help a newbie..Shifting 101

[slmgringo]

Sup everyone. I just bought my first MT car (02 GT lmt..my previous car was a 95 Grand am). The car only has 27k miles on it and I want to keep it in good shape...so I have some general questions about driving a stick to maintain the tansmission and clutch. With no one around to really teach me, i gota ask someone so why not a bunch of legacy owners :-p anyways, the questions are:

 

I can get the car going fairly smoothly from start to first but im still experiencing a mild single jerk from first to second gear..any tips or ideas what im doing wrong? Im not trying to race around, I just want smooth changes

 

In heavy stop and go traffic, whats the best way to speed up and stop and speed up etc, just keep it in first and stay on the clutch or what?

 

Is it better to when coming to a stop to downshift most of the time or, just press the clutch and the break? It seems this could wear the breaks more, but brakes are cheaper than a trans.

 

Ok so now that you're done snickering, help a newbie out

 

PS. some what off topic but.. How come ive only had the car about a week and have already had Hondas reving me @ stoplights?? oh yea cuz LEGACYS ARE F$*#(NG SEXY. too bad for them im nota racer.

[bigb3630123]

If you floor the throttle and shift at redline your head will always stay to the back of the seat

[BoxerGT2.5]

1. Subaru MT's are not the smoothest

 

2. You can stay in first if your in stop and go on a highway. Don't ride the clutch.

 

3. No need to down shift when coming to a stop, clutch and brake (put the car back into first with the clutch depressed as your braking).

[chenc544]

I can get the car going fairly smoothly from start to first but im still experiencing a mild single jerk from first to second gear..any tips or ideas what im doing wrong? Im not trying to race around, I just want smooth changes

 

Not sure about the '02 but how hard it is to drive the '05+ 5MT smoothly is kinda of a common complain, especially the 1-2 shift. Anyway, for 1-2 I usually hold the clutch at the engagement point for a fraction of a sec while I give it a little gas. A bit like starting from a stop but I don't stay at the engagement point as long. That usually smoothes out the 1-2 shift.

 

In heavy stop and go traffic, whats the best way to speed up and stop and speed up etc, just keep it in first and stay on the clutch or what?

 

Try to avoid riding the clutch as much as possible. It's almost impossible not to do it a little in stop and go traffic. Just keep in mind that besides braking and accelerating you can also coast in gear and neutral. I have found that new stick drivers are so afraid of stalling the car that they forget you can coast in gear. You would be surprised by how slow you can go in 1st gear without stalling it.

 

Is it better to when coming to a stop to downshift most of the time or, just press the clutch and the break? It seems this could wear the breaks more, but brakes are cheaper than a trans.

 

You don't have to down shift through the gears when stopping, but some people like doing it because it gives you more control. Of course the downside is that you are wearing more of the clutch. I usually coast in whatever gear I was in until I have to brake, then put it in neutral and brake to stop. Like you say, brake jobs are cheaper than clutch jobs.

[NewLegGT67]

To smooth out the 1st to 2nd shift, I try to hold the clutch a spit second longer and match with the gas or just come up a little slower on the clutch when engaging 2nd gear. That usually smooths it out for me. Chenc544's advise above is also good and is similar to what I mentioned.

 

It takes practice. You'll get it.

[l0rd]

i got the same car, i just normally hit like the upper 2's, low 3's and it shifts pretty clean.

[Penphoe]

Shifting article written by Subaru guru Mike Shields - http://www.spdusa.com/shifting.htm

 

LaterZ!

Darren!!