[sbasak]

Though it is advisable to always start from first gear when moving from standstill, I've seen many people start from second gear (especially when waiting in traffice light).

For modern engines with high torque it is often possible to start in 2nd gear.

So, what do you do and what is your opinion on this?

[fash_1]

I normally start in first gear, but when in slow moving traffic, i start in second. When i move from a signal, i start from first, dont want my car to stall in a signal, and everyone behind me to honk like mad at me.

[CaliforniaKnight]

I always get the car moving in 1st gear....I might be wrong but I always feel that the car is strained when you force it to move in 2nd gear from a standstill.

[revtech]

from rest I ALWAYS START IN FIRST. thats what first gear is made for !! and the moment i start rolling say at about 7-10 Km/hr i shift to second.and while inching in traffic it depends if its reall really slow moving then its first gear but if its at a slow pace but still over 5 km/hr i stay in second and half clutch at times.i know its bad but it doesn make sence shifting to first and then again after 3-4 seconds shifting to second.


but i have noticed one thing.when i drive in the nights when the signals are normally off i slow down just before the intersection.at this point of time i have almost stopped so my speed is really low but still at times its difficult to shift to first.the gear just doesnt slot in easily...the speed at this time is beween 5-15 km/hr but still it doesn.any reason why ??


Rev

[speedsatya]

its always first gear to start from rest ...even when its speed breakers ...i stop thecar and then use first gear to go over ...can be done using 2nd ,3rd ,4th ,5th or watever gears ....but then u have to ride the clutch ...clutch shud be used only when changing gears or when starting fron rest

[adya33]

Firs gear for almost 99% of times
just 1% for those idiotic days

Originally Posted by speedsatya

clutch shud be used only when changing gears or when starting fron rest

yeah right
don't forget that when wheelspining

[sbasak]

i stay in second and half clutch at times

I also sometime have to do the same - especially in wavy roads (in 2nd gear). I know half-clutch is bad practice but can't help. If I leave foot of the clutch completely the car (Alto VX) jerks or worse still engine shuts off.
I am inquisitive about the half-clutch thing. Is it that it's completely possible to avoid half clutch (even in bad roads) using better driving and/or powerful car - or it is inevitable in Indian roads?
Its not always the case that moving in 2nd gear puts wear on engine. It all depends on torque. If the engine can produce enough torque to pull the car on level ground (and gear ratio between 1st & 2nd is not much), moving on 2nd gear should be fine. But majority of A/B segment Indian cars don't produce such high torque at low RPM.

[goswami.j]

Originally Posted by sbasak

I also sometime have to do the same - especially in wavy roads (in 2nd gear). I know half-clutch is bad practice but can't help. If I leave foot of the clutch completely the car (Alto VX) jerks or worse still engine shuts off.
I am inquisitive about the half-clutch thing. Is it that it's completely possible to avoid half clutch (even in bad roads) using better driving and/or powerful car - or it is inevitable in Indian roads?
Its not always the case that moving in 2nd gear puts wear on engine. It all depends on torque. If the engine can produce enough torque to pull the car on level ground (and gear ratio between 1st & 2nd is not much), moving on 2nd gear should be fine. But majority of A/B segment Indian cars don't produce such high torque at low RPM.

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With the modern MPFI engines you dont need to use the cluch even when you are crawling. I regularly use the brake with no accelerator on my wagon-r lxi in traffic , uless of course coming to a stop !!!
The processor will take care tha you do not stall.. no need to use the clutch at all...

[speedsatya]

also at lower speeds ,say 20 kph its possible to go in 5th or 4th gear ...for this u have to be careful not to try to accelerate suddenly ...as trying to do so with cause knocking ....instead if u acclerate slowly the car will move ahead ....but it wont pain the car if u shift into lower gears at lower speeds

[Samurai]

Always start on 1st gear, anything else you are riding the clutch.

The only gear where I would half-clutch is 1st gear. That's because sometimes we are forced to drive at 1Kmph. Otherwise I never ride the clutch in any other gear. In my early days of stick shift (mid 90s), I spoilt the clutch plate within 6000Kms of driving. Those days I used to ride the clutch at any gear, that's how I was taught by the stupid instructor at Deccan Driving school. Never again.

[ramkya1]

I always use 1st gear when the car is at a dead stop, when it moves I immediately slot it to 2nd.

When there is a climb ..... like a ramp from my underground parking to the level ground...... I use 1st again most of the way, it would be irritating to slide back and bump into someone behind you; if I am in 2nd during a climb I'll have to gun the engine to climb through.

Again that depends on the laden weight; if its just me, I can slot in the 2nd quicker, if the car is laden I need to move longer on 1st gear.......

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[tsk1979]

Always the first, though as an experiment I have tried 4th gear too. It works in tata indica with lots of difficulty. But first it is for normal because any other gear it would take ages to reach any respectable speed

[Zappo]

I would say that 1st gear it is when I start rolling from standstill. There is that very small aberation, when I am standing on a downwards slope (even if the gradient is very less) and have to start moving I at times start straight from 2nd. At other times I prefer not to lug the engine and strain the clutch.

Half clutch though a bad thing at times is inevitable. When you have to stop all of a sudden on a steep slope and then have to start moving you need to do half clutch. If you do not do so the moment you take your foot off the brake pedal the car will roll backwards and may even hit something. This is when you need to use half-clutch trick to "hold" the car for that brief period till you start pressing the accel pedal.

@Ravetech, tell me about this 1st gear problem... My car never had this thing (problem?) till it came back from its 1st service last week. All of a sudden I find that if I try to shift to the 1st gear at any speed above 5kmph the lever simply refuses to budge!! I do not know what has happened. Maybe some trick they incorporated to prolong the clutch life?! I don't know.

[DCEite]

Originally Posted by goswami.j

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With the modern MPFI engines you dont need to use the cluch even when you are crawling. I regularly use the brake with no accelerator on my wagon-r lxi in traffic , uless of course coming to a stop !!!
The processor will take care tha you do not stall.. no need to use the clutch at all...

ehem... excuse me, me too drive a wagonr lxi.. but my car stops if i do that...

[CaliforniaKnight]

Hi buddy the car will come to a stand still