Manual Cars

[SuperKenshin]

Has anyone else bought a manual car and hated their life for getting one?

I just bought a 2001 Chevy Cavalier, its a really nice car tho. Got it for 3k, like 119k miles. sun roof, alarm, 36+ miles to the gallon, etc. But man is it hard to drive a manual or maybe its just me... After hours of finally getting somewhat used to stopping and starting I actually got out on the road one of the scariest things in my life.
Haven't wrecked. But I killed my car a few times when stopping at red lights etc.
If anyone has any advice that helped them when they first started driving a manual that would be awesome.

[Xenonight2]

Have someone proficient in the car teach you how to use it at a parking lot.

It's the safest and best way to learn, not to mention healthier for your car. Killing the engine and grinding the gears is never good, I've heard.

[Ronin]

But man is it hard to drive a manual or maybe its just me...

Ah
Ahaha

Ahahahahahaha

HAhahahahahahahhahahaha....


OMG.
Man up and learn to handle a car dude.

~+~

http://www.ehow.com/video_3234_drive-car-with.html
It's only 15 simple steps bro. xD

[leathel]

I dunno in America its not common for you guys but here its either learn manual or your just lazy since manual licenses allow you to drive both auto and manual.

The thing with the clutch is just getting used to it. I have a Peugeot 206 and i have to admit the first time driving manual by yourself is terrifying mainly hill starts from traffic lights etc since everyone on the road expects you to be perfect once you lose that L.

I say ring up an instructor and learn the basics then start driving on your own and you will get used to it in no time. I actually prefer it tbh my mum allows me to drive her TT sometimes but since its automatic it just bores the hell out of me.

Love the car btw :o

[SuperKenshin]

Ah
Ahaha

Ahahahahahaha

HAhahahahahahahhahahaha....


OMG.
Man up and learn to handle a car dude.

~+~

http://www.ehow.com/video_3234_drive-car-with.html
It's only 15 simple steps bro. xD

Lol well I would rather not crash my new car.
I have been driving a truck for over 2 years. So driving a car is a little different, also the fact that ist manual doesn't help.

Also just wondering but why do you never wanna down shift into 1st gear?

[Deimos]

pro-tip: learn to drive

dont buy american cars

[MarchoftheBlackLions]

You'll get used to it, just give it time.

One of my first cars had a 454 and a M22 "Rock Crusher" 4-speed behind it. Not a very forgiving combination for someone new to manuals, but I had it down within a week.

[EpicPhail]

Believe it or not but I've NEVER driven a car outside of the liscence lot.

Got my M1 bought my cheap *** Suzuki and I don't plan on ever buying a car myself until I'm settled with kids. -.-

[egoodie]

I love manual alot more than automatic you have alot more control over the car my boy has a 2003 honda accord coupe standard i love driving that car in the highway. I have to admit doe after a whyle you get tired of just having to change gears for everything especialy in the city cause theirs alot of traffic.

[LtPurcy]

Manual shift cars are all ways the best

im currently doing lessons and 6-7 weeks away from my test

main thing is clutch control, get that right and life becomes a lot easier

[gratscorpio]

is a cavalier really worth the extra effort to drive?

just saying...

id gladly take a manual for a sport car or off raod based vehicle but for a regualr around the town what ever prolly gonna be stuck in traffic car id just take a crap automatic...


but yes it is just you.


as posted befor learn from someone who know in a parking lot etc


scorpio

[SuperKenshin]

Well, if you have driven a truck, you should be familiar with the concept of braking with the engine; That's what happens if you switch into the lower gear. You can't really control the amount of breaking power though (aside from picking the gear), so going down to the first might be enough to end in something similar to an emergency brake like manoeuvre even at pretty low speeds+rpm.
Not only will it look amateurish, if you have not learned how to handle a manual gear shift; It can be touchy, if someone is driving close behind you and isn't expecting you halting the car out of the blue.

Well when I drive my car I just put it in neutral and coast to my stop. Unless that's a bad idea. Or I just put it in neutral and slow down enough to turn then shift back into 3 after I turn and start speeding up again unless that's a bad idea.


Also I saw someone say it's bad to stay at like 1,600 rmp. My car won't stall out unless it gets below 1,000 rpm. Maybe it's because it's a V4.

pro-tip: learn to drive

dont buy american cars

I like American cars every car/truck at my house is American. But I would love to have a civic or BMW or volvo or scion.

[Ronin]

Well when I drive my car I just put it in neutral and coast to my stop. Unless that's a bad idea. Or I just put it in neutral and slow down enough to turn then shift back into 3 after I turn and start speeding up again unless that's a bad idea.


Also I saw someone say it's bad to stay at like 1,600 rmp. My car won't stall out unless it gets below 1,000 rpm. Maybe it's because it's a V4.

Actually, lower rpm is better for the engine (lower temps/pressure) and it saves gas and it's more environmentally friendly.
It comes with the drag of getting you into the power basin, where it's harder for the engine to get out of, which leaves you inflexible and unable to properly use it to decelerate and accelerate swiftly. You need get a feeling for it and to find the point of compromise for your car and for each gear.

@when to shift gear:
You want to keep in a zone where you have always the following:
A) switch down for additional braking through the engine (a thing autpomatic cars just can't), or to use the additional power at higher rpm to accelerate more quickly (which some automatics will do for you with switching gears down if you fully depress the gas pedal),
Have enough power to get into the zone where you can accelerate fast.

if you run under this rpm area, it's dangerousl, you might end up killing the engine, if you are careless and you are not having the power of the engine at your disposal which is more a more dangerous and less controlled way of driving.

There generally are 3 ways of driving a car (leaving out D) in autmatic):
A) Comfortable
Low fuel
C) Sporty

you adjust your gear-switching to those;
If you go for comfortable, you use the engine brake, if you go for sporty you use it all the time, if you go for low fuel consumption, you let your car roll out in neutral (which certainly will piss other drivers of though).
The same is with rpm, if you want to drive comfortable, you avoid changing the rpm a lot, shift gears slowly, use the neutral if you do turns, if you are not getting into the right region to switch, use the regular brake instead of the engine brake and accelerate moderately in turns to keep the speed constant.
When driving sporty, you theoretically use everything that is at your disposal, which means, that you use both the engine brake and the normal brakes to decelerate before a turn (including the hand-brake) until the last moment where you shift down gears to get out of a turn fast and you boost the rpm as a final step in neutral to come of with a high torque when closing the clutch and you only limit the amount of gas to avoid the tires slipping.
If you want to know how this looks and sounds like, you can just watch any rally driver drive.

Basically if you want to drive economically, more gas means more fule gets injected; Try to drive as if you are on cruise control, as any form of deceleration and acceleration wastes gas and even let it roll in neutral, if you are going downhill and have to decelerate over a long distance anyways, for example.