How to shift efficiently

[Simsims]

and btw to the ignorant cocky bastards up top

try driving 1M fast in shanghai.

[Ender_]

Originally Posted by Simsims

and btw to the ignorant cocky bastards up top

Are you referring to me?

[mild7]

Originally Posted by ///BYU

robertm had a good post on this topic here:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...5#post11186965

I thought it was very helpful advice. (Thanks robertm!). I think this might have been the original source for the article:

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_shifting

Enjoy your 1M!

Thanks to you and the original author- robertM!
I found that shifting from 1-2 takes more time than the rest. I was looking for answers to that, after reading this post I will just try to smooth it and by practicing I am sure I will get that perfect.

[Fundahl]

Yeah man just take your time. I'd rather see you burn the clutch than ruin the synchros! And you don't really ever need to shift back into first unless you come to a stop or are at parking lot speeds. First is the trickiest one to rev match properly.

Most of the light driving I do in my 1M I just use my fingers/palm and kind of gently but quickly shove it in the proper direction. The 1M shifts so easy its just amazing to me. Try driving my 300zx at 24 psi and getting a clean shift with its dying synchros, the 1M gearbox makes it as effortless as breathing!

[cjswee]

Originally Posted by Ender_

Sorry guys but the criticism is justified. The 1M just like any sports car should not be someone's first car or first 6spd(5spd) . You lack respect for the car then.
There is no excuse for not knowing the basics at this point.

The criticism is not justified. No one cares what your ideas of proper car progression is and with that attitude I'm sure you'll make lots of friends here; I guess you know everything. You lack respect for the forum. There is no excuse for being a prick.

[EmmDrei]

@mild7: If you want to see perfect H-pattern shifting, watch the video below. That is the owner of the racing team that prepares my 325, driving around the Nordschleife in my car. He can shift to perfection. Very smooth shifts, yet very fast. He never "forces" the stick. In his own car, he usually shifts by just holding the stick with thumb and forefinger (the advantage is, that that way you cannot apply force - especially important in a racecar with shortshift when shiftig... it's to easy to slam into a wrong gear, when up- or downshifting if you simply force the gears).

The only way, that you can keep your foot on the gas when upshifting is, when you are in a car where the ignition is cut, when you move the gearlever. Most non stock racecars are setup that way. If you do that in a stock car without the ignition being cut, you will hit the rev limiter immediately and in the small gears (1, 2, 3), I would be willing to bet, that your clutch and/or driveshafts will not take that kind of beating for long. When downshifting the idea would never make sense and would kill clutch and gearbox at an amazing speed.

Smooth and precise is fast. Everything else kills the equipement, nothing else.

The video:

[Aetey]

Originally Posted by mild7

Thanks, I just want to confirm this "no gas when shift up".
although I felt it is more smooth to maitain a bit gas especially from 3-4

You most certainly don't want to keep the gas down when shifting up, the method described above is most definetly the correct way to shift.

Don't mind the overweening trolls, get in your car and drive it. Practice makes perfect and you'll have it down in no time. Once you're confident, go on to the next level

[dorkdog]

I'm no stranger to being beaten up for the car I drive either. I'd love to drive an M, any M, once or twice but where I drive it doesn't make sense. My 128 does make sense. To me. Apparently I am some poor slob who cannot afford a 135 or 1M and had to 'settle' for a 128, which we all have been told is not really a BMW at all.

I too have driven stick for many years, and had some difficulties with the 128 at first. As far as MY experience, when shifting up the RPMs will drop based on the gear ratio - your RPMs should decrease at the same approximate ratio. RPMs decrease based on throttle response, and this is where different cars can be a challenge at first. Pull off the gas too quickly, and the slope of the RPM decrease may take the RPMs below that required to maintin speed and 'pick up' the momentum. Of course, because of that momentum, this issue is more salient in the lower gear changes.

Downshifting, what has always worked for me is to simply maintain pedal position and do a quick shift before the RPMs increase too high - again, based on throttle response. Downshifting, I pop the clutch and then release it in the lower gear after enough time has passed to where the slope of the throttle response has increased the RPMs to the correct value for speed continuity in the 'new' gear.

It pays to know your gear ratios. For instance, it is possible to force the engine into overspeed by downshifting at too high an RPM. Knowing the ratios allows you to determine a max downshift RPM (and approximate speed) for each gear.

I must add that I learned to drive a stick on a 1963 Volkswagen that had had no clutch for years. My dad taught me how to drive that car by matching the synchros; up until 1980-something I don't think I ever used the clutch in any of my cars. Newer technology makes this practice nearly impossible nowadays.

Don't pay any attention to these clowns who misread your post. It's obvious that you have driven a stick before; I think your question is reasonable but you've got a few folks around here that wish they had your car and will find any way possible to make themselves feel better by belittling you and your question. Noob to BMW not equal to Noob driving.

For more success, I would consider wording the question differently. In order to stroke some of these folks and their flaming egos, make it clear that you are asking The Gods for their opinion...."How, in the vastness of your experience and excellence, do YOU find it best to...?"

[Em/1]

Originally Posted by Ender_

Do I really need to answer some of these, common sense not so common?

You should not learn to drive stick on a 1M:

-The car, while well built, will not take the same abuse as a lower power output car. The transmission is not made to take that kind of abuse (not pushing it hard but shifting wrong abuse)

-You can make a much bigger mess of things in a higher performing car then you can in a small little Honda or something of the like.

-I have serious concerns that this guy has any understanding of how an engine or transmission works. Anyone I've taught to drive a manual gets a lesson on how it works so they understand why it reacts the way it does when you do something wrong.

-Its also a stupid question because you can just go out and try it, mild7 let us know how it goes when you shift without taking your foot off the gas
Or just watch this...

As I said before go take some lessons - that's the best advice anyone here can give - and what I said in my first post.

I come in on the side that these negative responses reflect poorly on the Forum. I taught 3 youngsters (my sons and a nephew) how to drive a stick with my 3rd gen 300+ hp RX7 and there is no doubt that it was a MUCH more challenging beginner's vehicle than the 1M, both in terms of lousy low end torque and a much more fragile drivetrain. All did just fine with no damage to car or egos. Stalling out or even crunching in low power situations just isn't that big of a deal. All you really need to tell our friend is to practice a lot before attempting shifts under high performance situations and to especially avoid high power applications when clutch partially engaged. I say welcome to a very lucky group which is mostly helpful and friendly!