Standard New Guy Questions

[ClutchFork]

That's half the fun of a manual it's your car you can drive it just about any way you want.

Yeah, and I want to drive it like a redneck--no rev matching.

Just read some threads around here. These guys can have a debate on how to PARK a car.

[monkeyhunk]

Haha glaring typo I'm still teaching myself to type with swipe. Fixed it now.

[ClutchDisc]

Thanks you for the help its really great! I just red an article online that said if i dont rev match when im downshifting im ruining my car... Is this true? When i down shift say im doing 55 kph in 4th at 2000 rpms and want to go to 3rd to slow down a bit i always thought i could just let off the gas switch to 3rd and just not let off the clutch to fast and its smooth and i only rev to about 2700 rpms is this bad am i really ruining my car by not " rev matching" ? And i haven't been over revving to much and haven't smelt anything yet so i cant be doing that bad

No. I never rev match. You aren't hurting a thing.

Welcome to the site!

[ClutchDisc]

I think it's best to learn without looking at the tach. You can become way to dependent on rpm like that. I personally would cover it up with something especially while you learn. I never had a tach when I learned and still don't.

[ClutchFork]

Haha glaring typo I'm still teaching myself to type with swipe. Fixed it now.

Don't know what swipe is, but I fixed the typo in the quote too.

[monkeyhunk]

Haha glaring typo I'm still teaching myself to type with swipe. Fixed it now.

Don't know what swipe is, but I fixed the typo in the quote too.

On an android you can type by tracing a path letter to letter to letter to make words and it's actually faster once you get used to it.

[tankinbeans]

Haha glaring typo I'm still teaching myself to type with swipe. Fixed it now.

Don't know what swipe is, but I fixed the typo in the quote too.

On an android you can type by tracing a path letter to letter to letter to make words and it's actually faster once you get used to it.

I have a love/hate relationship with Swype. Most of the time it's bang-on perfect, and then when I get comfortable it does some really random word and I don't catch it until later.

[daleadbull]

First of all welcome!

Its normal to have a lot of questions when you're starting up because you want to make sure that you're not developing bad habits and ruining your car. Next, after you get the theory down, you'll get some confidence to try new things like rev matching etc.

All your questions seem to have been answered well by the guys so I'll just say this regarding downshifting especially when you're new. Its not necessary 80% of the time. When you're coming up to a stop light or stop sign, just stay in the current gear you're in and start braking. When your speed gets low enough just push in the clutch, stick it in neutral and just brake to a complete stop. The only time when you really need to downshift is if you're in the process of slowing down but then need to accelerate again, for example the light turns green before you come to a complete stop or if you're taking a tight corner.

In general, as long as your car is not bucking/jerking/stalling etc., you're probably doing fine.

[MisterTwo]

... If im coming up to a light in 4th and it turns red is downshifting from 4th to 2nd ok (with no break) as long as i dont go over 3000 rpms ? Or am i better off holding on the clutch and using the breaks...

One thing to think about: brake pads are getting cheaper relative to engines and fuel. So downshifting to get engine braking may not be as cost-effective as you might think. (Modern ECM may cut fuel in this case, so maybe fuel isn't so much of an issue any more... I learned to drive in the olden days of carburetors.)

[theholycow]

One thing to think about: brake pads are getting cheaper relative to engines and fuel. So downshifting to get engine braking may not be as cost-effective as you might think. (Modern ECM may cut fuel in this case, so maybe fuel isn't so much of an issue any more... I learned to drive in the olden days of carburetors.)

Well said!

Also...brakes are made for braking and, believe it or not, are extremely good at that job! It's a good habit to depend on your brakes for your braking needs, though it's good to be sufficiently practiced in alternatives in case you ever do have a brake failure. Your brake pedal sends well-proportioned braking to all 4 tires, unlike engine braking which goes to 1 or 2 tires (2 or 3 if a AWD/4WD system is engaged), which is very important in low-traction situations like snow.

For someone who wants to dig into the cost issue, it's actually a much more complex issue than you might think. There's the cost of clutch wear, synchro wear, etc. There's fuel cost; deceleration fuel cut off (DFCO) is not simple or reliable, it depends on a variety of conditions to be met which vary from one model to the next and people who think they are taking advantage of it are often using MORE fuel than if they just idled in neutral while braking instead. Further, OBDII equipment and built-in fuel economy displays often don't detect DFCO properly and under-report or over-report it.

[ClutchFork]

Haha glaring typo I'm still teaching myself to type with swipe. Fixed it now.

Don't know what swipe is, but I fixed the typo in the quote too.

On an android you can type by tracing a path letter to letter to letter to make words and it's actually faster once you get used to it.

I thought at one time they were trying to get monkeys to communicate tracing letters. Are they making monkeys out of us with this app?

[monkeyhunk]

I thought at one time they were trying to get monkeys to communicate tracing letters. Are they making monkeys out of us with this app?

When I start flinging crap I'll make sure you're in the loop.

[tankinbeans]

I thought at one time they were trying to get monkeys to communicate tracing letters. Are they making monkeys out of us with this app?

When I start flinging crap I'll make sure you're in the loop.

Now I'm thinking of Madagascar. "If you any poo, fling it now."