Teaching myself how to drive a manual transmission

[badluck]

I'm thinking about buying a manual transmission Altima to save some money. How hard would it be to teach myself how to drive a manual transmission without fvcking up the car? I know how it works, just have never driven one. I've driven automatics for the past 10 years. My parents live 600 miles away from me so they are no help. My friends don't drive manual's or else I'd have one of them show me. I'm sure one of my friends at work could show me, but I wanted an answer tonight. heh. I'm sure it won't be hard, I just don't want to kill the car in the meantime, while I learn.....I pickup everything quickly, so that is why I thought this wouldn't be hard to do....just wanted re-assurance....

 

[tweakmm]

I hope you don't have bad luck

 

[Platypus]

I can help you if you wish via PM or messaging client. It really is quite easy, there is just a nervousness you have to get over and you should be fine.


Let me know.

 

[badluck]

I hope you don't have bad luck

heh. probably not....just with those damn rebates....

 

[StattlichPassat]

Sounds like you're ready to become a man! 😀 Seriously, if you spend about a half day or a full day straight working at it, you should have it down no problem. It is SO much more fun to drive a stick shift, and would be well worth your time. Go for it!

 

[silverpig]

Here's what to do:

Push in the clutch, start the car, put it in 1st, floor the accelerator, drop the clutch. 🙂


It's a great way to show off when you leave the dealer.

 

[ZeroBurn]

if i could teach a blond to do it, you're not going to have a problem.

give it lots of gas and be as gentle and slow with your clutch as you would your cpu (or a woman).

everything else is just practice, i learned in the streets at 2am so i didn't have to worry about stalling next to a jetta full of chicks 😉 don't worry too much about killing the clutch, unless you seriously crunch it you're not going to have to run out and get one right away, if it's an import it's going to last a while anyway.

 

[Sluggo]

Learning to drive a stick is easier if you know how the clutch works. When you can picture what is happening in your mind, the rest will follow easily.

 

[badluck]

give it lots of gas and be as gentle and slow with your clutch as you would your cpu (or a woman).

haha....that's a great line and sweet signature material.... 🙂

 

[CrackRabbit]

Another Easy way to get practice is to Go to a VERY LARGE EMPTY parking lot that doesnt have concrete parking space deviders and few if any obsticles so you can get up a little speed, and practice shifting gears. Its what i did, i still stalled it out for the first month or so, but it was ok.

CrackRabbit

P -7 and counting...

 

[johnjbruin]

Originally posted by: ZeroBurn

give it lots of gas and be as gentle and slow with your clutch as you would your cpu (or a woman).

its really easy. What ZeroBurn said above is true. Treat the clutch with respect and it wont let the engine stall on you.
You cant just learn it in an instant. You will need practice, but it is easy.

Good Luck

 

[Kelvrick]

So basically clutch, go to first, release clutch.

Once you reach say 15mph, push clutch, move to 2nd, release clutch, gas?

Do you basically shift every say 15-20?

Do you release the gas when you shift, or do you just ease off of it? Do you go straight to the next gear, or do you shift to neutral first, then the next gear? When braking, do you shift to each lower gear, or do you go straight to 1st gear if you're coming to a stop?

<== also learning.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
So basically clutch, go to first, release clutch.

Once you reach say 15mph, push clutch, move to 2nd, release clutch, gas?

Do you basically shift every say 15-20?

Do you release the gas when you shift, or do you just ease off of it? Do you go straight to the next gear, or do you shift to neutral first, then the next gear? When braking, do you shift to each lower gear, or do you go straight to 1st gear if you're coming to a stop?

<== also learning.

You shift when it sounds like you should. You'll know the sound the engine makes.... just sounds like it is trying too hard and you aren't going any faster. It takes a little while, but you will learn exactly when to shift your car at the right time.

When shifting, you let off the gas so that the engine doesnt spin up when you are in neutral. Then you ease on the gas as you ease off the clutch. And yes, you go right to the next gear, unless you are double clutching (don't worry about that). When I break, I usually put it in neutral...I dont know if that's good or bad, but it's what I do. When you are stopping though, you have to either be in neutral, or have your foot on the clutch or the car will stall. You don't have to shift down... just slow down and put it in neutral, otherwise you will stall again.

 

[CrackRabbit]

So basically clutch, go to first, release clutch.

Once you reach say 15mph, push clutch, move to 2nd, release clutch, gas?

Do you basically shift every say 15-20?

Do you release the gas when you shift, or do you just ease off of it? Do you go straight to the next gear, or do you shift to neutral first, then the next gear? When braking, do you shift to each lower gear, or do you go straight to 1st gear if you're coming to a stop?

<== also learning.

You have the right idea, ease off the clutch and press down the clutch before letting off the gas, and go straight into the next gear, messing around in neutral makes you lose some speed and can make the shift a little rougher. If coming to a complete stop put the car in neutral and let off the clutch and dont push it back in until your ready to go again, it saves wear on the clutch that way. Just a note this is the way i drive, and if the "correct" way or not im not sure... just some sugestions...


P -2 and counting...


CrackRabbit

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit

So basically clutch, go to first, release clutch.

Once you reach say 15mph, push clutch, move to 2nd, release clutch, gas?

Do you basically shift every say 15-20?

Do you release the gas when you shift, or do you just ease off of it? Do you go straight to the next gear, or do you shift to neutral first, then the next gear? When braking, do you shift to each lower gear, or do you go straight to 1st gear if you're coming to a stop?

<== also learning.

You have the right idea, ease off the clutch and press down the clutch before letting off the gas, and go straight into the next gear, messing around in neutral makes you lose some speed and can make the shift a little rougher. If coming to a complete stop put the car in neutral and let off the clutch and dont push it back in until your ready to go again, it saves wear on the clutch that way. Just a note this is the way i drive, and if the "correct" way or not im not sure... just some sugestions...


P -2 and counting...


CrackRabbit

Sweet, thanks. Oh yea, one more thing. Where are all the gears located? Is there an industry standard?

N 2 4

1 3 5

Are the gears like that?

 

[johnjbruin]

Its more like:

1 3 5
N N N
2 4 R

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: johnjbruin
Its more like:

1 3 5
N N N
2 4 R

Nice. That makes moving to neutral so much easier. 🙂 So is that the standard? I hear European cars like bmw's are different?

 

[johnjbruin]

I think BMW is different. Pretty sure. Dont know what though.
Never driven a B'mer

New 6 spds are:

1 3 5 R
N N N N
2 4 6

 

[kt]

Originally posted by: johnjbruin
I think BMW is different. Pretty sure. Dont know what though.
Never driven a B'mer

New 6 spds are:

1 3 5 R
N N N N
2 4 6

All German cars manual are:

1 3 5
N N N
2 4

And reverse is same position as 1st gear, except you have to push the shifter down then put it into 1st gear position.

 

[johnjbruin]

Audi S4
Mazda Miata
BMW M3
BMW Z3

 

[Thegonagle]

Lesson one, if you really want to get a feel for the clutch, should be to get the car moving in first gear without giving it any gas at all. You need to let the clutch out very slowly. Do that 5-10 times in a row without stalling the idling engine, and you'll practically be a master in no time. That's the first lesson I always teach, whether she's blonde or brunette. 😉 After that's done a few times, it's much easier to coordinate the gas and the clutch together.

 

[axelfox]

if you can't find it, grind it 🙂

 

[Woodie]

When slowing down, you're supposed to downshift through each gears. I think you can skip 1st, since you should be going pretty slow by then. The justification was two-fold: 1. Save on brake-wear by using the engine to slow the car. 2. In case the brakes fail, you can continue to slow/control the car because you're in gear. My own #3: If the light changes, you'll be in a better gear to stomp on it, and pass the stopped car in the next lane.

Shift up when engine rpms in the 3000-4000 range. Shift earlier=better mileage, shift later=better performance. Shift down when (or before) engine begins to "lug"--typically around 1,000 rpm.

Free Tip:
Unobstructed parking lot means no concrete dividers, and NO TREES! Saw a vid of a nasty crash because the kids were racing in a parking lot w/ trees in it. Car vs. tree: Car NEVER wins.

 

[skyking]

garfang has it right. If you give it a bunch of gas, you will wear out your clutch very soon.
find a level place to try this, it won't get going on an incline this way.
1) let out the clutch slowly, until the car begins to move. (first gear)
2) let it out all the way, and put your clutch foot on the floor next to the pedal. REPEAT, GET YOUR FOOT OFF THE PEDAL!!!
3) give the engine some gas very smoothly. this method will not work on some poorly tuned or high geared cars.
4) accelerate until it sounds right, or 2500 rpm on the maxima.
5) simultaneously (this is the tricky part!) step on the clutch and let off the gas. move shifter directly to the next gear.
6) simultaneously ( more tricky fun!) apply just the right amount of gas and let out the clutch. You will get smoother with this part over time.
7) Unless you are actively shifting, put your clutch foot on the floor. If you leave it on the pedal, you are "riding the clutch" . this is potentially very bad. You are causing undue wear on the throwout bearing, and unwittingly slipping the clutch itself, in extreme cases.
8)Place your shifter in nuetral at stops, and get the foot off the pedal. always use the brake to prevent rolling, and to signal your stopped condition to the people behind you. Use the hand brake to prevent rolling back, if needed, when you are getting started again. Just release it as you give a little gas and let out the clutch. With practice, you won't roll back at all, and use just the right amount of gas.
9)Do not ask other random young people to give you lessons. If you can, get a trucker. these guys regularly get 500,000 miles on a clutch🙂

 

[Migroo]

Just to clarify, and this seems like a common mistake:

When starting the car, you do NOT need to press the clutch in, as long as you are in neutral! With the gearbox in neutral, and the clutch out, the engine will be connected to nothing.

There is a good reason for doing it this way:

If you start your car in first with the clutch pushed in, your foot can slip off the clutch and if you are not ready to move forward then...



Process should be this:

Get in car
Cockpit check (seatbelts, mirrors etc)
Gear in neutral
No pedals should be touched
Start car
Check to see it is clear
Press clutch pedal
Give it a little gas and get to the biting point on the clutch
Final checks to see if it is clear
Release handbrake and without changing anything on the pedals, you should move forward.