How to Drive a Stick
By: Deanna Streffer || 2/13/2018
"A stick?! What year is it?!"
- your lame friend
In 2016, it was found that as little as 3% of the cars sold in the US were manual transmission. Despite the overwhelming prevalence of automatic transmissions on the road in the US, learning and understanding to drive a manual is still an important skill that everyone should know - so good on you for being here! Your friends might not understand why you would want to learn something like this, but in fact, the answer is quite obvious.
This is because instead of the car creating and using its own power to shift the gears, it's using your body to do the work for it (Yeah, I know, there's a lot more to it than that). Admittedly, newer automatics are always getting more and more fuel efficient, but even some new models can save you around $100/ year in fuel costs. That amounts to a lot of coffee!
2. Cars with manual transmissions are usually cheaper.
This comes with the exception of muscle cars, like a Mustang or a Camaro where manuals almost come standard. Check out these two Corollas for example, just found on a used car website:
These two cars are the same year and model, with only the difference of the Transmission. As you can see, the manual transmission is listed for $400 less (even though it's the fancier Sport trim) and even gets an estimated 1 MPG better in the city. Score!
3. You might run into a situation where you need to drive a manual.
Imagine you book your dream vacation in Bali - only to find that they only rent manual transmissions! Or, your friend just bought a sweet new Mustang and then, in celebration, got too drunk to drive himself home. These are just two examples, but these are the kinds of situations where your new knowledge will come in handy.
There are less quantitative reasons as well. You'll drive safer in a manual. It's way more fun. You have more control over your acceleration, if you want it. Not to mention you'll look way cooler and avoid ridicule from your international friends!
So then, let's get to it, shall we?
You'll need:
- A car with a manual transmission
- A safe and flat road or space, such as an empty parking lot to practice driving
- (Optional) A friend who can help remind you of any steps if you forget
Notice: Don't use this guide while driving! Study this before hand and practice the motions before getting in the car.
Step 1: Learn the new car parts
Don't underestimate this step! Understanding what the parts do can help make it easier when the time comes to shift.
Clutch pedal:
The mysterious pedal you see to the left of your brake pedal is called the clutch. This pedal will be used by your left foot - which is going to feel extremely weird but trust me, you'll get the hang of it! When you press this pedal, you're basically going to disconnect the wheels' motion in the car from the engine and temporarily put your car in neutral. Then, when you're ready to shift and you release the pedal, you're reconnecting them to put the car in gear.
Gear Stick:
The stick you see to your right might remind you of your automatic's, but you'll be using it a lot more. The pattern of gears is usually listed on the top of the gear stick, and you can push and pull into gear by going to the location on the gear stick.
Parking Brake:
Yes, yes, we all know what a parking break is, but I'm bringing this is up for a very specific purpose: manual transmission cars do not have a "PARK" gear. You need to put the car in neutral, and engage the parking brake every time you park. Don't forget this if you want to find your vehicle when you return to it!
Step 2: Understand where the gears are on the gear stick
This is important, because, well, you have to focus on the road! Let's have another look at the gear stick above:
In this example, the car has 6 gears, plus reverse. Many smaller cars will actually only have 5 gears, some could have 7 as well. They'll always have the same pattern: leftmost up is 1, leftmost down is 2, next row up is 3, down is 4, etc. It's important that you understand where each gear is while driving.
If you're worried about being able to tell which row your in (i.e if you're about to shift to gear 3 or 5), the car will let you know. If you're switching to the wrong gear, you'll feel significantly more resistance; in this case, its important not to force the gear stick in place, or you may either stall or slow down significantly.
Step 3: Prepare and Start the car
First press down the clutch with your left foot all the way. With your right foot, press down the brake pedal. Then turn the key in the ignition (or push the button if your car is fancy) to start the car.
The car ALWAYS needs to be in Neutral when you start. If you forget, you'll get a harsh reminder as your transmission grinds (or it just won't start at all).
Step 4: Shift into gear
With the clutch still pressed, gently shift the car into first gear (most likely all the way to the left and up). Release the parking brake if you haven't already and with your right foot, begin to rev the engine up to 1500-2000 RPM. Slowly begin to release clutch pedal and you should be able to feel the gears locking in and the car begin to move.
Step 5: Stalling
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| It happens to everyone! Source |
Uh oh, your first try didn't work. That's okay, it happens to everyone! Whatever you do, DON'T PANIC! Even if you're in the middle of an intersection and you have stalled through the entire green light (which I definitely never did). If the car turns off, release the gas and push down the clutch. Use the brake pedal or the parking brake to make sure the car is stopped. Put the car back in neutral, turn the key, and repeat Step 4!
Step 6: Shifting into the next gear
Shifting into first gear is the hardest, so congrats on making it this far! Once you're rolling and in gear, you're ready to shift once you get up to about 3000 RPM. Push the clutch down all the way, and use the gear stick to shift into second or the next gear up. Then, press the gas and slowly release the clutch, trying again to feel how the car slides into gear.
Step 7: Stopping
One of the most important things to remember is that you cant just hit the brake pedal when you want. If you do, the engine will stall and car may come to an abrupt stop (which isn't what you're trying to do by stopping, right?). So, don't forget to push down the clutch all the way and then put the car back in neutral before starting to stop.
If you're in a situation where you're just slowing down, maybe while approaching a stoplight or a traffic jam, you can save your brakes and use a technique called engine braking. If you're cruising in 5th gear for example, you can let off the gas and as the RPM begins to lower, downshift. As you slide into the gear, you'll see the RPM raise back up, and the increased resistance from the lower gear with gently slow your car down without needing to touch the brake pedal.
Step 8: Practice, practice, practice!
Driving a stick can be really difficult and confusing. It probably feels like learning to drive all over again and you'll ask yourself, "Why everyone can't just drive an automatic?!". But I assure you, with practice, these motions will begin to feel natural and it'll feel no different to you than driving an automatic. So enjoy it, have fun, don't panic, and this will be you in no time!
TIPS:
- If you have to accelerate on a hill, you'll need to add the parking break in with Step 4. Use your right hand to hold up the break and release it as you feel the car going into gear. You might stall or burn rubber the first few times you try this, but hey, it's better than rolling back into the car behind you.
- Be extremely careful when you switch back into driving an automatic. Since your left foot is now used to slamming into the clutch, you want to make sure it doesn't automatically take initiative and slam on the breaks!
- Older cars and those with smaller engines are going to be more difficult to get the hang of. You can either try and practice on a larger, more powerful car, or use this to your advantage. I learned on a hilarious 58 horsepower 2002 Hyundai Atos, so when I switch to a real car, I'll already feel like a master!
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| A car is a car, right? ...right?! Source |
- I already mentioned this, but it's so important it bears repeating: don't panic! Spend time reviewing the steps one by one in your head so when you stall at a stop sign, red light, or in traffic (which you inevitably will), you can quickly and calmly get the car rolling again.
Congrats! You're now a master at driving a stick! Enjoy your new experience on the road, and be safe out there!
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