There are many reasons why automatic transmission vehicles haven't seen widespread adoption in India but now is not the time to delve into them. What matters is that stick-shift or manual transmission cars are still very much common in the country. Hitting the clutch to change gears and swiftly switching your right leg from pushing the accelerator to hitting the brake is something that's ingrained into the minds of almost all Indian drivers. But there are still a few things that you might be doing wrong. Here are 6 tips for driving a manual car that will definitely help you out in the long run.
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When you're on a big downward slope, there's a temptation to save up on fuel and coast with the engine turned off. This is an extremely dangerous practice. That's because it takes away a lot of control that you have over your car, leaving only the brake at your disposal. While that doesn't sound like much, sudden incidents or obstacles can end up causing great damage when you don't have full control over your vehicle. Besides, coasting downhill also puts additional stress on the braking system.
Many people have the habit of resting their left foot on the clutch when they are not needed to push it. In the long term, this light pressure applied to the clutch causes it to burn out. You will then need to get it replaced, so keep your left foot off the clutch once you've shifted the gear.
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When you encounter a red signal, just put the car in neutral and let the clutch go. Keeping it in first gear to save a few seconds when the light goes green is not advisable at all. It causes unnecessary wear on your gears and clutch.
Shifting gears is everything when you're driving a manual car and shifting them at the right moment ensures a longer life for the vehicle, while also improving engine health and fuel efficiency. The usual rule of thumb is to shift gears between 2,500 and 3,000RPM. While this practice may sound too annoying, over time, you won't even need to look at the revs as the sound of the vehicle will let you know when it's the right time to shift the gear.
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When parking, engaging the handbrake is incredibly necessary. But in the rare event that that brake was to fail, leaving the car in gear prevents it from rolling in the direction of the slope.
People often have the habit of resting their left hand on the shifter while cruising. While it's true that it helps quick shifting of gears, it's not recommended at all. For one, applying unneeded pressure on the shifter wears out its components faster. Over time, this leads to problems like grinding noises and slower shifting between gears.
So do keep all these tips in mind the next time you're out driving your manual car.
