"how to drive a stick" question - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

ekam · 12-10-2010, 08:12 AM

If you're jerking the car (no pun intended) then that means you're not shifting properly.

You need to rev match when downshifting or shift into gear from neutral at speed.

Search on youtube on "double clutching" and "heel and toe".

The only time that you would press both the clutch and brake pedals are when you're doing an emergency stop.

Yeah you're not driving if you have an auto. I learn that when I got this car.

sasha055 · 12-10-2010, 08:32 AM

It wasn't a skoda.. it was a Lada

I love stick.. (that didn't sound right..)
I started driving stick when I was 13.. at 26 I moved to US, and bought a auto (I actually never saw automatic transmission car before moving to US)

I'll look into heel&toe videos.
I tried different styles of driving but it's hard to break old habbits.
Back home it was a rule to put it in neutral when going downhill.. I actually stopped the engine if the hill was longer to save gas. and when braking I always push clutch first.. it's an instinct.

Thanks
Sasha

ekam · 12-10-2010, 08:34 AM

The whole putting car in neutral to save gas thing no longer applies when electronic fuel injection engines became popular.

sasha055 · 12-10-2010, 08:43 AM

Just watched the videos of "heel toe" and double clutching..

Double clutching feels like an overkill can't I rev a bit angine while I press clutch the first time?
"Heel toe" technique should be a sticky page in here.. it's priceless

Sasha

yelojkt · 12-10-2010, 09:00 AM

The only time that you should heel-toe is when you are driving the car at it's full potential. Race car drivers and people who drive HSTs heel-toe because they wait until the last second to brake for a turn. They never coast. It is gas or brake. And when you are trying to get into a corner fast while braking and shifting you need an extra leg for the accelorator pedal to rev match. So you use your heel. This is an advanced driving technique and should not be used on the street, in most cases.

ekam · 12-10-2010, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yelojkt

The only time that you should heel-toe is when you are driving the car at it's full potential. Race car drivers and people who drive HSTs heel-toe because they wait until the last second to brake for a turn. They never coast. It is gas or brake.

I don't think that's true. You can slow down with your foot on the brake before doing heel and toe.

tamarsha · 12-10-2010, 09:39 AM

From the experts at NPR's Car Talk.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/stick-shift/index.html

yelojkt · 12-10-2010, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekam

I don't think that's true. You can slow down with your foot on the brake before doing heel and toe.

Your'e right Ekam I heel-toe on the street to practice muscle memory you just really need to be aware of your driving style while doing it and don't let it get to aggresssive. You can really freak people out when you come off an intersection turn at speed into the lane beside them. Going the same speed they are going in a straight line.

pothole · 12-10-2010, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yelojkt

The only time that you should heel-toe is when you are driving the car at it's full potential. Race car drivers and people who drive HSTs heel-toe because they wait until the last second to brake for a turn. They never coast. It is gas or brake. And when you are trying to get into a corner fast while braking and shifting you need an extra leg for the accelorator pedal to rev match. So you use your heel. This is an advanced driving technique and should not be used on the street, in most cases.

Nonsense. Heel and toe is a perfectly legitimate way to drive on the street. In fact, it's the only way to drive if you want to drive smoothly and in full control. You certainly don't need to be anywhere near the limit to do it or to benefit from it. Heel and toe is not actually about getting into corners fast, it's about matching road speed and engine speed. It also just happens to reduce wear on the clutch.

husker boxster · 12-10-2010, 01:26 PM

As stated earlier, never, ever coast down a hill in neutral. If an emergency presents itself, you'll lose valuable seconds fumbling to get it back in the proper gear. By that time you could be fender deep in an accident. You always need to drive defensively, and coasting is not defensive driving.

You can also smoothly downshift without H-T, it just takes practice. The good news is you get to practice while driving a Box. Have fun.