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Old 07-25-2012, 07:23 AM   #1
FaytalsCamaro
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Manual Driving Vets

So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself.

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them.

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed?

I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.

Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go?

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go.


Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!
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Old 07-25-2012, 07:33 AM   #2
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See replies below.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself.

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them.

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed? - Depends on your speed, but second is always more fun.

I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.

Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go? - Dont worry about revs. Just use the clutch, downshift and hang on.

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go. - It's up to you. Downshifting uses more gas, but braking uses your brakes so causes wear. That being said, I am of the opinion that it is more economical to just brake.


Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!
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Old 07-25-2012, 08:50 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself.

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them.

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed?

I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.

Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go?

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go.


Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!

2nd or 3rd in a corner depends upon your speed and situation. Turning down a residential street, 3rd, city intersection usually 2nd for me.

Skip shift - hate it. When the indicater comes up, tap the accel and you can go into 2nd. If your driving very docile, 3rd is fine but dont expect neck ripping take offs until the RPM's come up. If you were driving harder in first, this would be a moot point.

Running in third on the highway at speed and watch the gas trickle away. I've been known to run 85 and drop into 3rd, chirp the tires and go. Third usually runs out about 105 or so.

Coming to a stop, shift into neutral and coast. When you are waiting for a light stay in neutral and keep your foot off the clutch. Shift when the light changes if you're behind someone. You can get into gear and load the drivetrain before most people step on the gas! Unless of coarse you are first in line and want to run!!!!!

FYI -- coasting to a stop IMO is better for the car and wallet, brakes are cheaper than a clutch.
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Old 07-25-2012, 08:57 AM   #4
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The gear I choose for a turn is third but really depends where I am. If I am in the calm side of my town where I live 3rd is fine. But chances are if there is a lot of traffic you will need 2nd.

Rev matching I have no clue. I am new to booth driving a stick. Only been 3 almost 4 years for both. So I still have to learn

Now for braking. It depends on my situation. If a hard stop yes straight to neutral for me. If I know I'm going to have to come to a stop I usually am always in 6th so I switch up to 5th and coast to the light and I go to neutral at around 15mph. My dad told me to always try to do that because it will help you save your breaks while only going up a gear won't wear the clutch really.
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Old 07-25-2012, 09:17 AM   #5
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Thanks for all the input guys!
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Old 07-25-2012, 09:59 AM   #6
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Rev matching is just as much an art as it is a science.

I don't really just recommend "drop a gear and hang on' cuz then you'll get that lurch/stutter feel. I usually try to guess-timate the R's, bring them up and let the clutch out steadily.

My skip shift is gone since the supercharger, but I tried not to drive to docile in first. You can wind the gear up pretty well without going to hard, you just have to get used to it.
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:16 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself. Nice!

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them. Ok bring them on....

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed? Yeah sure you can take them in third if you are going fast enough.

I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much. That's perfectly fine, I've gone from first to sixth many times with no problems.

Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? Practice, practice practice

For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go? Depends on the feel, which you will only recognize after doing the above response

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go. Not necessary to downshift, if you do that you actually wear out your clutch a little since you're not gassing it. I've always shifted into neutral and then applied the brakes, no problems yet.


Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!
Hope this helps
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:29 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them.

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed?

I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.

Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go?

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go.


Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!



  • Depends on your speed and how much power you want to have going through the turn.
  • 1st to 4th does bog the engine pretty bad from my experience as well. Buy a skipshift. Best 20 bucks I ever spent on this car.
  • You just need to know through experience with that car. Just on the top of my head, 65 in 3rd would be around 3.5k RPM.
  • I NEVER keep it in neutral when coming to a stop. IMO, it’s bad form and a amateur thing. You should always keep the car in gear when slowing down incase you need power instantly for emergency maneuvers. Good luck doing that in neutral.
  • Also, I keep my foot on the clutch at a red light. I feel that if I ever get rear ended hard enough that it knocks me out, the car would stall out because it’s in gear. If it’s in neutral, the car will keep running…I wouldn’t want my car running with a leaking gas tank or what have you when I’m out cold.
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:35 AM   #9
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The skip shift only comes on if your throttle is less than 30% pressed. If you stay in 1st a little longer it will not ask you to go into 4th. Also it does not force you into 4th, a flap just comes up in the gearbox to help guide you into 4th, you can still go in 2nd.

Frankly, I've saved quite a bit on gas just doing 1st to 4th skip. Though I have a harder time these days with the Borla ATAK and CAI.
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:38 AM   #10
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This all makes me think I should have gotten a stick and just forced myself to learn to drive it :(

Maybe when I get a 2016...
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:42 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed?
Depends on speed. I drive my Camaro aggressively as its not a dd, just a toy. I take 90° green light turns in first. For DD type driving I'd turn in the 2-3K rpm range (2nd gear for 90° green light turns).

Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.
Skip shift eliminator? Cheap and takes 5 min to put on.
I take off in 1st. I only go 1st to 3rd if I'm stuck in traffic and driving at someone elses pace.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go?
at 65 I'd want to have my RPMs around 5k when I let out the clutch to go to 3rd.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go.
By habit, I downshift often without braking very much until I need to. But again, aggressive driver and I care nothing about clutch life span. In my Camaro I'm out to enjoy the drive. There is no need to downshift. You can throw it in N and let out the clutch if you please, doesn't hurt anything. I'm a clutch in guy though. Unless I'm going to be parked for over ~60 seconds I hold in the clutch and leave it in 1.
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:48 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FaytalsCamaro View Post
So this is the first manual vehicle I have had and to be quite honest with you I don't think I'll ever go back to driving an automatic. Anyways it's been awhile since I've stalled so I'm pretty proud of myself.

I do have some questions and hope to get some insight and advice from you vets though. Im just gonna list off some of the things I do and have heard and you guys can comment on them.

I ALWAYS take turns in second gear. Is it ok to take them in third? Or does it just depend on your speed?

Depends on the speed.


I USED to take off from a stop in second also to avoid the skipshift. But lately I have been going from First to Third, First to Fourth seems to bog down too much.

Buy a skip shift eliminator. That is the best solution for this IMO. Or you can just give it a little more gas .And agree the car bog down a lot when you went from 1st to 4th.


Rev Matching: How do I know the correct RPMs? For example awhile back there was a thread here with a poll asking what everyones favorite gear. Most said third. So I tried it out on the highway. ( Cheese and Rice does it get up and go) But let say Im going about 65 on the highway in 6th. What should my RPMs be at before I downshift to third and go?

this will take some practice but I found the easiest way to do it is to go for a drive. On the drive get up to 60mph and shift as you normally would. Once you reach 3rd gear dont upshift just stay in that gear till you reach 60mph. Once you reach 60mph the tach will show the rpms for 60mph in 3rd. Essentially you can do this with any given MPH and GEAR. I did this when i got the v8 as I was used to the v6 higher revs and had a few OH moments when i downshifted .

When coming to a stop a always shift to neutral and cruise to a stop. Should I be downshifting through the gears to come to a stop? And when I'm at a stop I always stay in neutral till I'm Ready to go.

You got this down

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!!!!
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Old 07-25-2012, 10:49 AM   #13
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at 65 I'd want to have my RPMs around 5k when I let out the clutch to go to 3rd.
I'd like to elaborate on that a bit to maybe save someone an insurance bill.

If you downshift with the intent of speeding away and you are low on the RPMs it will by default (ECU) revmatch to keep the tires from breaking loose. But you will still throw weight forward. And if you immediately floor it you run the risk of losing the ass end on slick surfaces.

Personally I drive with all nannies off and can downshift scratch (do it often approaching turns). An unskilled driver could easily loose the ass if they downshifted low in the RPMs and immediately floored it with the nannies off on a slick surface. Then they will likely over correct and end up smashing into the car they were trying to impress.

(in my best get rid of cable commercial mockery)

Don't smash into a car you are trying to impress.
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Old 07-25-2012, 11:00 AM   #14
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I'd like to elaborate on that a bit to maybe save someone an insurance bill.

If you downshift with the intent of speeding away and you are low on the RPMs it will by default (ECU) revmatch to keep the tires from breaking loose. But you will still throw weight forward. And if you immediately floor it you run the risk of losing the ass end on slick surfaces.

Personally I drive with all nannies off and can downshift scratch (do it often approaching turns). An unskilled driver could easily loose the ass if they downshifted low in the RPMs and immediately floored it with the nannies off on a slick surface. Then they will likely over correct and end up smashing into the car they were trying to impress.

(in my best get rid of cable commercial mockery)

Don't smash into a car you are trying to impress.
That happen to me when i first got the car but with nannies on and lets just say that I almost dookie myself
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