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What's your advice for someone driving their first manual transmission car? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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[–] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Learn to shift based off the sound of the engine, dont stare at the tachometer.

Do not do this.

Every engine has a different redline. The redline is based mostly on piston mass, which doesn't necessarily correlate directly to engine displacement, given that it's common to have 4, 6, or 8 cylinders in a car. If you're shifting primarily based on engine sound, you can be shifting too low in one car, and then too high in another. The tachometer is a much more reliable way of learning where you should shift in any given vehicle.

Also, constantly running your car in the maximum power band--which tends to be close to the redline--probably isn't great for it.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Many cars and trucks don't even have a tach. Older Ford focus's don't, they just have a shift light. I used to drive a 70s Ford ranger that had neither. Don't get me wrong I wish it did, but it's only a nice-to-have for regular driving. Shifting off sound is fine, but it's not just sound, it's the vibrations in your seat, how the engine reacts to gas pedal inputs, etc. I only look at the tach when I need to downshift to pass.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I learned on a 2000 Kia Sephia. Five speed, little four cylinder engine, that shit did not have a tachometer. I had to learn by the sound.

    Even when I got into my Vr6 Jetta, or the Nissan spec-v (which had 6 gears) I was able to adjust my driving to the car easily because I first learned with sound. You learn the engine.

    Probably try learning using both tbh

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