I’m practicing for my driving licence and I’m going to driving school, just out of curiosity though I’ve looking on YouTube how to start and run a car and I’ve seen at least 3 different methods, I dunno which one is the correct. Things like the order when you release a pedal or when you need to press the clutch keep switching…
Make sure the car is in neutral and handbrake is on before starting. It’s not strictly necessary but you should make this a habit for safety.
Buckle up. Make yourself aware of your surroundings.
Insert and turn key / press button. Newer cars require clutch and/or brake to be pressed to start, check the car manual if unsure.
Key shouldn’t need to be turned for long - if its kept turned when the engine starts you’ll hear a horrible grinding noise. Avoid this.
The car should now be started. Take your foot off clutch/brake, nothing will happen (as long as you ate in neutral with handbrake on).
To start moving, press the clutch, put the gear stick in 1st, start smoothly lifting your foot off the clutch. You’re looking for the bite point of the clutch - when you start to feel the car want to move. This takes practice and you will stall the car many times before its natural. Once you’ve found the bite point, its time to release the hand brake*, and start gently pressing the accelerator as you lift your foot the rest of the way off the clutch.
It takes a while for this to be smooth.
*you could release the hand brake before this and use the brake pedal instead.
When you want to change gears, take your foot off the accelerator, press the clutch, move the gear stick to the right gear, release the clutch smoothly, press the accelerator
In my car, I need to push the accelerator first, a little bit, then I can release the clutch to the bite point, all while giving the engine enough gas not to die.
when I learned in a manual it was about swapping the accelerator and clutch like Indie swapping the statue for a bag of sand.
Instructions unclear, car stuck in ceiling fan
Having it in neutral is also important in case your clutch is slipping. If you have it in gear and hold the Clutch + Brake down, and your clutch friction plate is slipping/grabbing even when fully depressed, it can be just enough friction to put a real strain on the starter with the extra load. Over time, this will burn through starter after starter until it’s addressed.