Can't get used to the gearbox.

What gear on a large roundabout?

  • 4th. I like to slowly womble everywhere.

    Votes: 1 5.0%

  • 3rd. I don't slow down

    Votes: 10 50.0%

  • 2nd. I'm cautious, but need to launch hard out the other side.

    Votes: 9 45.0%
  • Total voters
    20
Mako

Mako

Club Member
Feb 6, 2011
15,192
14,213
Milton Keynes
I admit it: this is only the 4th car I've owned that is a manual. I've been an auto driver for decades.

I listen to the engine and work out what it wants, but I have to say that I have problems between 2nd and 3rd. I'm stuck between screaming in 2nd and mushing in 3rd on roundabouts in Milton Keynes. Seems like there's a huge gap in the gearing.

So tell me about how you handle your Cougar.
 
Wow! This is going to be like "How to ride a bike" :LOL: I'm guessing you are aware of the "H" of the selector (gearshift pattern)

1 3 5
2 4

1 - 2 the stick should be a straight back shift.
2 - 3 slip the stick back to neutral and then accross the "H" to 3rd.
3 - 4 hold the stick inline to pull back to 4th.
4 - 5 back to neutral and over to 5th

That doesn't make it any easier does it? :sick: see, just like riding a bike ie: get on, fall off, get back on, fall off again, repeat several times then, get on, pedal...........WEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :LOL:
 
Oh Pid - I didn't mean it that way! It's a typical Ford box that my 4-YO niece could work out how to change without stalling. Bless Ford, (apart from the XR2i, which they should be cockpunched for), they can do gearboxes.

What I meant was that I'm not 100% on what gear to be in given a particular road condition. Should I slowly mush on, or should I keep her up on the cam? I usually keep the revs high as that's what I'm used to. I'm just interested in how others handle it.

ETA: Keeping her in 2nd on the high-speed roundabouts on Portway feels like hooliganism. Keeping her in 3rd makes her feel like she's a 1300 Escort.
 
:LOL: Good reply. I think your suffering from "auto weening" driving a manual box really is like riding a bike in the sense that it WILL come naturally. It's no good being told to cam it in second at a certain speed and road condition or to plod along in 3rd in another condition. Tbh, i think back to how i learned to drive, totally untrained no lessons etc. I "borrowed" a Ford Anglia, fathomed out how to get the thing to move in 1st, and just let the clutch out. I was amazed! it was moving.This was at about 02.30 midwinter many many moons ago lol, but i drove half a mile in 1st, revving the nuts off this little anglia, then realised i had to turn around and go back, spent twenty minutes trying to find revers :LOL: finally got it pointing where i needed to go, set off in 1st (still my favourite gear) then after a few hundred yards, i attempted 2nd, and it worked, then 3rd, and iirc, that was the lot. The point i am trying to make is, i learned from scratch, and the rev range and speed is a natural feel for the car. If you ask me at what rpm i make gear changes, i wouldn't have a clue, but i change gear when it "feels" right.
Take the car out on some quiet twisty roads where gear changes are needed, you'll get the hang of it. (y)
Wow, i can go on a bit can't i? i think i'm turning into Jamie :LOL:
 
Same here, never think about it, except to say when you "get it" the car certainly seems to tell you what it likes and don't like.
 
I had the unfortunate problem of my driving instructor also had a throttle pedal so if i approached an island in 3rd i would suddenly find myself at 60MPH, brown pants time when your learning, soon learnt that dropping down to 2nd meant i could continue onto the island if it was clear at a steady 30mph, called safe driving, its amazing how many boy/girl racers end up crashing on roundabouts cause they go in to fast or because they are in the wrong gear and cant accellerate out of trouble quick enough. unless i know i have to stop i will drop down into second gear at any roundabout, if i know i have to stop i will go down to first (y)
 
Second gear foot hard down on first pass Still alive! . third gear foot hard down on second pass still alive. What the hell have go in forth hard down not alive!. doesn't matter by then anyway.:devilish::LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
I think your problem is your listening to the car,in future tell the car what its going to do--that way YOU will be in control
 
Reminds me of when I had an Astra Diesel CDTI as a hire car when my Mk2 Mondeo was written off - approaching a roundabout in 3rd, plenty of space to carry on, put foot down (off the boost) - no power....at all.....nothing happened. Hated that car with a passion. Not as bad as the Corsa 1.2 I had first as a courtesy car though - that was truly the most miserable lump of metal and plastic I have ever had the misfortune to drive (n)
 
I drove autos for years before I got the cat and I still fall into the trap of coasting up to red lights in third and then forgetting to put her in first for take off - and wondering why she's driving like a pig!!!!!!!

As far as round-a-bouts are concerned I normally simultaniously hammer on the brakes and change into second to bring her down to about 40 for the entry - assuming the roundabout is clear(ish) - foot off brake and hammer on the throttle for the exit - back into 3rd about 60 and off. The eibach suspension, PI springs and front and rear strut braces help a lot for this manouvre and before you can do it Chris you need to get a proper cat - you won't have the same problems in a V6 mate :devilish:
 
You wouldn't catch me pushing my car.

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Whoops. :LOL::LOL:
 
Pid_16V said:
...and so speaks Sir Donald Campbell :LOL:
Click to expand...
well he did say a large roundabout, guess it depends on the road that approaches the roundabout and the traffic on the road, and if there are trafic signals i.e. If you have just come upon the island on a 40mph road and you don't have much or any traffic then ease off the gas pedal and let the engine brake and go round in the same gear you were in unless the revs drop too far because then your going to have to drop it down a cog (5th to 4th) a V6 will quite easily pull from low revs in a high gear, only other way is to blip the clutch and keep the revs high and take the bend like that (almost a coast) then bring the clutch back up and mash the loud pedal ;)
Only time I find myself having to realy nock it down a cog or two is if i've come onto the traffic island too fast and have had to brake (but not to come to a standstill) and want to keep the speed going, although I try to use engine braking in this situation to or you lose too much forward momentum, then you will have to select something like 2nd gear and give it some stick ( a term that no doubt derived from having to work the gear box) but personaly unless your driving like you have stolen the vehicle :geek: I cant see the point of slowing down at islands and going into 2nd gear, no wonder people are always having to fix gearbox'x and replace clutches you think your names Colin McRae :LOL:
 
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