I'm learning how to drive stick!

[UlrichFennec]

So, today I went to a parking lot with a friend of mine to see if he could teach me to drive stick. It's going slowly, but I'm picking up on it pretty quickly. I can get the car moving without stalling, but I'm having a little bit of trouble grasping upshifting and using neutral.

Could some of you guys give me advice? I plan on picking up another E30 with a 5spd instead of swapping my vert. That way I have a cruiser and a commuter/track toy.

[LJ851]

So, today I went to a parking lot with a friend of mine to see if he could teach me to drive stick. It's going slowly, but I'm picking up on it pretty quickly. I can get the car moving without stalling, but I'm having a little bit of trouble grasping upshifting and using neutral.

Could some of you guys give me advice? I plan on picking up another E30 with a 5spd instead of swapping my vert. That way I have a cruiser and a commuter/track toy.

Using neutral while driving is generally a hinderance to forward progress.

[UlrichFennec]

Using neutral while driving is generally a hinderance to forward progress.

So what exactly is neutral for? Instead of downshifting, could I coast in neutral and just use the brake, or does that cause too much wear and I should just learn how to downshift?

[LJ851]

I don't like coasting in neutral for any length of time. If a situation arose that required immediate forward movement or throttle to the wheels, you are dead in the water. You can't shift back into gear fast enough.

I put the car in neutral right before a stop.

[DrJosh]

I suggest you learn about how a clutch and manual transmission work. It is rather simple and will keep you from breaking or prematurely wearing anything out.

Neutral disengages the drive line from the engine. Pressing the clutch pedal also disengages the drive line from the engine. You can use either when slowing or sitting, but generally it is recommended to use neutral over the clutch when sitting to prevent wear on the clutch and clutch related components. Downshifting to slow uses engine breaking and helps keep wear down on the brakes. It also allows you to instantly have power in the event you need to suddenly accelerate. I usually downshift every gear except first. If going slow enough to need to downshift to first I just throw it in neutral and finish the job with the brakes.

[AndrewBird]

Pushing in the clutch doesn't wear the clutch, it wears the throwout bearing. This was more of an issue on older cars where it was a carbon bearing instead of a roller bearing and there was actually something to wear away.

Definitely learn to downshift and to rev match when doing so (that can come second). Rev matching makes down shifts smooth and prevents wheel lockup in slippery conditions and puts less wear on the clutch.

First gear is generally only used for taking off from a stop, but if a corner is really tight, like a 180º u-turn, I'll go into first since I will be almost stopped anyway. Most people would just push in the clutch, turn, then release the clutch and accelerate. I like to double clutch it as it can be hard to get it into gear at speeds over 15mph (double clutching helps with this).

I also agree on the no neutral thing. Only time you should be in neutral is when stopped. Fun fact: When you are in gear and coasting, you are using ZERO fuel. The injectors actually shut off. If you are coasting in neutral, the engine is still using fuel to stay idling. So staying in gear is more fuel efficient, even if the engine is turning at a higher RPM.

Also, try not to shift mid turn unless you want the back end to step out (slide). Slow speeds at low throttle this isn't an issue though.

[roguetoaster]

Watch this:


Not saying you are ready for any sort of sliding, but the picture in picture will begin to give you a more full understanding of what foot action makes the car do what. Remember, the cars he is driving are RHD, which have the same shift pattern, just using the left hand.

Also, I teach people to drive manual by watching my feet when I drive along a bit. This allows them to feel/see exactly what is going on and generally facilitates faster learning. So I suggest that you find the smoothest manual driver you know and watch them.

[ak-]

What's your issue with up-shifting and what's your issue with being in neutral?

[UlrichFennec]

Whenever I try to change gear, the car jerks forward. Am I being too quick on releasing the clutch and giving it gas? And I was just curious as to what part neutral really plays when driving a stick.

[roguetoaster]

Whenever I try to change gear, the car jerks forward. Am I being too quick on releasing the clutch and giving it gas? And I was just curious as to what part neutral really plays when driving a stick.

You are probably being too abrupt with the clutch, be smooth. As you start to release the clutch, lightly get on the throttle, make the throttle increase progressive with the clutch release.

Neutral is just what you pass through on your way to other gears unless you are double clutching, which you can learn later. If you are sitting (no plans to move soon) with the engine running you want to be in neutral. Effectively (if you are making a shift that is correct, and therefore quick), as you shift you don't actually "go" to neutral as the transmission is still spinning rapidly when single clutching.

[UlrichFennec]

I'll be sure to practice that! I can't wait to get on a track with a manual once I'm fluid enough with shifting and other driving techniques. I'm stuck with my slushbox vert as it stands, but this is a skill I'm adamant about learning so I can truly understand the synchronicity that a car and driver can have.

That, and how it functions. :3

[Das Delfin]

Neutral: mainly for sitting at stop lights but also for rolling to a stop, depending on conditions (if it's safe, etc). If there's someone behind you it's kinda rude to stop without using your brake lights.

When upshifting, you are probably releasing the clutch too soon. The gas doesn't grip until you are about 75% the way in gear, ie you only really need to press the clutch half in to get a gear, and then start giving it gas another halfway out from that. I only go ballz deep if I'm going down to first. It takes time and tons of failures to figure out the sweet spot.

The quickest way to learn where the clutch grips is go to a parking lot or anywhere you can't hit anyone or get in the way, put the clutch pedal to the floor, and let it out really really slowly without ever putting your foot on the gas. You'll feel the car start to move forward maybe 75% the way out. It will be jerky at first but do it a few times even slower and you'll get the car to roll forward at a constant pace of like 2mph. Once you can feel how far out the clutch pedal will be before the car starts moving, you'll know when to get on the gas and all will be right in the world :)

[Myself]

Most questions answered but I'l throw my 2 cents

I might make a video just for you tomorrow granted I get everything I need to do done to the 7 ... probably much simpler in video then in text but I'll try to give a short to the point response.

imo if you're a beginner master first gear, then everything else is a cake walk. If I'm teaching someone, I do not let them go anywhere unless they can do first gear zero problems.

--> Clutch in, first gear, DO NOT APPLY THROTTLE, let off the clutch pedal slowly until you feel it grab. That's it, apply light gas while letting off the clutch at that point and you're ready to take off easily. <--

Doing anything else I would consider extra curricular

Rev-match/heel toe
double clutch
skip shifting


extra curricular stuff come with ease once you're good with the basics

[ELVA164]

Driving a manual is easy to learn, but very hard to master. Once you understand the basics and have a feel for it, you can get yourself pretty much anywhere. Then you get to spend your time polishing things, which is fun in and of itself!

Also, there are still situations where neutral can be more fuel-efficient than staying in gear I think the safety aspect of that is a bit more subjective. For most purposes, like has been mentioned, try to only use neutral when coming to a stop (stop sign, stop light) or when sitting still (and remember NOT to keep the clutch depressed!). Arguments about throwout bearings aside, it's bad practice.

Also, don't get too worried about double-clutching until you're comfortable with regular shifting and heel-toe downshifting. Regular shift --> heel-toe --> double-clutch.

[RetroAde]

Here in the UK manuals are the norm and most people learn in manual cars, if you take your test in an auto you can only drive auto which is a pain in a country where most cars are manual.

As said the key is learning the bite point on the clutch. Once you've learnt where the clutch bites concentrate hard on being smooth on the pedal around the bite point. Then practice feeding in the gas, it's all about finesse in the feet.

Alternatively, depress clutch, engage 1st gear, dial up 4k rpm, dump clutch, hang on for your life!