[mwie]

Most of the "modern" cars have this safety feature I think! The thing is that if you put the first gear in at lets say 70 km/h you wll blow your motor to pieces ;-)

So there is a mechanical whatsoever that prevents you from shifting to the first gear at to high speeds...

The E90 has it, yes!

mwie

[akhbhaat]

Originally Posted by fusionnv

This is what I know, correct me if I am wrong or won't apply to the 325i.
1) One i gotta find the "catch point" after starting the car in netural, I am down on the clutch (after the push start), shift into 1st and then slowly lift up the clutch till the car moves very slowly. Then slowly press gas on the car to get the car moving and then let go clutch / gas the car more to match.

What you've described is a process known as "feathering" the clutch; this is a good way to become familiar with the clutch's engagement and general feel. It with works with torquey engines and in cars with automatic chokes; do not try it in a 4 cylinder Honda unless you enjoy stalling.

What it is not, is a good way to start the car moving quickly when in traffic. I recommend revving the engine BEFORE releasing the clutch to the engagement point. Say, 1500-2000 rpm is usually acceptable in a BMW six pot. You will able to release the clutch much quicker (thus causing less wear, done right) and the car will respond to clutch engagement with considerably more enthusiasm, greatly reducing your chances of stalling. You'll still want to apply more throttle as you feather the clutch, of course, just not much.

2) To shift after first, I step on Clutch ALL THE WAY and then shift to 2nd and gas to match.

No, not necessarily.

-You only need press the clutch beyond the engagement point. Given that most cars (including the E90, if my test drive was any indication) have moderately large pedal travels, this means pushing it only as far as halfway is usually sufficient. However, being an inexperienced driver, I would recommend pushing it to the stop anyway.

-Unless you're a particularly leisurely or slow shifter, using the throttle to match revs should not be required in the early gears. You simply engage the clutch as the engine naturally falls through the appropriate RPM. It's a matter of timing, really. If I can do this in my E46 with an 8.5 lb flywheel in every shift except 4-5 (which is still possible but requires a shift so fast that it's ridiculous to bother during normal driving), you can certainly do it with the factory dual-mass flywheel in your E90.

3) To come to complete stop, clutch, shift to N and then brake.

Always stay in gear where possible. Ideally, you'd downshift before decelerating (so that the power is available to you should you need it - and also, because without throttle the engine will place drag upon the drivetrain which further helps you to slow the car), but this is not always necessary, especially in heavy traffic whereupon you would have nowhere to go anyway.

If anything, at least leave the car in the gear you were cruising in while braking. There is no need to use the clutch unless the engine is in danger of stalling.

Things I am not sure about
1) If i though I was coming to a stop but changed my mind in N. What do I do? Shift back into a gear?
2) How to slow down in traffic?

I am not really looking anything fancy (downshifting etc) to do until I do some practice.

1) To put the car back into gear properly, you're going to have to learn how to downshift. A proper downshift involves matching the revs with the clutch disengaged to the road speed of the car in the gear you intend to downshift into. E.g. You want to shift from 3rd into 2nd while traveling 40 mph. In my E46 (which is probably geared in a way very similar to that of your E90), 40 mph in 3rd is in the vicinity of 3000 rpm. 40 mph in 2nd would be close to 4000. To execute the shift (I usually double-clutch for fun, but I'll skip that for the sake of simplicity - it's really unnecessary in a modern car), I would press the clutch in, move the gear lever into 2nd, rev the engine to 4000, and release the clutch. The process remains the same regardless of which gear you choose; the RPM (obviously) does change, however.

Do NOT listen to anybody who tells you that downshifting is as simple as releasing the clutch with the shifter in the chosen gear. They are wrong. That technique, for some reason, is widely practiced, yet places considerable strain upon the clutch and the entire drivetrain. It is a sloppy, improper way to downshift, so do not do it.

I'm assuming you don't want me to get into such things as heel-toe, double-clutching, or even clutchless shifting.

2) Use the brakes!

[itsmerd]

Originally Posted by quackman

The reason, I'm told, that one shouldn't hold the clutch in while stopped for a long period of time is because even when your foot is pushing the clutch pedal, the flywheel and the driveshaft(are those the two things that go together that the clutch pedal controls? I just took it from someone else in the thread.) aren't completely apart like one might think- they're actually rubbing eachother slightly which causes excess heat.

Well you are right that keeping the car into gear at a stop causes a bit more wear out. But, don't worry cars nowadays are built to resist that. The thing that would (little) more wear out is the pressure bearing (I'm not sure if this is the right word). But from my extensive experience within all levels of the car industry I can tell that it will absolutely be no problem to keep car in first gear during a stop at for example a traffic light. Car manufacturers develop their cars in a way that this kind of usage will not be a problem. Excessive heat as you question will never come into a danger zone.
As the discussion in this forum provides you with many opinions it might be a good idea to take an hour driving lessons or even take part in a driving course where experienced people will take the time to let you get used to a manual transmission and explain you all the do's and don'ts. Because to be honest, reading all the advises, I think you will be getting more and more unsure of the fact if you would ever start driving in a manual transm. car. I wish you happy and safe driving!!

[akhbhaat]

Originally Posted by itsmerd

Well you are right that keeping the car into gear at a stop causes a bit more wear out. But, don't worry cars nowadays are built to resist that. The thing that would (little) more wear out is the pressure bearing (I'm not sure if this is the write word).!!

Throw-out bearing. But you're correct in stating that it probably won't wear out. It's far more likely to exhaust the life of the clutch disc before that of the throw-out bearing, though an easy general rule is that once one goes, the other probably won't be far behind, so a clutch change is necessary in either situation.

[CC 330i]

Originally Posted by riku

People are taught different methods in different countries. I learned to drive in the UK and I was taught to put the car in neutral and the handbrake on when at traffic lights. This is because if someone bumps you from behind your foot will come off the clutch and if you have the car in gear then you'll hit the car in front - who will then bump the car in front etc. If there's someone crossing the road in front of you then you'll have a big dent in your bonnet too.

That's funny... My friend from the UK told me that over there if you try to cross the road in front of a car (and there is not a red light for the car) they will run you down before letting you cross. Here in the states, we (usually) yield for the silly pedestrian even if they don't have the right of way. (If for no other reason, it is less bloody than being "right" and running them down). So it is amusing to me that they place such an emphasis on putting on the handbrake on in neutral at a traffic light in the UK. My friend from the UK certainly doesn't do this. It seems like it would take distracted drivers an extra 5 seconds or so to get going again when the light changes. This would make me want to run into the back of them!

[CC 330i]

Originally Posted by akhbhaat

Throw-out bearing. But you're correct in stating that it probably won't wear out. It's far more likely to exhaust the life of the clutch disc before that of the throw-out bearing, though an easy general rule is that once one goes, the other probably won't be far behind, so a clutch change is necessary in either situation.

Correct, the throwout bearing is what is used to hold the clutch "open" when the clutch is depressed. The clutch friction plates, however, will not wear at all in this situation as long as the clutch is FULLY DEPRESSED. Do not "ride your clutch" when driving around (by keeping your foot lightly on the pedal when not shifting) and do not hold your car on hills by letting the clutch slip a little bit with the clutch pedal halfway pressed. (the new 3 has the hill hold feature which uses the brakes to hold the car on a hill when taking off, which might help you).

Think of the clutch like a brake but the opposite. When you are drving down the road in gear, foot off the clutch, the clutch is firmly locked and there is no friction because the flywheel and clutch are spinning at the same speed. When the pedal is to the floor (in), the brake (or friction) is released (freely spinning). There is no wear happening on the clutch at all with the clutch pedal either all the way to the floor or all the way up. Part way up from the floor, there is a friction point, and when you are learning to drive manual, you have to find that friction point, and learn to slip it just enough at this friction point so that you don't stall or peel out. Too much pedal and not enough gas, you stall. Too much accelerator, and you will peel out (chirp the tires). (DSC probably would not allow a full on peel out, so you will probably just stall).

Just like you would not JAM the brakes on and lock them up every time you want to come to a smooth stop, you have to ease the clutch pedal up from the floor until it engages the friction point a bit while adding a little bit of accelerator pedal (not too much) until the car is moving forward and the clutch stops slipping. Then take your foot off the pedal until it is time to shift again. Don't keep your foot on the clutch pedal at all unless you are in the process of shifiting or starting out from a stop. (there are some exceptions to this (speed shifting), but just make sure the clutch is ALL THE WAY OUT if you have your foot on it and not shifting). If not, you will wear your clutch out very fast. Good rule of thumb, if you have worn out a clutch before at least 100,000 miles have passed, you probably let your clutch slip too much, or you do some serious drag racing on a regular basis.

Too many people out there "ride the clutch". Just like you would not want to "ride your brakes" as you drive down the highway, don't even put your foot on the clutch unless you are : A) at a stop and in 1st gear waiting to take off B) taking off from a stop or C) shifting from gear to gear. If you can drive an automatic, you already know how to smoothly modulate the brake pedal, and it is pretty much the same thing with the left foot (but in reverse) on the clutch pedal.

I once had to drive my 84 GTI with no clutch (the cable broke) and you can shift without the clutch, but I don't recommend it!

[riku]

Originally Posted by CC 330i

That's funny... My friend from the UK told me that over there if you try to cross the road in front of a car (and there is not a red light for the car) they will run you down before letting you cross. Here in the states, we (usually) yield for the silly pedestrian even if they don't have the right of way. (If for no other reason, it is less bloody than being "right" and running them down). So it is amusing to me that they place such an emphasis on putting on the handbrake on in neutral at a traffic light in the UK. My friend from the UK certainly doesn't do this. It seems like it would take distracted drivers an extra 5 seconds or so to get going again when the light changes. This would make me want to run into the back of them!

Well you can easily tell who's got their car in gear and foot on the brakes at traffic lights because the brake lights will be on. At home in Finland almost everyone has their brakelights on at red traffic lights, in UK it's more like 20% of the cars stopped.
As for drivers stopping for pedestrians, i've found UK is one of the more polite places for drivers stopping (eg at pedestrian crossings where there are white bars across the road for pedestrians to cross on). Finland is quite bad - drivers will speed up instead of slow down ! Norway is really nice like UK, so to is Austria. In Paris the pedestrians walk across, red lights or not and it's them getting angry at the car drivers if the cars don't stop (even if the car has a green light !).