[greendream]

Driving a manual car like an automatic in the city can be interesting.

Now let us keep aside the bumper to bumper traffic situations here. Normal city driving conditions need not be a nightmare if some good driving practises, understanding of your cars power band and some common sense, all come together. Things like avoiding meaningless lane changes, anticipating slow down and refraining from upshifts, understanding engine breaking, knowing your cars low end, can help.

In this day and age, automatics are the way to go in the urban jungle. Reasons are galore. Some might be..

1. Our never ending traffic jams and the resulting B2B Drive. Absolutely agreed.

2. A feeling that manuals are oldschool. Take the new age tech of automatic where available. (Don’t laugh, not everyone knows about the birth and evolution of automatics)

3. Driving happens to be yet another activity, sometimes a mundane one, so make it as easy as possible. (Only a few have an inherent love for machines and operating them)

4. People today are in such high levels of stress, thanks to the pace of the times we are living in. Manual cars would only increase the stress.Let me at least get from one point to another in a relaxed manner. TC,CVT,AMT..whatever.

5. What if my driver doesn’t turn up? I can’t yell or be yelled at in the jungle. While I am trying to do that, let the transmission at least spare me.

The list can go on but, let me end it here.

How do YOU drive your MANUAL car like AN AUTOMATIC?
Keep pouring your experiences.

P.s.- there are some who curse their manual car purchase but, provided their daily drive has just a few jams, thanks to your tips they can go a little easy on themselves.

[avisidhu]

Good topic.

I have observed most people upshifting at the slightest bump in RPMs. Which quite obviously negates leveraging either engine braking, or point and shoot overtaking maneuvers. A simple change in this habit can make life easier for most manual drivers.

Another is anticipation on road, something that surprisingly comes to a very few. Keeping an eye on vehicle 1 or 2 cars ahead of you is enough to avoid most surprises. I am so attuned to this by now, that I instinctively move away from taller vehicles in front of me.

That being said, the traffic situation in most major cities is so bad that nothing at all can help alleviate excessive clutch usage, so switching to automatic is increasingly the only logical option nowadays.

[Turbohead]

One logical way to drive a manual like an automatic is to avoid rush hours like plague! It actually makes the drive refreshing and the stress is reduced by 80%
Forgetting about mileage and using more of the rev band is also another way to reduce the number of gear changes. Which means you should stick to the 1st gear alone while driving in slow moving traffic.
Another way to enjoy driving a manual is to resign from your job in the big city and accept a simpler life in a small town. While you may not have much to look forward to, atleast nobody will miss those crawl fests for sure!

[padmrajravi]

Most high capacity diesels with low end torque behave like an automatic in 3rd gear. In my Cruze , I could manage with only the third gear in the city. With some clutch modulation, it was possible to start in third gear and go up till 80 in the same gear. Of course, the clutch life will be affected. But I did drive like this in my last clutch from about 90k to 1.2 lakh kms after which I sold it.

[Who_are_you]

I always use correct gear and do not recommend engine lugging. It's bad for clutch life. Better to use a converter kit to convert car to AMT.



Earlier discussion related to this topic

Is it possible to drive without riding the clutch in India?
Changing gears without using the clutch
Convert a manual transmission car to Automatic?
How to drive properly in stop & go traffic?


Cheers!

[nikhilthegunner]

On a downhill slope, if there's slow moving traffic what I do is just put the car in neutral and let it coast down. Basically let gravity do the work till I get to level ground. After that I put the car in gear, let go of the clutch till I get the required momentum from the engine, then slot the car in neutral and let it coast again.

[Sutripta]

Choose one gear, say second, and stick to it. Don't bother about burning the clutch, lugging the engine, or overrevving it. The reduction in mental stress should be worth all the other problems.

Regards
Sutripta

[suku_patel_22]

In my friend's Vento 1.6TDI, the car can easily pull itself without using the accelerator.

I usually use just the clutch and brake to navigate my way in B2B traffic. Slowly releasing the clutch in 1st gear would get it going till about 10Kmph, shifting to 2nd takes it to ~20 and so on.

Peace of two pedal driving in a manual.

[sgiitk]

I must say the title of the thread confused me. Wait for EVs. They will have two pedal motoring as the norm. Of course I have seen folk cribbing about the 45 minutes or so which a recharge will take. I thought that going in for a cup of coffee is the logical way.

Also, we need some chargers which are roving, so that we are no forced to 'reserve' about 20% of the juice for emergencies.

[Rajeevraj]

In my opinion I don't think it is feasible to sustain some of the practices mentioned here over a period of time without compromising on some aspect of the vehicle or personal safety. There is a reason for all those gears. If one wants to drive like an automatic, better to buy a proper automatic.

[swissknife]

Originally Posted by nikhilthegunner

On a downhill slope, if there's slow moving traffic what I do is just put the car in neutral and let it coast down. Basically let gravity do the work till I get to level ground. After that I put the car in gear, let go of the clutch till I get the required momentum from the engine, then slot the car in neutral and let it coast again.

This is the last thing that one should do while going downhill!!
Staying one gear lower gives better traction and engine braking as well.

[Lightning2]

HI Green dream
The Topic itself is misleading and Vague.

The extra effort in driving a Manual car ( vis-a-vis AUTO tranny) is on Pressing the Clutch Pedal sufficiently down and gradually Releasing the Clutch pedal against the Spring action of Pressure plates.

You can ignore Gear Lever, but you can not do without using the Clutch pedal.

Gear lever is not the bone of contention in manual tranny cars in heavy traffic conditions, its the CLUTH PEDAL.
Also please note that there is no limit to Abusing and misusing a Car to save Individual physical and mental efforts. As a BHPian we encourage sensible driving, proper usage and maintenance.

Please Delete you post.

Thanks

Originally Posted by greendream

How do YOU drive your MANUAL car like AN AUTOMATIC?
Keep pouring your experiences.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I must say the title of the thread confused me.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

In my opinion I don't think it is feasible to sustain some of the practices mentioned here over a period of time without compromising on some aspect of the vehicle or personal safety

[Durango Dude]

I like both: dropped my daughter at college on two consecutive days, first day I took my City CVT and it was a smooth 22 kms drive. The next day I took my trusty 14 year old Elantra (petrol-manual) and it was great. There is always a sense of satisfaction after piloting a manual vis-à-vis an automatic and must say my "old flame" behaved impeccably as she always does, asking me not to give her away. The pleasure is inversely proportional to the density of traffic.

[nikhilthegunner]

Originally Posted by swissknife

This is the last thing that one should do while going downhill!!
Staying one gear lower gives better traction and engine braking as well.

Right sorry my mistake, I should have said light slopes. Not proper downhill slopes where it is absolutely necessary to stay in gear. Thanks for pointing that out!

[greendream]

Some members opined that the title is confusing, so this elucidation from my end.

In our official reviews, whenever a cars drivability permits, it is stated that the said car although a manual one can be driven like an automatic in say 3rd gear from xkmph to xkmph. This led me to think deeply and resulted in changing my driving style in the city, all the while adhering to everyones safety. I am sure my stress levels and my cars too have come down as a result. In this spirit I have started this thread.

Originally Posted by avisidhu

Good topic.

I have observed most people upshifting at the slightest bump in RPMs. Which quite obviously negates leveraging either engine braking, or point and shoot overtaking maneuvers. A simple change in this habit can make life easier for most manual drivers.

Another is anticipation on road, something that surprisingly comes to a very few. Keeping an eye on vehicle 1 or 2 cars ahead of you is enough to avoid most surprises.
.

two very valid points. Up shifting too early apart from losing the advantages you mentioned, also warrants a earlier downshift in our congested cities. Clutch wear and mileage loss guaranteed. Instead i stay in the same gear, maintain acceptable rpms, drive like an automatic and remember my upshift when things permit. Anticipation helps us plan to whether upshift or maintain the same gear.

Originally Posted by Turbohead

One logical way to drive a manual like an automatic is to avoid rush hours like plague! It actually makes the drive refreshing and the stress is reduced by 80%

very well put. Seems impossible but doable. I know some people who schedule their appointments avoiding peak hours.

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Most high capacity diesels with low end torque behave like an automatic in 3rd gear. In my Cruze , I could manage with only the third gear in the city.

Yes, I have done that. Proves those big engines can be fun on highways and also in the city. My 1st gen Figo being a smaller engine with its city friendly gearing ratios was a boon.3rd gear was employed most times for extended periods in moderate traffic.Felt i was driving an automatic. But I wouldn’t start off in 3rd gear though whatever the engine capacity.

Originally Posted by suku_patel_22

In my friend's Vento 1.6TDI, the car can easily pull itself without using the accelerator.

I usually use just the clutch and brake to navigate my way in B2B traffic. Slowly releasing the clutch in 1st gear would get it going till about 10Kmph, shifting to 2nd takes it to ~20 and so on.

Great to know that you use that “creep” function in a manual car. Most diesels today allow us to do that.

Originally Posted by Lightning2

HI Green dream
The Topic itself is misleading and Vague.

Also please note that there is no limit to Abusing and misusing a Car to save Individual physical and mental efforts. As a BHPian we encourage sensible driving, proper usage and maintenance.

Please Delete you post.

Thanks

This is the 1st paragraph of my post explaining the topic.

Now let us keep aside the bumper to bumper traffic situations here. Normal city driving conditions need not be a nightmare if some good driving practises, understanding of your cars power band and some common sense, all come together. Things like avoiding meaningless lane changes, anticipating slow down and refraining from upshifts, understanding engine breaking, knowing your cars low end, can help.

What do you find misleading and vague? Can you please explain?

Good practices can eliminate stress of driving a manual in our congested cities. Things to avoid and understanding of the car I spoke of, contributes to sensible driving, proper usage and maintenance you are speaking of. Please understand that.