If you drive a manual, how do you decide when to shift gears?

[msc545]

If you do, what do you use to tell you when to shift?

The tachometer.

I just listen to the sound of the engine.

Something else. (say what)

Updates

1 mo

I think that most experienced manual drivers listen to the sound of the engine and don't bother looking at the tachometer. From my standpoint, it is too dangerous to look away from the road, at least where I

[slatyb]

Depends on the car. In my BMW E36 M3 I shifted up at about 5,000 RPM. I don´t even know if I looked at the tach, I suspect not. After a few hours you just know from the engine sound.

[slatyb]

It was track-only car, so this was high-performance driving on track. Not a very powerful car, redline at 125 mph, but it cornered well and I was fast.

[CaptainSmartass]

I listen to the sound of the engine. My car also has a light that indicates when to change gears, so that helps.

Simples...

[msc545]

What kind of car are you driving? I've never heard of one that has a light that would indicate when to shift.

[CaptainSmartass]

I've got a 2025 (75) Ford Puma.

[goaded]

My Toyota has lights to suggest gear changes. It was useful when it was new, but I never look at it now.

[msc545]

Actually has a manual transmission?

[msc545]

@goaded interesting. What model Toyota?

[goaded]

A 10 year old Verso. My first diesel; they run at lower revs than petrol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Verso

It was good for carrying kids and is still going strong after about 160,000 miles.

[msc545]

@goaded very interesting - thanks!

[SeekerOfTruth007]

It depends on various factors, like if you're hauling a load you actually need to stay in lower gears longer to get going.

I will say Standard/Manual gets much better gas mileage than automatics, even though automatics are supposedly rated better. I used to get close to 45mpg in an old Mazda B2200 1987 model truck, and I drove with a heavy foot back then and still got 45mpg. Newer autos can't even match it. I swear the foreign made vehicles used to be better than they are now. now everything is engineered to fail in 6 years.

[goaded]

I use the sound of the engine and (which is where I prefer manual to automatic) what's coming up in the near future. Hills, bends, overtaking, etc., I can see them coming and choose not to change gears just before I need the old gear again.

I've rented an electric car, and I have to say the instant reaction to pushing the pedals is satisfying.

My biggest problem with non-manual cars is that I've spent 40 years drifting to a halt in parking slots and when my feet do that, I end up pushing my left foot onto the brake. Hard.

It's embarrassing!

[DryGermanGuy]

That happened to me with a company car (new Mercedes E-class), when I had no experience with automatics. I pressed the clutch, which was the brake and everything inside came flying through the car, including my unbuckled colleague. Oops.

[goaded]

@DryGermanGuy Serves them right for not wearing a seat belt!

[MrOracle]

Mostly I can feel the torque curve of the engine. I very occasionally use the tachometer, but it's almost all by feel.

I rarely drive a manual these days but most of my first 30 years of driving was in manuals, including big rig trucks, busses, tractors, motorcycles, and more. We drove manuals as Skip Barber Racing School back when I was racing in SC A. So I have had lots of experience in manual vehicles.

[AngryCarl3]

Changing first to second I go by the sound of the engine. Second to third I change at 25 mph unless I'm going uphill when I'll stay in the lower gear. Third to fourth I'll change around 30 unless I'm going uphill, ditto. Fourth to fifth I'll change at 50 unless I'm going uphill ditto. Fifth to sixth I'll change at 55 unless I'm getting up to speed on the motorway, where I stay in fifth up to 70 mph.

Changing down is similar, if I don't change down the engine starts to labour, which is bad unless I'm going downhill when I might stay in a higher gear.

On the rare occasions I try an overtake on a single carriageway I'll drop down to a lower gear, usually third, to build up the revs.

[thegreenyogi]

It depends... sometimes I listen to the motor and other times it's a matter of me wanting to go faster or slower. I live in Italy where the roads are full of bends and turns so I'm changing gears all the time.

[DryGermanGuy]

Depending on the actual situation between 2000-3000 motor rpm.

[msc545]

how do you determine the RPM

[DryGermanGuy]

a) motor rev meter
b) ears (experience)

[msc545]

I know what you mean about your ears. I use my ears too. I don't like to look away from the road to look at the tachometer.

[Kelly6]

@msc545 You can feel it by its force and speed

[msc545]

right

[lilBigPotato]

Either when the engine or passenger starts screaming.

Just a guess from someone without license 🤷‍♀️

[AngryCarl3]

Seems legit.

[Ironco]

By ear, shift with the sound of the engine.

Now ask them how many can shift without using the clutch...

[Sevenpointfive]

it will pop you out of gear when it's not the right one. you just keep trying different holes until your stick fits. then that hole gets tired and pops you out too. it's life.