how to use manual gearbox

What the main controls do

• Clutch (left pedal): Press down to disconnect the engine; release slowly to reconnect. The “biting point” is where the car just starts to move.
• Brake (middle): Slows the car. In manuals, press the clutch before the car almost stops to avoid stalling.
• Accelerator (right): Adds power. Gentle pressure is best when moving off.
• Gear lever (1–5/6 + R): Lower gears = more power at low speed; higher gears = quieter and fuel-efficient cruising.
• Handbrake/Parking brake: Holds the car still; very helpful on hills while you find the bite.

Getting moving without stress

1. Prep: Handbrake on, gear in neutral, engine on, left foot on clutch.
2. Select 1st: Press clutch down fully → move lever to 1st.
3. Set gas: Press accelerator slightly (about 1500 rpm) to give the engine a little power.
4. Find the bite: Raise the clutch slowly until you feel the car lift or nose dip slightly. Hold your foot steady.
5. Move off: Mirror, signal if needed, check blind spot → release handbrake → ease the clutch up smoothly while adding a touch more gas.
6. Build speed: Once rolling, clutch down → select 2nd → clutch up gently while keeping light gas. Repeat as speed rises.

Tip: If you feel a shudder or the car struggles, add a little more gas and release the clutch more gradually.

Slowing, stopping & hill starts

To slow: Come off the gas, brake progressively. As speed drops toward walking pace, press the clutch to avoid stalling. To stop: brake to a smooth halt, clutch down before the last moment, select neutral, handbrake on.

Hill starts: Hold with handbrake, set gas, find bite, then release the handbrake while lifting the clutch smoothly. The car should move forward without rolling back.

What you cannot do with an automatic (vs manual)

• True clutch control: Automatics have no clutch pedal, so you can’t practise or fine-tune the biting point for delicate low-speed manoeuvres.
• Manual gear selection every time: Many automatics offer “manual mode,” but it’s not the same as choosing each gear with a clutch. Full control over when to upshift/downshift is limited.
• Stall practice (and recovery): Automatics generally don’t stall, so you won’t build the specific skill of stall prevention and quick restart that manuals require.
• Engine-braking via clutch timing: While you can select lower gears in some automatics, you cannot combine clutch timing with engine-braking like in a manual.
• Push-start a car: Classic manual “bump starting” isn’t possible with a typical automatic transmission.