Tips for a Manual Beginner?

[BackslashBrian]

I don't get any jerks when I upshift if I apply a little throttle right as I'm releasing the clutch slowly from the bite point. So if I'm going from 2nd gear to 4th gear I shift, slowly left off the clutch, and apply a little throttle

I pick up my Type R tomorrow for the dealer so fingers crossed for me. I think I learned how to make my upshifts less jerky by doing that as well on my friend's old Celica. His clutch was super heavy though and when I depressed the clutch on the Type R it felt very smooth and light (to me at least haha)

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[GundamTypeR]

I pick up my Type R tomorrow for the dealer so fingers crossed for me. I think I learned how to make my upshifts less jerky by doing that as well on my friend's old Celica. His clutch was super heavy though and when I depressed the clutch on the Type R it felt very smooth and light (to me at least haha)

Oh, a good tip that allowed me to really prevent myself from stalling the R is to just look if the gear number actually shows up on the dash. So when you first start up the car if you slowly let off the clutch and apply some throttle going into 1st gear, you'll know it's in gear if the number 1 shows up. You can also know if you're about to stall if the rpms is about to drop and hit 0 I think. That was honestly how I was able to stop stalling the car and now I no longer have to look at it since it became a sort of "do and feel" thing now lol

 

[BackslashBrian]

Oh, a good tip that allowed me to really prevent myself from stalling the R is to just look if the gear number actually shows up on the dash. So when you first start up the car if you slowly let off the clutch and apply some throttle going into 1st gear, you'll know it's in gear if the number 1 shows up. You can also know if you're about to stall if the rpms is about to drop and hit 0 I think. That was honestly how I was able to stop stalling the car and now I no longer have to look at it since it became a sort of "do and feel" thing now lol

Thanks for the tips Gundam! I'll let you know how the ride home was tomorrow

 

[Seandingo]

I don't get any jerks when I upshift if I apply a little throttle right as I'm releasing the clutch slowly from the bite point. So if I'm going from 2nd gear to 4th gear I shift, slowly left off the clutch, and apply a little throttle

This was exactly what i was looking for. I started doing and it's helping a lot!

1. Clutch in
2. Shift
3. Slowly release clutch
4. Apply gas earlier when clutch is at the bite point and onwards

Thanks for the pointer!

 

[Blood_TypeR]

Fyi newbie ctr drivers the car comes with anti stall assist, and hill assist, stalling out in this car is really diffcult..

 

[gtman]

Over the years, I've driven manual cars for over 25 years, many of them Hondas and one Acura. Their transmissions are brilliant.

The thing is, none of my Hondas came with these assist features. Features that in my opinion mean that anyone with two feet can easily drive stick.

In other words, if you want a CTR, get a CTR. You'll be a stick shifting pro in no time. It's not hard at all and a lot of it (knowing when to shift) becomes instinctual very quickly. I got to the point that I rarely needed to look at the tach and upshifted and downshifted by ear, literally.

 

[happycamper515]

Just want to confirm the hill assist is not activated until you press the clutch in and release the brake? If I'm sitting on a hill and in neutral on the brake only no clutch, the car will roll back if I let off the brake? When I'm ready to go and I press the clutch to shift into 1st, then I release the brake is when the hill assist activates? Just my old MT habits before hill assist existed that I don't sit at stops with the clutch depressed for long periods of time.

I remember driving in crowded parking lots before and not getting on the ramp between floors until it was clear to avoid having the car behind me stop right on my bumper if I got stuck in the middle of the ramp. I imagine hill assist helps a lot in these situations.

 

[jpuk]

Coming from the UK and learning in manual and most cars being manual reading through everyones comments just a few pointers.


The less you think about changing gears the better. Even after 15 years, if I went for the perfect gear change it would be no better maybe worse then one from instinct.

Putting it in neutral when you get to traffic lights if your going to be waiting a while.

Everyone drives differently just find what suits yourself and the route your driving.

 

[GundamTypeR]

Just want to confirm the hill assist is not activated until you press the clutch in and release the brake? If I'm sitting on a hill and in neutral on the brake only no clutch, the car will roll back if I let off the brake? When I'm ready to go and I press the clutch to shift into 1st, then I release the brake is when the hill assist activates? Just my old MT habits before hill assist existed that I don't sit at stops with the clutch depressed for long periods of time.

I remember driving in crowded parking lots before and not getting on the ramp between floors until it was clear to avoid having the car behind me stop right on my bumper if I got stuck in the middle of the ramp. I imagine hill assist helps a lot in these situations.

All you do is hold the break until you see "HOLD" show up on your dash. Once that shows up your car will be stopped in place until you give it gas

 

[tinyman392]

Just want to confirm the hill assist is not activated until you press the clutch in and release the brake? If I'm sitting on a hill and in neutral on the brake only no clutch, the car will roll back if I let off the brake? When I'm ready to go and I press the clutch to shift into 1st, then I release the brake is when the hill assist activates? Just my old MT habits before hill assist existed that I don't sit at stops with the clutch depressed for long periods of time.

I remember driving in crowded parking lots before and not getting on the ramp between floors until it was clear to avoid having the car behind me stop right on my bumper if I got stuck in the middle of the ramp. I imagine hill assist helps a lot in these situations.

Hill assist automatically activates if you are on the brakes and in gear. So if you clutch in, release the brakes then select 1st, you will roll back. If you clutch in, select first, then press the brakes, it will hold for a few seconds or until the car starts moving forward.

Edit: if you have brake hold enabled, it will hill assist regardless, and even when not on a hill.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

Tip: Not a manual noob but this still gets me almost every time. When picking up the car after someone else has driven or serviced it, don't trust that they park it the way you do. Make sure it is in neutral before turning the car on, or at least don't lift off the clutch without checking.

Already violently stalled the car twice from both the inspection sticker guy and some other service I got leaving it in gear when parked. Really don't get why these guys still do this.....put on the damn parking brake, that's what its for, instead of risking the customer stalling out ? they used to leave my GTI in gear with no hand brake too and it would annoy me every time.

 

[GundamTypeR]

Tip: Not a manual noob but this still gets me almost every time. When picking up the car after someone else has driven or serviced it, don't trust that they park it the way you do. Make sure it is in neutral before turning the car on, or at least don't lift off the clutch without checking.

Already violently stalled the car twice from both the inspection sticker guy and some other service I got leaving it in gear when parked. Really don't get why these guys still do this.....put on the damn parking brake, that's what its for, instead of risking the customer stalling out ? they used to leave my GTI in gear with no hand brake too and it would annoy me every time.

The shop that installed my prl intake left it in 2nd gear and my car stalled when I got it back lol

 

[tinyman392]

Tip: Not a manual noob but this still gets me almost every time. When picking up the car after someone else has driven or serviced it, don't trust that they park it the way you do. Make sure it is in neutral before turning the car on, or at least don't lift off the clutch without checking.

Already violently stalled the car twice from both the inspection sticker guy and some other service I got leaving it in gear when parked. Really don't get why these guys still do this.....put on the damn parking brake, that's what its for, instead of risking the customer stalling out ? they used to leave my GTI in gear with no hand brake too and it would annoy me every time.

I put the car in gear now when stopped, but didn't before. Didn't check if it was in gear when I started the car for the first time. Heard the front splitter scrape against the parking spot stopping block Epically sad. I'm over it now though since that front splitter probably looks like crap underneath.

 

[TheGreekFreak]

The shop that installed my prl intake left it in 2nd gear and my car stalled when I got it back lol

Ouch! Well now you know but still bet it happens again, it gets me almost every time. One of many reasons I avoid having people other than myself service my car in the first place. But unfortunately can't put on my own inspection sticker or mount my tires on the wheels....

I put the car in gear now when stopped, but didn't before. Didn't check if it was in gear when I started the car for the first time. Heard the front splitter scrape against the parking spot stopping block Epically sad. I'm over it now though since that front splitter probably looks like crap underneath.

Perfect time to ask: why do you do this? Why have you joined the dark side?? I've heard the old timers doing it when they didn't trust a worn parking brake, just as an extra layer of safety.....when has a parking brake failed on on one of these cars? Feel its completely unnecessary to do on a modern manual car.

Lets spread awareness and put an end to this nationwide! Especially service people, stop forcing me to have to remember one more thing when starting my car that I don't have to.

 

[tinyman392]

Perfect time to ask: why do you do this? Why have you joined the dark side?? I've heard the old timers doing it when they didn't trust a worn parking brake, just as an extra layer of safety.....when has a parking brake failed on on one of these cars? Feel its completely unnecessary to do on a modern manual car.

Lets spread awareness and put an end to this nationwide! Especially service people, stop forcing me to have to remember one more thing when starting my car that I don't have to.

So when I got the Type R I had only been driving a manual for about a week, maybe a week and a half. The Type R was kind of purchased on short notice (family member got in an accident and wanted to buy the same example year, model, and color of my car).

My logic was as follows: it is an added layer of security if the parking brake fails, but for the Type R it actually isn't perfect as the compression of the motor can't hold the car all on its own, but it'll slow it down. But more importantly, changing muscle memory leaves me in a situation where I don't ever have to doubt if the car was left in neutral or not if I bring it in for anything. If it's not in neutral, well muscle memory will have be bring it to neutral, if it is in neutral I'll just end up shaking the shifter.

Versus... If I get into muscle memory to leave in neutral, I'll almost never check if it's in gear or not. So if the service person does leave it in gear, I stall out. And obviously if left in neutral no issues. I don't want to rely on remembering (breaking muscle memory) to check on small occurrences that do happen and I also don't expect a tech/service person to remember how I left the car. Actually, the last few times I dropped the car off at Honda for work, they have me leave the car running so there is no way for them to know how I'd do it anyways.

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