Do you... grab the wheel and shifter tightly, and shift with your whole hand, clutch to the floor, with brusque stabs on the pedals? Downshifting without a matched-rev downshift?

Or do you kinda coax 'er along with just your fingertips and thumbs working the wheel and shifter, using almost no effort for steering and shifting, while using barely any clutch and dancing on the pedals? Rev-matched downshifts?

 

I think I understand what you're asking. I baby my car. Rev-matched downshifts most of the time. Relaxed grip on wheel and shift ****.

 

Relaxed grip on wheel and the paddles; up or down

 

well, you could say i pretend shes my girlfriend, & boy am i gentle with my girlfriend...oh wait, she is my girlfriend.

 

firm grip on steering wheel with slow smooth turns, gentle shifts with fingertips, fast but smooth clutch all the way down and up for shifts (except for 1st). Working on those heel-toe downshifts!

Do I sound like a stud or what?

 

i drive easy... and practicing my rev-matching righ tnow... still learning... but getting there...

till 1500 km engine break in.. than my batmobile starts firing on all cynlinders!

 

With finesse.

1.3L

 

^ ...... haha

 

Light grip on the wheel, hands at 9 and 3, thumbs up. Hand quickly down off the wheel to shift, using only as much grip on the stick as I need to guide it into the next gear - never force it - then right back on to the wheel. Clutch/throttle/brake all quick but smooth - I occasionally stab at the brake, but I'm trying to fix that. Rev matching on all downshifts. Spirited driving gets heel-toe downshifts while slowing down, but with relaxed driving I bump the tranny into neutral to slow and/or corner, then rev match into whatever gear I need to be in.

I'm occasionally not quite so **** about driving, but that's how you'll usually see me driving. I've been getting pretty darn quick to boot

 

Like the wind baby, like the wind.

 

I'm always trying to be as smooth as possible and rev-match is a must so I don't bust my tranny. I'm still working on fast upshift though, couldn't quite get total "non-lurching" upshift, any tips?

So ABS016 where do you get your cylinder mod from?

 

depends on the condition.

Sometimes I treat it like I treat my lovely girlfriend. nice and soft.

Sometimes I just want to slap the crap out of it.

heh ...

 

ive only had mine for two months, and ive been back at school without it. but in the week and a half of spring break, including a trip to dc yesterday and back today...dear god. my thumbs are rough as hell from grabbing the steering wheel so hard. easy, down boy. i need to learn to relax...i think im just concerned that the vacuum for my life savings might get damaged if i don't pay attention.

 

I don't baby mine at all. Full hand on the shifter, clutch pretty much all the way to the floor. I guess in this crowd that somehow makes me a bad person.

 

Wait a minute, some of you shift without pushing the clutch pedal all the way down?

 

With.... science!

 

Like an airplane. Very light touch on everything. Thumbs and fingertips. Just enough clutch to disconnect the engine from the gearbox. Hands barely move, even when shuffling the wheel for a lane-change or a corner. Downshifts smooth, the only hint of a downshift is the sound of the engine going up to match the next gear down before engaging that next gear down. Heel-toe if the corner's appetizing (and clear) enough. Sometimes, if I'm mellow, I don't even bother downshifting to 2nd for a corner.. attack in 3rd, and accel out at a more relaxed pace.

This car just drives soooo much smoother than any other car I've driven. She almost flies herself, I never have to yell at her.. just whisper in her ear (wheel) and she gets it.

 

Substitue car for plane here and you're on to something:

Flash:
You should treat your aircraft like you treat your woman.

Blackadder:
So you should take your plane out to dinner and a movie?

Flash:
No, get in her 5 times a day and take her to heaven and back!

 

That's what I was wondering

 

No need to push the clutch all the way down. With practice, you can feel with your foot when the engine slips from the gearbox -- that's all that's needed. Leads to quicker, smoother shifts with less stress on the driveline.

When I got this car, the lack of engine inertia shocked me. This thing drops RPMs like a stone -- needs lightning-quick shifts... but with smooth, deft touch.. no need to be bangin' gears.

 

I friggin drive it like i stold it

 

So do I. Just with a light touch. I've found I can go quicker that way. 3 beeps a day keeps the carbon away...

 

Hard on the gas, firm on the wheel (not tight), quick with the clutch and gentle with the shifter(AFE snickdealio). Rev-match downshifts, heel and toe into the tight corners and an occasional double-clutch to make things interesting. No high RPM clutch drops and no slamming gears.

Shift at the beep.

 

"Have you any idea what it's like to have the wind rushing through your hair?............He has."