# Proper way to drive a manual... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [May 27, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370 "2009-05-27T13:45:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/1 "2009-05-27T13:45:57Z")
So I searched a couple terms, but came up shitty. Figured it would be debated somewhere, I’m sure someone will link it up. But anyway. What in the fucking hell is the proper way to actually drive a manual transmission? Every place I look has a different way to drive it. (By looking on different forums and searching google for how tos and such) Some say downshifting is a must, others say push the clutch in all the way, others say put it in neutral. (as far as slowing down/braking) Some say to Depress the clutch fully when upshifting, move the shifter, then let off the clutch and when the clutch is fully out, then you press the gas pedal again… Others say to rev match when letting off the clutch. Now I did read on the LS1 forums, that you should never have to ride the clutch for any reason no matter what cam you are running, including backing out of driveways or going through parking lots. They say you have to switch between First -\> Neutral, or Reverse -\> Neutral. (I can link this one in a min actually I think). Any tips on that? Allsooooo. On my current car, 1994 Camaro Z28 w/ T-56… (Recently purchased from a NYSpeeder)… My father was dicking around with it and sometimes shifts gears without using the clutch, by just getting it up to around 3-4k RPMs then letting off the gas, and dropping the shifter in to whatever gear gently. Is this recommended at all? Or is it shitty for the car? I mean, I can drive it fine, but I’m trying to find an offical 100% answer on how to drive it without fucking up your clutch and/or transmission in the long run. An offical GM site or something would work too, I don’t care. Do the owners manuals say a lot about it? ---
**Author:** ![SOLITUDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@SOLITUDE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SOLITUDE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/2 "2009-05-27T13:48:29Z")
Some say downshifting is a must, others say push the clutch in all the way, others say put it in neutral. (as far as slowing down/braking) **_This is a preference_** Some say to Depress the clutch fully when upshifting, move the shifter, then let off the clutch and when the clutch is fully out, then you press the gas pedal again… :tup: ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/3 "2009-05-27T13:50:32Z")
Get experience, do what feels good. If it doesn’t feel smooth you’re probably not doing it right. See: Letting the clutch all the way out then giving it gas. (That’s doin it wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![97FormulaWS-6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/97formulaws-6/32/7384_2.png) [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/4 "2009-05-27T13:51:37Z")
You gotta ride the clutch when starting out on hills… so there are times that the clutch needs to be riden. Also shifting without the clutch is fine as long as you know what you’re doing; I do the same thing as your father with my car. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/5 "2009-05-27T13:51:56Z")
Just so you know, “riding the clutch” means driving with it halfway engaged. When you do this the clutch plate is sliding against the flywheel. The more of your clutch life is spent sliding, the shorter its life will be. Coasting with the clutch all the way to the floor is fine. Oh and when starting on hills, use your e-brake to hold you in place. That leaves your left foot free to work the clutch and right foot to work the gas. :lol: If it weren’t for this, leaving Niawanda Park with the bot in tow would be an absolute bitch. Traffic light, steep hill, pedestrians everywhere. (My Xterra is a stick.) ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/6 "2009-05-27T13:53:09Z")
if its an old car, or a car with expensive drivetrain parts i’d probably not downshift a ton as it puts more wear on the drivetrain as opposed to the brake pads. but in reality it really doesn’t matter… ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/7 "2009-05-27T13:54:48Z")
> [@SuzukiFreek](#): > > Some say to Depress the clutch fully when upshifting, move the shifter, then let off the clutch and when the clutch is fully out, then you press the gas pedal again… :tup: > [@Fry](#): > > Get experience, do what feels good. If it doesn’t feel smooth you’re probably not doing it right. See: Letting the clutch all the way out then giving it gas. (That’s doin it wrong.) So which is it? :o ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/8 "2009-05-27T13:55:34Z")
> [@97FormulaWS-6](#): > > Also shifting without the clutch is fine as long as you know what you’re doing The precision required to this appropriately on a synchromesh transmission is nearly impossible. Even if it feels ok, you’re still being pretty hard on the synchros. A dog box is a different story… ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/9 "2009-05-27T13:56:15Z")
> [@chino](#): > > if its an old car, or a car with expensive drivetrain parts i’d probably not downshift a ton as it puts more wear on the drivetrain as opposed to the brake pads. > > but in reality it really doesn’t matter… Just be careful if you’re downshifting to slow down. Each gear has a top speed. If you downshift when you’re going faster than the gear’s top speed you will over-rev your engine and break things. A certain board member is famous for accidentally downshifting 3 gears instead of one and blowing his engine. :burnout: ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/10 "2009-05-27T13:57:26Z")
> [@Hass](#): > > So which is it? :o :picard: What I posted is correct. ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/11 "2009-05-27T13:59:19Z")
> [@Hass](#): > > So which is it? :o the first one, is not right at all… lol wtf how is this an automotive board and we get answers like that?! clutch and gas pedal should act like they are on a pulley, if you’re not giving it gas when letting the clutch out you’re not doing it right… asdjklfhndlkfjasfdsjkahjklsfhasdjk ---
**Author:** ![ILC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilc/32/5337_2.png) [@ILC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/12 "2009-05-27T13:59:27Z")
LOL this is a serious thread lol… ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/13 "2009-05-27T14:01:38Z")
this thread sucks. you can’t learn to drive off the internets. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/14 "2009-05-27T14:01:51Z")
> [@ILC](#): > > LOL this is a serious thread lol… > [@walter](#): > > this thread sucks. > > you can’t learn to drive off the internets. Gotta start somewhere. Better to ask for advice than to make bad habits. Apparently there are other board members who will benefit from reading this. ---
**Author:** ![JustinH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JustinH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JustinH)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/15 "2009-05-27T14:03:49Z")
Any time you shift without having the clutch pedal to the floor, thats bad… When coming to a stop, I leave it in gear, then quickly shift to neutral right before I stop the car. This way you get a little engine braking to assist you with stopping the car, and its not all your brakes. You can rev match when up shifting and downshifting, but I have not perfected this at all. I’ll need some real practice with that, but with what I drive, its not a necessary skill. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/16 "2009-05-27T14:04:57Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > :picard: What I posted is correct. Thanks :] > [@Fry](#): > > Gotta start somewhere. Better to ask for advice than to make bad habits. Apparently there are other board members who will benefit from reading this. Yeah, there’s so much conflicting crap out there, I figured I could come here to get the actual answer… Since… well… it’s an auto forum =) Rather than just going out driving, and unknowingly beat the crap out of the poor car because it’s what some tool wrote on a how to on the internets, when they didn’t even know what they were talking about in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![ILC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilc/32/5337_2.png) [@ILC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/17 "2009-05-27T14:05:59Z")
> any time you shift without having the clutch pedal to the floor, thats bad… PARDON? when its disengaged its disengaged there is no reason for the rest of the travel ---
**Author:** ![Motocrossx23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/motocrossx23/32/5120_2.png) [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/18 "2009-05-27T14:16:59Z")
I usually let my clutch out relatively quick and roll my throttle a bit, as long as my foot fully engages my shifter it’s a very smooth shift. ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/19 "2009-05-27T14:18:02Z")
Fine then. No heel-toe rev match at every corner no care. Bitches. ---
**Author:** ![ILC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilc/32/5337_2.png) [@ILC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370/20 "2009-05-27T14:19:29Z")
> [@walter](#): > > Fine then. > > No heel-toe rev match at every corner no care. > > Bitches. fuck yea… i do that every downshift lol… Its a little bit messy when not at race pace though lol [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/proper-way-to-drive-a-manual/68370.md?page=2)