[curb hugerton]

to start off I did do research and this will not be my first time driving a manual car.

that said buying a car is a big investment and i want to get as close to mastering(if thats possible) stick shifting as possible so the thing doesnt go from thing of beauty to a mass of idle ****(well it would still look good but you get me)

anyways been watching videos,reading,and practicing on a civic beater soon,but you see these youtubes ect..and just when you think "oh well got it all figured out now" somebody comments like "keep doing that and and you will burn you clutch".From what rpms to shift at,keep it in 1st or go into neutral ect...

i dont much care for advance shifting if it puts my car at risk so my general question is.....is there a textbook way to drive stick?is it a science?grinding gears,can you avoid grinding synchronizers or is that the bad with the good?somebody said double clutch to avoid it but idk as much as people say sticks are cool cause there is more control it also seems that the transmisson is a very delicate thing

 

[him]

hummmm well i fought to find the answer to this for a while man. You're probably not going to find a "correct" answer to it .... well at least i didn't. Just do what feels natural....avoid dragging the clutch to get into gear...hummmm don't downshift, and shift quickly but smoothly. A clutch can take a lot of abuse and if you're worried about the integrity of the transmission nsn makes a mtx cooler. here is the link.
http://www.nsnmotorsports.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_78&products_id=205

 

[Enki]

The best thing you can possibly do to learn how to drive a manual is to rent a manual car. Have someone pick it up for you though.

 

[curb hugerton]

[quote author=enki link=topic=143123.msg3084130#msg3084130 date=1240703771]
The best thing you can possibly do to learn how to drive a manual is to rent a manual car. Have someone pick it up for you though.
[/quote]

great idea....like i said i got a civic to practice on but i think i might do this instead.thought i would have a hard time finding somebody that rents sticks but i found somebody pretty close

and thanks hIm im checking the cooler out right now...as far as downshifting I think i know what ur talking about.aside from that my friend that showed said "say your pulling into a parking lot you want to drop it to second cause your still driving but at a slow pace,and that moving at a very slow roll merits 1st gear is that right?

what your talking about is downshifting for some kind of accerleration boost right?

 

[slyons89]

I learned stick on my mazda 3, but I imagine it will be more difficult in a speed3

Yes; downshifting to 2nd is what you'll need to do in a parking lot. I know the transmissions are different between the 3 and the speed3 but I normally use 2nd gear from ~7-20mph. First gear is only for 0-5 mph normally, unless your accelerating and really letting it rip from a stop.

It just takes practice. It took me a week driving every day to feel confident that I wouldn't stall. Look up the hand-brake technique to avoid stalling when you are starting going uphill. After about a month I felt very confident driving stick. After about 6 months I began experimenting with rev-matching +heel-toe downshifting. <- These aren't necessary but they can help reduce strain on the transmission and are simply fun as hell.

Good luck!

 

[Enki]

[quote author=slyons89 link=topic=143123.msg3084226#msg3084226 date=1240708323]
I learned stick on my mazda 3, but I imagine it will be more difficult in a speed3
[/quote]

This is the absolute truth. I've driven nothing but manuals all my life (although crappy loose econo-box manuals) and the clutch in the MS3 definitely takes some getting used to.

 

[IBrakeForNobody]

Here's a really good article to help you better understand heel-toe shifting and rev-matching.

 

[rhyick]

My speed3 was my first manual transmission as well. Before that, a friend had taught me how to start off/shift in his old Acura Integra. Don't worry too much about it because within a week or two, you'll have the hang of it, and unless you really do stupid things like launch at high RPMs or ride the clutch, your transmission should be fine. The clutch is really grabby in our cars, and that takes a bit of getting used to, but you'll learn every time you drive (I still do).

 

[GT1]

The best thing that you can possibly do to learn how to drive a manual is to find a good teacher.
Otherwise, how can you possibly know if you are developing (or have developed) bad habits?

It's not uncommon to see a post about a clutch replacement at 10~20k miles when the clutch should last for a least 100k.

 

[saeufer82]

[quote author=enki link=topic=143123.msg3084130#msg3084130 date=1240703771]
The best thing you can possibly do to learn how to drive a manual is to rent a manual car. Have someone pick it up for you though.
[/quote]

I don't particularly like automatics, but I've never been able to score a manual rental car from any of the major companies I've rented from. Do any of them actually have manuals or should I go to the local yellow pages for a local company when I travel?

And, altho the 3 has a grabby clutch, it's pretty easy to drive--the transmission shifts easily, the clutch grabs at the same point all the time and the gas is easy to control.

Using the handbrake for steep hill starts is very important. The clutch only wears when you're slipping it, so holding the car at a red light on a hill by slipping the clutch is a great way to burn it. I drive in San Francisco a lot and I *always* use the handbrake if I have to wait at a light, switch directions parking parallel, etc., on a steep hill. With some practice you'll be able to get off the brake and on the gas fast enough on "normal" hills, but nothing replaces knowing how to use the handbrake if it's steep.

Basically don't grind gears and the less time your foot spends on the clutch pedal, the better

no flames please, but I really think that North American driver's licenses should have "automatic only" restrictions on them unless people took driver's ed and/or the test on a manual--I think the stigma of a restriction would drive more people (sorry) to learn how to shift at 16. I once had to drive home from Eldora ski area to Boulder with a hurt elbow because my friend couldn't drive my stickshift VW. Needless to say my elbow didn't appreciate the drive.

 

[CrashDummy11]

I have also driven a friend's stick a few times, but never owned a stick. I test drove a MS3 today and it was very easy to drive. A couple of my shifts were a little jerky but I had no problems driving it around. I wouldn't really worry about it at all.

 

[Zer0id]

Id get a 1200 miata and mess around with that first. but thats just me

 

[holden]

I'm 16 and my (1st) car is a stick. I Learned on my dads G37. That car is way hard to drive, and took a while to learn. Once I got my car I was able to drive alot better because how much easier the car is to drive.

 

[IBrakeForNobody]

[quote author=holden link=topic=143123.msg3093230#msg3093230 date=1241048041]
I'm 16 and my (1st) car is a stick. I Learned on my dads G37. That car is way hard to drive, and took a while to learn. Once I got my car I was able to drive alot better because how much easier the car is to drive.
[/quote]

Pretty much the case with me. I learned on my friend's really dilapidated '92 Toyota pickup with a blown 4th gear. It was hard enough to get that thing into the next gear, not to mention the lack of power steering and an inconsistent clutch. Then I drove my other friend's BMW 318i, and it shifted so smoothly that I didn't even realize I was shifting.

Suffice to say, my MZ3 is an auto. It was either drive to the next dealer and get a manual in the color I didn't want, or get an auto in the color that I really wanted. I chose the color.

 

[holden]

after a few weeks of driving my car I drove my dads car a realized how different his car was. His car didnt grab the clutch as easy

 

[as1an_1nvas10n]

theeres some good posts in here: http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=143469.msg3091696#msg3091696


if it helps at all....

 

[Zer0id]

[quote author=holden link=topic=143123.msg3093230#msg3093230 date=1241048041]
I'm 16 and my (1st) car is a stick. I Learned on my dads G37. That car is way hard to drive, and took a while to learn. Once I got my car I was able to drive alot better because how much easier the car is to drive.
[/quote]
You're 16 and have a fucking speed3?

 

[holden]

[quote author=Zer0id link=topic=143123.msg3093631#msg3093631 date=1241059193]
[quote author=holden link=topic=143123.msg3093230#msg3093230 date=1241048041]
I'm 16 and my (1st) car is a stick. I Learned on my dads G37. That car is way hard to drive, and took a while to learn. Once I got my car I was able to drive alot better because how much easier the car is to drive.
[/quote]
You're 16 and have a fucking speed3?
[/quote]


hahaha yes, I had to prove to my parents I was responsible and had to get a 4.0 to get it. I also put 5k into it, which technically made it the price of an entry level car ( 16500 )

as for being spoiled..... yeah I know Im spoiled but my parents dont spoil me unless I earn it. Not to mention more than half of my school drives 3 series, A4s and C classes. Some kid drives the porsche SUV too

 

[Zer0id]

Fuuuuuuu---- rage. Sort of makes me wish to track down my dad and get child support money just to upgrade my car.

 

[angryRotarian]

[quote author=Zer0id link=topic=143123.msg3093631#msg3093631 date=1241059193]
[quote author=holden link=topic=143123.msg3093230#msg3093230 date=1241048041]
I'm 16 and my (1st) car is a stick. I Learned on my dads G37. That car is way hard to drive, and took a while to learn. Once I got my car I was able to drive alot better because how much easier the car is to drive.
[/quote]
You're 16 and have a fucking speed3?
[/quote]

Same reaction I had.

I can honestly say that had I had a speed3 (which I could never have afforded then) at 16, I would have most likely have wrecked it, possibly hurting (or worse!) myself, passengers or others. Hell, I hooned a manual Ford Contour which I could barely afford used.

Take care kid - that's alot of power and not too much car for a 16 year old.