STICK SHIFT!!!!!
 

Somebody explain to me how to use a stick shift transmission. I gotta know.

I know that but I don't have anyone to teach me. All I need is an explaination. I can figure out the rest on my own.

The power of Google! :)

http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp

Once you get the feel for the clutch it's all pretty simple.

Yeah, it's not that hard to do, and it's by far the best way to drive!

The easiest way I found to get a feel for the clutch is to get yourself started just by letting out the clutch, and applying no gas - release the clutch very very slowly, and eventually you'll feel (and see) the engine grab the gears, as the car slowly inches forward, keep on releasing the clutch (SLOWLY!) until you're going at a walking pace, and then smoothly release it completly and apply gas.

To change gears (going up), push in the clutch, move the gearshift to the desired gear, release clutch. Easy peasy! :) To go down, it's the same steps, although you should release the clutch alot slower then when you go up gears, to give the engine a chance to grab and rev rup smoothly (or you can rpm-match, but that's a tad more difficult).

Oh - and whenever you're stopped and in gear (ie. not in neutral), always have the clutch in, otherwise you'll stall.

Practice makes perfect, and then practice some more!

Is this the kind of person you want operating a motor vehicle in your neighborhood?

It's like a waltz! clutch shift gas clutch shift gas~

You will probably not be able to learn stick shift smoothly unless someone personally teaches you. If you insist on learning yourself, be prepared for many hours of stalls and bucking. Most important rule: NEVER idle the car without the clutch fully depressed or the stick in neutral.

Another must is learning the handbrake maneuver for hills, which is very hard to understand without it being shown to you.

It's a tricky balance of clutch and shift. Let the clutch out too quickly and you'll choke out. Also, stopping on an incline and then starting again from a dead stop is probably the hardest thing you'll have to learn.

It really just takes a lot of practice before you get smooth at it.

Hence why learning the parking brake maneuver is essential. I've been driving a stick fine for years, but the numerous close calls with rolling back into cars finally compelled me to learn. :)

I learned how to drive stick in under twenty minutes. I dunno why people have so many issues. There was no bucking or stalling with me. o.o

Also, and this is IMPORTANT, keep the clutch pushed in when you go to start the car. If you start it "in gear", you're probably going to hit something...

It takes time and paractice to really get good at driving a manual, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never want to drive an automatic again...

I honestly don't even know why they invented the automatic transmission...

I dunno, probably something to do with not having to deal with the bullshit of manual transmission, but what do I know.

Ever deal with a manual transmission without syncros?

Back in the days when cars still looked like rolling top hats, an automatic transmission was considered an awe-inspiring wonder.

Me? Only dealt with automatics, although that might change with my next car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_transmission

It's not really that tough. Once you find the friction point it's dead simple.

Autos = for lazy bastards

manuals= = for those who want something to do while driving

Because people are so lazy.

Automatic transmission takes some of the fun out of driving.

Stick shift transmission is so much more fun to drive. I was determined to only drive automatic, then my grandpa basically forced me to start learning to drive stick shift, since that was what his truck was (i work for him). It's a lot more fun, and now thats ALL I want to drive.

Once you know the friction point and your "turning" gear (the gear you use to turn onto another road w/o making a stop, for me its 2nd gear), its extremely easy.

Last I knew you could still drive fast with an automatic.

So uh, what else is fun about driving that I'm missing here.

With the manual transmission, you choose what gear you want to be in when you want it. In other words, I can accelerate much faster in a manual than an automatic. Driving a manual also gives you a sense of greater connectivity with the car.

You guys are all wrong. They invented automatic transmissions for women so that we could more easily and efficiently beat our children sitting in the backseat without having to pull the car over.

It's rather difficult to explain without experiencing it. The key point is that when driving a manual you don't NEED to drive fast to have fun.

Oh, and when someone's riding your ass you can use compression braking to slow down real fast without ever hitting your brakes and scare them. And you'll be in the right gear so that when they slam on their breaks you can floor it and go like a bat out of hell. THAT'S fun.

True. I actually don't feel as comfortable running my manual at high speeds on the interstate as I do with an automatic. I just enjoy the interfacing!

However, manuals are HELL in bad stop-and-go traffic.

Wait what's compression breaking?

Downshifting and letting the Engine slow the car down for you. Same principle as leaving the car in a lower gear as you go down a mountain to control speed without overheating your brakes.

As a general thing, I don't do it because it wears the clutch down instead of the brakes, and a clutch job is about $1000 but brakes are much cheaper.

learning to drive a stick from a textbook is like trying to have sex with a plastic bag, it just isn't going to happen.

anyways, I've never had to deal with the e-brake trick and i live in San Fran. I've just learned to put some pressure onto the gas before you release the clutch and you don't roll back at all even on steep ass inclines.

Manuals are such awesome cars, I can't drive an automatic because i hate the lack of power and feeling of control they provide.

Aww man after reading all this I feel since I've been driving automatic I've been living a lie.

It's not so much that you've been living a lie, it's just that you apparently desire driving stick.

If you want the extra control involved with manual, by all means go for it. Get a general idea of how to do it, and then practice it in an open, quiet area.

I frankly don't care if I have this control or not. I just want to get from point A to point B. I don't want to have to think about what gear I'm in, and when to shift to the next (although this becomes instinct as you'll get better and more accustomed to it.)

It's all about your mindset as a driver.

(why am I speaking like a drive)

what if you have a plastic fetish

I really don't recommend it, but I learned how to drive stick playing Hard Drivin in the arcade. I loved it because when you shift at high speeds, you feel the resistance of the clutch. That was honestly the best car simulator I ever worked with. I only don't recommend it because the game has a lot less distractions than regular driving (yeah I'm from Chicago).

As for motorcycles, you're completely on your own on that one.

i've only driven manual lawnmower and arcade game but i know how. part of how i learned it was from reading this article about manual tranmissions and this one about clutches, which i mainly read so i'll know kinda how to fix my car (that i don't have yet) when it breaks down. apperently you're notsupposed to release the clutch so slowly or it'll wear down the clutch pad

Learning to drive Manual by reading about it is like learning to perform open-heart surgery by reading about it.

Nah, more like riding a bike. There's not an immense amount of skill involved, really. Just a lot of feel and a few tricks.

Is learning manual complex or hard? No. But it's something that you absolutely HAVE to do by doing, not reading. Noone EVER read a book and then got in a Manual and drove away flawlessly. EVERYONE stalls a few times, peels out a few times, and grinds gears a few times before they get the hang of it.

I got a great laugh out of this because I am good at Hard Drivin, but I suck so bad at Trauma Center: Under The Knife.

ArrowHead is right. It is just like riding a bike. It is even more similar if the bike has a multiple set of gears (like a 10 speed). It takes a second to get the hang of it, but once you know it, you know it for life.

I was also curious if anybody here has driven an 18 wheeler. I never had the chance to learn, but a couple of my friends have Class A CDLs. I always wanted to get the feeling of shifting through all 18 gears.

I drive a stick and it is actually quite fun once you get the hang of it.

Double Post:

That game is really hard. I am was stuck for a long time, but you will get better.

Alright. It's not just me. It does just take a lot of practice. Of course in real life, I might get EMT certified at best.

Pfft, fuck that. I've never had to use the e-brake, even on hills. That's the mark of a good driver, if you know how to balance the accelerator/clutch pedals so the car doesn't move, even on hills.

If you're first learning, I'd recommend finding a car with a stiff clutch, because the feel will be exaggerated for you and the beefier the clutch, the less likely you are to burn it.

I recently bought an '99 Integra GS-R, it has a nice stiff clutch, especially for a Honda, because they tend to have lower-torqe clutches. Because they have close-ratio transmissions, they don't need higher torque engines. The car I had before that was a '01 Mitsubishi Lancer, it had a lot of bottom end grunt for a 4cyl and a great clutch for a learner.

Just remember, you don't need a tach, I recommend learning it by sound and feel, get to know your car first. Find an empty parking lot and go to town. It took me a couple of sessions of practice before I got it, first. Eventually, you don't even think about it, like riding a bike.

If you want the thrill of shifting gears without the damn clutch getting in the way, get a automatic 91 Honda Accord. Mine has a "stick" that lets you go into 1st, 2nd, Drive 3 and Drive 4 without having to learn how to shift. It's the first sedan I've ever driven and the 4th vehicle overall (It'd be th 2nd if you don't count the near identical minivans and Mazda RX-7 I unsuccessfully tried to drive) and I adapted to it right away.

I don't use the e-brake either. I mean it would have to be a really really steep hill to use it.

I do however encourage to put the car in neutral and puting on the brakes while at red lights. It will keep your clutch in tact as it gets older.

I