When does driving MT get "fun"

[Heero]

Wow looks like there's alot of love for the MT out there! Thanks for the support everyone.

I'll admit I enjoy driving on open roads, but rush hour traffic really irks me. & Yes, I choose MT because it was cheaper, but also because of all the hype around driving a manual car lol

I still have another Couple weeks before the FRS rolls in to decide...

Quick questions for those who drive MT:

1. Whenever I shift gears (especially downshifting) my car jerks like the gears going in really rough. Do I just need to shift quicker? or more gas?

2. How do I control reverse gear? My reverse is pretty darn fast as soon as I release the clutch. ATM I'm just riding the clutch - but I'm guessing that's bad?

Thanks

[Khyron686]

Manual is fun for some people, a chore for others. Decide who you are. My wife CAN drive manual (because that's what I buy) but she prefers not to bother. Our big SUV is auto, and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. But no hate on the auto - my buddy is a huge manual fan but his next car will be auto because his work has him driving in the city all day. Can always get a toy weekend car later...

You match the rpms to where they should be if you were in the gear you're going into. So if you're at 3K in 5th and downshifting to 4th you would rev the gas quickly to get the revs up to 5K or so as you let out the clutch. Do it right and it's as smooth as an auto, with NO jerk. In my old Jetta I can go 5-4-3-4-5 at 90km/hr and it's usually pretty bang on.

Reverse or crawling, I tend to let it out to get motion then put it back to the floor and coast rather than just sit half-way on the clutch.

[Want.FR-S]

Originally Posted by Heero

2. How do I control reverse gear? My reverse is pretty darn fast as soon as I release the clutch. ATM I'm just riding the clutch - but I'm guessing that's bad?

Hope this helps: as mentioned, when you do reverse gear, release the clutch carefully *without* pressing gas (accelerator). When the clutch bites in gear, release it and let the idling engine speed to gently load and move the car in reverse. If your speed is too fast, press the clutch and brake gently to stop. If the engine bogs down, press a little bit of gas. Otherwise, just gently release the clutch and the car will move slowly, just like that using an automatic transmission. This is especially helpful when the engine is cold with higher idling speed.

Typically, I do not press gas when using reverse gear because I have no need to go fast in reverse. Only press gas in reverse when you absolutely need it.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Want.FR-S

Typically, I do not press gas when using reverse gear because I have no need to go fast in reverse. Only press gas in reverse when you absolutely need it.

Very good advice.

For the OP, you will get used to it, and it will become second nature. Also, it's like riding a bike, once you get it, you've got it for life. At least that's been my experience.

OK, off topic but I have to share. I had a Polaris Scrambler 500 with a CVT transmission. It had a top speed of around 65MPH (fast for an ATV). The transmission had an 'override' button on it. Push that button and it would go full speed in reverse! It made for great reverse donuts, and scaring the crap out of your friends.

[Mr.Jay]

Personally I find this part of driving stick fun already. you are winning the car over as your driving techniques get better and when the day comes when you are driving smoothly it feels rewarding

Every car is different too so kind of gives them more character in my books

No auto hate tho convenience is understanding but you should deff give the 6MT a shot its good haven't driven the auto yet soon tho

[Saibot]

uhh what car are you driving? SHARE

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lange

Once you are good at it, it will be fun almost all the time. At first, like now, it will only be fun on nice open roads. I'd say give it at least 2 months, and if you still don't like it after that, maybe it's not for you.

I think it's because you are new. I never think about rollback or stalling or repetition, I just do it.

If you don't like it, there aren't many advantages. Liking it is probably one of the biggest advantages, though on the FR-S the superior gearing is also something to enjoy as well, though it may cost you in fuel mileage.

Jeff

^^ What he said.

[LivingLegend]

I currently drive a 94 tercel 4 speed manual and I find it more fun then when i had a auto tC

[86'd]

To add to what everybody has said:

It becomes even more fun when you have a fun car to drive.

And in the OPs case, obviously once you're comfortable with it.

My Civic has a decent shifter but the clutch is a bit too long and it's difficult to heel and toe. In my old S2000 everything was perfect (as I assume the FRS is going to be) and made it MORE fun to drive.

Once you get the hang of MT it's like breathing. It's really something to know your car, what gear you're in just by the sound of the engine; just by rowing through the gears, holding a conversation and subconsciously knowing what gear you're in and which is next, finally blipping the throttle to rev match the downshift; it's like dancing on the pedals.

[bryan]

Originally Posted by RYU

I drove a MT in traffic from Pasadena to Santa Monica for 4 yrs. That's 20+ miles each way averaging 15-25mph with frequent stops. If that doesn't drive you crazy.. I don't know what will. This was in an S2000.

Any other time, even long distance hwy driving, I prefer a MT. However, in stop and go LA traffic.. i'd rather shoot myself.

There's little joy to driving in stop and go traffic regardless of your transmission. The only you would want in a situation like that is a good radio.

[Ad8707]

Just stick to it..you'll realize after that mt is the way to go..I was in the same position as you last year with the rsx..didn't hate it but it was frustrating. First day picking up the car was pretty embarrassing. Got to a mall to pick up gf but struggled to leave the Parking lot! Plus Downshifting on manual is soo fun

[TheJuggernaut]

I guess I'll be the one party pooper. Yes, after some time, this will become second nature and fear of things like rolling back and stalling will be gone.

But look, part of why it's more fun is it's more involving. In a way, that's a euphemism for doing more work. If you're spending an hour each way in stop and go traffic, doing more work is going to be more tedious. There's really no way around that. Does it mean it's impossible to live with a manual in excruciating traffic? Of course not. But just because you CAN do something it doesn't automatically mean you'll want to. Hell, if I could get a car with full auto pilot for rush hour, I'd get it, and so would all of you. There is no fun to be had there, you just want to get home with minimum grief.

So as far as I'm concerned, the real litmus test (which I took and ended up with a manual track car and automatic daily driver), is how much of your driving is this kind of commuting and how much is leisure? If you spend a few hours a day on the road, most of it in dense traffic, a lot of it in stop and go congestion, you're going to want an automatic. I know many will disagree but having been one of them, owning manual BMWs for 11 years and surviving traffic just fine (including a semi-weekly commute you're doing while I was at UW), I say this with absolutely no contempt and no intended offense, that this is delusion.

Once again, when the mechanical skill becomes subconsciously natural, driving a manual in traffic can be perfectly fine. But it will NEVER be as easy as an auto. So if this HAS to be your only car, while I think it's a shame (but only because ours is not intended for heavy traffic commuting but mostly strictly fun driving, like on track), in your situation, I wouldn't discount the auto. But I'd honestly recommend getting a 2nd car, like an older diesel Golf or Jetta, just for commuting, and keep the fun car with the fun transmission for fun driving.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by bneale

Jeff is on the right track for sure.

I'm guessing you simply choose the MT because it was cheaper. Not because you actually wanted to drive stick. Which is all fine and good if thats the reason why (not trying to call you cheap or anything), but you should have probably thought about that a little more.

Put it this way, almost all of the best driving cars in the world are manual only. The new BMW 1 M comes leaping to mind right now. Manual only.

I'm pretty sure the F430 ferrari was also Manual only until Mr.Longoria bought one for his wife Eva and had ferrari custom build an auto for her.

Ben

so where does something like DSG fit in your neat little argument?

[Chenslee]

I've been driving stick excursively for 18 years now.

First on your to-do list should be rev-matching. Rev-matching is when you predict what rpm the engine is going to be at when you let the clutch out, and use the gas pedal to manually put the engine at that rpm. Do it right and it eliminates all jerky. You can use it up shifting, but more importantly downshifting.

Next is heel-toe shifting. Heel-toe (which should be renamed rocker footing) is when you rev match like above, but also press the brake. This allows you to down shift smoothly while stopping at the same time. Eventually this becomes second nature.

Once you get those down, practice left foot braking. Left foot braking allows control over weight transfer during maneuvering. It also shaves precious milliseconds off of reaction times. Practice a little, and you can brake as smoothy with your left foot as with your right. I cover the brake with my left foot when moving through traffic on the highway and it feels much safer.

Finally, and you have to be really good and hate your transmission to do this, you can left foot brake AND downshift at the same time by rev matching and not using the clutch. Get it right, and you are lord of the trannys. Get it wrong and I suggest a magnet on your gearbox drain plug.