Author Topic: Question about driving a manual (stick shift) car (Read 3193 times)

old-school-lifter · « **on:** September 12, 2018, 03:50:07 PM »

When should one change gears?

is there a signal/ a feel for when to go up/down gears to avoid stalling?

any tips/advices appreciated

learning to drive a manual car here

chaos · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:12:44 PM »

What kind of car?

Vince G, CSN MFT · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:16:52 PM »

Quote from: old-school-lifter on September 12, 2018, 03:50:07 PM

When should one change gears?

is there a signal/ a feel for when to go up/down gears to avoid stalling?

any tips/advices appreciated

learning to drive a manual car here

When it winds up.....but it takes getting used to the pitch to shift.

NarcissisticDeity · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:22:45 PM »

Rev it to 5K and dump the clutch

oldtimer1 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:23:20 PM »

I have been driving a manual car for over 40 years. Driving manual car is almost like riding a bike. Someone can talk till they are blue in the face about how to do it but by only doing it will you learn. Two methods to know when to shift. One is listening to the motor wind up. The other is to use the tach. If you get efficient at shifting you can get better gas mileage than an automatic same car. You can also out accelerate the same car with an automatic. I read reports about sports cars doing better in the quarter mile with the new automatics. Then I see the driver is some 25 year old who probably doesn't have a lot of experience shifting a car. An example of this is the Corvette. The automatic beat the manual. You have to have the experience to skip gears like starting in second gear off the line. Maybe third.

old-school-lifter · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:24:36 PM »

thanks for tips guys

I found a video on U tube which is useful

cheers

Marty Champions · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:29:05 PM »

sometimes u gotta do a rollin start to get it to crank, we call it a redneck benchpress

Fortress · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:31:44 PM »

The engine RPMs move past a smooth “hum”.

Been driving stick for decades.

I’d NEVER buy an automatic.

Manual provides greater control and facility over the powertrain.

calfzilla · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:32:21 PM »

I learned on a motorcycle.

Fortress · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:33:44 PM »

Quote from: calfzilla on September 12, 2018, 04:32:21 PM

I learned on a motorcycle.

Me, too.

Then I did my driver’s ed on a stick. By choice. This was 1986.

The_Punisher · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:47:46 PM »

this driver here has got to be one of the best manual shifter I've ever seen......fuck yeah

chaos · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2018, 04:49:44 PM »

Quote from: Fortress on September 12, 2018, 04:33:44 PM

Me, too.

Then I did my driver’s ed on a stick. By choice. This was 1986.

You're old!

Fortress · « **Reply #12 on:** September 12, 2018, 05:10:15 PM »

Quote from: chaos on September 12, 2018, 04:49:44 PM

You're old!

No shit. Forty-eight.

urj200 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 12, 2018, 05:45:12 PM »

Quote from: The_Punisher on September 12, 2018, 04:47:46 PM

this driver here has got to be one of the best manual shifter I've ever seen......fuck yeah

Guess you've never seen Walter Rohrl

IroNat · « **Reply #14 on:** September 12, 2018, 05:53:30 PM »

rrrrrrRRRRRRR(shift)rrrrrrrrrrRRRRRR(shift)rrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRR(shift)...etc.

RRRRRrrrrrr(shift)RRRRrrrrrrr(shift)RRRRrrrrrr(shift)...etc.

cart@@n · « **Reply #15 on:** September 12, 2018, 06:14:09 PM »

If you want to save gas shift at lower rotations, and use higher gears.

If you want more performance, shift at higher rotations.

The advantage of manual is that you can decide how your vehicle works.

Another advantage is to downshift downhill and go into "engine break" as a way to control speed, also if your car has electronic fuel injection it goes into "cutoff" mode and uses zero gas in "engine break".

Dokey111 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 12, 2018, 06:25:11 PM »

I learned on a quarter arcade game

illuminati · « **Reply #17 on:** September 12, 2018, 06:27:57 PM »

Get a friend with a manual car to drive out somewhere quiet & spacious
Get in the driving seat & Drive. Simple.

Palumboism · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2018, 10:08:36 PM »

Quote from: old-school-lifter on September 12, 2018, 03:50:07 PM

When should one change gears?

is there a signal/ a feel for when to go up/down gears to avoid stalling?

any tips/advices appreciated

learning to drive a manual car here

Most cars with manuals have a tachometer. Try to keep the rpm in the power band. For most cars this will be 1500 rpm to 3000 rpm, but it depends on the engine.

Also, you should know what speeds are best for your car to shift gears.
for my car it was:
0-15 mph (first gear)
15-25 mph (second gear)
25-40 mph (third gear)
40-55 mph (fourth gear)
55-70 mph (fifth gear)

Learning to start on a hill is the most difficult thing, so don't attempt to do this till the very end. You should first start in an empty parking lot just starting and stopping in first gear.

Ted SuperSet · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2018, 10:12:03 PM »

usa usa usa!!!

Me dont need that them there stick shift thingy!!!

To complicated!!

falco · « **Reply #20 on:** September 12, 2018, 10:39:36 PM »

In manual cars usually gears are shifted at lower revs than in automatics.

Coach is Back! · « **Reply #21 on:** September 12, 2018, 11:14:23 PM »

Quote from: NarcissisticDeity on September 12, 2018, 04:22:45 PM

Rev it to 5K and dump the clutch

. 😂

Explorerspl · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2018, 07:21:53 AM »

Quote from: oldtimer1 on September 12, 2018, 04:23:20 PM

I have been driving a manual car for over 40 years. Driving manual car is almost like riding a bike. Someone can talk till they are blue in the face about how to do it but by only doing it will you learn. Two methods to know when to shift. One is listening to the motor wind up. The other is to use the tach. If you get efficient at shifting you can get better gas mileage than an automatic same car. You can also out accelerate the same car with an automatic. I read reports about sports cars doing better in the quarter mile with the new automatics. Then I see the driver is some 25 year old who probably doesn't have a lot of experience shifting a car. An example of this is the Corvette. The automatic beat the manual. You have to have the experience to skip gears like starting in second gear off the line. Maybe third.

Lol you are stuck in the 80s bud.

Automatics get better mpg than a manual now a days,they are more efficient than a human.
Automatics are always faster on a track now a days also,they have 8-10 gears to stay in their powerband for the entire quarter mile.

The 80s-90s slush boxes and modern autos are like comparing atari to a PS4. But blame kids being bad at driving.

Conker · « **Reply #23 on:** September 13, 2018, 08:36:56 AM »

just before the engine sounds like it's gonna blow up, change.
either that or count to 5 before moving through each gear
both techniques work well

Conker · « **Reply #24 on:** September 13, 2018, 08:40:58 AM »

Quote from: Palumboism on September 12, 2018, 10:08:36 PM

Most cars with manuals have a tachometer. Try to keep the rpm in the power band. For most cars this will be 1500 rpm to 3000 rpm, but it depends on the engine.

Also, you should know what speeds are best for your car to shift gears.
for my car it was:
0-15 mph (first gear)
15-25 mph (second gear)
25-40 mph (third gear)
40-55 mph (fourth gear)
55-70 mph (fifth gear)

Learning to start on a hill is the most difficult thing, so don't attempt to do this till the very end. You should first start in an empty parking lot just starting and stopping in first gear.

if you want to go through a sht ton of fuel and have the engine die within 5 years do this.

if you want to preserve fuel and get 200k + miles out of the engine, try to get up into 5th by 40mph. unless your driving a sports car