Ok tomorrow i am going to go test drive a 00 Trans Am and it is a stick, and i have absolutly very little experience driving a manual. the last time i drove one was probably five years ago. anyway what speeds do you guys shift gears at. how about downshifting, and advice on starting out on a hill. sorry for such stupid questions i just havent really every driven one.


Thanks
Jr

 

I dont know about everyone else but I shift at about 3 grand when Im just normal driving. I used to have an old beat up jeep and shift was kind of tricky, so compared to these powerful cars you can shift almost anytime and your not going to have any problems like bogging or anything.

 

When starting on a hill the key is not to panic, take your foot off the brake and give it some gas around 1800rpm-2000 and smoothly but quickly let your foot off the clutch, the motor has plenty of power to pull. When to shift is total preference, depends on whether or not your looking for good fuel economy or not, I'm usually not, and with a nice loud exhaust I usually can't resist to give it a little rpm and shift it around 3500 rpm. But you can shift, once moving, into any gear 1000 rpms and up. Downshifting as well is preference, it will wear your clutch out quicker but if you like the whine and exhaust note produced by a downshift then go for it, I do when I want to let some ricer know "hey I'm over here loser!"

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99 SS, Dark Metallic Blue, M6
SLP lid, KN, TBB, SLP Y-pipe, SLP loudmouth
ported MAFs, Nitto 315 DRs
Currently: 1/4 13.06@113.8 (gtech runs high in mph by about 4mph), 0-60 4.77 (w/passenger) Gtech'd
12.99@110.2, 2.06 60ft - Tazzo.
Also, 331 rwhp as measured on the Gtech

 

Sweet thanks alot for the help guys!!!!

Jr

 

I just got my Z-28 less than 3 weeks ago and the other day I was doing a u-turn stopped on a very steep hill and stalled it which was imbarrassing. I have never done that before in 10+ years of driving stick. I was affraid of burning up the clutch if giving it a lot of gas or buringout. I just used the parking brake method. These cars have so much lowend torque and close ratio trans that I almost never have to downshift. You can go 15mph around a turn in third gear without lugging the motor.

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2002, M-6 Blk with grey
leather,hurst
shifter,3.42 gears with
with ASR and power
everything,500 watt
stereo with cd stacker

 

When driving the SS I pretty much shift on feel. However the 3K mark is a very good point to shift in your situation. Good luck and enjoy the test drive!

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Shift at 5800rpms...Just stab the clutch let off the gas a touch and pull that motha back hard... Downshifting? Yea do that before the turn... I live on the steepest hill in the city here, just start off like you would anywhere else its not a big deal...

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97 LT1 6spd TA Silver

98 LS1 6spd TA...Mystic teal
Mods-
Moser 12-bolt 33spline axles, larger wheels studs, Auburn Posi, and 3.73s
Kenny Brown Double Diamonds
Global West Lower Control Arms
Global West Panhard rod
McLeod Twin Disk Cluth w/ Adjustable Master Cylinder
Flowmaster Muffler
Cutout

92 CAMARO Z28 HERITAGE PACKAGE- T56 TRANS, CAM, COMPUTER, FRESH PAINT (RED WITH BLACK STRIPES)FOR SALE!!!

 

For daily driving, I shift as follows:

1-2 @ 3,000 RPM

2-3 @ 3,000 RPM

3-4 @ 2,500 RPM

Leave it in 4th unless I'm on the interstate


As for starting on a hill, you just learn how to do it after a while. While learning, you can cheat by using the hand brake to help hold the car while you get your feet to do their thing. Eventually you won't rely on the hand brake.



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2001 TransAm WS6, M6 3.42
HPP, TBB, 160* t-stat, MTI Lid, Holley PowerShot, Flowmaster 80, Port/Polish MAF

www.BlackWS6.com

2001 Z28
-- R.I.P. - 06/25/02

 

easy drivin i shift around 2k.
on a hill, if necasary(never knew how to spell that damm wurd ) i let the clutch out a little while still holding the brake, then just give it gaSS.

oh and its real easy to spin the tires u barely have to rev it!! so much FUN!!

 

sweet thanks alot...

Jr

 

hey BTW, what are you paying for insurance after your accident?

If you haven't driven a manual in 5 years and your going to test drive a TA, your test drive ins't going to be fun.

 

Upshift ...
at 2K-2.5K under normal conditions

Downshift ...
rev match with heel-toe.
Don't know what that means?
Then push in the clutch, mash the brake pedal, when car stops, go to 1st gear.

On a hill?
It's all in the feel of the clutch and knowing how far to release the pedal to find the engagement point.

 

There was no change in the premium because of the accident. My insurance did go up $10 a year for upgrading from the Z28 to the T/A.

In Tennessee, it's illegal for an insurance company to increase your premium for an accident which you were ruled not at fault. Since the wreck in the Z28 wasn't my fault, they can't raise my premium.

 

I too have only been driving my 6 speed ls1 for a few weeks now. I haven't driven a stick in a long time and it was in a honda civic for only a month I've noticed that when I shift in between gears alot in stop and go area's between 3rd and 2nd, or 4th, and 3rd, I can feel like the gear kick me out, like the movement of something's pushing me out.. I can force the gear into place and ignore this resistance. But If I want for it to stop rejecting me I usually have to try to shift in once or twice. I am at the right range to change into this gear.. I have a pro 5.0 short shifter.. so getting the hang of quickly shifting and downshifting was a 20 minute job... but what the heck is that feeling of the gear pushing me out when its at a perfectly normal 2500-3000 rpm to downshift into.

And just another quick question.. is there any other way to keep your car from banging and barking downshifting into 3rd at 55 with 4.10 gears without first winding the car out before going into gear? I'm not too much worried about it breaking anything with the rough downshifting, bought the car with a strange 12 bolt.. but I'm sure it can't be as good on the cars drivetrain as other methods of driving..

-Josh