How do you drive?(MT)

[lyonsroar]

How do you drive...

...poorly. (yes)(headshake

My MS3's my first manual car. I've had it since June. Anyway, my 1-2 shifts are almost always perfect, but my 2-3 shifts are sometimes jerky. I'm getting better though. The consensus seems to be that the MS3 is a fairly difficult car to drive. My dad says my car drives like his Mini Cooper S in "sport" mode.

 

[LaCroix08]

...poorly. (yes)(headshake

My MS3's my first manual car. I've had it since June. Anyway, my 1-2 shifts are almost always perfect, but my 2-3 shifts are sometimes jerky. I'm getting better though. The consensus seems to be that the MS3 is a fairly difficult car to drive. My dad says my car drives like his Mini Cooper S in "sport" mode.

Only much faster! (yes)

 

[dastpe]

If you dont heel/toe downshift, learn to. If you ever autoX and get out of 2nd, you will need to know how to for smooth turn in. Plus, chicks dig it. If you are ever on some tighter twisties you will want to know how to. its an invaluable skill to learn, as well as double clutching. This will allow you to drive ANY car, with or without sychros, old or new. Also, if you ever ride a motorcycle you will want to know how to match revs. Now coming to a red light on stop sign, just drift to it and use the brakes, but any tight corners, be a big boy and heel toe, match your revs and outdrive 90% of people out there. I drive at 2500-3000, with a hard jaunt sometimes.

 

[60181]

I classify my driving as spirited. I tend to keep it safe for the car, but mainly for those around me. Sure, I open it up on the freeway and have been known to make a good run with a fellow driver, but overall, safe.

I've been driving stick shifts for a long while and in many cases, nicer cars than the MS3. That said, the MS3 is a joy to row through. Quirky in a Mazda sort of way, but I understand every ride is different. The MS3 is not the easiest car to drive, nor the smoothest. I do however have it down pat pretty well and am quite comfortable with her.

I don't run first gear too long. It's short and given the power band, I just assume move off a red light slowly, and if feeling in the mood, make the most of 2nd and 3rd. If the guy next to me wants to play, 3rd and 4th. If we're entering an on-ramp, 5th will put me into the way illegal zone but with a smile.

I just ran a new Mitsu Eclipse and woke his ass up when he realized that I can shift with a lot better than he can. Doing so with boost makes it even more fun (naughty) Let's just say surged forward on each shift while he was still finding his gears (upyours)

 

[Tronspeed3]

I usually try and shift at 3500 RPM since it seems to be the smoothest... hardly ever use 1st gear unless i'm stopped and pointed uphill. I spend about 80 miles a day at 2700 RPM in 6th...

 

[lyonsroar]

I usually try and shift at 3500 RPM since it seems to be the smoothest... hardly ever use 1st gear unless i'm stopped and pointed uphill. I spend about 80 miles a day at 2700 RPM in 6th...

So you take off in second? I've been known to do that too.

 

[Tronspeed3]

So you take off in second? I've been known to do that too.

Yeah I'm usually in 2nd when I start from a light or a stop sign, it just bugs me having to shift .005 seconds after I start moving when starting in 1st

 

[MSP300]

I drive mine like I stole it! That's the only time I can get smooth shifts out of it. I heal toe downshift and rev match all the time, I can't imagine how people drive with out it.
I have driven many different manual cars before and the speed3 was one of the hardest to drive, when I tried to drive it nicely.

 

[lyonsroar]

Yeah I'm usually in 2nd when I start from a light or a stop sign, it just bugs me having to shift .005 seconds after I start moving when starting in 1st

Anyone care to comment on this? Is this an OK thing to do? I find it easier to start in second as well.

 

[MSP300]

I personally wouldn't do that

 

[oaklandopen]

I don't start in 2nd, evar. I don't mind that I have to shift right away

Having a 6 speed can be a gift and a curse. Generally, that many gears is going to mean they are pretty short. But, you'llget a lower rpm top gear. With a 5 speed you don't have to shift as much, but your top gear might drone on pretty loudly at speed.

As for starting in 2nd being good or bad...much debate on that one for sure. On one hand you're probably slipping a little more than you would in 1st. On the other you may in fact be saving just a little bit of gas by not shifting as much. Either way, this car has the torque for it

My wife used to start in 2nd all the time, in her 6cyl wrangler (when it was the awesome straight 6). I agreed with her that 1st gear was utterly useless and just wayyyyy too low for street use

 

[MSP300]

(iagree)
i also think that if you start in second gear you put more stress on your flywheel

 

[Saskatchewan17]

I usually granny her pretty nicely. When it's cold, I'll go easy and slow on the shifts and shift at 2500. When it's warmed up and I'm driving slowly, I'll usually stick out of boost and shift at 3000, cruising in the highest gear possible for the situation without lugging it. When I want to get on her a bit, I'll feed it more gas and get into boost a bit after 3000 shifting anywhere from 3500-4500 depending on how hard I'm going. If I really want to open her up a good 2nd and 3rd gear pull does the trick. WOT shifting at 5800 or so. This is a weekly occurence... whenever I'm out for a cruise I'll be sure to include multiple WOT runs through many of the gears as long as the road conditions permit. I almost never skip shift. I always downshift though. Whenever slowing down, I'll heel-toe it and rev match as best as possible down to 3rd gear. I'll heel-toe downshift for corners too. Downshifting is the tits, I don't care what anybody says. You should always have the car in the right gear at the right time. I do double clutch when downshifting into second mostly, and that's usually below 20 MPH anyways. I also double clutch out of habit when shifting from reverse to first or vice versa. I don't know why... usually because when I make the reverse to first shift the car is cold and might not want to just slide into first so easily.

On another note downshifting isn't so bad for a clutch... but starting in second when not pointed downhill could be. To get a smooth start in second you have to feed the car more revs and slip the clutch out more slowly and carefully, thus putting some more stress on the clutch. At least, that's the way I see it. Can't be too too bad, but not the best thing ever. It's also not good to force the car into first while you're still rolling too, second would be acceptable then.

 

[CTGrey02]

I skip gears all the time when I'm driving. I use the lower ones to fling me to the speed I want to be at then once I find something acceptable I will toss it in 6th. 6th is better for gas mileage and I use this car for my commuter, usually during rush hour. If I wanted to run around with my revs stupid high all the time like a Neanderthal I'd take my Mustang out as that cars a hooligan mobile. When there's little to no traffic though, and the mood strikes, I use all my gears, and the short lived power band it brings with it. I've owned 5 standard vehicles and never had to replace a clutch. I downshift all the time going down hills to slow the car. I find that 4th will hold me at about what the usual moron goes down the mountains around here. Just easier to let the engine hold my speed than manically tapping the brakes every two seconds like everyone with an automatic. I also hold the car at lights with the clutch instead of the brakes some times. Especially when I want to get a good launch ahead of traffic. Plus I like the unnerved look in my rear view of the people that expect to see brake lights upon occasion.

 

[461_SS]

So how is not going into the turbo bad for the car? lol. I drive pretty spiritedly and I don't beat the crap out of my car. I have only gone WOT a few time since I bought my ms3 back in feb.

 

[MS3_CLARITY]

MPG: Shifting at 3K, occasionally running 2nd higher to get up to speed.
SmileyTime: Slightly quicker clutch release on take of, minor wheel spin, shifting at 5800-6K.

No need to double clutch in this car. Although it makes MUCH sense to know how-to, as a man. Kudos to the gentleman who mentioned learning regardless of necessity.
I always rev match downshifts. Be in the right gear, and you're ready for anything. As for heel:toe, this may be difficult to get the hang of at first, but throw it into your daily driving. When you start, make it easy on yourself: don't do it going into a corner, do it slowly rolling up to a light, downshifting into second. Be sure to leave plenty of room in front of you, as you will occasionally slip on the brake. I find heel:toe to be slightly more difficult in slower driving. At speed, when you're finessing through curves and after a year or so of practice, it just happens, and is SO much faster.

I also tend to launch under normal driving at VERY low rmps with very little clutch slip.

 

[Jackyll]

The only time I start in 2nd is if there's a lot if snow in the ground and 1st just makes me spin. I really only downshift if I'm not coming to a complete stop them I just put it in neutral and coast to the light. For normal driving I usually shift between 3 and 3.5k, but I go higher in 1st gear because for whatever reason it makes it easier for me to not make that 1-2 shift so jerky. Yes, after almost 2 years that damn shift is still hard to get right every time lol.

I have to agree that this is a hard car to drive.

 

[b e z]

I havent had this car very long but as for my driving style, i never start in 2nd but im sure i will once the snow hits the ground. I downshift but not on a regular basis, just when itkind of hits me to do so, most of the time i pop it in neutral and let it coast. I also shift at 3 grand normally except when im coming out of first i shift earlier. Out of that i get usually 260-280 miles on the odo. after a fill up.

 

[lyonsroar]

I also tend to launch under normal driving at VERY low rmps with very little clutch slip.

How low is very low? If I concentrate I can often get it going smoothly at 1000 or under, but if I'm not paying attention I'm at 1200 - 1500.

I'm also having a problem getting my 2-3 shifts to be smooth when the car is cold. Seems like I go for the shift and when I let the clutch back up, the RPMs jerk back up to the proper position. It's rather annoying. Doesn't happen when the car's at operating temp though. Advice?

I almost never have problems 1-2. Smooth as butter.

 

[b e z]

i find 1-2 is easier when shifting low in the rpms like in the 1000's and as far as 2-3 i feel like it doesnt jerk when i shift at 3 grand. when i first started driving the car a lot of shifts were rough, my previous car was a prelude so a big difference there.