Manual experience concerns

[Lord Thunder]

Those are the same people who have their brake lights on at all times, and I'm sure they're used to replacing brake pads every year. Some people are so neglectful when they drive, and I'm sure they're not even aware of it.

They must be in line for replacements together with the people who drive down hills while braking the entire way. Seriously, I am amazed how many people do not know that you have to manually down-shift to a lower gear to 'brake using the engine' (not sure if that is an expression in English, it's what we call it in Dutch.)

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[fionic]

(not sure if that is an expression in English, it's what we call it in Dutch.)

engine braking, yes.

 

[Papaya]

North Americans are funny!

:lol: Sorry! I can't help myself. Reading here sometimes, is like watching the Simpsons on TV. Using the right food for the clutch... :shocked: Taking of the foot from the clutch without using the gas pedal :help: To learn manual shifting in a Mustang is more difficult :thumbdown:

Lucky for us European guys that a MT is standard in most cars. And reading a manual for a car is also important before starting an engine.
In Germany it was and is still mandatory to sign up for a driving school. 40-60 hours before you can go for the road test.
Now I know why some drivers driving like crazy - they use the right foot for the clutch pedal.... :lol:

I did show my 16 year old step-son how to drive a MT. I am still pulling my hair out..... :headbonk:
BTW: He learned it in my Mustang.

 

[POOPonYOU]

The next stang I own will be manual but Ive only driven a manual a handful of times. I really dont want to buy a new stang and tear up the clutch or transmission. Looking to buy in 6-9 mos. Would it be a good idea to trade/sell my current stang which is an auto, and pick up a manual? That way Id have at least a few months to get used to it.

I learned how to drive stick on my own BUT I was told 3 things.

1. Learn the sweet spot of the clutch. This is the point where you release the clutch and the car starts moving forward without pressing down on the accelerator. This will help you on inclines (hills), it'll keep you from rolling back.

2. Don't ride your clutch which means to make sure that you aren't pushing down on the clutch at all unless you're shifting gears.

3. Don't forget to set that parking break!

You'll enjoy stick shift. I haven't driven stick in about 10 years but automatic wasn't an option for my first Mustang (2015).

 

[Barrel]

Step one: read the wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clutch_control
Step two: read differing opinions on driving an automatic http://jalopnik.com/why-you-should-brake-with-your-left-foot-434604934
Step three: don't be afraid of something just because it's unknown or different

 

[Lord Thunder]

I have seen there is some confusion about what "riding the clutch" actually means in other discussions.

The thing that is really bad for your clutch is keeping it semi-engaged for a long time. The coupling plates on will slip whenever they disengage/re-engage, wearing them down needlessly.

Some people have the habit to do this when they are standing still for a traffic light on a slight incline, instead of using the brakes.

Having the clutch pushed down completely disengages the plates completely and does not do any harm to the car. It may "harm" your leg/foot if you have to do it for a long time. In those cases it be a good idea to put the stick in neutral, apply the (emergency)brakes and release the clutch while you wait.

 

[petraman]

Having the clutch pushed down completely disengages the plates completely and does not do any harm to the car.

Not true... that will decrease the life of your throwout bearing.

 

[Lord Thunder]

Not true... that will decrease the life of your throwout bearing.

While this is true, I haven't heard about anyone having that fail on their car to be honest. And people here have a general habit of waiting before traffic lights with their clutch down while in first gear.

 

[erne75]

My friend gave me a two hour lesson on his 89 240sx back in 1999. The next weekend I bought my 96 300ZX TwinTurbo 5 speed manual. I practiced a little bit over the weekend and I was off to work on Monday.

Red lights on inclines were the "bane of my existence" for like a month but then I got the hang of it. Learned rev matching on downshifts by myself until it became second nature. It has been manual transmission since then.

Two years ago I traded my 350Z for a SUV for the wife and started driving the wife's old automatic car. Cant wait to start rowing my own gears again!

 

[phil1336]

Who`s going to Post the first "Selfie" shifting their their Gears with their new Apple 6 iPhone?

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

wow.

that's just terrible for the car. it's not a go-kart.

NY people are just getting worse and worse :/

How do you guys even get your licenses?

The biggest thing on the driver's test in New York is parallel parking. I failed my test the first time because I hit the curb parallel parking -- you get a space that's two feet longer than your car, and you have to parallel park in it without hitting the curb and without having either tire more than six inches out from the curb. That's the biggest difference I've noticed -- everybody in New York can parallel park, but most people I've run into from elsewhere can't. Or they consider parking a 15 foot car in a 20 foot space with the tires left a foot from the curb to be a good parallel parking job...

 

[Steve-OO]

Who`s going to Post the first "Selfie" shifting their their Gears with their new Apple 6 iPhone?

Why would anyone shift gears with a phone?

 

[jakk]

You'll be fine. Understand what is going on mechanically and how to tell if you are slipping the clutch too much (mainly if you smell it, it's real obvious lol), and other than that just have at 'er. I bought my current DD two years ago having never driven stick except around the block in a friend's car once. Sure, the first few days were kinda hairy, but I knew what not to do and although the shifting was rough, 50k later I'm still on the stock clutch after adding 100whp and have seen no problems. Manual trans is not nearly as fragile as a lot of people make it out to be unless you are intentionally doing stupid stuff.

 

[forg0tmypen]

I learned to drive stick on my 2006 Z06 in 2011 at the age of 22. It took me 2 days to learn.

 

[Wblv17]

just go to a dealer and test drive

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