driving manual - questions

It's the lazy way to stop if you don't like using the clutch. It's more dangerous because if you had to suddenly accelerate or maneuver you would have to put it into gear again. And the engine speed will be much lower than the wheel speed giving your car a sudden jerk when you engage the engine when you put it into gear unless you are really good at rev matching or you ease out the clutch slowly. It's not bad for the transmission to put it in neutral to stop. It would put less wear on the clutch actually, but more wear on your brakes.
 
Well it's less economical on the gas, harder on the brakes, not as safe, and wrong. You're supposed to keep it in gear whilst slowing down. Having it in neutral is coasting, and is wrong.

If you're in neutral, your engine is having to give itself enough gas to keep running... but if you're still in gear, it uses up no gas at all (whilst engine braking). Also, the engine braking helps to take some of the workload away from the brakes (if you're used to driving properly, you hardly even need to use the brakes - you see you'll need to stop ahead, and start working your way down the gearbox with plenty of time to spare). Coasting makes the whole car a lot less stable, too. Especially at higher speeds. Give your dad a slap - it's probably best if you both have a few lessons from a driving instructor on driving manuals properly!
 
lmao yea eh?

i'll definately tell him to read your post.
 
If you want to impress your dad, learn how to shift without the clutch at all (on someone elses car).

Shifting up is easy. You just pop the stick into neutral hold it there for about a second or less(depending on speed and other stuff) and then pop it into the next gear. If you time it right, the engine speed will match the gear ratio to the wheel speed and everything goes smoothly. If you are a bit off you might hear some bad noises. To shift down you have to put it into neutral and then lightly touch the gas to bring the engine speed up to the next gear ratio, then pop it into the next gear.
 
^ Pretty unnecessary, though.

A huge advantage with manual is engine breaking. I spares the brakes and saves fuel. If you know you will need to go into 2nd or 3rd gear in a curve or roundabout or something, enter the wanted gear and release the clutch as soon as possible. You might need to use the brakes in the beginning, but after a while you will have learned your car well enough that you hardly need to use the brakes at all.
 
You learn the feel of the clutch and the engine after you drive it for a bit.
 
Ren.182 said:
Yeah, I don't even think about it now. Just move me legs and go. I love driving :D
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:D Me too, I love night driving ... over the moors, just for the fun of it. Windows down, music up, big smiles all round :) Some great driving roads round here.
 
Aww hell yeah.

Driving manual is so much fun. And my new car has nearly double the break of my old one. Hugs!
 
lePobz said:
:D Me too, I love night driving ... over the moors, just for the fun of it. Windows down, music up, big smiles all round :) Some great driving roads round here.
Click to expand...

Yeah! Night drives are the best. Just me and the road. Awesome.
 
im getting used to driving manual...now the things that i need to really work on is moving after i have stopped on a hill...man i HATE that situation..ESPCIALLY when theres a line of cars behind me...
 
I took my step bros car out today. He has a manual pontiac sunfire. I have driven manual cars before. The first time was his car for about 10 minutes. My other step bro tried to teach me and it didn't go very well. I killed it many times and we deided to bring it back home before we do any more damage. Once he got in the drivers seat he realized it was in 3rd gear the whole time. He has never been a very good teacher.

The second time I drove one was my friends honda civic. He took me to a parking garage and it was the easiest thing ever. I never screwed up once and it barely buckled. I figured I had manuals down pretty well.

I was wrong. I promised a friend I would give him a ride to work today. Upon leaving I realized my car wasn't in the driveway. Sh*t! I was stuck with my step bros manual. I decided the best route would be to take that car to the high school and pick my car up and drive that from there on. I got in the car and managed to back out easy enough. I tried putting it into first gear and I might as well have just gotten out and pushed. I kept trying and eventually got it. I then put it into second gear and it slid right into gear. It was beautiful.

Unfortunately I had to stop at a stop sign...on a hill. Some guy was following me so the pressure was on not to screw up. I planned it and went to put it into first. Yep...it died. I tried a few more times until the guy simply passed me. Then the soccer mom passed me. I tried once more and managed to get it into gear and make it to the stop sign 10 feet away...on another hill. Yeah...life hates me. I didn't have as much trouble this time, and no one was around to watch me fail so it went pretty smooth. I got it up to 3rd gear pretty fine and made it almost the whole way without stopping. I ended up getting caught at a red light at a major intersection. F*CK!. I tried to be clever and coast going 5mph hoping the light would turn green and I could go from a rolling start. Nope...I sat there like an idiot until it turned green. I figured I could get it by now and it would be no problem. Nope...I got stuck and held everyone up like a moron until the light turned red again. I hated myself at this point. Thoughts of driving it off a bridge entered my mind and I couldn't fathom why anyone would ever want to put themselves through this pain. I ended up getting it right when the light turned green again and managed to coast through the next lights and make it to the high school.

I parked next to my car and went to go get the keys from my step bro. It was only then he realized that he couldn't get them as they were locked in his locker and he was in the middle of practice. I was stuck driving empty handed all the way back home. I looked even more the fool on the way back as I took busier roads. A few times I got it going right away and it worked like a charm. I made it all the way back home and realized how much I hated my life and manual cars.
 
AKIRA said:
Does it do a lot of damage if you keep putting it in neutral?
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It won't hurt the tranny to be in neutral, but it's a moving violation in some states to coast in neutral (hard to enforce though)... your car should be under power at all times for reasons already stated. That's generally why people say to not put it in neutral and coast to a stop... it might be against the law! :)

Regarding how to engine brake:
All cars are different... in my 2004 Saturn Ion the 1st gear is WAAAY too steep to shift down into while moving unless you want to stop really fast without using the brake so just find a good gear that slows you down, you won't necessarily be going all the way down to first gear in every car. The compression will keep the engine from stalling and the fuel injectors will dramatically decrease the amount of fuel they inject, thus saving you gas. In other words, when you coast in neutral instead of engine braking you use more gas.

Regarding shifting gears without the clutch:
It's hell and a half on the syncros if you don't do it PERFECTLY (and you won't) so I'd advise against it more than once or twice just to try it out. The only time you'd need to be able to do this is to drive an unsynchronized manual, and good luck finding one unless you are driving big rigs. Shifting to neutral near idle without the clutch isn't a problem and is a decent way to get used to engine braking... I let my car engine brake in 3rd or 2nd and then just pop it into neutral when the revs are near idle and fully apply the brake to completely stop. Nice and smooth. The lights are long on my daily commute so I generally don't hold the clutch in.

Rev matching is a good technique to learn, if you have somewhere close by off of public roads that you can drive on (a test course or very large parking lot) you can get your car moving at a good clip (30mph or so) and put it in neutral. Let the revs drop to idle speed then tap the gas to get to about 2000rpm or so (you'll need to experiment) and shift into a gear appropriate for your speed. If you've done it right, the car won't jerk and the shift will be butter smooth.

You can also pop-start your car in emergencies if the battery is dead in a manual car. Get the car rolling about 7-10mph, clutch down, put it into 1st, turn the key forward like you are starting the car, pop the clutch and give it gas, the engine should fire up, release the ignition switch and go :)

Plus there is fun to be had by dropping the clutch (don't do it too much or you are going to have a clutch to replace before long)

Manuals are great.

p.s. Don't rely on the hand brake for starting on hills. Many cars have a foot pedal style e-brake instead of a handbrake style which makes that impossible. Might as well just get used to doing in without the training wheels so you can do it right if/when you need to :)
 
Glirk Dient said:
I took my step bros car out today. He has a manual pontiac sunfire. I have driven manual cars before. The first time was his car for about 10 minutes. My other step bro tried to teach me and it didn't go very well. I killed it many times and we deided to bring it back home before we do any more damage. Once he got in the drivers seat he realized it was in 3rd gear the whole time. He has never been a very good teacher.

The second time I drove one was my friends honda civic. He took me to a parking garage and it was the easiest thing ever. I never screwed up once and it barely buckled. I figured I had manuals down pretty well.

I was wrong. I promised a friend I would give him a ride to work today. Upon leaving I realized my car wasn't in the driveway. Sh*t! I was stuck with my step bros manual. I decided the best route would be to take that car to the high school and pick my car up and drive that from there on. I got in the car and managed to back out easy enough. I tried putting it into first gear and I might as well have just gotten out and pushed. I kept trying and eventually got it. I then put it into second gear and it slid right into gear. It was beautiful.

Unfortunately I had to stop at a stop sign...on a hill. Some guy was following me so the pressure was on not to screw up. I planned it and went to put it into first. Yep...it died. I tried a few more times until the guy simply passed me. Then the soccer mom passed me. I tried once more and managed to get it into gear and make it to the stop sign 10 feet away...on another hill. Yeah...life hates me. I didn't have as much trouble this time, and no one was around to watch me fail so it went pretty smooth. I got it up to 3rd gear pretty fine and made it almost the whole way without stopping. I ended up getting caught at a red light at a major intersection. F*CK!. I tried to be clever and coast going 5mph hoping the light would turn green and I could go from a rolling start. Nope...I sat there like an idiot until it turned green. I figured I could get it by now and it would be no problem. Nope...I got stuck and held everyone up like a moron until the light turned red again. I hated myself at this point. Thoughts of driving it off a bridge entered my mind and I couldn't fathom why anyone would ever want to put themselves through this pain. I ended up getting it right when the light turned green again and managed to coast through the next lights and make it to the high school.

I parked next to my car and went to go get the keys from my step bro. It was only then he realized that he couldn't get them as they were locked in his locker and he was in the middle of practice. I was stuck driving empty handed all the way back home. I looked even more the fool on the way back as I took busier roads. A few times I got it going right away and it worked like a charm. I made it all the way back home and realized how much I hated my life and manual cars.
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dude, i sympathize with you all the way. Although, i must say i'm not having quite as much trouble with manual trans as you are, but one thing im sure im worse than you is stopping and going on a hill...i can go easily if no one is behind me, but when i see a line up of cars, that's when i start to panic and end up jerking the car or stalling it. I just need more practice on hills - that's all :D
 
AKIRA said:
im getting used to driving manual...now the things that i need to really work on is moving after i have stopped on a hill...man i HATE that situation..ESPCIALLY when theres a line of cars behind me...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was put on a steep ass hill to test it, and some guy pulled up behind me. I stalled it at least 3 times. I bet he wanted me dead :(

But yeah, it's all practice. If I were you, I'd find a hill somewhere out in teh middle of nowhere, and practice it that way. Away from deadly cars.
 
AKIRA said:
dude, i sympathize with you all the way. Although, i must say i'm not having quite as much trouble with manual trans as you are, but one thing im sure im worse than you is stopping and going on a hill...i can go easily if no one is behind me, but when i see a line up of cars, that's when i start to panic and end up jerking the car or stalling it. I just need more practice on hills - that's all :D
Click to expand...

I am fine with stopping. I usually leave it in neutral and it works fine for me. Its the easiest thing to do when your first learning. I did notice I screwed up more around people even though I myself didn't feel it...until I looked like a nar nar in the middle of an intersection.
 
Glirk Dient said:
I am fine with stopping. I usually leave it in neutral and it works fine for me. Its the easiest thing to do when your first learning. I did notice I screwed up more around people even though I myself didn't feel it...until I looked like a nar nar in the middle of an intersection.
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i just feel sorry for a beginner learning manual transmission in san fransisco lol :D
 
Practice makes perfect. It took me about a week to be confident enough to take a manual car out on the street. I daily drive one now.
 
Small Note:

Shifting into neutral on a carburated car does save you gas. And no, it's not hard on the transmission.
 
lePobz said:
:D Me too, I love night driving ... over the moors, just for the fun of it. Windows down, music up, big smiles all round :) Some great driving roads round here.
Click to expand...
Chav bastard. :p
 
Cormeh said:
Chav bastard. :p
Click to expand...
How dare you accuse me of such things. I don't drive a nova/corsa, nor do I have a baseball cap. Plus I ensure that when I'm out for a proper drive, that i'm the only one in the car.
 
if you stop on a slight hill just practise on finding the biting point of the clutch.

This is the point where the car will just pick up enough engine power to not roll backwards but wont go forward. Rock the car back and forward by slightly altering the clutch. You will probably need a bit of gas but try to keep the revs down else you'll ware the clutch out fast.

This is one of the best ways to learn how to start the car smoothly. Though I prefer the old dump the clutch and scream into the distance.... ;)
 
Destructo-Bot said:
You can also pop-start your car in emergencies if the battery is dead in a manual car. Get the car rolling about 7-10mph, clutch down, put it into 1st, turn the key forward like you are starting the car, pop the clutch and give it gas, the engine should fire up, release the ignition switch and go.
Click to expand...

I was always taught to do this in second or third, I think its because it spins the engine a bit slower but with more torque.
 
Yeah, you're supposed to use 2nd for bump starts.
 
I learned to use the first gear when you're stuck on a railroad or something and the car won't start.
 
You use 1st gear to drive it using the starter motor, you use 2nd gear to bump-start it if it's already rolling.
 
ok, came back from driving around. Really getting used to the car - it's awesome, buut, im still sketchy on hills lol. I use the parking brake method but im too slow at releasing it and moving forward. I just need to practice a bit more on that and i think i'll be good.
 
The Monkey said:
I learned to use the first gear when you're stuck on a railroad or something and the car won't start.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't be bump starting it if you were stuck at a standstill. If your wheels aren't moving, how are they going to turn over the engine?
 
Dan said:
You wouldn't be bump starting it if you were stuck at a standstill. If your wheels aren't moving, how are they going to turn over the engine?
Click to expand...
He means moving the car using the starter motor - It works in an emergency, but it flattens the battery really quickly. Just put it in first, push the clutch down, and turn the key and keep it turned whilst you lift the clutch.
 
I was taught to pop-start like you were about to attempt a burnout... gas down and dump the clutch in first. If I get the chance again I'll try it with second gear instead :)
 
Once you figure out proper clutch control, it won't matter how much gas you give it.

It's not about the speed that you let the clutch engage, it's about how smoothly you do it.
 
Destructo-Bot said:
I was taught to pop-start like you were about to attempt a burnout... gas down and dump the clutch in first. If I get the chance again I'll try it with second gear instead :)
Click to expand...

Holding down the gas might just flood the engine if your starter or battery is dead.
 
If you're on a hill, don't bother with the parking brake method.

I've never driven a manual car, i'll be honest with you there, but i'd imagine it's no different than getting a dirtbike going on a 60 degree hill :p

With my bike, if i'm on a hill, fingers on the front brake, fingers on the clutch, use the palms of my hand to give it gas and let out the clutch at the same time, and once you can feel the clutch slipping, get your fingers off of the brakes so you don't stall out.

On a car, it'd probably be more like toes on the brake, heel on the gas (sorta like a heel & toe), other foot on the clutch. Same deal, heel modulates gas, while your other foot modulates clutch, and once you feel the clutch slipping, toes off the brake.
 
Starting on a hill:

Keep the handbrake on. Start the car, engage first gear, and bring the clutch up to the biting point. Apply more revs to avoid stalling, then release the handbrake slowly, bringing the clutch up and adding more revs as you do.
 
The handbrake is useful, but you can manage without it most of the times. Just move your feet really quick from the brake to the gas.
 
Meh, now that I think of it, don't listen to what i'm saying.

I'm used to using the front brake on my bike to hold myself on a hill (as I said, using my two FINGERS on the brake, and the front brake is a lever, while the rear is a pedal). The proper way is to hold yourself up on teh hill with your left foot, and use your right foot to hold down on the rear brake (the handbrake on a 4-wheeled-cageomobile is a rear brake), while your hands are free to modulate the throttle and clutch.

But, since I was born club-footed, my left leg is skinny as a bitch and too short to stably reach the ground with, not to mention, it doesn't have the muscle to hold my bike up as well as my right, so I use my right foot to hold the bike up, and since the right side pedal is the one that modulates the brakes, I need to use my fingers to modulate the front brake.

Which basically translates into don't listen to anything I say.
 
The sheer number of drivers who can't perform a proper hill start is really quite surprising actually. 90% of the time they'll roll down the hill for a little bit before moving off...if you did that on your test you'd fail.
Just remember it doesn't necessarily have to sound neat and tidy - give it as much revs as you want and use the clutch to control the level of acceleration. That will guarantee you smoothly start to roll up the hill, it just might sound a bit like a cat being strangled as you do it. When you get more of an instinctive feel for the controls, you can do it without revving unnecessarily high.
 
Not one person does any maneuver with the skill or precision they used as a learner.

At least the majority won't anyway. :p
 
Cormeh said:
Not one person does any maneuver with the skill or precision they used as a learner.

At least the majority won't anyway. :p
Click to expand...

My abilities have increased vastly since I was a learner, I would surely expect the same of anyone else...
 
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