So how do you drive a manual trans car?

[JL8Jeff]

Just wondering how different people drive a car with a manual transmission. A kid in my neighborhood is always downshifting as he pulls up to a stop sign and I kept wondering why. I personally throw the vehicle into neutral when I pull up to a red light or stop sign and coast. So who downshifts when they come up to a stop sign or red light vs coasting in neutral?

[Whiplash Performance]

Just wondering how different people drive a car with a manual transmission. A kid in my neighborhood is always downshifting as he pulls up to a stop sign and I kept wondering why. I personally throw the vehicle into neutral when I pull up to a red light or stop sign and coast. So who downshifts when they come up to a stop sign or red light vs coasting in neutral?

+1 coasting

[mc73nova]

I am a coaster. I think people that do that just like to hear their cars.

[V]

i dont remember.... havent had it out since nov 26th...

i think i coast, only downshift to lights that i can see are about to change, or if i wanna show off/hear my car. lol

[MonmouthCtyAntz]

Another coaster here...its not a damn tractor trailor no need to downshift lol unlesss you know the lights going to change.

[z28rob18]

coast unless i see a ricer or mustang

[FlyingDutchman]

coast unless i see a ricer or mustang

same here :nod:

[CHRIS67]

Coast.

Why use the engine more than you have to? I downshift in addition to breaking only in emergency situations.

[SolattaTee]

depends on how i feel and how fast im going. i usually downshift for no other reason other then i can =)

[btownws6]

yea it really depends on my mood

[NJ Torque]

downshift if theres others around ;)

[LTb1ow]

I usually just brake.... oh wait, what?

Nevermind.... lol

[ZeroCool8891]

yea it really depends on my mood

x1.

[The Fixer]

I'm a coaster as well, only downshift if I really need to.

[MonmouthCtyAntz]

I usually just brake.... oh wait, what?

Nevermind.... lol

I had a buddy years ago w/ a 93 Lt1 auto that shifted the car all the time...it use to drive me nuts.

[Whiplash Performance]

I had a buddy years ago w/ a 93 Lt1 auto that shifted the car all the time...it use to drive me nuts.

I have a friend with a 3.1L late 90s Grand Prix who shifts it all the time up on the tree.

[NastyEllEssWon]

coaster...ill throw it in the appropriate gear when it turns green. btw i try to still be rolling by the time it turns green so i can toss it in second and go :nod:

[Teds89IROC]

Whenever I drive a manual car I always coast, but my 6-speed swap in the iroc will be complete shortly, which means it will probably depend on circumstance lol

[maroman88]

if theres people around and i wanna show off ill downshift... my automatic lol

[LuvMyF8LWS6]

I coast, but one time in my Mustang, I coasted down from 60, and at around 45 it stalled :evil: Stupid idler tensioner crap! It's a good way to kill yourself when you lose your power steering! Damn Fords!

[sweetbmxrider]

roller/coaster

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

Coast.

[GP99GT]

depends how fast im going, normally on the highway ill downshift, saves the brakes...plus it sounds wonderful

[fire95bird]

depends how fast im going, normally on the highway ill downshift, saves the brakes...plus it sounds wonderful

+1 if im going fast i downshift if im not just coast and save some gas

[79CamaroDiva]

I usually just break.... oh wait, what?

Nevermind.... lol

x2
fixed for my own purposes ;)


I'm a coaster.. I downshift the gears as I get closer in case the light turns, but keep the clutch pressed.

[5.7TA]

Im a roller coaster:lol:

I usually put it in neutral...plus, downshifting seems to tear the H*** out of my drivetrain for some odd reason, 8-).

[ib4200]

i downshift and coast but i dont let it go over 2000 rpms

[firebirdcrazy]

I am a downshifter hands down. I like to always be in gear in case of emergency. Which has happened in which I had to get out of the way in a hurry. Had I been in neutral those extra seconds to get in gear could have been my life.

[MonmouthCtyAntz]

I am a downshifter hands down. I like to always be in gear in case of emergency. Which has happened in which I had to get out of the way in a hurry. Had I been in neutral those extra seconds to get in gear could have been my life.

Extra seconds, what ya 95 :rofl:

[Scrat's_Camaro]

its been awhile since i drove a manual car but i coast

[jims69camaro]

I downshift the gears as I get closer in case the light turns, but keep the clutch pressed.

that's weird.

for the autos that shift, full manual valve body? if not, you're not accomplishing much. in fact, you might be doing harm.

i downshift. i almost always have the gear engaged to the speed i am doing. it makes for more spirited driving, as you don't have to wait to downshift - you're already there, just get on it. of course i learned on an f-150 with little to no clutch.

[firebirdat]

i like to coast but i live in vernon were we got alot of hills to go down but on the really steep hills ill drop it in second or third

[hjmarinc]

I always thought that if you shifted just before stopping at a light or sign, the gears were still rotating and would align into the gear selected easier. I could be wrong but I've been doing it for fifty years and never pondered it

[NastyEllEssWon]

I am a downshifter hands down. I like to always be in gear in case of emergency. Which has happened in which I had to get out of the way in a hurry. Had I been in neutral those extra seconds to get in gear could have been my life.





like i said before i coast....but my hand is always on the shifter ready to go into gear at a moments notice. im trying to figure out how there's a lot of extra seconds...is it just your driving style (laid back) or something else to attribute to that (i.e crappy shifter)?






i have a question though....for you manual trans drivers...how long before the light turns green at the stoplight do you wait to put it in gear?

[GP99GT]

usually put it in 1st right after i stop

[DevilDougWS6]

usually put it in 1st right after i stop

^ this, if im not already in gear.

[shane27]

i usually always downshift and right when im about to stop ill pop it in neutral and keep it there till the light turns green.

[vipergtx500]

I usually coast, depends on my mood. I tend to put it in gear when the other light turns orange, that is if i can see it, otherwise i really don't have a set method

[CamaroJoe1987]

coast it

[alamantia]

Downshift, why wear out the brakes?

[bobb1589]

i am not sure... it really depends on the situation... i do both about evenly id say... maybe coast a little bit more than downshift... its really dependent on situation i guess though

[1QWIKBIRD]

i have a question though....for you manual trans drivers...how long before the light turns green at the stoplight do you wait to put it in gear?

I wait until just before the light goes green to put it in gear. No sense having the clutch hydraulics/throw out bearing/pressure plate/thrust bearing all loaded more than you have to???

Downshift, why wear out the brakes?
Brakes are cheaper and easier than clutches?

On/Off ramps - its always a rev-matched downshift followed by as much throttle as I can.

Chris

[//<86TA>\\]

i will usually downshift until im in 3rd, unless im already in 3rd, then let the engine slow the car down and coast the last bit. Save the brakes. clutch may be more expensive, but thats no reason to beat on the brakes and change pads every 3000 miles

[alamantia]

Why would it wear out the clutch? You only weart out the clutch if the clutch is slipping.

[NastyEllEssWon]

Why would it wear out the clutch? You only weart out the clutch if the clutch is slipping.




im pretty sure clutches are a wear item and everytime you hit the clutch is wearing it a tiny bit like a brake rotor

[sweetbmxrider]

I usually coast, depends on my mood. I tend to put it in gear when the other light turns orange, that is if i can see it, otherwise i really don't have a set method

no wonder why you don't have a set method :lol:

[alamantia]

im pretty sure clutches are a wear item and everytime you hit the clutch is wearing it a tiny bit like a brake rotor

if the crankshaft and the imput shaft of the transmission are rotating at the same speed there is no slippage.

[1QWIKBIRD]

Why would it wear out the clutch? You only weart out the clutch if the clutch is slipping.

So no clutch wear takes place once rolling? At every shift when the clutch is released, the clutch/pressure plate/flywheel instantly grab, no slip at all?

I'm saying there is some wear (however small) everytime you pull a gear, the harder and more aggressive the shift (up or down) the more wear the clutch sees.

Chris

[1QWIKBIRD]

if the crankshaft and the imput shaft of the transmission are rotating at the same speed there is no slippage.

I agree, but how many people are rev matching versus how many people simply downshift and get the big vrroooommmmm.......

In my mind, that big vroooooooommmm is the clutch taking some wear as the tranny and crank get synched up speed wise?

Or am i confusing the clutch's role with that of the synchros?

[alamantia]

Clutch only wears when pressure is applied to the disc while the disc is rotating at a different RPM than the flywheel. If you tap the gas to raise the engines RPM prior to downshifting you can almost match the RPM of the engine to the disc when you let the clutch back out there will be no slippage. Now if your a rookie and just jamb it in a lower gear and let the clutch out without raising the engine RPM (which i serioulsy doubt anyone on this site is too stupid to do) then you have wear.

[1QWIKBIRD]

i will usually downshift until im in 3rd, unless im already in 3rd, then let the engine slow the car down and coast the last bit. Save the brakes. clutch may be more expensive, but thats no reason to beat on the brakes and change pads every 3000 miles

If you are changing brake pads (in a mostly street driven car) every 3,000 miles there are much bigger issues at play than whether or not you are coasting or downshifting.

[MyFirstZ]

normally i downshift. If you are using the clutch properly when downshifting you arent really wearing it. Not saying i am a proffesional. By no means i just started driving stick not to long ago.

I do like hearing my car but my brakes make a little noise from being crappy quality (only a month old from when i got the car) this way i dont have to hear that.

But i like to keep my car in gear just incase for some extrordianry reason.

[1QWIKBIRD]

Clutch only wears when pressure is applied to the disc while the disc is rotating at a different RPM than the flywheel. If you tap the gas to raise the engines RPM prior to downshifting you can almost match the RPM of the engine to the disc when you let the clutch back out there will be no slippage. Now if your a rookie and just jamb it in a lower gear and let the clutch out without raising the engine RPM (which i serioulsy doubt anyone on this site is too stupid to do) then you have wear.

I'm not calling anyone a rookie either, but how many people rev match on the downshift versus dropping it in a lower gear and simply letting the clutch out?

I agree, if you rev match on the downshift, wear is minimal, but the big vrooommmm......downshifts are definitely putting some excessive wear into the clutch and the synchros both are much more expensive than brakes.

Chris

[//<86TA>\\]

If you are changing brake pads (in a mostly street driven car) every 3,000 miles there are much bigger issues at play than whether or not you are coasting or downshifting.

just a little hint of sarcasm in that estimate, but my point is, let the engine slow the car down. If the car is rolling at 50mph, in neutral and you just use the brakes to stop, you are putting a lot of stress on the brakes that is really not necessary

[1QWIKBIRD]

just a little hint or sarcasm in that estimate, but my point is, let the engine slow the car down. If the car is rolling at 50mph, in neutral and you just use the brakes to stop, you are putting a lot of stress on the brakes that is really no nessicairy

I hope you detected the same in my reply...:nod:

[91DropTop]

if im in town i throw it in neutral but if im on the highway where i can see a red light from like a mile away ill downshift so when it turns green i just gas and resume my driving..makes your breaks last longer

[alamantia]

I'm not calling anyone a rookie either, but how many people rev match on the downshift versus dropping it in a lower gear and simply letting the clutch out?

I agree, if you rev match on the downshift, wear is minimal, but the big vrooommmm......downshifts are definitely putting some excessive wear into the clutch and the synchros both are much more expensive than brakes.

Chris


Lets call mythbusters.

[1QWIKBIRD]

just a little hint or sarcasm in that estimate, but my point is, let the engine slow the car down. If the car is rolling at 50mph, in neutral and you just use the brakes to stop, you are putting a lot of stress on the brakes that is really no nessicairy

That's what kinda confused me at first. Coasting to me is tranny in neutral, car rolling, no braking (engine or mechanical) at all. Everything else is braking, whether it be engine braking or mechanical braking. I think very few people are actually coasting to a stop, but are instead leaving the car in gear and using engine as a brake until it is no longer effective, then downshifting and doing it again....That is not coasting, to me anyway. Truly coasting and using only the mechanical brakes, would be harder on the brakes.

Chris

[1QWIKBIRD]

Lets call mythbusters.

:rofl:

[//<86TA>\\]

That's what kinda confused me at first. Coasting to me is tranny in neutral, car rolling, no braking (engine or mechanical) at all. Everything else is braking, whether it be engine braking or mechanical braking. I think very few people are actually coasting to a stop, but are instead leaving the car in gear and using engine as a brake until it is no longer effective, then downshifting and doing it again....That is not coasting, to me anyway. Truly coasting and using only the mechanical brakes, would be harder on the brakes.

Chris

i think we are on the same page

[//<86TA>\\]

Lets call mythbusters.

that would be cool, and probably have an explosion worked in somehow

[//<86TA>\\]

...

[Clutch Master]

I had a buddy years ago w/ a 93 Lt1 auto that shifted the car all the time...it use to drive me nuts.



wow sounds like gene in his hawk.....

[NJ346]

I'm young, have a cut-out, and 90% of the time it's just instinct to downshift. It's hard to break the habbit now as I'm breaking in a fresh clutch. Lately, whenever I've had to downshift while slowing up I've been rev matching, and it takes a few tries, but it really isn't that bad and its a lot less stress on the clutch.

[ryanfx]

it uses less gas to downshift. Proven on a full PCM scanner on multiple cars.

[DaSkinnyGuy]

A mix, coast in town, but downshift getting off the interstate. really all depends on the situation

[HeadlessNorseman]

I usually just brake.... oh wait, what?

Nevermind.... lol

manual noob!

I used to do it in traffic because sometimes you need to take off again. But never into first. In fact i tried to not use first gear unless i was at a dead stop. Save some synchros and tranny mounts lol

[NJ Torque]

manual noob!

hes got an auto... lol

[1_Hot_SOM_WS6]

I ALWAYS put it in neutral...lol. It doesnt matter if I am coming to a stop light or pulling in the driveway...lol.

[Blackbirdws6]

50/50 here. I downshift sometimes and other times I just throw it in neutral and coast. Brakes are cheaper than clutch/trans. However I do like the sound of blipping the throttle and executing a smooth downshift.

[JL8Jeff]

it uses less gas to downshift. Proven on a full PCM scanner on multiple cars.

There's no way that's true. When I'm heading to the river and I hit the downhill portion leading up to the traffic light I coast an easy half mile or more at 45 mph with the engine at idle. If you downshifted you wouldn't even make it to the light without having to give it gas.

Brakes are a lot cheaper than clutch jobs but don't forget that downshifting is putting a sudden surge to your engine which loads it up a bit and causes more engine wear than coasting does. In the long run, I'm sure downshifting causes more wear, maintenance and costs than coasting does. But it would probably take at least 150K miles to really find out so I doubt we'll be able to prove anything. It's really just a driving style thing. I bet most of the people that downshift have a cutout or Loudmouth exhaust as well. :lol:

[NastyEllEssWon]

Brakes are a lot cheaper than clutch jobs but don't forget that downshifting is putting a sudden surge to your engine which loads it up a bit and causes more engine wear than coasting does. In the long run, I'm sure downshifting causes more wear, maintenance and costs than coasting does.




good stuff right there. my feelings exactly

[Jam]

i mostly downshift and try to have my engine slow me down rather than braking since my rotors are a little warped.

[BurninrubberGT]

im a coaster most of the time, you get farther with less gas, but i do down shift occasionally

really depends on the situation

Coast.

cough cough lol

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

im a coaster most of the time, you get farther with less gas, but i do down shift occasionally

really depends on the situation



cough cough lol

I've probably spent more time driving manuals than you haha....so what if I've never driven a stick vehicle under 7500 lbs...

[transmaro93]

i almost always downshift... its just way i learned to drive stick....

[98tadriver]

i dont remember.... havent had it out since nov 26th...

i think i coast, only downshift to lights that i can see are about to change, or if i wanna show off/hear my car. lol

haha me 2!

[98tadriver]

There's no way that's true. When I'm heading to the river and I hit the downhill portion leading up to the traffic light I coast an easy half mile or more at 45 mph with the engine at idle. If you downshifted you wouldn't even make it to the light without having to give it gas.

depends on how much you gear down on your way there.

and to anyone who might think downshifting will waste alot of gas-

if your foot is off of the gas pedal when slowing down (which it should be), youre really not consuming any more gas than if u coasted. yes the rpms might be up but thats because it's engine braking, not because youre on the throttle. cant be using much fuel if your tps is reading 0% :lol:

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

if your foot is off of the gas pedal when slowing down

If your foot is on the gas pedal, how could you be slowing down? :-?

[79CamaroDiva]

If your foot is on the gas pedal, how could you be slowing down? :-?

when did the throttle become an on/off switch?

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

when did the throttle become an on/off switch?

True.

[Savage_Messiah]

If your foot is on the gas pedal, how could you be slowing down? :-?

1) bring foot away from floor. retain pressure on pedal.

2) watch speedometer go down

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

1) bring foot away from floor. retain pressure on pedal.

2) watch speedometer go down

Melissa already pointed that out. Thanks for further clarification though. :wink:

[BurninrubberGT]

I've probably spent more time driving manuals than you haha....so what if I've never driven a stick vehicle under 7500 lbs...

lol i know i was just bustin on ya

[bubba428]

I downshift depending on the car. if its something fun like a V8 F-Body sure

[Jam]

and to anyone who might think downshifting will waste alot of gas-
if your foot is off of the gas pedal when slowing down (which it should be), youre really not consuming any more gas than if u coasted.

that is if you're not revmatching.

[ryanfx]

There's no way that's true. When I'm heading to the river and I hit the downhill portion leading up to the traffic light I coast an easy half mile or more at 45 mph with the engine at idle. If you downshifted you wouldn't even make it to the light without having to give it gas.

Brakes are a lot cheaper than clutch jobs but don't forget that downshifting is putting a sudden surge to your engine which loads it up a bit and causes more engine wear than coasting does. In the long run, I'm sure downshifting causes more wear, maintenance and costs than coasting does. But it would probably take at least 150K miles to really find out so I doubt we'll be able to prove anything. It's really just a driving style thing. I bet most of the people that downshift have a cutout or Loudmouth exhaust as well. :lol:

engine breaking turns your engine into a compressor. engine breaking at 5K uses less gas than idling at 1K. it's just the way engines work.

If you don't want to stop as quickly engine break in a higher gear.

[Jam]

don't our engines have fuel overrun wheere if you let off the throttle the ECU converts the fuel injectors back into normal fuel supply to the cylinders.