How To Change Gear Smoothly (down) - Tips from an Instructor

How to change gears smoothly in a manual/stick shift car can be difficult. If you're having driving lessons, then you might cover this. Common questions are: how do I change gears without a jerk? How do I stop the car bumping when changing gear? If you're looking for tips on how to drive a manual car, then hopefully this video will help.

Changing down gears smoothly is something that takes time to master when learning to drive. This video is aimed at fairly new drivers who have a little bit of experience already. When changing down gear you'll either apply a little pressure on the accelerator pedal or footbrake. You would normally slow down before changing down to the desired gear or you could change down gears before overtaking and want more acceleration.

In this video I'm going to be demonstrating how using the accelerator when changing down gear will raise your engine speed to match your road speed ultimately giving you a jerk free gear change. In advanced driving this is called rev matching.

It takes a lot of time practice to achieve a smooth drive with your braking, accelerating, steering and gear changes.

► How to change gear using the palming method

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Chapters:
00:00 How to change down gear smoothly intro
00:18 Changing down gear smoothly demonstration
02:03 Outro

If you're learning to drive then make sure that you get professional help from a fully qualified driving instructor. This video is NOT an alternative to professional driving lessons and is only a rough guide. This video was filmed in the UK. Laws and rules in your country may vary. Videos aren't a substitute for real life driving experience in a safe environment. While World Driving aims to provide accurate and up to date information we cannot guarantee at any time that all the information is up to date and accurate. World Driving cannot accept liability for misleading or inaccurate information or omissions in information given to us by external information providers. This includes, but is not by way of limitation: Any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information. Any decision made or action taken or not taken in reliance upon the information.

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[worlddriving]

🙂 Subscribing really helps us make more videos

[superbikeaborad]

Thanks for making this simple and not a 10 minute ramble.

[quartay]

Thanks Chris, I passed my driving test today with 0 faults. Amazing videos and recommend these to anyone learning to drive. :)

[kamariahjay]

just asked a man about this very same thing this evening. told him i've been watching lots of videos in general to help me out, as i've only been driving manual for going on 5 days now. he said that's not gonna help me...yet here i am. learning more from a video then from what he was spewing. thanks for confirming what i gathered was my issue when downshifting.

[yasmin]

Just wanted to say thankyou, I passed my driving test first time yesterday with 3 minors! My instructor has a Ford Fiesta also so your videos where extra helpful! Wouldn't have passed without this channel :)

[mayurbanta]

Thanks for your videos, I am from India and your videos seems more natural to me as we too drive on Left side of the road.
I used to get slight jerk while shifting up from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. Trick here is to press the accelerator tiny bit earlier just before releasing the clutch. No one told me this thing, I just got it naturally by practicing.

[KeenxLimit]

Thank you so much. I was terrified of downshifting, almost slammed my face into the wheel once when I tried. After watching this multiple times, phantom driving in front of my screen then trying it in my car, I've learned it

[finefuse]

Hey Chris! I passed my test first time today with 4 minors, your videos are the best on Youtube for learning to drive in the UK. I owe you a lot of credit for getting me to pass. Thank you so much!

[dannyabraham]

Thanks Chris, I passed my test on Monday 26th March and I learning a lot from your videos 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[plkn]

Very informative and thorough video. Great job!

[LIBERTYPRINTING]

LOL He is the David Attenborough of driving. Such a pleasant and soothing voice with calm enthusiasm.

[BhagwatiPrasadJoshie]

Thanks man! Your videos are very useful for new drivers.

[praneebibby]

Thank you for this great video.i am still learning.i am watching this video.i am better now.👍

[CC]

Thank you so much these videos are super great! I have watched most of the videos. They are brilliant. I have a test coming up next week i'm super nervous. But these videos have helped me tremendously. I will share these videos with family and friends. Thank you x

[MRALIG]

Good tips since in traffic when i move off car shakes lol. but i reckon not enough gas great tips. been driving for a year still watch your videos

[zhila]

I subbed to you for a reason

Great content

[BigRobChicagoPL]

I've been self teaching manual to myself using old cars at work. The reason I am interested in the manual car is since it gives me memories of childhood in Poland, with my Grandpa rowing through the gears on his old FSO Polonez Caro. Going to buy a 6 speed civic soon and still needed some clarifications. These videos are very helpful as I live in America and most people don't have a MT car or know what a clutch is.

[martinjansen]

why are these videos so satisfying? I feel all relaxed after that video!!

[raphaelmahumane]

Thank you, I was struggling to change down on a hill. this helped

[wiserabota]

Great videos. Really like to recap and review driving skills especially here in Fiji where we follow road rules similar to that of the UK. Keep posting your videos.