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Tips for driving in traffic with a manual?

10K views 94 replies 33 participants last post by  zander271 
#1 ·
Traffic sucks in the Boston area, bad enough where I don't like taking my e46 to work because of it.

Any advice/ recommendations (besides getting an automatic)?
 
#20 ·
CDV? How much to remove? Andddddd clutch is probably burning every time i drive already :eek:

get used to it, or, move
Moving.. not the worst idea :confused: haha maybe i'll just buy an automatic instead of moving

OP, drive it like it's a truck. Keep your distance, don't feel like you need to keep spaces tight to prevent others from getting in...just let them pass.

I've been driving a manual longer than most here I'd bet.

Also, when you're off the gas, remember that those behind you assume everyone has an auto and uses brakes to slow down...in faster traffic when I 'lift' off gas, if someone is close behind, I'll tap brakes lightly a few times...just to make sure the guy behind sees a brake light.

You know, you can cruise in 1st without giving it any gas, right? Maybe 3-4 mph...if not slower. Even in NYC traffic, with enough distance in front, I can usually stay in gear a lot of the time.

HTH
I tried keeping my distance today and 4 cars cut in front of me in a 3 second span. Masshole drivers. If I don't move right away when the car in front moves I get honked at :facepalm:

Vote YES on that mass transit bond initiative!!
Will do

Go into work earlier and avoid traffic altogether
It's leaving work that's the problem

Start working out.
Already do

play some good music!
Nothing decent except sports radio at 5pm
 
#5 ·
Stay off the clutch. If you are going to be out of gear for more than 5 seconds, drop it in neutral and release the clutch. It saves wear and tear on your throwout bearing and your knee. It's a pain, but you get used to it. 1st gear is your friend. You can creep along pretty slow in 1st at idle.
 
#12 ·
OP, drive it like it's a truck. Keep your distance, don't feel like you need to keep spaces tight to prevent others from getting in...just let them pass.

I've been driving a manual longer than most here I'd bet.

Also, when you're off the gas, remember that those behind you assume everyone has an auto and uses brakes to slow down...in faster traffic when I 'lift' off gas, if someone is close behind, I'll tap brakes lightly a few times...just to make sure the guy behind sees a brake light.

You know, you can cruise in 1st without giving it any gas, right? Maybe 3-4 mph...if not slower. Even in NYC traffic, with enough distance in front, I can usually stay in gear a lot of the time.

HTH
 
#14 ·
Get an automatic! Sorry had to...every auto trans thread is flooded with dumbasses saying "get a manual or manual swap" if I wanted one, I would have bought one.

But, I agree with the above. Leave some room between you and the car in front, put it in 1st and let the car drive itself. If traffic starts to stop, throw it in neutral. I hardly ever brake in traffic. I'm usually always rolling, variating between neutral and 1st.
 
#22 ·
Every morning to get to school I have to go up a one lane hill that's about a mile and a half long in distance. And it's dead stopped traffic of everyone going to school and work. Driving my 5spd at 6:10 in the morning up that hill is just horrible. But once I get past that hill I can feel the pure joy of driving a manual. It's totally worth it. There's nothin you can really do except blast some music, take your mind off the traffic, and look forward to getting to 5k rpm once you get past the traffic :thumbsup:
 
#24 · (Edited)
Don't ride the clutch or sit with your foot on the brake and the clutch down. Stopping: brake, clutch down, gears in neutral, clutch up, apply hand brake. Start: clutch down, first gear, hand brake off, clutch up and move off. Get into that routine. Pretty soon you will do it without even thinking about it. Sounds like a lot of effort but good driving takes effort. Lazy driving leads to mishaps.
 
#28 ·
Why are you going through the hassle of shifting so damn much and even going as far applying the parking drive.. seriously? Maybe I've been awake too long and can't find the sarcasm.

For any sort of traffic where I don't have a need for speed, I tend to keep a proportional car distance in relation to speed, I try to look past the first car in front of me and generally look toward what the cars in front of him are doing (speeding up/ braking/ merging) and adjust accordingly. First gear sometimes tends to be tricky so try second, I usually don't let the revs drop below idle and let hills help me out.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I don't know, traffic never really bothered me. I actually prefer it to an automatic. Automatics have very little engine braking compared to manuals - so you've got to switch from gas to brake quickly and frequently. In a manual (especially the M3, but the 330 wasn't bad either), you can simply let off the gas and not have to touch the brake until you hit idle.

The only times the manual bothers me is if I'm in stop and go traffic uphill. The E90s solved that problem though
 
#51 ·
I defiantly agree you should be limiting your time with the clutch in and your foot on the clutch. If you are stopped even for small amounts of time you should pop it into neutral and use the brake. Then when starting up again clutch in and quickly put it back in first.

Also don't use the handbrake as the guy from the UK suggest, just keep your foot on the brake as that is the most efficient and strong hold for the vehicle on hills, in traffic, traveling at any miles per hour.

Less time the clutch is engaged... the less wear
 
#53 · (Edited)
Agree with the handbrake. Doesn't help at all, holding the brake is better. And honestly, at the end of the day you just have to get used to it. If it still bothers you then just get an auto, nothing else you can do.

Personally, when I see brake lights in front of me I usually just cruise in neutral and brake when needed. Don't worry about anyone behind you, if they hit you they pay for it so it's worthless to worry about what they're doing. And when I'm moving, slow or not, and I need to go back in gear I always rev match. Just my 2 cents.
 
#58 ·
Minimal acceleration, avoid stopping, dont necessarily keep up to speed with car in front, anticipate if you see lights ahead, if changing to red, dont accelerate any more, when braking, brake early keep distance from car ahead and try and keep cars momentum going, when accelerating accelerate as slow as possible,

330ci 6 speed manual, and with petrol really expensive in england and most cars being under 2 litre i have to drive economically. !
 
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