Question regarding transmission

[myself]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I'm young but I've been driving daily since I was 16 (around 3 years). My driving experience has been mainly with automatics, until my family bought a new Mazda3 with a standard transmission. I've been driving it for a good few months now, and I still don't know whether to coast to a red light or a stop sign in neutral, or start shifting down.

I have heard a lot of things. For instance, that idling the car in neutral and letting it coast to a stop actually consumes more fuel than selecting a lower gear. On the other hand, down shifting wears out the clutch sooner. The main issue that came to my mind was wear and tear on the clutch vs. wear and tear on the brakes.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Patrick


P.S. How much do you think the clutch on a new car would last if driven properly and not abused? Thanks.

[Roadstar]

When I started driving, at 16 just like U... more than XX years ago.
The instructor told me this. When coming to a stop or red light. Simply apply the brakes to slow down as if it was an automatic you will get used to clutching just before the clutch starts to jump. In most cases you will only be in 3rd or maybe 4th gear. And in most cases you can hit the gas after or just before coming to a full stop with a few extra revs in second gear to get her going. Saving a shift.

Severe downshifting will cause unnecessary wear and tear on the friction surface/ bearings & bushings and clutch springs and pinion seals, transmission mounts and linkages. Winter could cause some problems if compressing in slippery conditions and hitting a dry asphalt patch = to spinning and hitting a patch.

In all these years, with 4 standards I never replaced a clutch or bearings.


If you drive smart, you have fun and you will save money for a house.

[Huggyd]

ok, one more time.... good question, but growning up it my family was all Auto, now I'm in the market for a NEW truck, I'm thinking Standard save the $1400 or so.

But watching friends drive their cars, which alot have standard. they seem to do the down shifting thin, saying the your are able to better mantain control of the car, is you get in a tight spot and need to get up and go the car is in the right gear. which makes sence kinda...

so your thinking less shifting the better???

hmmm.....

[deeker]

Well, brake pads are cheaper than transmissions.

Coasting in neutral (or with the clutch depressed, same thing) would use less fuel than a load on the engine, essentially engine braking. No?

[Huggyd]

I would think so as well.... hmmmm, so its just a madder of keeping track of which gear you need if you are rolling to a stop at a red light and it switches to green. I guess you follow the gears down with your foot on the clutch eh??

you people know of any common mistakes or misconseptions about driving standard that one might be made aware of?

[Roadstar]

Mistakes and misconceptions.

Remember, you will do your own experimental driving.
In any case, any one should not consider a Standard if they are likely to spend a lot of time in dense traffic during rush hours. It will take a toll on your left knee and foot after a few years of the conditions.

Try this to get familiar with your car.
One thing that not many people do anymore! is use no clutch to shift up or down. Pick the right time, lets say under 2800-/+ Revs and slightly back off the gas a little and slide the shifter into the next gear without grinding the gears ( Experiment with the correct REVS sweet spot ). Shifting down, back of the gas and slide it down one gear just under 1800-2000revs. Then you can call it a semi automatic. Do this to get acquainted with how all the components interact, but don't make a habit of it as you could possibly burn some synchro's in the tranny.

Also do not coast to a light with the clutch depressed, because you will stress the springs and the bearing and or bushing. Always declutch only when you are ready to pass to the next gear up or down.

Also, if you need to push start your Standard, leave it second or even better reverse, push to a jogging speed down a slight hill by preference key on position. POP the clutch when you have enough momentum. You should be ok.

You still have to check the oil once and a while, there is no dipstick, you need to undoe the plug and feel look or feel the oil level, usulay on the the sid of the Tranny once on a lift you should find it.

[/u]

[Huggyd]

Also do not coast to a light with the clutch depressed, because you will stress the springs and the bearing and or bushing. Always declutch only when you are ready to pass to the next gear up or down.

People are saying that one should coast, less shifting? :?

[Roadstar]

Yes, cost but not with clutch depressed...I see people with their foot on the clutch all tha time, it's not good.