how to shift gears? C300 stickshift
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
C300 SPORT SEDAN
how to shift gears? C300 stickshift
hi, i just got my c300 stickshift real-wheel drive
i haven't driven stickshift much so this is really hard.
1. when I start off, should i wait until i can fully let go of the clutch and then give it some gas? assume i am in the first gear.
2. when i shift from the 1st to the 2nd, it usually jerks a lot, anyone knows why? am i still supposed to let go of the clutch as slow as i were to start off?
thanks
i haven't driven stickshift much so this is really hard.
1. when I start off, should i wait until i can fully let go of the clutch and then give it some gas? assume i am in the first gear.
2. when i shift from the 1st to the 2nd, it usually jerks a lot, anyone knows why? am i still supposed to let go of the clutch as slow as i were to start off?
thanks
#5
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saks C350
#6
Member
Keep in mind, the smoother shift is always the best shift. But don't ride your clutch.
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
X3 and 2012 C coming soon
Give it a week or so with someone that can help you. My girlfriend bought my manual Passat and she was inexperienced. After a couple nights of practice she really got the hang of it. The C300 has the added benefit of hill assist. Hills are usually problematic for those just learning to drive a manual.
Trending Topics
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: NY
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
'12 Mustang 5.0, '89 Supra Turbo, C55,
First off, congrats. on your new car! ANd mad props to you for buying a manual transmission car! Don't be disheartened while learning - A "real" enthusiast owns at least one stick shift car in his/garage, and I guarantee you will never go back to tragicmatic. There is nothing like throwing your own gears and fully controlling the car. No tiptronic/steptronic, AMG speedshift nonsense or the like....
As stated above, find someone to show you, or if u cannot do that, take a few lessons with a stick shift car. U'll prolly need no more than 3 lessons. Then take your Benz out late at night to avoid traffic and find a empty parking lot. Getting in first is the hardest.
Also, study the link above which teaches how to drive manual. Its all about feel, and you will get it in a few hours.
U're going to love stick shift. MB should offer it in the C350.
One of the biggest ironies in the world is that AMG = automatics...
Good luck, and enjoy a REAL car!
As stated above, find someone to show you, or if u cannot do that, take a few lessons with a stick shift car. U'll prolly need no more than 3 lessons. Then take your Benz out late at night to avoid traffic and find a empty parking lot. Getting in first is the hardest.
Also, study the link above which teaches how to drive manual. Its all about feel, and you will get it in a few hours.
U're going to love stick shift. MB should offer it in the C350.
One of the biggest ironies in the world is that AMG = automatics...
Good luck, and enjoy a REAL car!
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rostock,Germany
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i like to ride my bike
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
C-300, XC70, Wrangler
In that empty parkiing lot
Get a friend who knows how to drive a stick to sit shotgun and help you learn.
Find the most empty lot you can. Empty and large. Park in a traffic lane. Depress the clutch. Close your eyes (NO peeking!). Let your friend put the car in some gear, doesn't matter which. Slowly release the clutch and give gas until the car is moving. Don't ride the clutch. Don't overdo the gas. Roll it out.
Repeat in all gears. You're going to have problems in 5th and 6th. So, one thing you learn is to put the clutch back in to save it. Don't forget to try reverse.
Once you can get rolling, in first, open your eyes and try to shift up to second. Not as easy as it sounds. Clutch in/gas out, move lever, clutch out/gas in. Works. Hard part: finding the next gear whilst trying to shift fast enough to be smooth. (Your feet begin a pedaling motion, almost like riding a bike.)
Try backing into parking spaces, backing out of spaces. Try down-shifting (don't over-rev).
When you feel confident (can take hours), pull out into traffic. You'll discover that it's not the same. You're so focused on shifting that you'll forget to brake, or use the turn signal, etc. Light traffic is preferred. You're gonna feel like a compete rookie.
Only with a lot of confidence can you do things that are really interesting:
- double clutching
- speed shifting (matching revs, no clutch)
- driving on ice/snow (start in a higher gear, never first)
Good luck, and start putting your pennies aside for that new clutch ;-)
Ps: my C is auto, my Wrangler is 5-spd. It starts smoothly in all 5 plus reverse, and the clutch is just fine. It even speed shifts now and again.
Find the most empty lot you can. Empty and large. Park in a traffic lane. Depress the clutch. Close your eyes (NO peeking!). Let your friend put the car in some gear, doesn't matter which. Slowly release the clutch and give gas until the car is moving. Don't ride the clutch. Don't overdo the gas. Roll it out.
Repeat in all gears. You're going to have problems in 5th and 6th. So, one thing you learn is to put the clutch back in to save it. Don't forget to try reverse.
Once you can get rolling, in first, open your eyes and try to shift up to second. Not as easy as it sounds. Clutch in/gas out, move lever, clutch out/gas in. Works. Hard part: finding the next gear whilst trying to shift fast enough to be smooth. (Your feet begin a pedaling motion, almost like riding a bike.)
Try backing into parking spaces, backing out of spaces. Try down-shifting (don't over-rev).
When you feel confident (can take hours), pull out into traffic. You'll discover that it's not the same. You're so focused on shifting that you'll forget to brake, or use the turn signal, etc. Light traffic is preferred. You're gonna feel like a compete rookie.
Only with a lot of confidence can you do things that are really interesting:
- double clutching
- speed shifting (matching revs, no clutch)
- driving on ice/snow (start in a higher gear, never first)
Good luck, and start putting your pennies aside for that new clutch ;-)
Ps: my C is auto, my Wrangler is 5-spd. It starts smoothly in all 5 plus reverse, and the clutch is just fine. It even speed shifts now and again.
#16
Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Alameda, CA
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'08 C300 Sport, 7SpAuto, P1, MM, 18s, ipod kit.
Do what I did. Learn to drive stick in LA traffic... plenty of opportunities to get used to 1st gear. Got the hang of it after 3 hours in traffic and only 1 stall.
Feel the car tug before applying the gas. Too jerky = clutch released too far. You can hold the clutch at it's engage point to make the car move. Giving it gas at that point will move you forward without the jerkiness.
Ultimate test of you knowing the car's engage point... try balancing the clutch and gas on one of SF's steep upward hills! I never use the brake on steep upward hills anymore. But only attempt after you've mastered the art of MT.
Would recommend learning in a different car though. I'm sure replacing the clutch in a brand new MB would cost a grip...
Feel the car tug before applying the gas. Too jerky = clutch released too far. You can hold the clutch at it's engage point to make the car move. Giving it gas at that point will move you forward without the jerkiness.
Ultimate test of you knowing the car's engage point... try balancing the clutch and gas on one of SF's steep upward hills! I never use the brake on steep upward hills anymore. But only attempt after you've mastered the art of MT.
Would recommend learning in a different car though. I'm sure replacing the clutch in a brand new MB would cost a grip...
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
C-300, XC70, Wrangler
Speed shifting is shifting without using the clutch. Synchros aren't needed, but you have to match revs to get it to slide right into that next gear (up or down).
Double clutching is what you do once you've killed the synchros and are too cheap to get them fixed. When the synchros are gone, you double clutch.
Oh, and both are what you do after you teach someone else to drive a stick ;-)
Double clutching is what you do once you've killed the synchros and are too cheap to get them fixed. When the synchros are gone, you double clutch.
Oh, and both are what you do after you teach someone else to drive a stick ;-)
Last edited by jstaneff; 03-25-2008 at 02:43 PM.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
c300
1) Clutches are tougher than most people will let on; they want to scare you that any little mess up and it'll be costly. It's a friction surface just like brake pads, if you constantly abuse them they'll go away quicker than they would if you didn't. But slipping the clutch occasionally isn't going to instantly kill it.
2) Always keep in the back of your head that manuals are an analog experience.
3) It's okay to drag the clutch a little while you're learning how to launch. Bring the revs up just a tiny bit, bring the clutch up to friction point until the car starts to move and then give it more gas while releasing the clutch. To make the clutch last longer you'll want to work on minimizing that slip period in the middle and make it one smooth motion.
4) 1st - 2nd you can't just dump the clutch immediately like you can 2nd to 3rd, 4th to 5th, etc. You have to still slip it a little like during launch if you want it smooth.
5) Double clutch?!?! WTF, is this 1929? Transmissions have synchros for a reason. Don't take on more than you need to.
6) People who drive manuals like to act like it's some kind of special talent. It's not. It just takes some practice getting the feel for it. Any chimp can drive a manual well enough to get around well. I used to think heal-toeing was the master skill. And then I met a couple of professional race drivers, and when asked about it they all just laughed and said, 'Why bother, I can be smooth enough not doing it and not have to risk messing it up'. Lot of old timers still think this is the mastery level though and they'd get all foamed up about it if you ask.
2) Always keep in the back of your head that manuals are an analog experience.
3) It's okay to drag the clutch a little while you're learning how to launch. Bring the revs up just a tiny bit, bring the clutch up to friction point until the car starts to move and then give it more gas while releasing the clutch. To make the clutch last longer you'll want to work on minimizing that slip period in the middle and make it one smooth motion.
4) 1st - 2nd you can't just dump the clutch immediately like you can 2nd to 3rd, 4th to 5th, etc. You have to still slip it a little like during launch if you want it smooth.
5) Double clutch?!?! WTF, is this 1929? Transmissions have synchros for a reason. Don't take on more than you need to.
6) People who drive manuals like to act like it's some kind of special talent. It's not. It just takes some practice getting the feel for it. Any chimp can drive a manual well enough to get around well. I used to think heal-toeing was the master skill. And then I met a couple of professional race drivers, and when asked about it they all just laughed and said, 'Why bother, I can be smooth enough not doing it and not have to risk messing it up'. Lot of old timers still think this is the mastery level though and they'd get all foamed up about it if you ask.
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
C-300, XC70, Wrangler
Well, if you speedshift and neglect to match gears, you run a high risk of chipping teeth from the gears. Yeah, I'd say it's not a good idea to try to grind your way into that next gear!
Practice, practice, practice, and someone else's tranny ;-)
Practice, practice, practice, and someone else's tranny ;-)
#24
To eliminate roll back we would engage the clutch slightly before releasing the brake and stepping on the gas. The steeper the hill the faster you needed to release the brake and hit the gas without stalling the vehicle or over revving the engine. With practice this can be done without roll back.
I am curious how many pepole actually balance their cars with their clutch on a hill?