how to operate a stick shift in different situation?

[Twista]

Ok, send me some good tips I already got stuck in go and stop traffic and i did fine with no stalls. Im wondering in stop and go traffic should i leave a big gap and only move up every so often to save all the shifting?


Hmm, on BIG steep hills should i get the clutch to the sweet spot than add gas? Im still rolling back alittle on hills with my 1k lanuches, but duh i always save myself somehow =)


If you can just add some advice and tips you do with your everyday manual driving.


Thanks!

 

[iamwiz82]

Rolling back an inch or two isn't going to hurt you. I do it on hills because it isn't worth ruining my clutch over.

I time myself in stop and go to be able to almost never hit the brakes. I get into first and stay off the clutch and watch the driver in front of me, and the one in front of himor her, that way I can judge when they are going to be slowing down.

 

[lightweight]

I don't know how bad this is for the engine or transmission but if I'm driving in town I leave my car in 2nd gear a lot. In stop and go traffic where I go all but 25 mph this is good.

 

[DivideBYZero]

On a hill, if you have to wait for more than a few seconds, you should use the handbrake.

 

[CtK]

this is why i got an automatic G35
use to drive a stick RX-7 but it just became too much of a hassle with all the traffic i drive in

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: CtK
this is why i got an automatic G35
use to drive a stick RX-7 but it just became too much of a hassle with all the traffic i drive in

Translated - I'm old.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

The key to long clutch and brake life is smoothness. I try to anticipate stoplights quite a ways out, and coast into them. I probably apply more than 50% brake pressure once a month. I will never understand people that accelerate into stoplights, then slam on the brakes.

I do indeed try not to move very small distances in stop-and-go traffic where it will gain me nothing of substance. I sit in neutral at lights, rather than sitting with the clutch pedal in (which causes a bit of unnecessary wear on the throw-out bearing).

Personally I use my handbrake even on very slight hills. Never, ever use your clutch to hold you in place on any hill, no matter how minor.

I pretty much always get more than 100K on a clutch, and, at my recent 45,000-mile checkup (on a 2001 Nissan Maxima SE with stick), I still had 80% of my original brake pads left.

 

[thirdeye]

I usually leave it in second and leave a 1-2 car gap to avoid leg cramps. Don't leave too much though otherwise some moron will just cut in front of you and ruin what you're doing.

 

[mitmot]

Originally posted by: thirdeye
I usually leave it in second and leave a 1-2 car gap to avoid leg cramps. Don't leave too much though otherwise some moron will just cut in front of you and ruin what you're doing.

sorry thats me

 

[cjgallen]

Originally posted by: Twista
Ok, send me some good tips I already got stuck in go and stop traffic and i did fine with no stalls. Im wondering in stop and go traffic should i leave a big gap and only move up every so often to save all the shifting?

Pretty much.

Let the clutch out slow enough without giving it any gas and you can cruise along at 2-3mph in 1st, your car should idle just high enough to keep it from stalling. It's a lot better than stop->clutch out/accelerate to 10-15->get up on person's ass->brake->repeat every time traffic inches forward.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I just slowly pull the clutch out and go on the idle and keep moving up with the other cars in stop and go situations.

On a hill, I'll use the brake or even handbrake if it's quite some time of a wait and then yes, have the clutch around the "sweet spot" where it engages/disengages while giving little or no gas at all and maintain a position or move up very slowly and then of course moving is easy by just giving gas and letting the clutch out fully.

Remember, as long as you are smooth with the clutch it can last a long time, don't try to use it too quickly until you've driven it for quite some time.

 

[vtqanh]

Originally posted by: thirdeye
I usually leave it in second and leave a 1-2 car gap to avoid leg cramps. Don't leave too much though otherwise some moron will just cut in front of you and ruin what you're doing.

I'm not sure who's the moron here

 

[Twista]

i left the car @ home today.. heh took the bus to school. I believe when i drive i use the clutch too much because in traffic i was actually bouncing the car with the clutch =, plus theres way too many small hills and big hills on the way. Ill just go back out on friday late night and find a big hill where i can use the damn E-brake.

 

[mattocs]

Get yourself a Subaru with the hill holder

 

[Twista]

:shocked:

Originally posted by: OBW96
Get yourself a Subaru with the hill holder

:shocked: what am i to do with the mustang . I mean its the nicest looking car i ever seen "I". Hehe, i think ill need a new clutch soon with my bad driving.

 

[desk]

Originally posted by: Twista
i left the car @ home today.. heh took the bus to school. I believe when i drive i use the clutch too much because in traffic i was actually bouncing the car with the clutch =, plus theres way too many small hills and big hills on the way. Ill just go back out on friday late night and find a big hill where i can use the damn E-brake.

bouncing the car with the clutch = bad shifting != using it too much

and like dbz already said, the handbrake is a good call on steep hills, especially if someone is tight on your a$$.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: CtK
this is why i got an automatic G35
use to drive a stick RX-7 but it just became too much of a hassle with all the traffic i drive in

Hand in your man card!

 

[Saint Nick]

in stop and go, i leave a car length so that another car can't jump in. and like if you are at a green light on a hill, wait for all the cars to go a fair ways so you can just go instead of getting up right on their ass and stopping again.