This Man literally taught me how to drive clutch. No joke. This is the best set of videos I have found on TH-cam, and is explained for a person who is a first time Manual Driver! Thanks a ton sir!
I've been driving manual for years and watched your first how to video and tried releasing the clutch with no gas. Blew my mind, I'd never tried that before, haha.
that's the reason I watch these; there might be a nifty little trick here or there that I don't know; also nice to know that most of my driving habits are "the right ones"
its not half-way clutch go, it depends on the "biting point" of the clutch, in my driving school there was a vw that had a new clutch and the biting point was almost right away when you released the clutch from the ground, but my dads Volvo has an older clutch so its more worn and it starts to grab almost right at the top of the pedal travel distance
its almost better too for people to learn on 100hp....economy level cars they can really learn all 100 horses through the gears and rpm....before they can grasp more power/torque esp rwd/awd...not that they should be learning on a built FF...bc of steering and living constraints...
It is fun, but that's not the reason to do it. It's because of exactly what Matt just said in this video. It keeps the chassis settled by removing the jerkiness of downshifts while reducing wear on the drivetrain. It is a tool to make you smoother and faster. If you find being smooth and fast to be fun, you're my kinda people!
I very much commend your professionalism! You do a great job of addressing how people disagree with you without being disrespectful and we need more people with attitudes like that!
just letting you know, i watched so many videos on how to drive a manual car after purchasing my 90 mazda miata a few months ago. i was struggling really hard until i watched your series and it instantly CLICKED. thank you!
On hillstarts I teach my students to use the clutch a bit more. By quickly moving the clutch to the very beginning of the friction zone before releasing the brake, you get zero roll before you move forward. It doesnt work in some cars, but in modern diesels and most modern petrol engines I find that it works well. You do lose a minor amount of time before moving off compared to your method, but you also rolled back a bit which makes you lose a tiny amount of time. I just find it safer and more reliable for especially learners. Excuse my poor english ^^
The handbrake start is simply a technique that can be used. It's easy to say it's unnecessary or only for beginners because it does make starting uphill easier. That's because the act of "quickly moving the clutch to the very beginning of the friction zone" is pretty much the hardest thing for a beginning to do.
I actually started rev matching since the first video came out, not because I didn't know about it and how to do it, but because it just hasn't sprung to mind until now. So, thanks for making driving even more fun Matt! Also, instead of using the handbrake, a good way to start on an incline is to use the foot brake instead of the handbrake, same exact procedure but you just find the friction zone while on the brake, then you move over to the gas and voíla, no handbrake needed.
Honestly, I fluently drive standard, all the techniques you've covered are awesome and correct. This is how I learned to drive and has served me well over the years, thanks for the refresh!
I would imagine that you can spin out because of not rev matching a fwd as well, maybe not as easily as with rwd though. In a full time awd you probably wouldn't spin, just the sudden jerking brake like affect, maybe some understeer. This is all just me speculating though, I really haven't even driven a manual of any kind enough to know from experience.
Former driving instructor here. I still think the handbrake method for hillstarts is the best and THE way. Without it, you can and often will roll backwards and even a little bit is a problem. Some hills are just too steep to do it practically without the handbrake. Not only only does this potentially mean more clutch wear but if you drive around the types of drivers that I do, they'll be right up your behind with no space waiting to go at lights. Hell, they might even close that gap further while you are rolling back slightly after you release the brake because they are aggressive/impatient. It doesn't take much for a minor collision and if they have a dash cam you might be put at fault even though they are the ones riding you and not providing the correct spacing of one car length minimum. There's nothing wrong with using the hand brake for holding to ensure absolutely no roll-back and I actually encourage you to do so even when you becoming "good" enough to skip that step. It isn't really worth skipping. I've never heard about clutch braking. Probably because it is less of a technique and more a form of abuse. These are some of the best tutorial videos on TH-cam for manual BTW.
Make sure to warm the car up first before entering the friction zone. If her oil is still cold, you could create some undesirable friction in the engine's internals.
Matt's technique is exactly how I've always driven a manual. So far never had to replace the clutch or even brake pads on my '01 bmw, even after owning it for 6 years and running a few autocross sessions with it. Thank you TST for confirming that I'm doing it right.
haha I said the same thing when I measured them last year and again when I had it in the shop recently for more major work. I just heel-toe and engine brake as much as possible. It's saved me a good amount of cash.
llObliviousll that blows my mind. I eat through brakes on auto cross. A set a season, sometimes two. My club requires at least 50% life left in pads though to drive as part of tech.
Very clear "how to' videos Matt. Simple & effective technical advises. Been driving my '88 Mini, '88 Lancia Integrale, '95 Porsche 993 and '08 BMW 330i this way for 25 years and more than 20 K miles/year... without ever changing any clutch or gearbox ;-) Thanks for sharing your experience Matt
I've never driven a manual car in my life. I learned to shift when I went to truck driving school to get my Class A. Looking forward to get a manual car, and definitely this videos help because I can see that it's totally different from driving an 8 or 10 speed semi.
imo most fun is before, in and after corners...you have control over the car that you wouldnt on AT.....but for teh rest...."AT" dominates as in casual highway road tripping lmao.....not turning driving straight lmao or in the city if u like to stop then go when u drive AT is nice....but if u hate stopping lmao MT is ur guy lmao u will enjoy it...and considering you have a class A and are a truck driver i doubt you enjoy stopping lmao.
true story, when I was 20, I couldn't figure out how to drive a manual trans car, but when I tried to ride my friend's sports bike for the first time it was so natural to me. then I thought...maybe a car is the same way and that's when the light bulb came on. shortly after I swapped a 5-speed into my daily driver and ditching the automatic.
I'm glad you are responding to the people who say that kind of stuff but you are teaching the right way, they are talking about things you can technically do but mostly shouldn't.
As a driver new to a manual gear box. I think the hardest part about driving one is trying to have your left leg adapt to fully going up and down as to moving your feet.
"more people drive cars like this" is what ill go with....vs the 1% or less that get the super/hyper/uber car driving experience.....which is laughable...coughs 911r(will it be drivin lmao). So what i find funny is that "cars like the honda fit or mazda 2" have more ideal pedal orientation than "sportier" cars that "less" people actually drive isnt it make sense when you think about it like that....like "thousands if not millions more people" will experience a pedal orientation or a "driving experience" that im trying to parallel vs people that can tell teh difference between the speed of multi-clutch electronic gear boxes....see my point lmao. Thats what amazes me the most. Esp the # of people that drive these cars that overlook these aesthetics.....and yeah "electronic" transmission as in no clutch(pedal) lmao....so crazy...one day no spindle/axle will come..then i can laugh at the "drive train"? 911r all the dope stuff and a MT trans with the actuall 3rd pedal(thingy top gear joke) vs the (flappy paddles also top gear)....and my point is the % bought vs the % drivin to say 50,000 miles in the next 10 years lmao vs the again millions that experience what u said an "ideal" pedal orientation on a low end car lmao i call that a miracle that we not get overlooked by certain manufacturers....while others like poshe/ferrari really need to be asked the legitimate question "do you even want people driving your cars, or are you merely selling investment opportunities"......esp the ferrari "purchasing process" considering what it takes to get a "new" "track performer" let alone the super "barebones focused editons"....when people can just shop the used market....
Mazda has always emphasized fun to drive so all their car models come with somewhat stiffer suspensions, decent power engine options and automatics with manual shift modes even their lowest base models have these features weather they are SUV's wagons or even minivans.
ArthurAlcantara It didn't happen by coincidence though it's because Mazda engineers are brilliant and care about cheap cars that are a blast to drive!!
except if you're in Canada or the rust belt, mazda 3 was the most popular car in Canada I believe but man they rust so badly you just have to stop caring and drive them into the ground
Mr Farah, you have taught me more how to drive stick in two videos than anybody else has taught me since I started driving. My first car was a 98 Ranger with a manual transmission and I learned how to drive it by myself. I haven't bought a manual since then because I thought I was shitty at driving stick (because I was) and didn't want to hurt the car or spend a fortune on clutches. After watching these videos and practicing with a great friend's turbo Passat, I went on a test drive for a car I've always wanted and came out with so much confidence that I bought it. You are the only reason I was able to buy my 2012 GT500. So, thank you Matt Farah.
yeah I'm gonna work on that for next time. The first video the light was more consistent in the footwell I don't really know what happened with this one.
Well done. I completely agree; throttle blipping and heel/toe is the best way to drive a manual no question. Its not absolutely necessary when first learning but they should be a goal to learn the technique and use it in everyday driving. Great vids!
You need to learn to rev match period in a MT vehicle. Upsetting the kinetic energy around a corner can easily put you in the ditch, or an on coming car, because you are going to be startled, and you are going to react incorrectly. Matt said "well maybe not at 26 mph", but if you are in an icy situation, or wet roads, you could almost certainly upset the motion of travel and make friends with that ditch. Matt also said", I always heel-toe, no matter what". I concur. After learning it, and using it in day-to-day events, you can feel your car thanking you for not melting the brake pads off, or obliterating your motor mounts and clutch, from not finessing your car like you should have. IF YOU DON"T LIKE IT DRIVE AN AUTO. YOU'LL SAVE YOUR BREATH, OUR EARS, AND MAINTENANCE ON YOUR CARS.
esp in a FF car since most "teens" think they are just going with a factory boosted FF car that they are going to "tune"....can easily run in to trouble considering "mastering momentum driving" should be a givin if you are MT....bc if they fail at braking or down shifing into a corner.....its going to be a matter of life and death....sure "sportier" cars are worse but they are far less attainable to the kids that are literally dying...same reason STI will always have a high insurance premium bc kids die in them...and now were talkin 500 hp built to 4 wheels and 0 driving skill thats a death machine to any common driver
There is a perfect video example of not rev-matching a manual car. A guy in a new BRZ/FRS/86 was driving in the Nurburgring, downshifted into 2nd without rev-matching, immediately spun out while traveling almost completely straight and totaled his car. He actually miss-shifted as he thought he upshifted into 4th but went into 2nd. It's not like he was dumb enough to drive without rev-matching on a track.
What a weird soap box to get on. I think I agree with you in principle, but STIs aren't FF, and are not only driven by kids with no skills. Can't really understand the thrust of your mini-rant.
johnnykur I don't matter what drivetrain layout you have, not rev matching will jerk the car and smooth inputs will suddenly eliminate grip and can make you crash.
Ok so I agree with virtually everything you’re saying and I think this is an awesome resource for anyone who wants to be a better driver, which should be everyone. However I just want to add something to the discussion. I submit that you don’t have to get to the “friction zone” quickly. I will explain but I mention this because it is where most novice drivers get nervous and it is not the smoothest way to engage on a hill. So instead of “quickly” or using the hand break (which is fine for a beginner but not as an experienced driver), you can simply release the clutch slowly while still holding the brake pedal, then as soon as you see the RPM drop slightly, hold the clutch at that position. You can then move your right foot off the brake and onto the accelerator pedal. The car will not roll back because you have started to engage the “friction zone” enough to hold the car in position, making it much easier to start applying the accelerator while slowly engaging the clutch so you can achieve a perfectly smooth hill start. Of course a little practice will allow you to master this technique but it works just as consistantly as the “engaging the clutch without any gas pedal” exercise.
It's called "engine braking" for a reason Blip and match revs to smoothly use the engine "clutch brEAking" is Not smooth and will wear out your clutch faster
Good video for beginners. I've been driving manual transmission cars since I was 15 years old. You've demonstrated a perfect tutorial on how to drive stick. I've been working for UPS for 23 years. Delivered packages in a stick shift truck for 20 years. Now I drive tractor/trailers. My point is with all my experience, downshifting with rev matching is important to maintain proper speed. Driving a tractor trailer you must rev match in order to downshift, otherwise the gears won't engage. It is important that the transmission and engine speeds are equal in order to engage a lower gear. This principle is the same for cars as well as trucks. It saves wear and tear on drivetrain parts and also makes for a smoother and safer drive. Good luck to all learners. Save manual transmission from extinction!!!
Outstanding video! I used this video series as an instructional aid to teach my 17 year old son how to drive a manual. Great instruction and explanation...and the split screen letting you watch the hands and the feet at the same time was fantastic. He tackled hill starts this afternoon like a pro! Thanks!
i used to no throttle my 2003 Focus all the time. Its definitely doable, and your right on about doing it slowly. In rush hour traffic i would never press in the clutch and let it creep like that to save my foot. You can tell thats what semi trucks are doing after doing it yourself. I heel-toe every time i down shift. Even when braking for a light. It just add another dimension to driving, its fun, saves on mechanical wear, keeps your heel-toe skills current and it impresses those who dont drive stick.
I was never taught to rev match, and it had never really occurred to me until these videos. Driven stick since like 2002, and just now i'm trying to teach myself to use rev matching thanks to your videos. So even to us who drive stick every day, these have a use, so thank you.
Hey Matt, as an experienced driver especially in Manuals. Since obviously people who are learning drive a Manual here can't be with you in person it's hard for them to get a mental picture of what the car looks like or what it's doing exactly especially from a driver's point of view! you are doing a great job! I Think A more POV from a driver's view would help new comers a lot! especially when you are trying to show them what happens when you downshift without Rev matching or downshifting to 2nd gear when you were in 4th! this is just a thought! I would think people can see a better perspective from a gopro mounted on the shoulder of your driver's seat (right side) and 1 gopro mounted on the roof of the car so they can see physically what the car is doing and what's happening on the outside and what it looks like from the drivers pov! Just a thought! love what you are doing Matt!
For all of the people arguing with Matt about how to drive a manual, didn't he say at the beginning of the part one video that it was for people (like me) who have little experience or have never driven a car with a stick before? Of course they're differences on how to do it, but that wasn't the point of the video.
Really glad you made this video. I'm glad you explained the whole rev matching & engine braking part. I had an argument in a comment section about the same thing one day lol. I always rev match. Usually I don't heel-toe because it's more work, but I rev match always. I just do the whole braking, then switch foot to gas, boom rev match, foot back on the brake, repeat, etc. I only heel-toe when I'm really in the mood to have fun, and feelin energized. That's besides the point. But someone tried to tell me engine braking is not used when you rev match. When that is clearly 2 different things. -_- When you get into the gear, and you're not on the gas, you are Engine Braking. Sure the car does brake harder, when you don't rev match and you make the car lurch from the bad downshift. But, it's 2 different things. Maybe it's called clutch braking like you said in video, but not engine braking. If you had an emergency situation, had no brakes, maybe that's the only scenario I would lurch my car forward so harshly like that lol.
One thing I would add about hill starts is to take advantage of little slopes to learn. On a very slight slope you can do several practice repetitions of holding the car and launching without putting a bunch of wear on the clutch. Find a sloped part of a parking lot or your driveway where you'll roll backward just slightly and practice getting off the brake, barely engaging the clutch, and giving a tiny touch of throttle. Like anything else, heat is the enemy of clutches so the less stress you're putting on it with a slower roll and less revs, the less heat will build up and you will avoid any meaningful wear.
Matt, I do hill starts a little different then you and feel that my method is better. When I start from a hill, I find the friction zone before taking my right foot off the brake. This prevents my vehicle from rolling backwards as I switch my right foot to the gas pedal. I was able to do this with my previous car, an RX8, on an extremely steep hill without rolling back an inch even though the car has the same amount of torque as a push mower.
I do this. Except if the car has a shity clutch and can't hold the weight of the caror the hill is very steepr. in that case i put the clutch just before the bitting point and quickly release the brake and then the clutch. It gives me about half a second to get to the gas pedal without rolling. For example, a friend of mine has a fiat punto 1.2 and can hold the car still on a 25% incline with no problem only with the clutch. I had a citroen ax 1.1 and on the slightest of hills had to do my method, toherwise the car would bog down
Chris Biz this works if you are on a hill once. Won't work in hilly areas when you have a lot of stops...like in San Francisco. You'll be smelling a burnt clutch in no time
My method puts no more extra wear on the clutch. In fact, I would even say that it produces less heat than engaging the clutch to stop a car rolling backwards (which also puts extra wear on the entire drive-train). It's not like I am sitting there for several seconds with the clutch in the friction zone whiling holding the brakes. I basically lift my right foot off the brake at the same time as I start to lift off the clutch, leaving the amount of time I am actually riding the clutch to hold the car in place just a fraction of a second. What Matt was doing in the video was letting the car roll back a foot or two before lifting off of the clutch pedal, meaning that the entire drive train now has to stop the inertia from the moving car and then change the direction of that inertia. I live in a very hilly area of Texas called "The Hill Country". I know what it is like to have multiple starts on a hill in a short distance and I have never burned the clutch using my method.
Awesome man. I understand it a little bit better how you explained it this time. It's pretty much like how I learned except i used the hand brake which might be a little bit easier for beginners. Good tip though!
clutch braking is dumb. Don't know why anyone would recommend that. I've been heel toe rev matching for a few years on the street and it was great practice for my first track day recently. My instructor was thankful he could bypass that headache. I've been teaching my girlfriend how to drive stick and you are explaining it just as I did. These videos are a great help.
The handbrake method; how you pass your test in a manual car anywhere in Europe. Perfectly reasonable technique to use forever, not a crutch. Yours arrogantly, a European.
You can also keep using *literal* training wheels forever too if you want, but some of aren't autistic and know there is a better way once you get a hang of it. xD
Awesome lesson, you guys might want to add a light to the pedal area so that the camera there doesn't black out when you go through tree shades and stuff.
I was just going to make this exact comment and here it is at the top of the list! This three camera set up is by far the Best on TH-cam! Please make the most of this opportunity and get some good light in the footwell for heel and toe video. Awesome series!
Bread loaf feet is probably the exact way I would describe myself. Since high school I have been trying to pivot my foot to heel toe, with no success. Thanks for opening my eyes to a new method or rev matching!
I have been learning to rev match since I got my licence two years ago. I now do it unconciously, automatically, without even thinking about it. Can't stand the bucking when people don't rev match.
Excellent job in trying to teach people who are afraid of learning a different technique. I know how to drive a manual transmission and rev match but not real good at it, hoping that with more practice it will be 2nd nature after awhile. Even though I know how to drive a manual transmission, I'm hoping to learn something new from your videos. Thanks.
Because it is the right and best way to do it, if you don't rev-match and heel-and-toe daily, you really don't know how to drive a stick properly. specially heel-and-toeing is and skill that you need to practice daily to master.
I think rev matching is necessary for everyday driving, but not heel toe. I heel and toe all the time, but that's really for performance driving at the track/autocross/canyons
Dude your doing a great job,balancing the clutch and gas is a problem to many driving manual transmission,but you have eased everything thanks bro good job...
Some of the best videos I've seen on this topic! Recently, I drove a 2001 BMW z3. I had no practice and started right on the road. Luckily, it was in the Adirondack state park in NY, so there was little traffic. Still, I was really stressed and made a lot of mistakes! These videos seem to have cleared up a lot of what I was worried about (like feathering the clutch too much). Next time I get an opportunity to drive stick, I'll definitely use these techniques!
Ok sorry I just noticed a few others already pointed this out so I’m sorry for the redundancy and glad to see others are more aware of this then i first thought. Great work, keep it up...
To anyone actually firing back at Matt criticizing his technique or decision to rev-match: take the cotton out of your ears and stick it in your mouth long enough to learn something from a good driver. Or get an automatic with paddles so you can tell your friends you drive manual. But please stop torturing your car, yourself, and anyone unlucky enough to end up as a passenger with your sloppy slurry lurchy bucking downshifts. And yes modern technology has lessened the absolute need for heel-toe, but if you don't want to do it, why not just get an automatic? Slushbox or DSG, they are better than ever and often faster and more fuel efficient than an otherwise identical manual car. Get a three-pedal car if you're interested in working on a skill instead of simply pointing your car to its eventual destination. The beauty of driving a manual is that there is no perfect shift. You could always be a little crisper or match revs a little closer. But when you are in a zone and are cracking off smooth and fast shifts up and down on a twisty mountain road, you'll understand. These videos are as good a place to start as any way I've ever seen. Learning to drive a manual properly is not easy, but if you follow Matt's advice and drive one daily this will be muscle memory in no time. Don't be afraid. Just buy one, get to an empty dead end road, and practice when you have an hour or so. The first week or so will be a bit stressful and you'll almost definitely stall a few times with dozens of cars behind you honking and fuming over the two second inconvenience. But by practicing calmly in empty spaces, you'll be able to do it just fine! I was a little bit scared when I saw the first video because it seemed like a lot for a newb to absorb in one sitting, but that one was perfect to watch, practice, park and rewatch, and practice some more because even though it's called "just the basics", it is also very complete for learning on flat roads, which is mighty impressive. Source: Someone who has put about a million miles on seven manual daily drivers (slash weekend autocrossers, canyon carvers, etc) and never burned out a clutch or grenaded a transmission or had really any mechanical issue at all with my stick-shift cars. Really looking forward to the rest of the series! Can't wait to see how deep it goes. We're only on video 1.5 and already I think you've covered enough to really start to have fun.
I just learned to rev match properly and I must say it's definitely helpful if not absolutely necessary. I will continue to rev match going forward and recommend people doing it.
Nothing wrong with it. I've had several used and new cars over my 10 years, both put between 15-30,000 miles on them one top of some of the high milage cars, never had a damaged or burnt out clutch, or where I did have clutch issues, it was nothing to do with clutch breaking as one had a rebuilt transmission that was incorrectly alligned and smash into the clutch plate like a motherfucker sometimes. It's personal preference, don't do it at high speeds, obviously, but for nattering around a small town or village, you cant get away/have time to JUST engine break, or rev match for that matter.
Thank you for this video. Great information and much needed since I just picked up a 2006 Acura RSX Type S last week. Still in storage for a few more weeks. I have driven a shift before but never a 6 speed with a k20 z1 engine.
Since most people here learn to drive on manuals to get the full license, almost nobody rev matches, blipping the throttle on downshift is alien to most people, especially if you're also braking so they prefer to slowly let the clutch out to effectively let it do the matching (resulting in clutch braking), which of course means extra wear. Also I don't really think you really need to shift at 1/2 redline if your'e accelerating very gently, I feel like 2k RPM is more than enough in most daily situations (and most of us drive
Nicktrance1 good comment I've noticed a fair amount of people I've met from other countries (Europe, Asia, South Africa, South America) claim to know how to drive manual but they all do it wrong (sorta). No rev matching, riding the clutch instead. Shifting way way too low and lugging it or riding the friction zone while on a hill waiting for the green. Everybody claims to know how jus cause they've learned to get the vehicle to move and stopped learning after that.
about the "right" point to shift up the gear. . . I'd say it depends. when the engine is cold and in city traffic I shift at 2k-2-5k but I also never use more then 1/3 throttle. when the engine is warm and outside the city, I shift at 3-3.5k (normal commuiting; not canyon driving); on the Autobahn on ramps I usually shift at about 5k to get to about 140Km/h quickly
I agree 100% about heel and toe being healthier for the powertrain but I rarely do it when braking . Forcing rev matching by releasing the clutch, clutch braking, slows down the car quicker (it takes kinetic energy from the movement of the car instead of fuel to increase the revs) so it saves more fuel and at that same time saves the braking pads. You should be gentle with the clutch as well to not put too mutch stress on the powertrain. This is crucial on an emergency stop. It saved me from crashing a few times. Your way is the best for a good passenger experience and for the mentioned above. Thanks for your video.
I've been driving stick for a little over 3 years now but I recently stumble upon rev matching. I suck at it, I sometimes apply too much throttle or too little. How do you know where is the sweet spot? Also, what are your thoughts on double clutching?
I'm skeptical that people actually recommended doing 'clutch braking' as a method to slow down. Tbh, just an easy way to discredit anyone who does not think rev matching is a beginner technique.
No hiss you're right that most people don't really promote "clutch braking" per se, but, many people do downshift using clutch slip rather than rev matching. (Though they for sure don't just simply downshift and dump the clutch, I don't thing anyone's that stupid.)
just want to say i appreciate this video series. i've been able to drive a manual for year, but there are always some simple things you don't think about.
ItsGodfreyHD I've been driving manual cars since 2007, taught myself to heel-toe/rev-match, and still don't get it perfect every single time. Nobody does. Keep practicing! 👍🏻
Good video. I learned to drive a manual on an old Chevy Pickup when I was 14? (I am now 60) I like the fact that rev match is available in some vehicles if you want it. I'm taking delivery of a 2024 Wrangler Willys 2 door in a few weeks, so I will attempt the heel/toe downshifts when I get used to it
Good video but I disagree that the handbrake is a "learning crutch", advanced driving courses in Europe still recommend the handbrake as the best way to hill start. On a really steep gradient, I will still use the handbrake, especially if someone has stopped behind me too close. Keep in mind that people like us will always heel toe and rev match but pretty much everyone in the UK who drives manual is never taught these things.
I've found that it can be necessary depending on the clutch you're driving with (necessary if you don't want to launch up a hill or roll back far before engaging). Normally this only happens when I drive something with a very, very numb clutch -- or on occasion something silly like a six-puck on a street car. But everyone drives differently. I personally never used the handbrake to learn because my handbrake is located about a foot past the dashboard by the steering column (70s Nissan engineering wasn't thinking of it being a performance tool).
yeah the only time it's ever done anything was 5min after I realized I had a flat and was pulling into a spot for the tow when the sensor warned me about low tire pressure XD
kudos, love this, dont currently have a manual, had opportunity to drive one a few times at length thru a friend, but i sooo want my next car to be manual, my concern with money outweighs my desire to just get a manual now, but i sooo want a manual car as soon as i need a next car. Love mind exercising manuals with videos like these.
Nothing will teach you where your friction zone is quicker than trying to take off in fist gear and bucking the car like crazy and stalling. Guarantee you will only do it a handful of times.
I have pretty much only had 6.9 and 7.3 IDI Ford and International trucks my whole life. My brother recently was unable to keep up payments on his 2017 STI and I decided to take over. I had been shifting at like 3000rpms because thats what im used to, I also didnt rev match to downshift on my diesels. I felt like reving too high puts too much unnecessary wear on the engine. But my brother says it doesnt. I feet the power on high RPMs on this STI. I figured I would watch a video of detailed shifting tutorials, might have to learn how to shift after all this time. Good vid. learned a few things.
So I drove standard for years but over the last few years I've only driven automatic other than motorcycles. Now I just bought a fiesta (not st) for commuting and holy crap did I forget how much lazier you can be with a motorcycle clutch/trans. It also doesn't help that now I'm driving to work in 8" logger boots. Great video Matt!
I've been teaching myself to drive manual around in the Toyota Hijets we have here at work; I'd like for my next car to be a manual. I figure if I could get it right in a Hijet from the 80's, I could relatively do alright driving anything modern lol. Although basic, these videos are quite helpful and some of the best manual tutorials I've watched, thanks Matt!
oh when you guys go on holiday to London, Paris, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Amsterdam... do you hear a lot of people in the streets bliping the throttle to revmatch? Exactly, no.
well, you should practice your reading skills. 1) in the video, he says that he is blipping the throttle ALL the time 2) many raceboys here think that its neccessary 3) yea, driving in town is always 12mph, sure
I think the whole rev matching thing is a little more complicated then in the video. Most of the time you down change while driving normally it's because you are also slowing down and braking. You really don't need to rev match when doing that. It's when you are maintaining roughly the same speed but changing down a gear you need to rev match which is not something you actually do a lot in every day driving. I actually do rev match in that situation though it's not via a blip of the throttle. I do it on feel by letting the clutch out slowly while also applying a little more accelerator. I actually had no idea I even did this but after consciously taking notice of my technique when in that situation I noticed I do rev match. It's just a technique I have learnt over 30 or so years of driving and it's part of muscle memory now. It's not a technique I was ever shown it's just something picked up from a lot of experience and that can only be gained by driving a lot. The blip of the throttle method from my perspective is a little crude. It gets the job done when you need to rev match but will probably mean you never learn a more natural method of rev matching.
FunTom ya. there are a ton of things people do that aren't correct because it's easy. it's better for your car and makes for a much smoother ride to Rev match. if you actually take a little time to get used to it, it becomes muscle memory. I just do it naturally now weather I'm on my bike or in my car. no thought required.
Matts a good teacher. What he said about.. "always riding the clutch a little in reverse" helped me a lot with getting the car to roll from a stop in general. I had always heard not to ride the clutch and really emphasized that while learning but I was letting it off far too quickly in 1st gear at lights. I didn't understand the clutch is made to be ridden in the friction zone for a good couple seconds when getting the vehicle moving. I've been driving manual for about half a year now and I can rev match pretty well but I still cant heal toe in my g37 because I cant press the gas while still maintaining a safe enough foot on the brake. I've tried several times and starting to think its not gonna happen in this car. If the gas pedal was either closer or raised up a bit more I think I would have no problem blipping It while braking at the same time.
You can't heal and toe but you can still rev match on downshifts before braking which is what I do since my car also has the brake and throttle pedals way unleveled.
That's what I thought but once you push in the break pedal it should bring you leveled to the accelerator pedal and that's when you bleep the throttle. At least in the cars I've driven.
My C5 Z06 Vette has uneven pedals. No 3rd party solution for it. It's such a pain. On track I manage because I mash the brake and it levels out the accelerator pedal, but on the streets I just have to blip quick and then get on the brakes. It's really annoying.
Same problem in my 2010 rx8 however you guys might wanna try having the lower part of your foot on the brake (for me its just below the arch on my foot) and the using the upper ball of my right foot to blip the throttle. Its working for me and its a little different at first but i have it down now and its amazing no longer have to pump/ride my brakes
I had a 2001 Chevy Metro with the 1.0L, 55hp Suzuki engine. You can get any manual transmission-equipped vehicle to go in first gear without using the throttle if you're easy enough on the clutch. Just be gentle and patient. Not saying I did it regularly, but I did it a couple of times just to see if it would actually do it, and it sure did. Fun little car.
YES it does Engine brsaking = Good Clutch braking = Bad As long as your clutch is fully engaged at the right RPM, you're clutch will be having a good time
brakes cost like... 1/4 of a clutch job. they also are designed for that exact purpose (reducing vehicle speed) while the clutch is designed to allow a vehicle to be started from a dead stop. If you really want to save your car's wear and tear you should just get very good at revmatching so you can engine brake and not even use your clutch to shift.
This Man literally taught me how to drive clutch. No joke. This is the best set of videos I have found on TH-cam, and is explained for a person who is a first time Manual Driver! Thanks a ton sir!
You guys should check out world driving... its British so it may be a little different
For real, much better than my dad or brother teaching me and no one shouts at me lol
Same here! Thank you sir
Yes! I'm new at manual driving, took a lesson (2h) at a local driving school. Although it was good, this guy help me fine-tune my understanding of it.
First day driving stick today and I think these videos are helping me a lot. Thank you Matt
Next video: How to cook and season the perfect chicken
This should be taken into consideration
How to cook and season the perfect chicken (W/ HEEL TOE DOWNSHIFTING)
dang you beat me to it! I want Matt to teach me to roast a beautiful chicken for my family!
Always brine. Always.
for seasoning and roasting/baking yep lmao...if im gonna bbq/grill i dont care about that lmao
I cant believe someone is into cars enough to follow this channel but yet they can be against rev matching.
I've been driving manual for years and watched your first how to video and tried releasing the clutch with no gas. Blew my mind, I'd never tried that before, haha.
that's the reason I watch these; there might be a nifty little trick here or there that I don't know; also nice to know that most of my driving habits are "the right ones"
its not half-way clutch go, it depends on the "biting point" of the clutch, in my driving school there was a vw that had a new clutch and the biting point was almost right away when you released the clutch from the ground, but my dads Volvo has an older clutch so its more worn and it starts to grab almost right at the top of the pedal travel distance
saw a dodge viper (top gear BBC)do it from 5th. Best manual was my 03 civic si, like buttah
^
I learned on a 92 Stanza, 1st gear release the clutch + stall = embarrassing
The best reason to rev match and heel toe, for me at least, is one simple reason; it's fun. The rest is just a bonus.
Sounds cool too. That is, if you have a loud exhaust and people around look :D
its almost better too for people to learn on 100hp....economy level cars they can really learn all 100 horses through the gears and rpm....before they can grasp more power/torque esp rwd/awd...not that they should be learning on a built FF...bc of steering and living constraints...
andola jackson
True! I learned on an '89 BMW 325ci. Now I drive a 405HP C5 Z06 Vette track car 8 years later.
It is fun, but that's not the reason to do it. It's because of exactly what Matt just said in this video. It keeps the chassis settled by removing the jerkiness of downshifts while reducing wear on the drivetrain. It is a tool to make you smoother and faster. If you find being smooth and fast to be fun, you're my kinda people!
Vwoooooooodudududududu pshh VwoOOM skrrrrrrrrr waaaaaaaaAAAAAAAA dudududududu pshh
"do things my way" is a nice way to say the CORRECT way!
Hey, Matt, would it be possible for you to add a light or something to your feet area? It's quite dark at times.
I very much commend your professionalism! You do a great job of addressing how people disagree with you without being disrespectful and we need more people with attitudes like that!
The Smoking Tire - How to Roast a Chicken in the Microwave
just letting you know, i watched so many videos on how to drive a manual car after purchasing my 90 mazda miata a few months ago. i was struggling really hard until i watched your series and it instantly CLICKED. thank you!
On hillstarts I teach my students to use the clutch a bit more. By quickly moving the clutch to the very beginning of the friction zone before releasing the brake, you get zero roll before you move forward.
It doesnt work in some cars, but in modern diesels and most modern petrol engines I find that it works well.
You do lose a minor amount of time before moving off compared to your method, but you also rolled back a bit which makes you lose a tiny amount of time. I just find it safer and more reliable for especially learners.
Excuse my poor english ^^
mornadu Hi. (Sorry for my English)
The handbrake start is simply a technique that can be used. It's easy to say it's unnecessary or only for beginners because it does make starting uphill easier. That's because the act of "quickly moving the clutch to the very beginning of the friction zone" is pretty much the hardest thing for a beginning to do.
good tips on driving and your english is fine, dont worry
@@johnnykur yeah, I have stalled my WRX so many times on hills so far lol
@@yammmit yeah. Hill starts in my STI get me so nervous.
I actually started rev matching since the first video came out, not because I didn't know about it and how to do it, but because it just hasn't sprung to mind until now. So, thanks for making driving even more fun Matt!
Also, instead of using the handbrake, a good way to start on an incline is to use the foot brake instead of the handbrake, same exact procedure but you just find the friction zone while on the brake, then you move over to the gas and voíla, no handbrake needed.
Honestly, I fluently drive standard, all the techniques you've covered are awesome and correct. This is how I learned to drive and has served me well over the years, thanks for the refresh!
if you don't rev match your downshifts in a rwd car before a corner you could experience snap oversteer and spin out
Had it happen in my 300zx on the highway that's scary shit.... Mine was accidental downshift tho
Wheel hop can also become an issue at some points as well. And you dont want that
I would imagine that you can spin out because of not rev matching a fwd as well, maybe not as easily as with rwd though. In a full time awd you probably wouldn't spin, just the sudden jerking brake like affect, maybe some understeer. This is all just me speculating though, I really haven't even driven a manual of any kind enough to know from experience.
When you're on the limit of traction mid-turn, you must be careful of how you upset the chassis regardless of drivetrain configuration.
yea, if you are Senna in NSX or McRae in WRX, otherwise (without snow), nope
Former driving instructor here. I still think the handbrake method for hillstarts is the best and THE way. Without it, you can and often will roll backwards and even a little bit is a problem. Some hills are just too steep to do it practically without the handbrake. Not only only does this potentially mean more clutch wear but if you drive around the types of drivers that I do, they'll be right up your behind with no space waiting to go at lights. Hell, they might even close that gap further while you are rolling back slightly after you release the brake because they are aggressive/impatient. It doesn't take much for a minor collision and if they have a dash cam you might be put at fault even though they are the ones riding you and not providing the correct spacing of one car length minimum. There's nothing wrong with using the hand brake for holding to ensure absolutely no roll-back and I actually encourage you to do so even when you becoming "good" enough to skip that step. It isn't really worth skipping.
I've never heard about clutch braking. Probably because it is less of a technique and more a form of abuse.
These are some of the best tutorial videos on TH-cam for manual BTW.
So this is like dating, get to the friction zone quickly. Lol.
*wink wink* ;) :D
Make sure to warm the car up first before entering the friction zone. If her oil is still cold, you could create some undesirable friction in the engine's internals.
B W woah
@@ben-7403 men of culture
Just make sure you put the key in right, or else it won't turn over.
Matt's technique is exactly how I've always driven a manual. So far never had to replace the clutch or even brake pads on my '01 bmw, even after owning it for 6 years and running a few autocross sessions with it. Thank you TST for confirming that I'm doing it right.
Same. Hell, when I first learned how to drive stick I knew that I needed to rev match. That lurching feeling just seems so wrong.
haha I said the same thing when I measured them last year and again when I had it in the shop recently for more major work. I just heel-toe and engine brake as much as possible. It's saved me a good amount of cash.
llObliviousll that blows my mind. I eat through brakes on auto cross. A set a season, sometimes two. My club requires at least 50% life left in pads though to drive as part of tech.
Watcha got, by chance a 3 series?
dustin yomouf i have one of those too
Good video Matt, I’ve been driving stick since the early 80s And I agree with everything you demonstrated. Well done sir
It's really cool that you're taking the time to do this. Thanks!
This video series was perfectly timed, I just bought my first MT.
Very clear "how to' videos Matt. Simple & effective technical advises. Been driving my '88 Mini, '88 Lancia Integrale, '95 Porsche 993 and '08 BMW 330i this way for 25 years and more than 20 K miles/year... without ever changing any clutch or gearbox ;-) Thanks for sharing your experience Matt
I've never driven a manual car in my life. I learned to shift when I went to truck driving school to get my Class A. Looking forward to get a manual car, and definitely this videos help because I can see that it's totally different from driving an 8 or 10 speed semi.
Crazy
imo most fun is before, in and after corners...you have control over the car that you wouldnt on AT.....but for teh rest...."AT" dominates as in casual highway road tripping lmao.....not turning driving straight lmao or in the city if u like to stop then go when u drive AT is nice....but if u hate stopping lmao MT is ur guy lmao u will enjoy it...and considering you have a class A and are a truck driver i doubt you enjoy stopping lmao.
true story, when I was 20, I couldn't figure out how to drive a manual trans car, but when I tried to ride my friend's sports bike for the first time it was so natural to me. then I thought...maybe a car is the same way and that's when the light bulb came on. shortly after I swapped a 5-speed into my daily driver and ditching the automatic.
I'm glad you are responding to the people who say that kind of stuff but you are teaching the right way, they are talking about things you can technically do but mostly shouldn't.
As a driver new to a manual gear box. I think the hardest part about driving one is trying to have your left leg adapt to fully going up and down as to moving your feet.
it is called dancing on your feet as a driver of manual cars like when I fly airplanes to use rudder control.
You sir, are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT; with regards to proper, mechanically sympathetic engine braking and proper car control. 100%
It's funny how a small not that sporty Mazda 2 has pretty good pedal postion to do heel and toe shifting.
ArthurAlcantara Well it's not by accident. It's a Mazda.
"more people drive cars like this" is what ill go with....vs the 1% or less that get the super/hyper/uber car driving experience.....which is laughable...coughs 911r(will it be drivin lmao). So what i find funny is that "cars like the honda fit or mazda 2" have more ideal pedal orientation than "sportier" cars that "less" people actually drive isnt it make sense when you think about it like that....like "thousands if not millions more people" will experience a pedal orientation or a "driving experience" that im trying to parallel vs people that can tell teh difference between the speed of multi-clutch electronic gear boxes....see my point lmao. Thats what amazes me the most. Esp the # of people that drive these cars that overlook these aesthetics.....and yeah "electronic" transmission as in no clutch(pedal) lmao....so crazy...one day no spindle/axle will come..then i can laugh at the "drive train"? 911r all the dope stuff and a MT trans with the actuall 3rd pedal(thingy top gear joke) vs the (flappy paddles also top gear)....and my point is the % bought vs the % drivin to say 50,000 miles in the next 10 years lmao vs the again millions that experience what u said an "ideal" pedal orientation on a low end car lmao i call that a miracle that we not get overlooked by certain manufacturers....while others like poshe/ferrari really need to be asked the legitimate question "do you even want people driving your cars, or are you merely selling investment opportunities"......esp the ferrari "purchasing process" considering what it takes to get a "new" "track performer" let alone the super "barebones focused editons"....when people can just shop the used market....
Mazda has always emphasized fun to drive so all their car models come with somewhat stiffer suspensions, decent power engine options and automatics with manual shift modes even their lowest base models have these features weather they are SUV's wagons or even minivans.
ArthurAlcantara It didn't happen by coincidence though it's because Mazda engineers are brilliant and care about cheap cars that are a blast to drive!!
except if you're in Canada or the rust belt, mazda 3 was the most popular car in Canada I believe but man they rust so badly you just have to stop caring and drive them into the ground
Mr Farah, you have taught me more how to drive stick in two videos than anybody else has taught me since I started driving. My first car was a 98 Ranger with a manual transmission and I learned how to drive it by myself. I haven't bought a manual since then because I thought I was shitty at driving stick (because I was) and didn't want to hurt the car or spend a fortune on clutches. After watching these videos and practicing with a great friend's turbo Passat, I went on a test drive for a car I've always wanted and came out with so much confidence that I bought it. You are the only reason I was able to buy my 2012 GT500. So, thank you Matt Farah.
"you have a carburated car."
Yep, a 1987 Suzuki Samurai that I'm learning in hah. Makes sense now
I've driven a manual transmission for over 15 years. Everything Matt says in this video is sound. Excellent tutorial. Kudos!
You could use a little more light on your feet.
yeah I'm gonna work on that for next time. The first video the light was more consistent in the footwell I don't really know what happened with this one.
8:00 or so, great info, a novice needs to see your feet. Great vid, thank you. And f**k clutch braking.
Well done. I completely agree; throttle blipping and heel/toe is the best way to drive a manual no question. Its not absolutely necessary when first learning but they should be a goal to learn the technique and use it in everyday driving. Great vids!
You need to learn to rev match period in a MT vehicle. Upsetting the kinetic energy around a corner can easily put you in the ditch, or an on coming car, because you are going to be startled, and you are going to react incorrectly.
Matt said "well maybe not at 26 mph", but if you are in an icy situation, or wet roads, you could almost certainly upset the motion of travel and make friends with that ditch.
Matt also said", I always heel-toe, no matter what". I concur. After learning it, and using it in day-to-day events, you can feel your car thanking you for not melting the brake pads off, or obliterating your motor mounts and clutch, from not finessing your car like you should have.
IF YOU DON"T LIKE IT DRIVE AN AUTO. YOU'LL SAVE YOUR BREATH, OUR EARS, AND MAINTENANCE ON YOUR CARS.
Well said.
esp in a FF car since most "teens" think they are just going with a factory boosted FF car that they are going to "tune"....can easily run in to trouble considering "mastering momentum driving" should be a givin if you are MT....bc if they fail at braking or down shifing into a corner.....its going to be a matter of life and death....sure "sportier" cars are worse but they are far less attainable to the kids that are literally dying...same reason STI will always have a high insurance premium bc kids die in them...and now were talkin 500 hp built to 4 wheels and 0 driving skill thats a death machine to any common driver
There is a perfect video example of not rev-matching a manual car.
A guy in a new BRZ/FRS/86 was driving in the Nurburgring, downshifted into 2nd without rev-matching, immediately spun out while traveling almost completely straight and totaled his car.
He actually miss-shifted as he thought he upshifted into 4th but went into 2nd. It's not like he was dumb enough to drive without rev-matching on a track.
What a weird soap box to get on. I think I agree with you in principle, but STIs aren't FF, and are not only driven by kids with no skills. Can't really understand the thrust of your mini-rant.
johnnykur
I don't matter what drivetrain layout you have, not rev matching will jerk the car and smooth inputs will suddenly eliminate grip and can make you crash.
Ok so I agree with virtually everything you’re saying and I think this is an awesome resource for anyone who wants to be a better driver, which should be everyone.
However I just want to add something to the discussion. I submit that you don’t have to get to the “friction zone” quickly. I will explain but I mention this because it is where most novice drivers get nervous and it is not the smoothest way to engage on a hill.
So instead of “quickly” or using the hand break (which is fine for a beginner but not as an experienced driver), you can simply release the clutch slowly while still holding the brake pedal, then as soon as you see the RPM drop slightly, hold the clutch at that position. You can then move your right foot off the brake and onto the accelerator pedal. The car will not roll back because you have started to engage the “friction zone” enough to hold the car in position, making it much easier to start applying the accelerator while slowly engaging the clutch so you can achieve a perfectly smooth hill start.
Of course a little practice will allow you to master this technique but it works just as consistantly as the “engaging the clutch without any gas pedal” exercise.
It's called "engine braking" for a reason
Blip and match revs to smoothly use the engine
"clutch brEAking" is Not smooth and will wear out your clutch faster
Good video for beginners. I've been driving manual transmission cars since I was 15 years old. You've demonstrated a perfect tutorial on how to drive stick. I've been working for UPS for 23 years. Delivered packages in a stick shift truck for 20 years. Now I drive tractor/trailers. My point is with all my experience, downshifting with rev matching is important to maintain proper speed. Driving a tractor trailer you must rev match in order to downshift, otherwise the gears won't engage. It is important that the transmission and engine speeds are equal in order to engage a lower gear. This principle is the same for cars as well as trucks. It saves wear and tear on drivetrain parts and also makes for a smoother and safer drive. Good luck to all learners. Save manual transmission from extinction!!!
Outstanding video! I used this video series as an instructional aid to teach my 17 year old son how to drive a manual. Great instruction and explanation...and the split screen letting you watch the hands and the feet at the same time was fantastic. He tackled hill starts this afternoon like a pro! Thanks!
you're a legend! I bought a 2021 WRX as a first manual driver and these tips may just be my saving grace. you got a sub and like from me sir.
It would be really awesome and helpful if you did a video about driving fast (responsibly) and staying safe!
i used to no throttle my 2003 Focus all the time. Its definitely doable, and your right on about doing it slowly. In rush hour traffic i would never press in the clutch and let it creep like that to save my foot. You can tell thats what semi trucks are doing after doing it yourself. I heel-toe every time i down shift. Even when braking for a light. It just add another dimension to driving, its fun, saves on mechanical wear, keeps your heel-toe skills current and it impresses those who dont drive stick.
How did people not know that you could get going in 1st gear without gas. I do it all the time in my 1983 Rabbit GTI with 90hp!
Sure you can, but why would you?
It is NORMALLY only possible with a fuel injected engine.
With carburetor engines it is not reasonable to do so (still possible but it takes a while).
David Martin Good point. My car is Mechanicly injected...
That car weighs, what, as much as a tuna can? :]
+Domowoi2 It's great way to practice clutch feel for total beginners.
I was never taught to rev match, and it had never really occurred to me until these videos. Driven stick since like 2002, and just now i'm trying to teach myself to use rev matching thanks to your videos. So even to us who drive stick every day, these have a use, so thank you.
Didn't expect to see a new video today featuring a Mazda2 that wasn't one of my own!
I also like that it's part 1.5, because the Mazda2 has a 1.5 litre engine and I'm a nerd.
Please tell me Smoking tire = Mazda 2 one take!
Saad Jawed There is a One Take coming, I'm told.
Sweet. Can't wait for that episode. Hopefully the Demio driven has a proper set up.
I don't have a car. but I just enjoy your teaching. I am confident that when I will drive a car, your lessons will help me a lot. thanks a lot
Matt, you forgot to mention Michellin Pilot Super Sports.
Hey Matt, as an experienced driver especially in Manuals. Since obviously people who are learning drive a Manual here can't be with you in person it's hard for them to get a mental picture of what the car looks like or what it's doing exactly especially from a driver's point of view! you are doing a great job! I Think A more POV from a driver's view would help new comers a lot! especially when you are trying to show them what happens when you downshift without Rev matching or downshifting to 2nd gear when you were in 4th! this is just a thought! I would think people can see a better perspective from a gopro mounted on the shoulder of your driver's seat (right side) and 1 gopro mounted on the roof of the car so they can see physically what the car is doing and what's happening on the outside and what it looks like from the drivers pov! Just a thought! love what you are doing Matt!
For all of the people arguing with Matt about how to drive a manual, didn't he say at the beginning of the part one video that it was for people (like me) who have little experience or have never driven a car with a stick before? Of course they're differences on how to do it, but that wasn't the point of the video.
Really glad you made this video. I'm glad you explained the whole rev matching & engine braking part. I had an argument in a comment section about the same thing one day lol. I always rev match. Usually I don't heel-toe because it's more work, but I rev match always. I just do the whole braking, then switch foot to gas, boom rev match, foot back on the brake, repeat, etc. I only heel-toe when I'm really in the mood to have fun, and feelin energized. That's besides the point.
But someone tried to tell me engine braking is not used when you rev match. When that is clearly 2 different things. -_- When you get into the gear, and you're not on the gas, you are Engine Braking. Sure the car does brake harder, when you don't rev match and you make the car lurch from the bad downshift. But, it's 2 different things. Maybe it's called clutch braking like you said in video, but not engine braking. If you had an emergency situation, had no brakes, maybe that's the only scenario I would lurch my car forward so harshly like that lol.
Used to move the car without throttle with my 100hp Nissan Note shitbox. Feels good oniichan.
One thing I would add about hill starts is to take advantage of little slopes to learn. On a very slight slope you can do several practice repetitions of holding the car and launching without putting a bunch of wear on the clutch. Find a sloped part of a parking lot or your driveway where you'll roll backward just slightly and practice getting off the brake, barely engaging the clutch, and giving a tiny touch of throttle. Like anything else, heat is the enemy of clutches so the less stress you're putting on it with a slower roll and less revs, the less heat will build up and you will avoid any meaningful wear.
Matt, I do hill starts a little different then you and feel that my method is better.
When I start from a hill, I find the friction zone before taking my right foot off the brake. This prevents my vehicle from rolling backwards as I switch my right foot to the gas pedal. I was able to do this with my previous car, an RX8, on an extremely steep hill without rolling back an inch even though the car has the same amount of torque as a push mower.
yes, this is "the" correct way to do this. At least that is the method my driving instructor taught me (after the handbrake method).
I do this. Except if the car has a shity clutch and can't hold the weight of the caror the hill is very steepr. in that case i put the clutch just before the bitting point and quickly release the brake and then the clutch. It gives me about half a second to get to the gas pedal without rolling.
For example, a friend of mine has a fiat punto 1.2 and can hold the car still on a 25% incline with no problem only with the clutch. I had a citroen ax 1.1 and on the slightest of hills had to do my method, toherwise the car would bog down
Chris Biz this works if you are on a hill once. Won't work in hilly areas when you have a lot of stops...like in San Francisco. You'll be smelling a burnt clutch in no time
My method puts no more extra wear on the clutch. In fact, I would even say that it produces less heat than engaging the clutch to stop a car rolling backwards (which also puts extra wear on the entire drive-train).
It's not like I am sitting there for several seconds with the clutch in the friction zone whiling holding the brakes. I basically lift my right foot off the brake at the same time as I start to lift off the clutch, leaving the amount of time I am actually riding the clutch to hold the car in place just a fraction of a second.
What Matt was doing in the video was letting the car roll back a foot or two before lifting off of the clutch pedal, meaning that the entire drive train now has to stop the inertia from the moving car and then change the direction of that inertia.
I live in a very hilly area of Texas called "The Hill Country". I know what it is like to have multiple starts on a hill in a short distance and I have never burned the clutch using my method.
Awesome man. I understand it a little bit better how you explained it this time. It's pretty much like how I learned except i used the hand brake which might be a little bit easier for beginners. Good tip though!
clutch braking is dumb. Don't know why anyone would recommend that. I've been heel toe rev matching for a few years on the street and it was great practice for my first track day recently. My instructor was thankful he could bypass that headache. I've been teaching my girlfriend how to drive stick and you are explaining it just as I did. These videos are a great help.
Its not needed in day to day driving (sometimes fun though), on the track it allows you to shift the traction around.
Plus you will be waaaay faster on the track if you can heel toe
I just got myself an MX-5 and this series is a great resource! Thanks Matt, love your stuff!
The handbrake method; how you pass your test in a manual car anywhere in Europe. Perfectly reasonable technique to use forever, not a crutch. Yours arrogantly, a European.
haha, sry. Yeah, I agree there's nothing wrong with using the handbrake. I say whatever gets you up the hill without rolling back.
You can also keep using *literal* training wheels forever too if you want, but some of aren't autistic and know there is a better way once you get a hang of it. xD
Im autistic and never used training wheels on my bike, your argument is invalid.
clayton8or_2 God damn hero.
Rene Hourian what are you trying to point out?
this is the best guide to drive a manual transmission i have ever found on you tube
agree
Awesome lesson, you guys might want to add a light to the pedal area so that the camera there doesn't black out when you go through tree shades and stuff.
yeah the first video I did later in the day with the sun higher in the sky; probably have to go back to that. This one was at 9 AM
I was just going to make this exact comment and here it is at the top of the list! This three camera set up is by far the Best on TH-cam! Please make the most of this opportunity and get some good light in the footwell for heel and toe video. Awesome series!
Bread loaf feet is probably the exact way I would describe myself. Since high school I have been trying to pivot my foot to heel toe, with no success. Thanks for opening my eyes to a new method or rev matching!
"You want to get to your fric-
oh there's cars
SORRY"
ive been teaching my self how to drive stick shift the past few weeks and watching ur vids are helping me drive stick shift the right way.
Use the handbrake uphill start always!
Best Manual tutorials. Hands Down.
I have been learning to rev match since I got my licence two years ago. I now do it unconciously, automatically, without even thinking about it. Can't stand the bucking when people don't rev match.
Excellent job in trying to teach people who are afraid of learning a different technique. I know how to drive a manual transmission and rev match but not real good at it, hoping that with more practice it will be 2nd nature after awhile. Even though I know how to drive a manual transmission, I'm hoping to learn something new from your videos.
Thanks.
I don't understand why anyone wouldn't rev match, downshifting without rev matching doesn't even feel good to begin with
if it doesnt feel good then you are doing something wrong
if it doesnt feel good then you are doing something wrong
Because it is the right and best way to do it, if you don't rev-match and heel-and-toe daily, you really don't know how to drive a stick properly. specially heel-and-toeing is and skill that you need to practice daily to master.
I never heel toe you don't need too
I think rev matching is necessary for everyday driving, but not heel toe. I heel and toe all the time, but that's really for performance driving at the track/autocross/canyons
Dude your doing a great job,balancing the clutch and gas is a problem to many driving manual transmission,but you have eased everything thanks bro good job...
I wanna see a Smoking Tire "How To Cook a Chicken - Part 1: The Basics"
I cook a chicken by manual trans to a Chick-fil-A
Some of the best videos I've seen on this topic! Recently, I drove a 2001 BMW z3. I had no practice and started right on the road. Luckily, it was in the Adirondack state park in NY, so there was little traffic. Still, I was really stressed and made a lot of mistakes! These videos seem to have cleared up a lot of what I was worried about (like feathering the clutch too much). Next time I get an opportunity to drive stick, I'll definitely use these techniques!
And 100 yds of traffic builds up behind you as you try to leave a stoplight at 2 mph
Ok sorry I just noticed a few others already pointed this out so I’m sorry for the redundancy and glad to see others are more aware of this then i first thought. Great work, keep it up...
To anyone actually firing back at Matt criticizing his technique or decision to rev-match: take the cotton out of your ears and stick it in your mouth long enough to learn something from a good driver. Or get an automatic with paddles so you can tell your friends you drive manual. But please stop torturing your car, yourself, and anyone unlucky enough to end up as a passenger with your sloppy slurry lurchy bucking downshifts. And yes modern technology has lessened the absolute need for heel-toe, but if you don't want to do it, why not just get an automatic? Slushbox or DSG, they are better than ever and often faster and more fuel efficient than an otherwise identical manual car. Get a three-pedal car if you're interested in working on a skill instead of simply pointing your car to its eventual destination. The beauty of driving a manual is that there is no perfect shift. You could always be a little crisper or match revs a little closer. But when you are in a zone and are cracking off smooth and fast shifts up and down on a twisty mountain road, you'll understand. These videos are as good a place to start as any way I've ever seen.
Learning to drive a manual properly is not easy, but if you follow Matt's advice and drive one daily this will be muscle memory in no time. Don't be afraid. Just buy one, get to an empty dead end road, and practice when you have an hour or so. The first week or so will be a bit stressful and you'll almost definitely stall a few times with dozens of cars behind you honking and fuming over the two second inconvenience. But by practicing calmly in empty spaces, you'll be able to do it just fine! I was a little bit scared when I saw the first video because it seemed like a lot for a newb to absorb in one sitting, but that one was perfect to watch, practice, park and rewatch, and practice some more because even though it's called "just the basics", it is also very complete for learning on flat roads, which is mighty impressive.
Source: Someone who has put about a million miles on seven manual daily drivers (slash weekend autocrossers, canyon carvers, etc) and never burned out a clutch or grenaded a transmission or had really any mechanical issue at all with my stick-shift cars.
Really looking forward to the rest of the series! Can't wait to see how deep it goes. We're only on video 1.5 and already I think you've covered enough to really start to have fun.
I just learned to rev match properly and I must say it's definitely helpful if not absolutely necessary. I will continue to rev match going forward and recommend people doing it.
Clutch braking? What the hell are people doing to their cars these days?
damaster77854 exactly! clutch braking my ass. who made up that bs?
More like clutch breaking
Clutch breaking very bad, engine breaking good.
Nothing wrong with it. I've had several used and new cars over my 10 years, both put between 15-30,000 miles on them one top of some of the high milage cars, never had a damaged or burnt out clutch, or where I did have clutch issues, it was nothing to do with clutch breaking as one had a rebuilt transmission that was incorrectly alligned and smash into the clutch plate like a motherfucker sometimes.
It's personal preference, don't do it at high speeds, obviously, but for nattering around a small town or village, you cant get away/have time to JUST engine break, or rev match for that matter.
You may not have broken anything but clutch braking doing the vehicle no favors
Thank you for this video. Great information and much needed since I just picked up a 2006 Acura RSX Type S last week. Still in storage for a few more weeks. I have driven a shift before but never a 6 speed with a k20 z1 engine.
Since most people here learn to drive on manuals to get the full license, almost nobody rev matches, blipping the throttle on downshift is alien to most people, especially if you're also braking so they prefer to slowly let the clutch out to effectively let it do the matching (resulting in clutch braking), which of course means extra wear. Also I don't really think you really need to shift at 1/2 redline if your'e accelerating very gently, I feel like 2k RPM is more than enough in most daily situations (and most of us drive
you must be bogging the engine everywhere you go then. 2k rpm is barely moving in 1st gear
Nicktrance1 good comment I've noticed a fair amount of people I've met from other countries (Europe, Asia, South Africa, South America) claim to know how to drive manual but they all do it wrong (sorta). No rev matching, riding the clutch instead. Shifting way way too low and lugging it or riding the friction zone while on a hill waiting for the green. Everybody claims to know how jus cause they've learned to get the vehicle to move and stopped learning after that.
Not at all if the acceleration is gentle enough, Although the close gear ratios that tend to come with very small displacement engines (usually
about the "right" point to shift up the gear. . . I'd say it depends. when the engine is cold and in city traffic I shift at 2k-2-5k but I also never use more then 1/3 throttle. when the engine is warm and outside the city, I shift at 3-3.5k (normal commuiting; not canyon driving); on the Autobahn on ramps I usually shift at about 5k to get to about 140Km/h quickly
About the same, but it's all city driving, mostly with lots of traffic here :(.
I agree 100% about heel and toe being healthier for the powertrain but I rarely do it when braking . Forcing rev matching by releasing the clutch, clutch braking, slows down the car quicker (it takes kinetic energy from the movement of the car instead of fuel to increase the revs) so it saves more fuel and at that same time saves the braking pads. You should be gentle with the clutch as well to not put too mutch stress on the powertrain. This is crucial on an emergency stop. It saved me from crashing a few times. Your way is the best for a good passenger experience and for the mentioned above. Thanks for your video.
I've been driving stick for a little over 3 years now but I recently stumble upon rev matching. I suck at it, I sometimes apply too much throttle or too little. How do you know where is the sweet spot? Also, what are your thoughts on double clutching?
Johan De Jesus practice, practice, practice. This part will take a while
These are the best tutorials of driving manual by far.
I'm skeptical that people actually recommended doing 'clutch braking' as a method to slow down. Tbh, just an easy way to discredit anyone who does not think rev matching is a beginner technique.
No hiss you're right that most people don't really promote "clutch braking" per se, but, many people do downshift using clutch slip rather than rev matching. (Though they for sure don't just simply downshift and dump the clutch, I don't thing anyone's that stupid.)
just want to say i appreciate this video series. i've been able to drive a manual for year, but there are always some simple things you don't think about.
Can you please make a video on "parking and getting out of a parellel parking "
just got a manual car my 1st and this video is helping me alot, thank you
Been driving since January this year and im still struggling to master rev matching 😥
ItsGodfreyHD I've been driving manual cars since 2007, taught myself to heel-toe/rev-match, and still don't get it perfect every single time. Nobody does. Keep practicing! 👍🏻
Did you master it yet,
Good video. I learned to drive a manual on an old Chevy Pickup when I was 14? (I am now 60) I like the fact that rev match is available in some vehicles if you want it. I'm taking delivery of a 2024 Wrangler Willys 2 door in a few weeks, so I will attempt the heel/toe downshifts when I get used to it
Good video but I disagree that the handbrake is a "learning crutch", advanced driving courses in Europe still recommend the handbrake as the best way to hill start. On a really steep gradient, I will still use the handbrake, especially if someone has stopped behind me too close. Keep in mind that people like us will always heel toe and rev match but pretty much everyone in the UK who drives manual is never taught these things.
I've found that it can be necessary depending on the clutch you're driving with (necessary if you don't want to launch up a hill or roll back far before engaging). Normally this only happens when I drive something with a very, very numb clutch -- or on occasion something silly like a six-puck on a street car.
But everyone drives differently.
I personally never used the handbrake to learn because my handbrake is located about a foot past the dashboard by the steering column (70s Nissan engineering wasn't thinking of it being a performance tool).
Your video tutorials helped learn to drive my jetta and have been driving for 2 years now. thank you
oldie but a goodie, maybe the best series of videos explaining MT driving that i have seen on youtube. thanks matt!
That tire pressure light lol fill those tires up man
HeadShotPR aftermarket wheels, no TPMS
Throw the sensors in a PVC pipe and air it up to spec. That's what most people do beside pulling the instrument cluster bulb.
My car's tire pressure light has been on for the past 3 months haha, dont know what to do
haha true. i think i still gotta hear a beep every time i start the car tho
yeah the only time it's ever done anything was 5min after I realized I had a flat and was pulling into a spot for the tow when the sensor warned me about low tire pressure XD
kudos, love this, dont currently have a manual, had opportunity to drive one a few times at length thru a friend, but i sooo want my next car to be manual, my concern with money outweighs my desire to just get a manual now, but i sooo want a manual car as soon as i need a next car. Love mind exercising manuals with videos like these.
Nothing will teach you where your friction zone is quicker than trying to take off in fist gear and bucking the car like crazy and stalling. Guarantee you will only do it a handful of times.
I have pretty much only had 6.9 and 7.3 IDI Ford and International trucks my whole life. My brother recently was unable to keep up payments on his 2017 STI and I decided to take over. I had been shifting at like 3000rpms because thats what im used to, I also didnt rev match to downshift on my diesels. I felt like reving too high puts too much unnecessary wear on the engine. But my brother says it doesnt. I feet the power on high RPMs on this STI. I figured I would watch a video of detailed shifting tutorials, might have to learn how to shift after all this time. Good vid. learned a few things.
Lmfao at how "you save more fuel by not rev matching" is actually a reason
So I drove standard for years but over the last few years I've only driven automatic other than motorcycles. Now I just bought a fiesta (not st) for commuting and holy crap did I forget how much lazier you can be with a motorcycle clutch/trans. It also doesn't help that now I'm driving to work in 8" logger boots. Great video Matt!
Dat Mazda 2 doe
what about it?
I've been teaching myself to drive manual around in the Toyota Hijets we have here at work; I'd like for my next car to be a manual. I figure if I could get it right in a Hijet from the 80's, I could relatively do alright driving anything modern lol. Although basic, these videos are quite helpful and some of the best manual tutorials I've watched, thanks Matt!
oh when you guys go on holiday to London, Paris, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Amsterdam... do you hear a lot of people in the streets bliping the throttle to revmatch? Exactly, no.
You actually think people need to revmatch at 12mph xd you funny
well, you should practice your reading skills. 1) in the video, he says that he is blipping the throttle ALL the time 2) many raceboys here think that its neccessary 3) yea, driving in town is always 12mph, sure
+FunTom because it's always mad traffic in a city no?
I think the whole rev matching thing is a little more complicated then in the video. Most of the time you down change while driving normally it's because you are also slowing down and braking. You really don't need to rev match when doing that.
It's when you are maintaining roughly the same speed but changing down a gear you need to rev match which is not something you actually do a lot in every day driving. I actually do rev match in that situation though it's not via a blip of the throttle. I do it on feel by letting the clutch out slowly while also applying a little more accelerator. I actually had no idea I even did this but after consciously taking notice of my technique when in that situation I noticed I do rev match. It's just a technique I have learnt over 30 or so years of driving and it's part of muscle memory now. It's not a technique I was ever shown it's just something picked up from a lot of experience and that can only be gained by driving a lot.
The blip of the throttle method from my perspective is a little crude. It gets the job done when you need to rev match but will probably mean you never learn a more natural method of rev matching.
FunTom ya. there are a ton of things people do that aren't correct because it's easy. it's better for your car and makes for a much smoother ride to Rev match. if you actually take a little time to get used to it, it becomes muscle memory. I just do it naturally now weather I'm on my bike or in my car. no thought required.
Matts a good teacher. What he said about.. "always riding the clutch a little in reverse" helped me a lot with getting the car to roll from a stop in general. I had always heard not to ride the clutch and really emphasized that while learning but I was letting it off far too quickly in 1st gear at lights. I didn't understand the clutch is made to be ridden in the friction zone for a good couple seconds when getting the vehicle moving. I've been driving manual for about half a year now and I can rev match pretty well but I still cant heal toe in my g37 because I cant press the gas while still maintaining a safe enough foot on the brake. I've tried several times and starting to think its not gonna happen in this car. If the gas pedal was either closer or raised up a bit more I think I would have no problem blipping It while braking at the same time.
Dammit my car has pedals on different levels so I can't heel and toe :/
You can't heal and toe but you can still rev match on downshifts before braking which is what I do since my car also has the brake and throttle pedals way unleveled.
That's what I thought but once you push in the break pedal it should bring you leveled to the accelerator pedal and that's when you bleep the throttle. At least in the cars I've driven.
Yup, that's a pain.
My C5 Z06 Vette has uneven pedals. No 3rd party solution for it. It's such a pain. On track I manage because I mash the brake and it levels out the accelerator pedal, but on the streets I just have to blip quick and then get on the brakes. It's really annoying.
Same problem in my 2010 rx8 however you guys might wanna try having the lower part of your foot on the brake (for me its just below the arch on my foot) and the using the upper ball of my right foot to blip the throttle. Its working for me and its a little different at first but i have it down now and its amazing no longer have to pump/ride my brakes
I had a 2001 Chevy Metro with the 1.0L, 55hp Suzuki engine. You can get any manual transmission-equipped vehicle to go in first gear without using the throttle if you're easy enough on the clutch. Just be gentle and patient. Not saying I did it regularly, but I did it a couple of times just to see if it would actually do it, and it sure did. Fun little car.
doesn't clutch braking hurt the clutch?
Eduardo Navarrete That's why he said not to do it
YES it does
Engine brsaking = Good
Clutch braking = Bad
As long as your clutch is fully engaged at the right RPM, you're clutch will be having a good time
brakes cost like... 1/4 of a clutch job. they also are designed for that exact purpose (reducing vehicle speed) while the clutch is designed to allow a vehicle to be started from a dead stop. If you really want to save your car's wear and tear you should just get very good at revmatching so you can engine brake and not even use your clutch to shift.
Dinosaur auto shop teacher, "Brake job is way cheaper than a clutch job...." Wise words.
Yes and brakes pads are designed to be consumable. So use them!
No doubt Matt is teaching the correct way. Rev matching is best way to downshift.
Still waiting for the cooking chicken tutorial.
Inferno 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂you are not right