How Do I Downshift Properly?

Bad Boy

I seem to have trouble mastering the Downshifting...
A lot of times Im driving at 60-70MPH and when I approach a turn I take it at about 20MPH.
The thing is I never seem to downshift/ or know how to, when I approach such curves. I always come up short and end up not shifting all the way to desired gear. I dont want to start downshifting from a long distance and slow traffic down...
Am I supposed to downshift sporadically from 70-20MPH? Wont that waste the clutch?
Someone guide me!

Bad Boy

TO CLEAR THINGS UP
It seems that when I want to brake fast from 70-20MPH shifting from 6-2nd is a motion of one gear after the other, constant clutching... is that what im supposed to do? or am I doing something wrong?

And how Am I supposed to brake and blip throttle at the same time? The pedals arent exactly strategically placed in my favor. Do I even blip the throttle? or do I just wait to match my speed to proper lower gear?

Super Werty

I would suggest having someone teach you how to drive in person. Trying to explain it over the internet is not ideal

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Bad Boy

falconfixer

PM DEpoint50 or kenchan. I believe one of them taught driver's ed and can walk you through the basics but I can't remember who.

Voice59

Umm...what? I would say the fastest way to brake from that kind of speed is with the BRAKES. But if it was me driving, I'd apply brakes for the desired speed I'd like to take the turn and then put it in the desired gear. Depending on how I want to accelerate out of the turn I generally use 1 gear for every 10's of mph I'm going. So if I'm slowing down to 20mph and I want to quickly accelerate out of the turn I'd go to 2nd gear. Once I get into the higher mph if I want to accelerate quickly out of the turn I use -1 gear for every 10 mph (this is just regular street driving btw). So if I'm going 50 mph then I put it into 4th gear. But that's just a rule I use for myself. Like that other guy said, you should probably have someone show you in person.

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Bad Boy

I think your the only one who understood what I was trying to ask!
So your saying if your driving at lets say, 70MPH in 6th, when you approach a turn... you brake to 20-25MPH while in 6th, then switch to 2nd? You dont go through the other gears?

Asheth

You're basically asking if you should always row your gears up shifting and down shifting?

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grant

If you have S-mode turn it on, and let the car heel and toe for you..use the brakes to slow the car to the speed you want to go through the corner at, and select the gear you want to exit the corner in before you start the turn in to the corner

If you don't have S-mode have someone show you how to heel and toe. You can't effectively explain braking and throttling with the same for in words.

Voice59

You CAN cycle through all the gears and engine breake but if you're looking to slow down quickly on a city street I just don't see that as a viable option. I'm very familiar with the streets where I'm at so I have an idea of what gear I want to be in when I exit my turns. I would (in the scenario you're using) apply brakes and clutch and shift to 2nd simultaneously, upon exiting the turn I'd ease off clutch allow the gears to engage and apply throttle.

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totopo

just skip all the other gears. No need to even heel toe on the street. Just brake, clutch, shifter in neutral, finish braking, turn, shifter to second, slowly clutch out and a little gas as you come out of turn.

MJB

You are a rookie manual driver OP, all these techniques will come in time. You have S-mode so make sure you keep it on. Rev matching/ heel and toe is a little more advanced driving and involves some skill that I don't think you are up to just yet. And like mentioned above, you need someone in the car teaching you, sorta hard to explain something like that on a forum

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MJB

Ummm.. you should never just shift into neutral while the vehicle is moving, let alone during a turn.

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olddudesrule

If you don't have the time for one-on-one lessons, look up manual shifting on You Tube. There's hundreds of videos on there for driving enthusiasts. I agree that you're skills will grow with time, but be careful on the street. There aren't a lot of areas, sans a highway transition, where you should be going from 70mph to 20mph. Don't drive past your skill limit.....makes it unsafe for you and for the rest of us.

I would seriously suggest, like someone on here already has, that you get involved with an autocross club in your area. Guys and gals there would love to teach you everything you want to know, and you can thrash the hell out of your car if you want.

DEpointfive0

Not me. I can't wait for manuals to die... LOL

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