If you\u2019re a true automotive fan, then you\u2019re no stranger to the magnetic power of a manual transmission. We all know it\u2019s more efficient, and the thrill-factor far exceeds anything on offer in the world of automatic transmission vehicles.
But where manual transmissions are, bad habits abound. In a country where automatic vehicles vastly outnumber manuals, we thought it was time to highlight our top five things to avoid when you\u2019re driving a manual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t rest your foot on the clutch pedal<\/strong> Don\u2019t accelerate in the wrong gear!<\/strong> It can happen by accident, but it can also happen when you\u2019re not changing gears often, and that\u2019s a different story altogether. Stalling or suddenly stopping can be extremely dangerous, causing drivers behind you to react suddenly. Please, take a moment to shift gears!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid braking without the clutch
When you\u2019re sitting in traffic, constant stops and starts can make it seem like your foot is always on the clutch pedal.\u00a0 But that\u2019s not always the case on New Zealand\u2019s highways and motorways.
If you\u2019re not shifting gears up or down, having your foot on the clutch could actually prematurely wear out the friction material.\u00a0 If you\u2019re resting a bit more weight on the clutch pedal, you could let the clutch disc slip against the flywheel.\u00a0
Why\u2019s this important?\u00a0 Because by putting that extra wear on your clutch, you\u2019re bringing forward the need to replace it by potentially tens of thousands of kilometers, i.e. a lot sooner than you\u2019d usually expect to, and that always comes at a cost<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avoid using the clutch to hold steady on an incline<\/strong>
If you\u2019re sitting on an incline, we recommend learning to hold your car at a standstill with the clutch.\u00a0 It’s essential for any manual driver.\u00a0 But, it\u2019s not something we should be doing all the time.\u00a0 If you\u2019re engaging the clutch for any<\/em> measure of time, it creates heat and friction and will wear out faster, while damaging your flywheel.\u00a0 We recommend using the trusty brake to pull the transmission out of gear!
It\u2019s hard not to be tempted, but do try to keep your hand from resting on that cue ball all the time.\u00a0 Sure, it looks cool, and it\u2019s also unlikely that you\u2019ll unintentionally change gears, but in a manual (as with any car), you should really have two hands on the wheel.\u00a0 Don\u2019t leave your manoeuvres and corners to chance!\u00a0 This ain\u2019t a movie, kid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s happened to the best of us, and absolutely anyone who\u2019s driven a stick shift vehicle knows what it’s like accelerating in the wrong gear. Too low? Stop, start, splutter, stutter! Too high? The vroom levels are out of this world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>It is possible to slow right down by just using the clutch pedal. It’s actually the easiest way to adjust your speed by a few clicks. However, bear in mind that if you need to dramatically reduce your speed or stop, this ain’t gonna work. In just a few seconds, you’ll find your RPMs are too low for the gear. ouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n