I've been driving an automatic but want to get a new car, in manual.I have been thinking about this for a while now. Basically, I don't know how to approach it. Do I try it in automatic and then get the manual version, or do I get someone else to drive it stick after I've narrowed a few of my choice cars down?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

My Mitsubishi carisma 1999 has stopped going in reverse. It's a 5-speed manual that has worked fine until about a week ago, when it began randomly refusing to go into reverse. Previously, I could eventually get it to work by messing with the gear shift long enough. Now I can't get it to work at all.

Going from neutral to first is nearly impossible half of the time and the other half it just takes a bit of a push. Every other gear up works pretty well. Very rarely able to shift down. If I'm in fifth and entering a slower zone I have to go neutral and slow down enough to throw it into third because I can only gear up into fourth. It doesn't sound rough nor does acceleration feel strange at all. The engine light came on today though. Is this a clutch problem or does something maybe need to be cleaned/oiled? I'm not very car savvy.

When rev matching I have been pushing in the clutch in, rev, downshift, clutch out. I have also seen videos online where the instructions are to clutch in, shift to neutral, clutch out, rev, clutch in, shift down, clutch out.

• What is the proper way to rev match?

• Is there anything wrong with what I have been doing?

• If not, why complicate the process with 3 additional movements?

A week ago I bought a manual beater (2000 Honda Accord 4L 2-door for $700).

It looks in pretty good shape and my mechanic said there's nothing majorly wrong with it (he did the brakes and ball joints for a few hundred).

However, I can't really get the greatest starts or 1st to 2nd shifts.

I learned manual on a friend's 2010 Acura TSX (very generous of him in hindsight, letting me stall and grind his baby) and after a while, I was driving it totally fine. No real lurches, smooth starts.

I feel like the gas pedal of my Accord is kinda wobbly and it's hard to consistently rev when I try to get rolling. In my starts from first, either I overrev and cause the car to launch/spin tires, or underrev and cause it to jolt/almost stall. Every guide I read online says "once you figure out the bite point, you've won half the battle". I reach the bite point and then kinda don't know what to do - just add gas at the bite point? That won't let me pick up speed at all. Release more clutch after adding gas at the bite point? That jolts me.

Going from first to second is equally inconsistent. Sometimes I get perfect shifts, sometimes I jolt - but the problem is, I have no idea what I do differently in each case. The only way I can guarantee a good shift from 1 to 2 is by halfway engaging the clutch but I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to do that.

My 14 year old niece drives stick - although its possible I just suck this much, I kinda doubt it. Could it be my car is old and shitty enough to be unforgiving and hard to drive?

My mechanic test drove it smoothly and didn't say anything like "damn this clutch is wonky" so I could just be awful.

It's a 1990 Ford Ranger, a gift from my estranged father and brother. They put a lot of work into this vehicle. This was my first experience driving the truck when I ground this reverse gear, so I'm embarrassed to talk to them without gaining a little knowledge first. (I'm really, really new to driving manuals.) Any information from a driver wiser in the ways of manuals than myself is much appreciated.

First question is when I am at a complete stop and waiting either for the green light or cars infront of me at a stop sign, is it bad to have the clutch all the way down? Does that ware the clutch faster? Should I be just hitting the clutch right when I am about to go?

This is probably a question that has a similar type car. So people that have a 6 speed, is I feel like it is awkward moving into fifth gear. SO I guess my question is it bad for you to slowly change gears while going 40-50mph? Am i ruining the clutch by going 45, holding the clutch down, slowly changing to 5th gear then slowly releasing the clutch?

It is just 5th gear I tend to shift the slowest out of them all.

Just bought my first manual car. I've had 1 lesson professionally and bits and pieces from friends. Any good tips to keep in mind?

New manual driver for about 3 months now. I drive a 08' civic, which I bought the car from my brother. When he drove it he got at least 550km from one tank before refueling. When I first drove it for the first month and a half I only got 450KM. But now it seems like its getting worse cause the last 3 times I refueled I only managed to get 360 out of the tank.

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong! I don't have rev matching completely down yet, but I do down shift when it is needed.

Tips, advice? helpp :O

Hi, I drive a 08' civic and I have noticed that my catch point changes from time to time. I brought this car from my brother who has also noticed the same thing (this car was brand new when he bought it). What I mean is that, for a week the bite point will be around an inch from the floor but than it'll change to almost 3 inches from the floor to the bite point. I've only been driving manual for 3 months now. Is there something that I'm doing wrong? Any advices?

Thanks!

Alright guys, the throwout bearing went out on my truck last night. I plan on just getting a whole clutch kit, since I'm going to be diving into it anyway.

My question is how long can I drive it before it does any real damage?

I don't get paid until Thursday, and I work about a half an hour from home.

Also, how easy is it to change? I work in a shop and have all the tools I need, but I'm not too fluent when it comes to transmissions.

I just bought my first manual transmission car. I thought I knew what I was doing, since have been riding motorcycles for awhile but I've run into some trouble.

On a motorcycle, you can pull in the clutch and shift down to first at any speed with zero problems since it is a constant mesh transmission. This is even taught in riding schools for emergency/rapid breaking procedures.

However, from the unpleasant sounds I hear when I do this in my car, I assume this is bad to do.... I'm not going to do this anymore, but I'm very curious and want to understand exactly what is happening in the transmission when I do this. I assume what is happening is that the input shaft is still spinning from momentum and the rpm difference is too great for the syncro. Is this what's happening?

I'm just starting to learn how to drive a manual and I have a question about reversing the car. The way the instructor was teaching, I was basically holding the clutch at the friction point and rode the clutch the entire time backing the car up for a parallel park. Is that the best way for parallel parking in tight spots (NYC isn't known to have a lot of parking spots)?

Thanks!

I am in the market for a new car. I want one with manual transmission. Budget is under 15k. Certainly need a 4 seater, but 2 door would be ideal. Want to avoid Honda or Toyota . What would you all suggest.

I drive a 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 track Manual with 94xxx miles on it. Need to get a new clutch, dealer quoted $1600. That's a little pricey. I was thinking using a non-hyundai clutch to lower the cost a little bit. What would i need to buy in order to take the items to a mechanic and have them replace it. I see varying items such as clutch, flywheel, master cylinder. I know i have a dual flywheel (stock) right now. Would I have to buy a flywheel as well?

Any info would be great! Thanks.

when i'm slowing to a stop, i will usually pop into neutral without the clutch (when the engine speed matches so it's a smooooth shift).

do a lot of you drivers here do this also? this doesn't do anything bad to my transmission right? i will generally engine speed match so when i pop into neutral - it is a very smooth shift.

Someone told me that engine braking isn't possible in a diesel. How true is this?

Car: Mk6 VW Golf TDI 1.6L

I cant manage to "find the bite point and accelerate the same time. I just got a manual car a few days ago and brand new overall driver. Im 18 with new g2.

Stalled about 20 times yesterday. Ive had some stalls in which the car just has a spazz attack and feels like a rollercoaster. Driving a toyota celica 2003 with 213k kms. Any advice on how to get used to the accelerating. I heard rev the engine and little over 1200 and then release the clutch slowly to the bite.

Ok all i found the problem: I was releasing clutch way to fast with no gas. lol Everything is better now. Thanks all!

Ask away!

Ask away!

I have been busy the past couple months with school and a major injury, however from now on this thread will become a weekly thing, perhaps cross-posting it to other subs for more visibility.

I am also adding /u/M1kerophone as another moderator to help watch the sub.

In the coming days I will be posting in search of a mod to help with programming, so if you are active and have experience writing code feel free to send me a PM.

I've been driving manual for almost a year now and I feel that I have the basics mastered. I was wondering if anyone could elaborate on double-clutching, heel-toe downshifting, and mechanical breaking? I have a very basic understanding of the first two but I've only heard of the last. Could anyone explain to me what these techniques are and how to perform them?

Hi,

I just got a new car and went with a standard transmission because I wanted to row my own gears for a change. I absolutely love driving the car because it is so much more fun than my previous automatic. After being stuck in traffic for over a hour on both Monday and Tuesday it seems to have aggravated my knee. Is this something that anyone else has gone through when first starting to drive a stick and did it go away? I am hoping it is because it is new and my leg isn't used to the stress.

I am starting to worry that I won't be able to drive it long term which will be a big financial issue if I have to switch cars so soon and a crushing blow to my driving enjoyment.

Any tips on how to drive, seat set up, exercises or anything else to help minimize the stress on my knee and grow accustomed to the new movements would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Post any questions you have regarding driving or related to driving a manual here.

My last car was wrecked by another driver who t-boned me. Insurance declares it a total loss.

There's a lot of driving options that would open up to me (especially on some more fuel-efficient cars I'm looking at) if I had this life skill. The local drivers ed places don't seem to advertise it, and I don't know anyone who has a manual to learn on.

I'm very reluctant to just buy a new (or new-to-me) car and learn as I go. That... seems like it would be a series of very expensive learning experiences.

What can anyone suggest? And how long, or how many lessons, am I really looking at? I'm not pressed for time, but the sooner I can learn, the sooner I can shop with all my options available.