IndyXfire: Wish I'd learned to drive a stick in a Crossfire. I think I remember my first one being an old Toyota. I don't really know if I was using the right term (I'm not a 'gearhead - but I love my XFire). Here's what I meant.

Slipping the clutch is what you do if you are starting on an uphill grade or starting in too high a gear. To keep from chugging the engine, you hold your left foot so that the clutch is partially engaged, and the car is just starting to creep forward (or you can hold it on a hill - briefly! - with the clutch this way). Ease it out with the right amount of slip and a bit of extra gas, and off you go.

The longer you let it slip like that, the more wear you put on that very expensive clutch plate. I've always minimized clutch repair costs by engaging the clutch with minimal slip (preferably none once the car is moving).

To start in 2nd on even a slight uphill grade requires releasing the clutch pretty slowly - and with a lot of slip - to keep from killing/chugging the engine. But I've found that on a downhill, I can let it start rolling slightly, then start in 2 just like it was in 1 - probably because the Xfire has a bit more horsepower than that old Toyota.

Guess I'm not surprised that this group has strong opinions on this. Once I get to 60-80k miles, we'll see whether my habits are good or bad for the clutch. Until we get some experience with high mileage xFires, we won't really know.

Seems to me that you're saving an extra shift by 'cheating' - and since 1-2 isn't always the smoothest, it might all balance out in the end.