Depress the clutch, and shift into reverse. Slowly release the clutch, and gradually press the accelerator simultaneously.
Manual transmissions in cars are becoming more of a rarity, as most people can’t be bothered to venture beyond the empty experience of an automatic. Undeniably, manual transmissions have their downsides: they’re difficult to learn, require lots of getting used to, and are annoying in stop-and-go traffic. However, they also have a slew of benefits that not only rivals, but surpasses that of automatics.
The difficulty in learning a manual car lies mainly in the coordination required. To the new manual driver, depressing the clutch to the right depth, selecting the appropriate gear, and releasing the clutch without losing focus on the road around you requires practice. Eventually though, the motions involved in shifting become second nature, and you don’t even think about it after a little while.
Not much, other than practice, will make you more accustomed to driving a manual. Only experience will familiarize you with the sound a high revving engine in need of a gear change will make. Only experience will prevent you from stalling, missing a gear, forgetting to shift down for a large hill, or shifting too slowly and making the car buck. Patience is a virtue, and a necessity when learning a manual; you’ll make some mistakes, but learn a lesson from them and you’ll improve quickly.
Most manual car drivers will concede that manual cars are more annoying to drive in heavy traffic than automatic cars. There’s a lot of time spent on each of the three pedals, and it’s a lot more involved. That said, it really isn’t that much of a pain to move your foot a few more inches than the driver in the car next to you.
Depress the clutch, and put ‘er in first. Again, slowly release the clutch and accelerate in tandem.
Manual cars have quite a few pros to make up for the aforementioned cons, even outside the lower production costs over automatics. Among them: the exhilarating feeling that comes with being more engaged with your car, the increased fuel economy, and the level of control.
If you’re someone who likes driving, there isn’t anything else like driving a manual car. There’s a sense of engagement, of real connection with your vehicle. It’s fun. Driving an automatic isn’t bad either, but comparatively, it’s less involved. You’ll find yourself enjoying driving more after you get used to a manual transmission; tossing in a new gear with a viscerally satisfying jerk, hearing the engine react appropriately, and continuing on your way isn’t matched by much outside of the automotive world.
If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy driving, there are still other reasons to drive a manual other than for the thrill. Manual cars allow you to modify just how your engine behaves, and limit how your car revs. Say you were driving in third gear at about 30 miles an hour. If you were to shift into fourth gear, your engine would respond by lowering rpm: now that the engine is running at a lower rate, you use less gas. This isn’t something you can do in an automatic.
The level of control offered by a manual gearbox can’t be matched by any automatic. Applications in an average car range from fuel economy, as mentioned above, to fine-tuning the level of acceleration when you want to overtake, to balancing the power the wheels get without spinning wildly when you want greater traction. With a manual, you can downshift and then accelerate more quickly than an automatic gearbox could react; this lets you get more power to the wheels, and overtake faster. In snow or mud, modulating the gear to maintain higher revs lets you get more power to the wheels without just spinning them; another thing an automatic can’t do.
If you have more doubts about a manual gearbox’s level of precision and excitement, consider specialty cars in both racing and off-roading. Many sports cars by big names like Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Porsche have manual transmissions to give their drivers greater control. F1 cars are the same way. Renowned off-roaders like the Range Rover and Skoda Yeti are in the same boat.
Depress the clutch, shift up, and release the clutch. Repeat, and enjoy.
