starting in second gear

[BRZfan]

Cantaloupe,
I hope you were able to absorb all the advice.
Good Luck.

[Giccin]

I know lots of people who start in 2nd. I start in 2nd myself occasionally.

I think of it as the same as downshifting. You don't drop down to every gear. If you're going to a corner fast you're most likely going to drop 6th/5th to 3rd or 2nd.

I don't find it a big deal if I do.. 2nd->4th -> 5th. Plenty of others disagree with my practice but I also know plenty who have nothing wrong happen to their car after 100k miles of going through the same practice.

[kilrb]

I just watched Jeremy Clarkson start a Z06 Corvette in 5th gear and drive it to redline. I'm pretty sure taking off in 2nd in these cars, with the extremely low gears they have is not an issue.

[KSC]

In a certain neighborhood, there are a total of eight 4-way stop signs in a one mile stretch before my friend's driveway. These stop signs, after a tedious day of commuting, are total bitch when he just wanna get the hell home. So, let's just say, in theory, this friend could "California" through every one these stop signs @ 2mph in 2nd without a single bit of lug in this car.

You know, if he had one that is!

[hobojoker]

Originally Posted by kilrb

I just watched Jeremy Clarkson start a Z06 Corvette in 5th gear and drive it to redline. I'm pretty sure taking off in 2nd in these cars, with the extremely low gears they have is not an issue.

In general, I would not suggest using Jeremy Clarkson as a good example... For pretty much anything. He is hilarious though

[l0aded]

Side question,

I frequently engage my clutch in second gear in parking lots / when going over speed bumps just to prevent stalling or letting the rpms drop too low. Is this a bad habit? should I only be depressing the clutch pedal when absolutely necessary?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by l0aded

Side question,

I frequently engage my clutch in second gear in parking lots / when going over speed bumps just to prevent stalling or letting the rpms drop too low. Is this a bad habit? should I only be depressing the clutch pedal when absolutely necessary?

It's added wear on the clutch, no argument, whether or not it is "bad" is down to personal opinion.

My opinion is that the clutch's sole purpose is to smooth power delivery to aid in your transportation from point A to point B. It is a wear part that is designed to be replaced, use it, use it responsibly but don't worship it like some sacred resource. If it helps you achieve a smooth ride then do it, if you start smelling the clutch burning you should probably rethink your methods.

[PC_BRZed]

Originally Posted by husker741

You may have caused the flux capacitor to malfunction.

[dammitcubs]

Originally Posted by cantaloupe

Is it bad for the car? I accidently did this yesterday and it seemed fine.

Depends. Usually once the car is moving, you don't want to re-shove it into first gear. So it very common to just keep it in second. (depending on the speed). It's a decently sized gear. Everyone does it. I just recommend, if you are fully stopped, to put it in first.

First gear = when stopped
Second gear = when moving.

[Porsche]

Originally Posted by dammitcubs

I just recommend, if you are fully stopped, to put it in first.

First gear = when stopped
Second gear = when moving.

That's right, dammit!

[Porsche]

Originally Posted by l0aded

Side question,

I frequently engage my clutch in second gear in parking lots / when going over speed bumps just to prevent stalling or letting the rpms drop too low. Is this a bad habit? should I only be depressing the clutch pedal when absolutely necessary?

This is an excellent point that you raise.

What you're doing is exactly right; I, too, do what you do.

(And if Porsche does it, you know it must be right! Right? )

I'm especially concerned about rolling over old-style, lumpy-bumpy railroad tracks. I don't think my drive train likes that herky-jerky motion, especially if crossing them from a full stop, and so at a walking pace. If I'm stopped before a bad railroad crossing, I put my car in first gear, NOT SECOND!, give it a little squirt of throttle, then immediately de-clutch, and have just enough speed to roll across the bumpy rails and make it to the other side; I'm rolling across the lumpy tracks at a walking pace with the car free-wheeling safely. This avoids any possible "lurching" in the drive train, the differential, gearbox, and engine. Smooth and easy, apart from the unavoidable bumping of the wheels and suspension, of course.

Speed bumps in parking lots just call for de-clutching and rolling smoothly across, whether in first or second gear. And this is another example of when second gear at very low rpms is okay. You're in a parking lot and presumably you're not immediately accelerating hard in second following the speed bump.

If you want to accelerate hard at that walking pace then change down to first. That usually requires a rev-match to accomplish smoothly because most gearboxes, even when warmed up, will be very reluctant to engage first if you're moving faster than a few mph. This is normal for ALL gearboxes and there's nothing wrong with yours.

I'm accustomed to rev-matching, heel-toeing, etc. so it's simple for me. I've been practicing "performance driving techniques" for 50 (yes, fifty) years. Having said that, I could teach you to do the same in a couple of brief lessons.

Here's an additional lesson: NEVER, not EVER, travel over a sharp bump with the brakes on, especially not on hard. Say, you're zooming along at 35 mph in a parking lot (like so many do) and suddenly encounter a speed bump in front of you. Brake HARD, right NOW, to slow your speed as much as possible, and then GET OFF THE BRAKES BEFORE HITTING THE BUMP. If you run over a sharp bump, braking hard ... you can break something expensive in your suspension or even mounting points on the body, bend a rim lip on RR tracks, etc.

I don't care how fast you're going when you cross the bump, just make sure you're completely OFF THE BRAKES. Your suspension can absorb a lot; let it work for you. If you're on the brakes hard, your suspension is COMPRESSED and bad things can happen when you suddenly send a sharp shock through it when in a compressed state.

Make sense?

This whole thread has turned into a good driving lesson, hasn't it? At least it has for those who have the wits to recognize who to listen to.

Here's hoping you found today's lesson instructive and useful.

-Peace & Love,

Professor Porsche

*****************


“I am not young enough to know everything."
-Oscar Wilde (author, poet, & playwright; 1854 - 1900)


*****************

[l0aded]

Originally Posted by Porsche

This is an excellent point that you raise.

What you're doing is exactly right; I, too, do what you do.

(And if Porsche does it, you know it must be right! Right? )

I'm especially concerned about rolling over old-style, lumpy-bumpy railroad tracks. I don't think my drive train likes that herky-jerky motion, especially if crossing them from a full stop, and so at a walking pace. If I'm stopped before a bad railroad crossing, I put my car in first gear, NOT SECOND!, give it a little squirt of throttle, then immediately de-clutch, and have just enough speed to roll across the bumpy rails and make it to the other side; I'm rolling across the lumpy tracks at a walking pace with the car free-wheeling safely. This avoids any possible "lurching" in the drive train, the differential, gearbox, and engine. Smooth and easy, apart from the unavoidable bumping of the wheels and suspension, of course.

Speed bumps in parking lots just call for de-clutching and rolling smoothly across, whether in first or second gear. And this is another example of when second gear at very low rpms is okay. You're in a parking lot and presumably you're not immediately accelerating hard in second following the speed bump.

If you want to accelerate hard at that walking pace then change down to first. That usually requires a rev-match to accomplish smoothly because most gearboxes, even when warmed up, will be very reluctant to engage first if you're moving faster than a few mph. This is normal for ALL gearboxes and there's nothing wrong with yours.

I'm accustomed to rev-matching, heel-toeing, etc. so it's simple for me. I've been practicing "performance driving techniques" for 50 (yes, fifty) years. Having said that, I could teach you to do the same in a couple of brief lessons.

Here's an additional lesson: NEVER, not EVER, travel over a sharp bump with the brakes on, especially not on hard. Say, you're zooming along at 35 mph in a parking lot (like so many do) and suddenly encounter a speed bump in front of you. Brake HARD, right NOW, to slow your speed as much as possible, and then GET OFF THE BRAKES BEFORE HITTING THE BUMP. If you run over a sharp bump, braking hard ... you can break something expensive in your suspension or even mounting points on the body, bend a rim lip on RR tracks, etc.

I don't care how fast you're going when you cross the bump, just make sure you're completely OFF THE BRAKES. Your suspension can absorb a lot; let it work for you. If you're on the brakes hard, your suspension is COMPRESSED and bad things can happen when you suddenly send a sharp shock through it when in a compressed state.

Make sense?

This whole thread has turned into a good driving lesson, hasn't it? At least it has for those who have the wits to recognize who to listen to.

Here's hoping you found today's lesson instructive and useful.

-Peace & Love,

Professor Porsche

*****************


“I am not young enough to know everything."
-Oscar Wilde (author, poet, & playwright; 1854 - 1900)


*****************

looking forward to future lessons

[kchkwan]

Im a newb at manual since its only my third month. Though i don't think theres really a incorrect way to drive as long as it works, but theres always a btr way to prevent excessive wear and tear. I tried starting from second gear once, didn't feel nice, so i decided to never do it again... Even in thick snow with barely any traction, i start on first, but i just switch to second at low rpms. But like i said, i'm newb

[boredom.is.me]

Originally Posted by kchkwan

Im a newb at manual since its only my third month. Though i don't think theres really a incorrect way to drive as long as it works, but theres always a btr way to prevent excessive wear and tear. I tried starting from second gear once, didn't feel nice, so i decided to never do it again... Even in thick snow with barely any traction, i start on first, but i just switch to second at low rpms. But like i said, i'm newb

You probably just let the clutch out way too fast.

I've accidentally started in 3rd before. I didn't realize till I didn't have to shift.