Hi there, I'm new to this forum but I was actually in your shoes 2 weeks ago.
I started my manual driving journey on my friends 2011 Honda Civic SI. I luckily got my head start with that. Granted, I did not own this car so after that night worth of 20 min of learning I had to find other ways. For a long time I test drove Civic SI's at other dealerships because that's what I thought I wanted until my fiance found a Fiesta ST that I was maybe considering looking into. We both love top gear so she remembered Hammond's rave on the Fiesta ST.
Anyway, here's how I learned with the manual gearbox considering I bought the car with not very much chops.
When you start the car always make sure the shifter is in neutral. Quite often people will leave the gearbox shifted in 1st or reverse depending on the plane that they are parked in for safety reasons but that's a different thing.
The next is the dreaded 1st gear. This is the hardest one to master and always will be because it's the touchiest. This is the wild bronco if you will, and you must tame it. You'll find that shifting isn't much of a problem as you're going faster and going to each new gear. The first gear you'll want to let go of the clutch halfway, and slowly begin to apply the gas. When you hear the engine rev slowly more and more you'll want to let loose of the clutch slowly as well. If letting loose of the clutch halfway isn't feeling it just try a little more each time.
You're trying to find the "Sweet spot" of when the car starts to begin to produce forward motion. I certainly recommend finding a non busy road or maybe a parking lot late at night and just go from neutral to first, then second. This is the main section that is the hardest. Afterwards, put the clutch in, shift the car to neutral, then brake, and repeat. Remember, halfway or a little more is where you'll want to gradually press on the gas. Very little motion should produce but you'll find that's when you need to let go of the clutch gradually from there. I drive a bit for work, and I drive in the city section so I'm often shifting through all gears so I had to learn quickly or else I'd make many people angry.
I think you'll find it from there. The manual gearbox is a bit of an artform but it's certainly able to be learned. I'm sure you'll own that first gear soon enough.
I started my manual driving journey on my friends 2011 Honda Civic SI. I luckily got my head start with that. Granted, I did not own this car so after that night worth of 20 min of learning I had to find other ways. For a long time I test drove Civic SI's at other dealerships because that's what I thought I wanted until my fiance found a Fiesta ST that I was maybe considering looking into. We both love top gear so she remembered Hammond's rave on the Fiesta ST.
Anyway, here's how I learned with the manual gearbox considering I bought the car with not very much chops.
When you start the car always make sure the shifter is in neutral. Quite often people will leave the gearbox shifted in 1st or reverse depending on the plane that they are parked in for safety reasons but that's a different thing.
The next is the dreaded 1st gear. This is the hardest one to master and always will be because it's the touchiest. This is the wild bronco if you will, and you must tame it. You'll find that shifting isn't much of a problem as you're going faster and going to each new gear. The first gear you'll want to let go of the clutch halfway, and slowly begin to apply the gas. When you hear the engine rev slowly more and more you'll want to let loose of the clutch slowly as well. If letting loose of the clutch halfway isn't feeling it just try a little more each time.
You're trying to find the "Sweet spot" of when the car starts to begin to produce forward motion. I certainly recommend finding a non busy road or maybe a parking lot late at night and just go from neutral to first, then second. This is the main section that is the hardest. Afterwards, put the clutch in, shift the car to neutral, then brake, and repeat. Remember, halfway or a little more is where you'll want to gradually press on the gas. Very little motion should produce but you'll find that's when you need to let go of the clutch gradually from there. I drive a bit for work, and I drive in the city section so I'm often shifting through all gears so I had to learn quickly or else I'd make many people angry.
I think you'll find it from there. The manual gearbox is a bit of an artform but it's certainly able to be learned. I'm sure you'll own that first gear soon enough.
![[crazyeye]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_eyecrazy.gif "Crazy Eye [crazyeye]"){kind=icon}
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![[whip]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_whip.gif "Whip [whip]"){kind=icon}
-lash on a passenger! Fortunately no one has been behind me the two three times this has happened. All of my vehicles are clutches so on the rare occasion I drive an auto, try to remember to literally cross my left leg under the right.
