Manual Transmission AND Daily Driver

[djm96z28]

While in neutral at a stop, you still should have your right foot on the brake pedal.

[speedster]

I also drive a manual daily. One of the biggest things for manual driving is RELAX. Don't rush it, don't force it. Pick rpm (or speedo) shift points for both performance driving and mileage driving. You will be surprised how quickly you gain "muscle memory". Don't tailgate, don't ride the brake, and if your car doesn't do it automatically try to do a little rpm matching when you shift. It is opinion, but I also shift into neutral a lot, both when coasting to a light and while at it.

I had been rearended at an intersection once, but I was probably the 3rd car back. I usually keep a pretty good size gap between me and the car I am behind. Saw the guy flying up in a Duster behind me, so I let off the brake, he hit and then I reapplied the brakes. This allowed my car to absorb a lot of the energy so I wouldn't. Kept me and my passengers from having major injury.

Now get out there and shift away !

Just my < .02

[WILWAXU]

V8 muscle cars IMO are the best place to learn how to drive a manual transmission. The extra torque help fill the gaps of bad shifting.

[sabrescamaro]

Manual is great if you like that interaction with the car. If everyone got them, everything would be a lot safer when people realized they can't text/eat/apply makeup in the car... People probably wouldn't realize that, but it's nice to think they would.

[Heather]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I am literally on day 3 of driving my new 2SS m6. I have picked up driving stick pretty good so far but I am deathly afraid of hills. What is the BEST way to avoid the drift. I really haven't been in the situation of being stopped on a hill yet because I've avoided it and have only driven on the main roads like 2-3 times now (1st time I stalled at a stoplight, yay)

I've heard the e-brake trick but I don't know if I'm that coordinated..

[Heather]

Also, I was never told to shift to neutral when cruisin to a stop sign or stop light, I will have to try that. Don't want to wear out my clutch by riding it too much.

[1BADLS3]

Originally Posted by chevyridinghigh

So as mentioned in other posts, I just started manual transmission lessons. I have never owned a manual car. The Camaro will be my daily driver and although the shifting took some getting used to, it's not difficult once you get the hang of it. Any of you guys buying this car as a manual AND using it as your daily driver... I should also note I commute 25 miles to work, 25% is in some traffic, and 50% coming home is in traffic.

I would get a manual only if you truly prefer shifting your own gears. Otherwise, opt for the automatic. That way you can kick Mustang ass while you hold your coffee.

I've got a manual trans in my SS and love it. I've always loved my manual cars. With autos I tend to memorize the shift program which makes me really bored when I drive, and then I sit there and mentally criticize it or adjust my driving to minimize its annoyances.

[1BADLS3]

Originally Posted by Heather

Thanks everyone for the tips. I am literally on day 3 of driving my new 2SS m6. I have picked up driving stick pretty good so far but I am deathly afraid of hills. What is the BEST way to avoid the drift. I really haven't been in the situation of being stopped on a hill yet because I've avoided it and have only driven on the main roads like 2-3 times now (1st time I stalled at a stoplight, yay)

I've heard the e-brake trick but I don't know if I'm that coordinated..

With the SS, you're in luck because it's a big torquey engine, so it's harder to stall. Hills will come with practice. A lot of beginners sequence their steps, i.e. right foot off the brake onto the gas, apply throttle, then let out the clutch. It needs to be apply throttle and let out the clutch. One movement, and it all happens while the car is in that freefall state immediately after you let off the brake. Practice, practice, practice. If you have to practice in a busy area, have someone else drive behind you to block for you on hills and give you plenty of space.

The e-brake trick is...tricky. Instead of setting the brake, you pull up to where it would be set, but the release button should still be pressed in. Apply throttle and let out the clutch, and as soon as the clutch grabs, release the brake all the way.

Originally Posted by Heather

Also, I was never told to shift to neutral when cruisin to a stop sign or stop light, I will have to try that. Don't want to wear out my clutch by riding it too much.

I think there's a caveat there. Ride the gear you're in all the way down to just before it lugs the engine (say, 1000 rpm), THEN push in the clutch. If I'm in 6th, I'll usually shift to 4th and ride that down to 15mph or so and then clutch in. Key is you don't want to be going 40mph and then just clutch in. You want to keep the car in gear as long as possible for control, but you don't want to wear the clutch by slipping it to downshift.

In advanced stages, you can learn to rev-match on a downshift, which does not wear the clutch if you are good at it. Basically you blip the throttle when you clutch-in, select the intended lower gear, and let out the clutch. The "blip" should be to the RPM at which the next gear wants to engage. I.e. if I'm in 4th at 35mph, 1500rpm, and I want to grab 3rd and pass someone, I'd blip the throttle to say, 2200rpm, slide the gear shift to third, and let out the clutch. There should be no slip.

And when you get really advanced, you will learn how you don't even need the clutch, except for selecting reverse and shifting into 1st gear ...I still use the clutch, but that's only because clutch-less shifting is supposed to wear the syncros harder. Clutches are cheaper to replace.

[Heather]

Originally Posted by 1BADLS3

With the SS, you're in luck because it's a big torquey engine, so it's harder to stall. Hills will come with practice. A lot of beginners sequence their steps, i.e. right foot off the brake onto the gas, apply throttle, then let out the clutch. It needs to be apply throttle and let out the clutch. One movement, and it all happens while the car is in that freefall state immediately after you let off the brake. Practice, practice, practice. If you have to practice in a busy area, have someone else drive behind you to block for you on hills and give you plenty of space.

The e-brake trick is...tricky. Instead of setting the brake, you pull up to where it would be set, but the release button should still be pressed in. Apply throttle and let out the clutch, and as soon as the clutch grabs, release the brake all the way.



I think there's a caveat there. Ride the gear you're in all the way down to just before it lugs the engine (say, 1000 rpm), THEN push in the clutch. If I'm in 6th, I'll usually shift to 4th and ride that down to 15mph or so and then clutch in. Key is you don't want to be going 40mph and then just clutch in. You want to keep the car in gear as long as possible for control, but you don't want to wear the clutch by slipping it to downshift.

In advanced stages, you can learn to rev-match on a downshift, which does not wear the clutch if you are good at it. Basically you blip the throttle when you clutch-in, select the intended lower gear, and let out the clutch. The "blip" should be to the RPM at which the next gear wants to engage. I.e. if I'm in 4th at 35mph, 1500rpm, and I want to grab 3rd and pass someone, I'd blip the throttle to say, 2200rpm, slide the gear shift to third, and let out the clutch. There should be no slip.

And when you get really advanced, you will learn how you don't even need the clutch, except for selecting reverse and shifting into 1st gear ...I still use the clutch, but that's only because clutch-less shifting is supposed to wear the syncros harder. Clutches are cheaper to replace.

You'd be surprised how easy it can be stalled, haha. I found that out the first day.

Everything else I pretty much got down pretty good except I tend to drift because i take too long to "find that spot" to go but I'm like 100% better than when I started and I kept stalling at the beginning. Trying to understand the rev matching right now but it's kinda beyond me at this moment right now.

[anthonyj9h]

try the no gas method to practice and get the muscle memory down you will find that spot more often

[NYJets77]

Originally Posted by chevyridinghigh

So as mentioned in other posts, I just started manual transmission lessons. I have never owned a manual car. The Camaro will be my daily driver and although the shifting took some getting used to, it's not difficult once you get the hang of it. Any of you guys buying this car as a manual AND using it as your daily driver... I should also note I commute 25 miles to work, 25% is in some traffic, and 50% coming home is in traffic.

A stick in stop and go traffic (like on the Belt Parkway in NY) can drive you to gouge your eyes out with an air freshener. You've been warned.

[Heather]

Originally Posted by NYJets77

A stick in stop and go traffic (like on the Belt Parkway in NY) can drive you to gouge your eyes out with an air freshener. You've been warned.

Oh great, and my air freshener is pointy, too.

[Bastillian]

Originally Posted by NYJets77

A stick in stop and go traffic (like on the Belt Parkway in NY) can drive you to gouge your eyes out with an air freshener. You've been warned.

I second this to the max

[Senojelyk]

Originally Posted by mwoodengr

Good thing your getting the 2SS, cause its almost impossible to drive, shift and talk on a cell phone. The 2SS comes with Bluetooth, so one hand will not be needed for your phone.

You will get the hang of the clutch no problem. Then it will seem so easy, you will wonder why you ever worried about it. My car is an auto (so the wife can drive), but I have driven alot of manuals as daily drivers and its not big deal, and more fun when you want it to be.

Good luck

I disagree. Almost impossible? Possible, and very do-able in standard driving conditions, but you have to be good at it.. and have REALLY good situational awareness. I don't have my Camaro yet, but my Jeep is a stick and I've managed to hold the phone in my left hand, steer with my right and be able to shift while doing it. Just gotta be quick changing gears, and plan ahead for turns... and of course pay attention to people around you.

I love driving stick, and I will most likely never buy an auto. It seems tedious when its 1mph traffic, or when you try to eat and drive but when you are just driving, it is super fun