Sin City

Ok, there has to be some secret how to make the ebrake work because if not, this car is going to be impossible to creep up freeway ramps without crashing.

I tried to pull this car into my garage today from a standstill. The entry is uphill so the car wants to roll down backwards.

The ebrake releases before the clutch grabs! What's the deal there?

So, as you move the clutch out, the car starts to move backward. If you release the clutch too fast, then it grabs leaps forward.

This car should not move backwards until you get some friction on the clutch and can modulate it. Sorry but I don't have 3 legs -- one for the clutch, one for the gas, and one to hold the brake. That's what my ARM used to be for.

With a manual handbrake, you can hold it until you get some clutch friction and then slowly release it. With the ebrake, its all up to the computer, which appears to suck.

Is there something I'm missing here? If not, this car will be useless in LA.

KenHorse

I've been driving sticks since I first learned to drive (quite a while now!) and I've never had a problem by not using the e-brake.

Then again, I do believe the C7 has a feature for starting up a hill. Check the manual?

-CM-

Don't use the ebrake. Instead, rely on the hill assist. It takes a bit of getting use to, but it works very well. It will engage on an incline, and you just need to modulate the clutch to get going. If you start to roll backwards, step on the brake then try again. Again, it works very well, but takes a bit of practice.

Here's my driveway, so you can see I know what I'm talking about.

Adrian-S

The hill assist surprised me on the way home, I was rushing to not drift backwards with a car behind me as a light turned green in a small town at night, and the car didn't roll for a second or two! Freaked me out. I recommend finding an incline to test the hill assist a dozen times to get used to the timing of it.

Ps- sorry we weren't able to meet up at the museum during delivery, we will have to plan another time.

-adrian

Sin City

Aw... hill assist. I thought that was the ebrake. The ebrake IS hill assist on the 458. That's probably why I got confused.

I'll have to try that. Thanks!

mksz51

Real men driving a manual don't need an e-brake or hill assist to start on a hill. If you do you really need to enhance your skills with a manual.

Sin City

Yah right.

Corgidog1

Actually as your manual driving skills increase, the need for computer assistance decreases. I have been driving a manual for the past 30 yrs and have never needed any help with hills--just develop a feel for when the clutch grabs and giving it gas at the same time is all you need. The longer the car stays out of gear the more you go back.

mpuzach

Wow, what a helpful response.

ersin

Hills give you an excellent opportunity to practice heel and toe.


Cheers.

Sin City

"You don't need a condom. You just need better love making skills".

Seapar

My advice to the OP is just practice a bit on a sunday morning on some hilly roads. I find it useful on the sometimes steep streets of downtown Seattle. Our other two manual cars do not have a "hill assist" feature and this does influence which streets I take.

AORoads

no one thinks of Seattle as having hills. boy, do they ever!

mjw930

I was going to make that same comment. Then again, it's not a skill someone who hasn't tracked cars has really ever taken the time to learn. I guess it's the same reason they invented a rev matching manual.....

Higgs Boson

at 16 I learned to drive manual on a 928 on a hill. it was hair raising for about 10 minutes. then I learned how to drive manual. hill start assist annoys me now. I can't imagine needing a crutch like an ebrake.

rjv0331

I've been driving manuals for over 40 years and never needed hill assist. Having said that, I like it. It's another tool, like the mode selector.

SRQStingray

My first experience with a manual was in a 56 Chevy pickup. It had a trailer hitch and I was at a stoplight on a hill. I rolled back and the hitch went through the radiator of the car behind me. I jumped out, yelled at the guy for being too close and drove away. I learned to deal with hills and have driven manuals since. The C7 hill assist, however, is a nice addition to a manual and it works great when I have to stop on a hill for the drawbridge near my house.

ChucksZ06

It works great and you hardly notice...you might be trying too hard.

pmartjr

Not one post mentioned that heel and toe technique comes in handy when the engine doesn't want to idle. When I was a young'un, my cars weren't that all great and I learned how to do this out of necessity just to keep the engine from dying when I would come to a traffic light. Been heel and toeing my entire driving life which is now 50 years and counting. I can see where a hill assist would be a welcome option though.

Dave80C3

Never used a e-brake to drive a stick except on extreme hills.

Yes the manual cars have hill assist, which works seamlessly if you ask me. Caught my by surprise. It's really not need, however is really nice.

but it's only 34 years for me driving manuals.