Welcome to the world of endless fun (or pain) with manual trans. As many people mentioned, it's all about rev matching. ( I personally think a perfect shift happens when you are not only matching the rpm (first derivative of engine rev ), but also matches the rpm change rate ( second derivative of engine rev ). Hah...

After you are good with 1-2, 2-3 upshift, you can try 4-3, and 3-2 down shift with blipping the gas paddle. Then try to brake when you do all of these. Have fun!

You need to work on on letting the clutch out at the right rate. Focus on that. Learn the engagement point and right speed at which to release the clutch to avoid that lash. Some RPM points are natural shift points and easier to make smooth as well. The smoothest engagement speed will vary depending on shift point. Don't bother trying to rev match for an upshift.

1 to 2 is the biggest issue because 2nd is a pretty tall gear and makes the engine speed drop difficult to compensate for.

Driving manual for years, my 1-2 regardless of pace is perfectly smooth but how I work the clutch and gas changes depending on how quickly I want to accelerate. That means it's you, not the car, and something you can learn. Drive often without the radio on. Listen to the car. Don't eye the tach, know the feel of the engine. It won't take long. You'll get it.


I just noticed you live in Queens, same here. Where'd you score your FR-S?

don't ride the clutch too much now.. you and everyone else will certainly smell it.

Wow! im impressed you purchased the car in MT i agree with all posts, except learning to shift w/out clutch. learn the basics before attempting that... i have done it a few times, but it scares the shit out of me... im expecting that teeth gripping crunch as i lower into second :|

I found when learning manual, everyones physical advice was useless. understanding what is happening to the clutch plates when you release the clutch helped alot. but the most important thing i felt when learning manual was that, on a flat road, you dont even need to push the accelerator to go forward, just slowly release the clutch till you start to move. and when you are moving, you cant stall. Once i felt that point in which the clutch was half engaged, half not. everything started to make sense.

Then like most things, practice makes perfect :)

You will get it. Practice makes perfect, and there are some great recommendations in this thread.

He might also have the same issue I think mine has. In noticing a sometimes notchy shift into second. I've been driving MT for 14 years, so it's not a learning issue. Sometimes it shifts normally. Others I hear a nice loud notchy shift.

I've also noticed a lot of noise if you depress the clutch and leave it in gear and coast the car. The synchros or gears are still spinning pretty loudly, which hasn't been the case on any other car I've driven.

It's not nearly as bad as it used to be. Worst case scenario, you'll be able to smell before any serious damage is done.

Try shifting into 2nd right away. Use the shift indicator arrow and your shift should be smooth. Don't worry about those around you and go slow.

So ignore my post, I drove it this morning and it was a-okay. No clue! Maybe just breaking in?

FWIW I still hear the gear slop when the car is in gear in 1st/2nd and the clutch is depressed and you're coasting though. I don't like that noise...

I am in the process of learning stick. And I have exactly the same problem.
My own BRZ has about 20k when I got it, and I jerk the first 2 gears if I release the clutch at the wrong time. Its been annoying for my passengers.

However, the other day I was helping out a friend to get his used BRZ. The car has about 40k on it. Interestingly, shifting from N to 1st to 2nd was very smooth with no jerk at all. This had me worried for a while because I thought my transmission is the problem for the jerkiness. Or could it be the clutch on that car is wore out so it has less friction to bite therefore more smooth?

It's definitely and operator problem!

Unless it's grinding, your transmission is fine. These things shift pretty stiff right off the lot and loosen up over time. Your friend's machine is probably just worn in more than yours, maybe to the point of being a little sloppy and therefore more forgiving. That stiffness actually helps train you to be a better driver.

A couple of thoughts:

With 20K miles, I would have expected the clutch to have worn in pretty good by now. Was the clutch replaced before you got it? Maybe it's biting harder than your friend's clutch because it's new.

Also, there is/was a fad on here of people fucking with the clutch pedal height adjustment, imagining all sorts of benefits that may or may not actually exist. For a while people were selling it as the magic cure-all for everything "wrong" with the way this car shifted. Is it possible that either your clutch pedal or your friend's pedal has been messed with? Maybe yours is biting in the wrong place for your driving style, making it harder for you to shift smoothly. You might sit in each and compare where the clutch starts to engage to see if there's any difference.

If your car is broken in ... don't baby the shift. The drive ratio is so short between 1-2. I like to rev it pass 4500 and then quickly shift to 2nd and rev it again. The car likes high revs. Can't baby it. Of course ... this in the scenario if I want to get moving quickly.

Normal speeds .... smooth gas and clutch. It will come easier with time and practice.

Those gears are to get you moving, so they are pretty stout. You just need practice. If you noticed, its easier to start in second off the light, but I wouldn't recommend it. Some do it but I don't myself. I will use second the most I can in traffic unless I come to complete stop.

Kudos for you on the stick, you'll enjoy the hell out of it in that little car