Can't drive my new car :-(

So I've recently passed my driving test. Which was in a diesel 1 litre. My car is a 1.6 petrol Nissan juke.
I took it for a spin the other day accompanied by a friend and I was really struggling with the clutch.
My driving instructor told me not to add any acceleration until the clutch is fully up. I could even bring the clutch up and drive down the road in first and second, even 3rd with no feet and the car wouldn't stall.
Now with this petrol engine I'm struggling. I'm either completely stalling or kangarooing around. I had a little ride around my estate but when when I came to a junction I stalled it like 6 times and could just not get the thing going. Had cars being behind and I had to tell my friend to change seats and get the car moving.
The main issue is obviously applying the gas before clutch which I wasn't taught to do. Also it just feels so sensative, I can't feel a biting point it's just like a guessing game and I don't actually know where it is. Now I'm panicking and feeling anxious and that it was all for nothing. My confidence is shot to pieces. Any advice

Reply 1

martin7

The “biting point” is where you start to feel the car pulling forward. At that point you need to give a bit more gas and ease the clutch up.

The clutch will feel different between cars anyway. Changing cars always means learning how the new car reacts.

Diesel engines have a lot more torque than petrol engines which is why the clutch control is so very different.

You could see if your instructor would be willing to give a lesson in your new car, which might give you a bit more confidence.

Reply 2

StriderHort

"My driving instructor told me not to add any acceleration until the clutch is fully up"

This is kind of narrow minded and doesn't take petrol vehicles into account, which as you're finding just doesn't work, it's always going to be a bit of a balancing act between the clutch and gas pedal and just takes patience and practice. Your control will improve.

Tbh even in a diesel car fully releasing the clutch before adding any gas isn't good practice. It's possible but you're still risking a stall if you let off the clutch too fast. When you start to raise the clutch and approach the biting point (even if you can't feel it you'll see the RPM start to drop) this is the time to add gas.