driving standard

[michaljerzy86]

is a lot of fun and i'm still learning but it's so annoying when the car still jerks in between gears and i'm always terrified i'm going to blow it up =(

[Soyabean]

Its ok for the car to jerk when you are new to driving it. My car jerks between shifts every now and then. Its fun, downshifting when you want it.

You get tired of it when driving in rush hour yet? lol

[Aitch]

Manual transmissions and the engine can actually take a fair amount of abuse (i.e. stalling, lugging from low RPMs etc) while you're learning without much negative consequence. As long as you're 1) working to improve your skills, 2) not riding the clutch while driving, or letting it slip excessively (not having the clutch fully engaged/disengaged), and 3) shifting at appropriate RPMs, don't be too terrified of learning!

[michaljerzy86]

Its ok for the car to jerk when you are new to driving it. My car jerks between shifts every now and then. Its fun, downshifting when you want it.

You get tired of it when driving in rush hour yet? lol

oh god i had to drive downtown today for a hockey game and i was on the dvp......wow, first time in bumper-to-bumper and let me tell you it made me miss auto so much lol
but i pulled out of it with my car intact

and aitch, so i shouldn't be terrified of my engine blowing up when the car jerks? this has been the biggest fear of mine. not literally blowing up though..

[sas]

working to improve your skills

Great words. The car will tolerate all your errors as long as you do not ignore them.

[JordanAndrew]

oh god i had to drive downtown today for a hockey game and i was on the dvp......wow, first time in bumper-to-bumper and let me tell you it made me miss auto so much lol
but i pulled out of it with my car intact

and aitch, so i shouldn't be terrified of my engine blowing up when the car jerks? this has been the biggest fear of mine. not literally blowing up though..


I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep practicing. Everyone is scared to drive standard at first. When I started I went to a hill and practiced going uphill from a complete stop. I would let the car move for 10 Meters or so and then stop again and start going uphill again from a complete stop. You'll slowly get it as soon as you know where you clutch engages. Don't be afraid of the gas, at first you'll probably use too much gas, but then you'll learn the proper RPMS. I don't even look at the RPMS anymore, I base my shifting on sound nowadays just because I've driven my standard cars so much that I know exactly when I should shift. I think everybody will agree with this.

Good luck.

[Aitch]

and aitch, so i shouldn't be terrified of my engine blowing up when the car jerks? this has been the biggest fear of mine. not literally blowing up though..

No, not too much. It can jerk at low RPMs if you're not smooth with the throttle (eg. when letting off the throttle, or getting back on on it after coasting while in gear), or if you're stalling it (not enough gas when letting out the clutch). More than anything, this stresses the engine mounts and not the engine itself, so just work to minimize it over time and be as smooth as possible.

My goal when driving has always been that (unless I'm driving aggressively) I want passengers to think they're in an auto; I pride myself on the times when people have said as much.

As for everything else, if you're not grinding the gears or trying to shift in 0.2 seconds, the transmission will be fine; the engine doesn't get much stress from any jerking/stalling/whatever else that you can throw at it at low RPMs so don't worry about it.

[Soyabean]

one tip though, when going forward and then reversing, DO NOT PUT INTO R until car is stopped or gears will grind. i didnt kno that before and i did it a couple times when i first started driving.

You can be reversing and while rolling shift into first and drive. Thats fine but dont do it when reversing

[Aitch]

one tip though, when going forward and then reversing, DO NOT PUT INTO R until car is stopped or gears will grind. i didnt kno that before and i did it a couple times when i first started driving.


Good point. Also, if it won't go into reverse even while sitting still (it happens) just put it back in neutral, let the clutch all the way up and then press it down again, and it should then pop into reverse. You don't have to force it the first time; I do this method all the time, takes less than a second.

Sometimes the synchros in the transmission just don't line up; putting it in neutral and letting out the clutch spins the input shaft and thus the synchros again and gets things lined up properly.

[kevcol74]

Good point. Also, if it won't go into reverse even while sitting still (it happens) just put it back in neutral, let the clutch all the way up and then press it down again, and it should then pop into reverse. You don't have to force it the first time; I do this method all the time, takes less than a second.

Sometimes the synchros in the transmission just don't line up; putting it in neutral and letting out the clutch spins the input shaft and thus the synchros again and gets things lined up properly.

Another way to slow the syncros, with the clutch depressed, just thow it into 4th, then reverse. This will slow the syncos down, and you won't get a grind or have a hard time going into reverse

[Wild Weasel]

one tip though, when going forward and then reversing, DO NOT PUT INTO R until car is stopped or gears will grind. i didnt kno that before and i did it a couple times when i first started driving.

You can be reversing and while rolling shift into first and drive. Thats fine but dont do it when reversing

Pfft. Just need a synchro'd reverse gear. Both my Sunfire and MS3 have no issues at all with this.

SO... to clarify... this point is depends on the car. :)

[btown-mazda]

My goal when driving has always been that (unless I'm driving aggressively) I want passengers to think they're in an auto; I pride myself on the times when people have said as much.


+1 I once had my younger cousin ride with me and he complimented how smooth it felt to ride in my car as all the other times he's been in other cars it was so harsh. Totally made my day.

[andyh921]

is a lot of fun and i'm still learning but it's so annoying when the car still jerks in between gears and i'm always terrified i'm going to blow it up =(

i learned how to drive standard with my speed 3 and i remember for the first few weeks i kept stalling it on every single traffic light..... lol.

[thefish]

i learned how to drive standard with my speed 3 and i remember for the first few weeks i kept stalling it on every single traffic light..... lol.

Wow... you're brave...

[SL3VIN]

lol this reminds me, a couple of summers me and a friend bought a shitbox bmw 320i for 800 dollars to learn driving stick. At first i kept stalling on every stoplight and when starting on a hill i ll roll back like 5 ft but with enuff practice i got everything down, even learned how to heel and toe, double clutch and rev match
The car is gone now, biggest piece of shit ever. Bent rack and pinions, unbelievable amount of rust (rusted to the carpet) and the constant smell of rotten eggs...

but yeah nothing to worry about some shaking is okay when you learn, just keep practicing until you become smooth.
oh you prolly know this already but DON'T downshift when you are at high RPM's this may cause the car to be "off balance" and cause it to spin out.
example: while in third going at high speeds/rpm's you shift into second

[JadeButterfly]

oh you prolly know this already but DON'T downshift when you are at high RPM's this may cause the car to be "off balance" and cause it to spin out.
example: while in third going at high speeds/rpm's you shift into second

how high is high?
sorry, im on the same boat - need to learn to drive manual but dont have the car yet.

[btown-mazda]

4-5k+

[SL3VIN]

Just as long as when you let out the clutch the RPM doesn't go past the redline. If you go past the redline bad things will happen to your engine and you may cause the speed of the wheels and the lower gear to not match which will locke up the driving wheels and you will spinout. Go in sequence and learn the capabilities of your car, all cars are a bit different and knowledge cannot be directly transferred. What I can suggest is to check the manual!!! Often a recommended RPM vs gear shift points are given.

Also some pointers, don't ride on the clutch when you're starting from a standstill... so in other words dont push the clutch in halfway and apply gas until you start rolling.This will result in "burning" of the clutch Try to be as smooth as possible, once you feel the clutch engage just let go.

[Xerox]

http://www.standardshift.com/videos.html

[stas]

best way to learn stick: find a hill and stop on the side of the road (prefferably residential with little traffic), start learning to move from a standstill on a hill going up obviously, as soon as you started moving stop, do it again and again and again, once you have no problem with it start driving in mild traffic, once you think you are fine with that drive down town for a week, then hit up dvd in stop and go traffic. follow these procedures and you will love manual in any driving situation as everything will be more natural than auto.

(edit)- LEARN THE FRICTION POINT OF THE CLUTCH, if you dont know it dont expect to be good in driving stick, so learn it soon

ps. i find auto more annoying than manual, especially in traffic and downtown

[nitsuji]

To find your friction point stop somewhere flat so that when you're in neutral it doesn't roll. Now get into 1st gear and SLOWLY let out the clutch (no gas needed). The car should begin to move forward when you find the spot. It may jitter a little. Do this a couple of times and you'll be good to go =)

[Soyabean]

When your rpm is too high it wont let you down shift into another gear. Its a safety mechanism. Like notice how you cant downshift into 1st when going at ~25km/hr unless u rev match.

This is what i did to practice finding the point where the clutch engages. I went to a parking lot with a hill, and practiced there for 30 mins. After 2 times there, i mastered it. So try practicing on a hill. You dont want to roll back and hit someone in traffic

[condor888000]

Not true really. First is the only gear that happens in, there are stories all over M3F of people mis-shifting, hitting 2nd instead of 4th and over revving. Of course, this leads to bent valves or worse...

[Wild Weasel]

Not true really. First is the only gear that happens in, there are stories all over M3F of people mis-shifting, hitting 2nd instead of 4th and over revving. Of course, this leads to bent valves or worse...

This is correct, and the fact that it's tough to do in 1st isn't a safety feature. It's just that the synchros need to spin things up so fast to mesh the gear that it's too hard to jam the stick in. If you were really determined, you could do it, and probably break a few things in the process.

There's really nothing about the car that won't "LET" you downshift, overrev, and blow up your engine. It's up to the driver to know it's a bad idea. :)

[DreamM3]

This is correct, and the fact that it's tough to do in 1st isn't a safety feature. It's just that the synchros need to spin things up so fast to mesh the gear that it's too hard to jam the stick in. If you were really determined, you could do it, and probably break a few things in the process.

There's really nothing about the car that won't "LET" you downshift, overrev, and blow up your engine. It's up to the driver to know it's a bad idea. :)

Volkswagen and Audi are the only cars I know of that have that mechanism.

[shuller1458]

As many people said it here: your "ideal" driving technique is that your passengers would feel that your are driving automatic car.

[axelf911]

How often do you have to fix the transmission and how much does it cost for maintenance?

[crystal8484]

my goal when driving has always been that (unless i'm driving aggressively) i want passengers to think they're in an auto; i pride myself on the times when people have said as much.

+1 !!! :d

[Dave_The_BMXER]

How often do you have to fix the transmission and how much does it cost for maintenance?

This all depends on the driver. My last car I had for 7 years and never had to do a clutch and it may or may not have been from the factory (85!!).

Broke a shift knob and some linkage though lol.

[DESTROYER]

Manual transmissions and the engine can actually take a fair amount of abuse (i.e. stalling, lugging from low RPMs etc) while you're learning without much negative consequence. As long as you're 1) working to improve your skills, 2) not riding the clutch while driving, or letting it slip excessively (not having the clutch fully engaged/disengaged), and 3) shifting at appropriate RPMs, don't be too terrified of learning!
def agree about riding the clutch. I took my driver's ed in a manual car and the instructor would slam his clutch (pass. side) whenever he sensed I was touching it unnecessarily. He had almost 300K on his car and original clutch (acc. to him). Best thing is move your foot off clutch immediately after switching gears to the left resting position so there is no temptation or habit of resting it on the clutch. I miss manual. My 09 S GT is auto. Quick story.... years ago my wife had to drive my Audi TT 225 hp (couple weeks old) home. 6 gear manual and she had never ever drove manual in her life. I gave her some quick tips and she was a wreck when she got home (albeit in one piece). I had my chef (from my restaurant, not from home :)) ride with her and he drove for a bit when she got stressed.
Anyway congrats on your purchase. Enjoy your car, they are built with quality parts and are made for abuse (even the kind you find from people on this forum.... :chuckle LOL).

[axelf911]

Driving standard can stress out a woman that much???

[DESTROYER]

Driving standard can stress out a woman that much???
??? Gee I don't know? Try it. Shell out $70K on a car and give it to a woman who has never EVER driven standard and has 2 minutes to start going (no practice). Let me know how it turns out.

[jsbola]

The fun of driving stick far out ways the annoyance of bumper to bumper traffic, for me anyway. I dont think I'll ever go back to auto, I just wish I had a a six speed.

[condor888000]

Having driven several Mazda 6 speeds, I'm WAY happier with a 5 cog gear box. They just can't get the ratio's right for me.

[Halogen]

Why didn't Mazda incorporate the gear number lights in the instrument panel like the auto ?? Not that it's necessary, but it would have been a nice extra.

Anyone here like to rev up to 130km on a clear road, kick into neutral and coast with the engine off at night ? Interesting experience...

[Noisy Crow]

Why didn't Mazda incorporate the gear number lights in the instrument panel like the auto ?? Not that it's necessary, but it would have been a nice extra.

Interesting question. My guess is that with an automatic it's a lot harder to tell by feel what gear you are in.

I find that when I drive an automatic that I need the display to know what gear the car is in... most slip right into drive and park, but reverse takes some addtional brain power. And low gears are used so infrequently that the display is needed for them as well.

But with a manual transmission, every gear is always done by feel. You always know what gear the car is in, and not just by the position of the shift lever, but by the way car accelerates, the sound of the engine, and to a degree what the tach tells you (I pretty much only use the tach to avoid over-reving the engine).

[Nick]

Why didn't Mazda incorporate the gear number lights in the instrument panel like the auto ?? Not that it's necessary, but it would have been a nice extra.

Anyone here like to rev up to 130km on a clear road, kick into neutral and coast with the engine off at night ? Interesting experience...

wow dude, i was with ya until you mentioned with the engine off, but no power steering at that speed is insane. but ya i agree with the gear number lights but i've never seen it before in manual.

[wtom]

You always know what gear the car is in, and not just by the position of the shift lever...

Guilty.

There've been times when I swear I was in fourth but was actually in third, I'd be reaching for the shift knob in the fourth area but would be grabbing air :chuckle

[Aitch]

Why didn't Mazda incorporate the gear number lights in the instrument panel like the auto ?? Not that it's necessary, but it would have been a nice extra.

Anyone here like to rev up to 130km on a clear road, kick into neutral and coast with the engine off at night ? Interesting experience...

I don't think any manufacturer does, unless you're driving a fully-prepped rally car. It would be a very cool touch but no one does it.

[random.pattern]

90% of the time i love driving manual even though i tend to drive in a lot of traffic... getting a manual was a must, and it helps that the wife drives manual as well.

[Xerox]

There was a thread on this gadget way back.

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/gear_shift_knob_555.jpg

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2008/09/ac-schnitzer-shift-knob-reminds-drivers-of-what-gear-theyre-in.html

[random.pattern]

^^^ if nothing else, that would look pretty cool.

[STeeLy]

wow dude, i was with ya until you mentioned with the engine off, but no power steering at that speed is insane. but ya i agree with the gear number lights but i've never seen it before in manual.

Actually... I'd much prefer to have no power steering at that speed... you can feel the road MUCH better without power steering.

I know some cars once you go past a certain speed, power steering actually turns off.

[Xerox]

Actually... I'd much prefer to have no power steering at that speed... you can feel the road MUCH better without power steering.

I know some cars once you go past a certain speed, power steering actually turns off.

It's called speed sensitive steering. Different manufacturers name it different things like variable assist power steering or Magnasteer.

[Halogen]

Actually... I'd much prefer to have no power steering at that speed... you can feel the road MUCH better without power steering.

I agree, gives it an added race car effect, which having driven a Saturn for many years with a top speed of 110km (for fear of car falling apart) made me instantly love the handling and strength of the 3 at higher speeds.

When I first did the coasting thing (engine off), and re-started, the power steering stayed shut off...at the time, I thought I had unlocked some special highway steering mode.

Once you get below 40-30km, the power steering kicks back in and you can steer safely again, doing that or a hard jerk to the side should also turn it on. ( Not recommended for family drivers or people heading into the Hamilton 403 roller coaster bends )