How can I learn to drive a manual car?

Question

This might sound lame but I wonder if people can help me by forwarding me links to websites that have instructions (step by step) on how to drive a manual car - including all the little details - when I should shift gears, at what speed, how to do hill starts - that would be GREAT thanks. I'm taking driving lessons anyway but I'm poor and can't afford too many, if I can learn the theory also it will really help!! THANKS!!!

Answer 1

You won't learn by reading up on it, best way is to just get in the car and do it. You have to get the hang of it. I just got someone to tell me the basics and then started driving.

Basically you have the clutch, the brake, and the gas.
The clutch is pushed in when you want to put the car into a neutral state. When starting off, you have to put your foot on the clutch in order to start the car, then release it a bit as you give the car some gas... the gas keeps the car from stalling out.
There is a point on the clutch and with the gas pedal where you can feel the gears grab the car and move it forward. At that point, you give the gas to move faster like with an automatic. When you need to stop, you have to push in on the clutch again as you apply the brake.
The more you do it, the better you get and all cars are a bit different.

It's like riding a bike, playing an instrument, learning to write, you have to do it to become good at it so find an empty parking lot and practice.

Answer 2

V.

Sorry I do not have web links, but here is some stuff to know.
Changing gears - depends on the vehicle and the gearbox (and the condition of the clutch)
I have been driving standards for over 35 years and each car I had was a little different. My motorcycle are all different.

But as a reference, Ford Ranger PU 2.3 L (97)
1'st gear 0 -10 up to 15
2'nd gear 10 -25
3'rd gear 25-35-40
4'th gear 40 -55
5'th gear 55+

This depends on load in the truck and road slope up/down
and conditions as ice and sand. All will cause small amounts of play in the numbers.

Terms to know:
Playing the clutch: the act of lifting the clutch pedal while lightly using the gas - the attempt is to rock the car while not really going anywhere. (this teaches you th grab point of the clutch.

Dumping the clutch: this occurs either while playing the clutch and you foot slips off the clutch and you take off or if you are racing and rev the engine and "dump" the clutch to take off on purpose.

Downshift: act of changing gears to slow down. NOTE:many cars will not let you downshift to first unless you are going very slow, the syncs in the trans protects itself from a gear rip-out. Same thing for trying to force it into reverse.

Redline: If the car has a tach, and you run the RPM too high the tach will enter the Red zone, very bad, either you missed a gear at high speed and slipped into netrual or you are racing like a bat out - well you get it.

Race car drivers tend to get close to red line before changing gears up for each shift. Do not do this for a road test, the instructor will be somewhat annoyed.

Peel out / burn rubber: while dumping the clutch the rear tire tend to spin fast and leave rubber tracks on the road. Also a Do Not do during a road test.

One key thing to practice on a stick (and any car) is backing into a parking space, both parrellel and lot parking. This practices a lot of diffferent key points in driveing a standard.

Have fun, it is like dancing on the road.

Answer 3

I sympathize with you, but I think you'll need some help from a real person to shift.

I taught my then-six year-old son to drive a motorcycle, a great little bike, the Honda MR-50. He learned the principles of shifting with a clutch and went on to drive all my standard-transmission cars. Later on, I taught my ten-year-old daugter to drive my 1964 F-100 and she's a good driver today, one of two girls in her high school who could drive a stick shift. My small son learned in my RX-7 and my Dodge Ram. He hasn't got a license yet, but when he gets one, I'll teach him to drive, too.

My kids all learned to drive with a standard transmission. As they took "official" classes in automatic-transmission cars, they learned other things- how fast to drive, when to signal, etc. But shifting and steering come first. And they all had that under their teen-age belts when they got to the official stuff.

You might be able to find a set of written instructions somewhere, but I think a real person is better for this.

You wouldn't be asking if you didn't think you'd be driving a stick shift- who's got the stick shift and why don't you ask for help with whoever drives that car?

Get whoever has a standard-transmission car to take you somewhere where you can make mistakes. I suggest a local college or university- on Sundays, the place is like the day after the world came to an end. They have acres of paved parking lots, and you can start off, shift, slow down, stop, etc. and you don't have to worry about hurting another car.

Answer 4

The key to learning stick is finding an equal balance between when to release the clutch and while applying the right amount of pressure to the gas/accelerator. DO NOT start out going on hills until you have gotten a proper feel in a parking lot away from pedestrians. If you roll back into a car behind you, you are obviously liable. I would start out by leaving the car off and just practicing shifting and pushing in on the clutch but don't push on the gas or you'll flood the engine. The next step is just being able to get off of the line. I started out on an automatic as my first car but then got a sports car w/ a short throw shifter so the gears were closer together and the friction plate in the clutch was very precise. I started off by just learning to get the car moving by starting in 2nd (out of 6) so I would not burn out the new clutch. I've heard other people using this technique as well and once they've figured it out w/ less power in 2nd, they start in the normal 1st gear. Do not worry about shifting in the beginning just keep it in first until you have learned to get going. Once you've learned that, shifting won't be nearly as tough for you most likely. When shifting, let off the accelerator, push down on clutch peddle, shift into next gear, and resume acceleration. After learning that, you can work on downbshifting. As far as when to shift, it depends on your car make. Most people shift @ around 3000 rpm unless you are letting it rev up for faster acceleration. Again, wait until you are a more advanced driver to perform a higher rpm shift or you will experience the inevitable manual jerk. One final thing to keep in mind when driving a manual is to not over think it. Remember to break if you think you're going to wreck. You may make the car stall but @ least you won't run into someone/something and do considerable damage to your car. Neutral can be your best friend in this situation. Break first, shift 2nd if you are slowing abruptly. hope it helps

Answer 5

Buy a manual car. Start driving it. That is it. That is the only way to learn to drive stick....just do it. You'll have it figured out in a day or two, and you'll have it down cold in a week. Clutch-shift-gas. That's all there is for your brain to know...all it HAS to know, anyway...the thing is making your hands and feet know it.

If the car has a tachometer, you should generally shift between 1/2 and 2/3 of the way to the red line.

If the car has no tachometer, shift just a little bit before where the pitch of the engine/exhaust noise levels off.

As for starting on hills...get the hang of it on level ground first. It's just like starting on a level surface except that you have to get it into gear and into the power band LIGHTNING QUICK.

Answer 6

learn drive manual car

Answer 7

I bought a truck I wanted but it was a manual tranny, my then fiance took me to a parking lot on a hill and taught me how to drive it...you really just have to have someone take you and show you...reading about it is pointless...as you get familiar with your car, you'll know when to shift just by feeling it...oh, and the first time you kill it in an intersection, well...Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

it's one of those things you just gotta do it. Once you get going with the gas and releasing the clutch, the rest is cake.

Answer 9

remember driving an automatic with a tchometer? shift the rpms on your manual car so it would be similar

Answer 10

howtodrive.in site allows you to access specific how to drive a car information. Helpful tips, tricks, and suggestion about how to drive a car.

http://howtodrive.in/car/videos/how-to-drive-a-car_1.html