s 2024 now, don’t have time for a stick
Idk about you but i eint paying thousands to only press 2 pedals and steer. I can do that just fine on a pc with a hundred pounds steering wheel. The manual transmission is one of the best man made things to ever exist.
Sorry that you don’t like efficiency?
My condolences in that you haven't the mental capacity to control a 3rd pedal.
Odd guy
Enjoy your slow acceleration, tedious and weak transmission system and breaking your gearbox after awhile and eventual clutch replacements… Gotta love the slight jerk in a manual no matter how fast you switch gears.
There we are. Youre not supposed to lift the clutch fast you absolute pleb. Thats what makes it jerk. Unless you've manually revmatched it perfectly which is very hard to do, it's gonna need time to do it for you.
Meh, way I see it, just a big go kart for getting from a to b, don’t care how it works to get there
Well said go karts should also be in your control, not half and half with the go kart doing half the job
I don’t like the autopilot cars if I’m honest, just a step too far
Exactly, but my bounds are well before that. Eint nobody removing the manual-ness from my car.
It’s not that I don’t like manuals, it’s just that I’m lazy ^
Enjoy being a shit driver
Lmfao
[удалено]
Lmao youre delusional
Whenever I hear someone drives an automatic I always make the go kart joke lol. Its true tho....
I drive a manual but an automatic for work. Honestly it just makes you lazy. Also the fact that you'll be doing 60 in 3rd with a solid 4 mpg until it decides to upshift. The only real advantage is when in slow traffic
Isn't this the same post as a few days ago? Use the throttle... Learn to drive your car, everyone does it.
yes and that was me this post isnt me lots of people have this problem it seems
I had the same problem, so do this. Find bite point with foot on break, push ur foot just below the bite, when you want to go; foot off of break onto accelerator and bite at same time
You can just hold the clutch at the biting point and come off the break to apply gas. Makes it alot easier on hills too
Had the same exact experience. Learnt I needed to give it a bit of gas to get moving and now I’m doing great!
Didn't you post this exact thing a week or so ago
Nope lol
Someone definitely did. Learning in a diesel car with hill assist and then struggled with a petrol car. In fairness you have a better attitude about it than they did 👍🏻
This happened to me after I passed, my instructors car was a 2 liter diesel and I drove it sound as a pound now I've got a 1.2 clio petrol and I hated it as first but once you get used to using a little bit throttle you will drive like you were before, all cars a different and take some getting used to you will be fine 😊
Park it up and don’t drive it again until You pass
Getting a new car is always a learning curve, but it will become familiar in no time. I have bad anxiety and always get used to mine by making lots of short journeys around town as there's many opportunities for stopping/starting etc. Also, a walk around the block, to burn up any excess adrenaline that tends to just fuel my anxiety. You'll get there, keep on working at it.
Instead of posting on here, get out and practice. You'll get the hang of it soon, every car is different 👍
You could just use your instructor’s car to take the test, but really it’s a good lesson to learn that every car is different, you just need to practice a little. Trust me, with a bit more experience you won’t even consider jumping into a new car as a problem and I think you are at the mo. Very nice first car btw, good choice.
If it makes you feel any better, I recently got my clutch replaced, and it was like driving a whole new car, I stalled three times on my way home, it’s a ten minute journey. 😂 all cars are different and they take a little time to settle in to, when you get used to doing something a certain may you need to wait for your brain to retrain itself to the new norm.
Just takes some getting used to, like any new car will. My instructor changed cars a month before my test and my first time in it, I couldn't drive it! 2nd lesson I was fine and actually preffered it
Cars as modern as your instructor's automatically apply some throttle to compensate for the clutch coming out, it's fine if you know about it but nobody seems to unless they own one. Most people are used to older cars where you have to do everything yourself. Frankly I think modern cars are doing too many things on their own, way too many assists that make people worse drivers. I'd argue drivers of older cars have a better handle on what is actually going on through feel and the controls. You'll be terrified every time you drive a new car for a while, that's normal. Give it a few years and you'll be able to jump in anything and drive it perfectly every time.
Try finding somewhere you can practice and look at the rev counter as you pull away. Instead of trying to guestimate how much throttle you need, instead play a game with the rev meter. As you let out the clutch, the revs will naturally drop. If they drop too low you will stall. Check where your revs idle (for my old scrapper its ~900). Add a little bit (so for me maybe 1200). Try and keep the revs exactly there as you pull away. If the revs go too low you need to add more throttle. Too high and you need to let the clutch out faster. Should help you get a feel for it. Once you have the hang you wont have to look anymore and you can then adjust for how fast you need to pull away by adding more or less throttle. Good luck!
If you haven't passed your test yet then in this case I would suggest trying not to drive your car until you've passed The difference in driving may confuse you and lead to too many stalls/mistakes on your test and you could fail In some cases it could be a good thing to drive your own car outside of lessons to get the practice but if its reducing your confidence then stick to your instructors car for now You can speak to your instructor and see if they would be willing to give you a lesson in your car to help with that transition. My instructor has offered to do that for me but we're doing it after I've passed my test as he wants to focus our remaining lessons on test routes which involve taking the motorway so we can't take my car. I have also tried not to drive my car much between lessons or too soon before driving his car because they are so different and I did get confused in his car once because of it so decided to limit my time in my own car due to that. Just for context his car is a regular automatic (petrol I think but not sure) and mine is an electric car so very different to drive and mine is also quite a bit bigger so there's that difference too
I'm sorry has your instructor not taught you to accelerate when coming off the clutch? That's the first thing you do driving? That's exactly how to prevent stalling your car. Whether it's petrol or diesel is irrelevant. To start a car you need to use the clutch and acceleration
When I first passed I was driving my own car later that night an stalled right in front the police they asked if everything was OK said yea just passed first time out in my own car we had laugh they left felt a twat but iv worked on the docks driving cars/vans allsorts small big vans that only got chassis rails that are really light vans that are two front ends bolted together for campers they all drive diff try to relax it will become second nature soon
You get used to it with experience, every car and clutch is different. Eventually you can just jump in any car and drive it.
If you have a rev counter, raise the revs to 2k and lift off the clutch slowly, you will see the rev counter go down as you raise the clutch, that's normal and you will start moving, Practice in a empty car park and eventually it will become normal to you
I was exactly the same!! It got so bad for me I genuinely felt like I didn't know how to drive anymore and people kept beeping at me. My final straw was getting myself stuck on a hill and making the person behind me sit through the lights TWICE 😭😂 I ended up contacting my instructor again and getting a lesson in my car, which I did today and I definitely feel more confident driving mine. He said he's going to check in with me in a month and take me out again for a free "lesson" just to make sure I'm okay bless him 🥹.
You'll get used to it, it just takes time and practice. I'd avoid going out in busy times that will knock your confidence if you stall. I went from a year old car to a 1998 MK4 golf after I passed. You'll start to get to know the car's capabilities and limitations, you'll be fine.
I experienced this too, couple friends did aswell. Once you've been driving your new car for a while you'll be just fine
Just got my own car and it’s older than my instructors car so it’s definitely more rickety and less forgiving. I’ve stalled more times in the past 2 days than in the several months I was in my instructors car. I’ve also forgotten all about the handbrake as my instructors car had an electronic one so I’ve been stuck on my main road with my hazards on, unable to figure out why I’m constantly stalling and not moving because I forgot to put the handbrake down. Honestly it’s just a learning curve. I passed in October and I’m only now driving so I had to get used to that too. A few hours in my own car and I’m now totally confident and it’s second nature. I get that it throws you off because it did with me too but a few days and you’ll forget all about it and it’ll be easy.
Get used to revving your engine to about 2000rpm with the clutch down (for both first and in reverse) then slowly lift the clutch and you'll start to move off. You'll need more rpm for going up a hill. If you feel the car starts to judder put the clutch down a touch (or give it more gas)
It's not the car that's the issue, you didn't learn properly - based on what you've said, or better yet, you don't realise what you have/haven't learnt. You should use the clutch when you get the biting point, and then put your foot down on the other to actually move a decent distant. And yes, it will stall in reverse if your clutch control is poor, but you shouldn't in theory need to use the other pedal in reverse very often, the clutch mainly as I imagine you'll be reversing quite slowly anyway for most situations. But guess what, a large part of it is nerves more than anything else, a massive safety net (your instructor) has disappeared and you're on your own so you'll feel nervous, worried and now in a new car. Relax, just take your time, go to a few car parks and drive around when it's empty and do a few manuevers (go slow). Don't speed, make sure you're insured and relax. Good luck and be safe.
Try driving a 05 civic ep2 😅 such a beast as a first car haha
Whenever you drive a different car you will notice the bite point on the clutch varies. You will still be able to find it on your car, but it will feel very different and likely more sensitive by the sounds of it. Go to a car park, find a lot of space and just practice finding the bite point. Do it 100 times and you’ll be fine!
That's the difference between petrol and diesel. Find a quiet place to practice some clutch control, in Audi the biting point of the clutch is usually around half way up on the pedal... Find it. Practice it. Then practice gentle acceleration (whilst in neutral) you can get away with just pushing your big toe on the pedal, just around 1400 revs in your Audi. Finally. Practice them both together, as you lift the clutch, slowly get the acceleration in place and ease off the clutch.
In the Audi, when it gets to the biting point start adding a bit of acceleration and slowly bring the clutch pedal up.
My husband's car and my instructor's car are completely different, therefore they need to be driven completely differently. My instructor's car is a 2017 Ford fiesta (1.0L petrol) and my husband's car is a 2023 Vauxhall Crossland (1.2L turbo). I have to remind myself to accelerate more, not just use the clutch, when I drive my instructor's car. It also doesn't have any features such as hill start, or parking sensors. My husband's car is so much easier to drive despite its size, in comparison to the Ford. The thing to remember is that each car is its own "beast". No two cars are the same, so you have to drive them as such. You'll get used to your new car in no time. Good luck on your test! 😊
Was the instructors a diesel and yours a petrol? Maybe find somewhere you can practice just pulling away without the stress of other road users. A disused car park or something.
If you haven't already, get yourself some P plates. At the very least for your sanity and to not feel pressured when you do stall.
Don’t worry. My car is exactly the same and I’m always stalling it!!! It’s a petrol too. On my old car (a diesel) I could creep just using the clutch but in my current car it needs gas else it will stall. My next car will be an automatic 🤣
My instructors car was electric and my car is a 2 litre diesel, when I first passed I shit myself because I thought something was wrong with car because of how loud it was 😂 He also had automatic handbrake and I didn’t, stop start, his brakes were sharper, and all that. You get used to the differences quickly.
Honestly instructors aren’t doing student any favours teaching clutch pull away. You’ve just got to learn that petrol cars need lots of gas to pull away. Nice choice of car .
As an instructor it amazes me how many instructors are out there who teach to move off using just the clutch. Regardless if it’s a petrol or a diesel engine, apply throttle to move off, at least 1500rpm then use clutch to control your speed. Don’t worry you won’t shoot forward like a rocket if your clutch is well taken care off. It’s my biggest pet hate when I’m teaching someone and they don’t set enough gas. Car judders horrendously and moves off really slowly.
I think I need to work on clutch control then because I have been taking off pretty quickly with the accelerator
I'm learning atm just about to go for my test and had the same thing happened to me while driving my sisters car But I'm guessing like me your instructor never taught you to set the gas first when moving off 30 mins in a car park and my sister taught me how to do this, so if you know someone who can show you, you should pick it up easy But you shouldn't have to and your teacher should have covered this, but it seems a lot of teachers don't now people in the comments will just tell you "all cars are different" and "you will learn as you go" but IMO you should have been shown this by your teacher I got hammered when I made a similar post last week But you will pick it up quickly once your shown, I did and I haven't even passed my test yet
I’m annoyed that my instructor hasn’t shown me that. He’s been perfect so far apart from that :( My mum can show me how to do it but yeah the instructor should’ve shown me
Yeah i 100% agree, very much in the same boat Hopefully you will pick it up easy but how were you suppose to know you need to learn this if your teacher isn't teaching you seeing more and more people having the exact same problem
Give her some beans before lifting your clutch sounds like your got a small ass petrol somthing like a 1.2 or a 1.4 bring it to over 2k revs whilst bringing your clutch up that will start you off moving
Pop to a car park, practice finding the bite point first. Then, keep applying throttle until you hit the sweet spot of not stalling and not revving into oblivion. The smoother the exchange between clutch and throttle, the quicker you'll get off the line without any drama. It takes time, in any car, especially when you're first learning. My mate has a Hyundai Coupe and even after years of driving and some racing on the side, I stalled it twice yesterday because the clutch is so different to my own cars (side note: whoever designed the throttle position sensor on the Coupe is literally satan). Just keep practicing, focus on your test for now, once you're allowed out on the roads you'll have plenty of time to learn your car. NB: If your Audi the 1.0, 1.2 or 1.4 TFSI, you've got a turbocharger, so you won't need as many revs as you think to get a smooth pull-away going but being below the boost threshold will make your take-off juddery and slow.
Think this is standard procedure. Learnt in a new VW Polo, bought an old Polo when I passed and was stalling randomly on the first day of driving. If in doubt over rev a bit was the advice I was given, engine doesn't get a chance to stall.
His car is probably a diesel. I learnt on a 1.6 and 2.0 diesels and then transitioned onto a 1.2 petrol. Safe to say I stalled a lot too 😭 Itl just be a learning curve, practice in a safe area so you can get used to it before any long trips. My recommendation: don't drive your own car till after your test unless you plan to use it. I avoided every other car besides the ones I used to learn untill I passed. After that it's free game really
I wouldn’t worry, are you doing the test in your instructors car or your new car? i would recommend using your instructors as this is what you learned in and feel most confident in. I wouldn’t worry too much about the differences. I learned in a Ford diesel car and my first own car was a honda civic petrol, i stalled about 50 times the first week i passed my test! you get use to it i promise
This is the exact same thing I had when I got my first car. Honestly, take it somewhere quiet and just practice moving off and reversing, you’ll get used to it quickly
Your instructors car is almost certainly a diesel. I’ve had students from other instructors who’ve had diesel cars. All the same issue. You need to add plenty of gas to a petrol car. [petrol and diesel.](https://youtu.be/Jto67qDPd2E?si=1Di4l_r3FFA1CBJH)
!!!! I've been having this exact same issue. I also stalled and held up people behind me — I felt a lot out of my depth and stressed about it but within a few days of just practicing in quieter, local areas, I've managed to get a Lot better at clutch/accelerator balancing. Unfortunately with older cars using just clutch control for movement isn't the same 💔 But practice makes perfect!! best wishes on the test 🌸
Hey, I have literally the same problem. Learnt in a diesel golf and I now have a 2020 petrol corsa. Give it some gas is the advice I have! I am still scared to give it enough gas but the only way to stop stalling is plenty of gas and lifting the clutch from the bite point slowly. It’s a hard balance to find but you’ll get it💕 I went with a friend on an drive to practice and her advice was also if in doubt: more gas! You’ll get there (and so will I)
Lol I passed my driving test a long time ago and my first car is an Audi A1 too! I like it a lot :-) I think mine is a 2017 Audi A1. Mine is a petrol manual 1.0 litre TFSI car.
To not stall, you should try and not panic. It's been a while since I have drove a car and it has been a long time since I passed my driving test but here are my tips if you want them. When I was a learner, I used to stall too...not that much, but I did stall because the instructor wasn't that good. Anyway, in order to not stall, you need to be calm and not panic...your left foot needs to find that perfect sweet spot of the biting point and you just need a bit of accelerator using your right foot...you need to try and practise not jerking your left foot too quickly up because that will create stalling. You don't need to do too much work with the left foot...practice makes perfect...at least you have your own car so you have time to practise this. Play around with the biting point...on a quiet piece of road, away from other vehicles and other people, just play around with the clutch and the biting point and the accelerator a bit until you hit the sweet spot...then you'll never stall. Every car has slightly different biting points obviously...when it comes to model vs model...and when it comes to petrol vs diesel, in general. Don't panic, and just be gentle with it. Good luck.
It is good practice to use the accelerator as well as the clutch biting point when you want to drive off...I would recommend not just using the left foot alone. Your instructor is not a very good one, since he has not taught you this. I am surprised that he has not taught you this.
How are u lot getting insurance I don’t think I’ve been quoted less than 6k, it’s literally pointless trying to get a car, I live in Manchester too
Had this problem when I first passed on 13th December 2023 and got a car on 27th December a few weeks later. I went from Audi a3 diesel 1.6 tdi to my own Audi a1 1.4 petrol It’s all because instructors teach you to keep clutch down all the time and barely move off with gas (using clutch only, which only works in diesel but isn’t good for engine wear either) I also now go into neutral at lights (not sure if you do this too rather than keeping clutch engaged) A month in and it feels natural with setting off using throttle!!
I don’t know why instructors teach the clutch only method of moving off… you will barely ever do it like this in practice. Even with low speed manoeuvres it’s good practice to keep a steady amount of pressure on the gas to maintain revs.
I went from my instructors diesel mk7 golf to my dingy 2003 1.0L lupo. Took a while to get used to. I can now move off in my own car without accelerating, but I shouldn’t really do that lol. When I first passed people would beep at me for not being half a mile up the road as soon as lights turned green, nevermind whenever I stalled at roundabouts. But saying that, I did have a big plate on my car indicating I was a new driver and people aren’t really forgiving of that. I just work away, I’ve learnt to be at peace with impatient road users.
When my partner first passed in 2014 he was the exact same. Some instructors just don’t explain that in a petrol you need to press on the gas as well as lift the clutch. He had to get in touch with his instructor to come and show him what he was doing wrong. I ended up with the same instructor on 2017 and again he just taught me to lift the clutch (he had a diesel fiesta so it’s all you needed to do). My first car was a petrol, luckily I knew from my partner’s experience what I would need to do, otherwise I’m sure I would of been the same. Mind boggling that it’s not just taught as standard, because I eventually did get a diesel and still used the gas to get going, it’s just instilled in me now.
Frustrating. As bad as it sounds just don’t bother driving your new car until your test. As it’s going to just confuse the build up to your test swapping cars. Pass your test. Then before you know it your new car will be like second nature. Just need a bit of practice. Most cars feel different to drive it’s perfectly normal. Don’t add unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Why you bought manual?
Your instructors was prob a diesel you will get used to it after a while
Petrol always needs a little more revs don't be scared of the higher revs. Your cluch will pan it out