Driving a manual

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 7, 2004

Understanging how to drive a manual makes all the difference in learning to do it....i honestly learned to drive a stick by watching "Days of Thunder" (the Tom Cruise/NASCAR movie). There are so many shots of him shifting gears in that movie, if you watch it and watch what he does with his feet, it's all pretty simple.

I agree with the practice on the hill idea, that's a really good way to learn. If you're new to a stick, the first time you get on a hill and some @sshole stops 3 inches from your back bumper, you'll need to be able to get moving quick without frying the tires or rolling back into the guy behind you.

Once you're on the hill, get yourself to the point where you can feather the clutch and gas just right to keep the car in one spot, then rock it back and forth...it's not the healthiest thing for your clutch and trany, but a little wont hurt.

WendyC · Apr 7, 2004

HyPer-50 said:
Burning the clutch isn't very productive = P

***** it, I give up.

Just drive with your parking brake on.

HyPer-50 · Apr 7, 2004

WendyC said:
***** it, I give up.

Just drive with your parking brake on.

WendyC · Apr 7, 2004

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
I agree with the practice on the hill idea, that's a really good way to learn. If you're new to a stick, the first time you get on a hill and some @sshole stops 3 inches from your back bumper, you'll need to be able to get moving quick without frying the tires or rolling back into the guy behind you.

Once you're on the hill, get yourself to the point where you can feather the clutch and gas just right to keep the car in one spot, then rock it back and forth...it's not the healthiest thing for your clutch and trany, but a little wont hurt.

Thank you for your obviously superior intellect.

MustangMatt1966 · Apr 7, 2004

When you can hit each gear, chirp the tires and freaken slam the sucker, then you have mastered it...it just takes time

TattooMatt · Apr 7, 2004

WendyC said:
***** it, I give up.

Just drive with your parking brake on.

I understand what you are saying. I never used no stinking parking brake to save my @$$ on hills. I just rode the hell out of the clutch till I learned. Whether or not that is good for the clutch isn't the point. The point is: Even though I rode it for about a week when I had to stop on hills the stock clutch still lasted over 80,000 miles without a hiccup and it's still going. So there.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 7, 2004

Superior Intellect...lol....Me?

I wouldnt advise to just 'sit' on the hill with the clutch engaged while giving it the gas to just stay in one spot though, i'd only use this as a practice tool when you're all by yourself on the road somewhere or in a driveway. It's way too easy to not give it enough gas or clutch and roll back, plus you might develope a "crutch" and end up doing it all the time instead of learning how to use the break and do it right.

Also, you need to reeeally get the feel for your clutch pedel, and know at exactly what point it starts to engage when you're letting it out, so that when you finally get on the hill and have to make the quick release to get moving, you dont over do it or not do it enough. It's really just all about practice.

BTW if you cant use your feet and hands at the same time, forget it..lol

TheDamned · Apr 7, 2004

FLlx5.0 said:
I am getting my first stang on friday and my parents havent had a manual car for like 10 years. Just wanted to know how long it took to learn to drive one. I already know how to drive but just not shift gears and drive.

Dude!
Welcome in the 5.0 world.

I was in your pants end of last summer
First car = First mustang ... it's awesome thrust me

Anyway, I never drove a car before my mustang (xcept courses car) neither a manual... so it took me maybe 1-2 hours to really get it... really easy, I love how hard the cable clutch is on sn95, better then the butter clutch on normal cars...

Anyway, have fun and, be careful with this

WendyC · Apr 7, 2004

TattooMatt said:
I understand what you are saying. I never used no stinking parking brake to save my @$$ on hills. I just rode the hell out of the clutch till I learned. Whether or not that is good for the clutch isn't the point. The point is: Even though I rode it for about a week when I had to stop on hills the stock clutch still lasted over 80,000 miles without a hiccup and it's still going. So there.

Thank you. Ditto.

I guess I just wasn't that clear or something.

FLlx5.0 · Apr 7, 2004

Yeah I am a little worried cause on friday my friends gonna rop my off in his trans am and want to race right then and I need to learn so i can just get the dam thing home. I think I will be ok.

FLlx5.0 · Apr 7, 2004

Yeah I am a little worried cause on friday my friends gonna rop my off in his trans am and want to race right then and I need to learn so i can just get the dam thing home. I think I will be ok.

bdazzstang · Apr 7, 2004

speedracer238 said:
look up info on manual trans i.e. whats goin on when u press and release the clutch. I used to half a$$ knew how to drive a stick, then i learned what's happening when i was letting out the clutch and it became tons easier.

I agree, its much easier to learn how to drive stick well when you know whats going on inside. Driving one is one thing, any dousch can do it, but driving a stick well, that's a different story. Do your best and practice makes perfect.

TattooMatt · Apr 7, 2004

WendyC said:
Thank you. Ditto.

I guess I just wasn't that clear or something.

I guess neither of us are being clear. Lol.

When I learned I didn't sit on the clutch while waiting 5 minutes for the light at the top of the hil to turn green. I would find a hill that wasn't busy and practiced stop and go until I didn't have to worry about the car rolling back into the person behind me. In the process of learning you aren't going to be all that easy on your clutch anyway. My piece of mind that I wasn't going to screw up the back of my car and the front of someone else's was worth far more than a few hundred miles on my clutch.

25thmustang · Apr 7, 2004

FLlx5.0 said:
Yeah I am a little worried cause on friday my friends gonna rop my off in his trans am and want to race right then and I need to learn so i can just get the dam thing home. I think I will be ok.

STOPPPPPPPP,

If I ma reading this right, you are going to race the car. I highly suggest that someone not so great at driving stick, not go out street racing. NOTHING good can come from this...

If I am reading this wrong, Ill leave, haha!

Musclecarfan88 · Apr 7, 2004

driving a stick is alot of fun. The first time i drove one it was in a pos ranger and i really didnt get a hang of it. but i was like 10 or 11 soo that doesnt really count. then i drove a dodge shadow that i almost bought... dont ask... didnt stall it or anything, i was quite surprised. then last week when i brought my stang home... it was raining, i didnt stall it but i did spin the crap out of the tires. now ive got a pretty good hang of it and i can shift really smooth after only a week of driving it, and only a couple hours of seat time.

Driving a manual

85_SS_302_Coupe

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