How to Change Gear SMOOTHLY in a Manual Car / Stick Shift

Driving smoothly in a manual / stick shift car can be a little tricky to get right. Whether it's the timing of the clutch or the gear shift itself there is quite a bit to get wrong. With a few tips you can make it a little easier on yourself, your car and your passengers whilst driving!

Thank you for watching and let me know what you'd like to see in future videos in the comments.
Cheers! Alex

Outro: Summer Shredding - Poseidon
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Useful Items for Your Car! (Affiliate links below, I get a cut, and it supports the channel!)

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[floofytown]

It's weird, even after like 12 years of driving stick every day, I still have some days where I just can't shift smoothly to save my life...and other days where I feel like God Of The Shift and everything just clicks. I live for those good days.

[renerios]

Love throwing my passengers around lol.

[jaymillard]

the only problem i have is changing up into 2nd gear, its just jerky.

[Fisky-wwee]

When I change gears my driving instructor moves all over 🤣

[nathanellis]

Thank you for one of the most clear and comprehensive videos on the internet. As a progressing manual driver, your video concisely explained the little things I was still wondering about in an understandable way without wasting time.

[HarvssLadd]

Started my driving lessons 4 weeks ago and was struggling with gear changing. Gonna put these tips to use tomorrow when I have my lesson. Cheers for these really helpful videos!

[brendandax]

Your speaking voice is awesome 😀
I just changed from a petrol engine to a diesel for the first time. I'm finding my lower gear shifts quite "unsmooth" so I must try the tips here! I get frustrated with myself because after 20 years driving, you don't expect this! Thanks for the video.

[tunefully]

I'm no formula one driver, but I can drive stick. I still watch these because you can never know it all. Just remember that for everyone starting. You will stall so much. I live in a big city and stall more than you'd think, I dump the clutch because life on the roads are not perfect.

[spoken-like-an-artist]

You’ve actually explained details here that, in looking at 30 plus videos, the other YouTubers haven’t.
Well done🎉🎉👏🏻
I’m a new stick shift driver in the U.S.
Finally information that I find practical for my understanding. So MUCH appreciated🙏🏼🚙‼️

[PaulSutherlandnow]

Dude! This is such a great video I haven't owned a stick shift in 15 years though I used to drive a big rig. Just bought a manual transmission Friday and really needed the pointers. Thank you so much. You should have seen me day one I was double clutching like I was in an 18-wheeler lorry

[dddsa]

Hey, man! I've been driving for more than a year now but I felt the whole time that I'm switching gears wrong. I guess my driving instructor failed to explain it right to me. All the videos that I watched concentrate on basics which I already know, but your video opened my eyes on what I was doing wrong. I tried this evening and I can't say that I made it right from the first try, but I think I've figured out what is the right way to do it so now I just need to practice a bit.

Anyway, thank you very much, great video!

For other starters, here is my mistake: after pushing the clutch pedal I stepped on the gas pedal a little bit and tried to manually fix the revs on the right point to switch gears. Sometimes I got it, sometimes not (after long practice I usually fitted the revs right), but the main problem is that I stayed much longer with detached clutch than if I would do it like this video explains. Hence more time without proper control of the car; longer shifts; slower acceleration; increased clutch wear and so on. You better learn the proper way of shifting gears because it's way harder to overcome your bad habit.

[adamsmith]

hey, i have been learning to drive for a month now. The advice you give is perfect and you have accelerated my driving experience, you deserve more subs. Thank you c:

[kateyes]

All your videos helped refresh my memory, I was forced to drive my car because my brother was tired of driving me around. All this time I thought I needed to go back to the driving school to refresh my memory but I came across your channel and trust me when I say your videos helped me
Thank you❤

[maryannkelley]

Thank you so much for posting this!!! So helpful! Just bought a Mazda yesterday and I was having problems with some jerkiness while downshifting, just went on a cruise and I did so much better after watching this.

[jeffreyfigueiredo]

That was bang on buddy! Excellent tutorial for beginners as well as well seasoned stick drivers. I personally have a brand new 30th Anniversary MX-5 and it drops the revs very quickly when I put the clutch in. 👍🏾

[thelonelywolf]

As an American, I found this helpful as I'm trying to hone my shifting a little better. When I first started out, I guess I've been shifting too slow and the car jerks a bit going into the gear

[MC-yxgn]

I love that the rest of the world didn’t abandon the manual transmission like we’re in the process of doing in the US. I drive a manual for plenty of reasons, most important of which is that I like to drive. I gotta say, it’s blowing my mind thinking about having to select gears with my left hand. I don’t think it would be easy to retrain. Great video and spot on. The more “smooth” you want your shifts, the more wear you can potentially impart upon your clutch pack. The harder shifts may be a quicker transition from engaged to disengaged but that abusive might be felt on other parts of the drivetrain (ie universal joints etc). When I’m alone it’s not as big a deal, but I am definitely more conscious of my shifts when I have passengers. Especially if their heads are bobbing back and forth.

[losingmyfavoritegame]

Love the squeaky footwork. My first standard had a squeaking clutch pedal. It helped me judge the biting point on hill starts.

[paulamoors]

I’ve been driving for over twenty years but my manual for a week. At first I was terrified of stalling and having people honk at me but at 75 I just restart the car and not let it get to me. I’m getting there, it’s just great to have a car again. I had to give up my car with the pandemic and then recently someone gave me this stick shift and I love it. I kind of feel like if I can do this I can do anything.

[Paynos]

Ayyyy. Good to see you everyone! Hope you've had a great week :)