How To Drive A Manual Transmission + Rev Match + Heel Toe Downshift (POV Tutorial)

This is how to get started driving a Manual Transmission. A pedal camera will show the footwork while we drive my 2022 Honda Civic Si. We'll review it all from the basics of how it works, to getting you up a hill from a stop. I'll also show you how to downshift with proper rev matches and an introduction to heel toe downshifting so you can brake and downshift at the same time.
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0:00 Cold Open
0:13 Basics for Beginners
6:10 First Time Using a Clutch
8:48 Hills and Faster Starts
9:48 Upshifting
12:50 Downshifting + Rev Matching
14:23 Heel Toe Downshifting
#RespectTheDrive #Manual #HowTo

[@TedwardDrives]

I've taught a few people how to drive a manual transmission but this video may have a much broader impact! The beginning gets the newbies started and we move into Rev Matching downshifts and Heel Toe downshifts for those of you who want to hone your skills.

[@tyalexander9005]

These videos provide good lessons for a beginner driver like me! Thank you tedward!❤

[@marttinummi5228]

Hi, do you put clutch in then shift to neutral and before next gear gear give it gas as you are sliding it lower gear or clutch in next lowest gear and then gas? It probably works too but is slower?

[@Ratchetfreak1]

I really really wish someone had taught me how to Rev match and heel toe downshift when I was learning. So thank you for putting this video out man.

[@amin718]

Can u make a video on how to use the manual transmission on uphill roads? Thank youu

[@Zilchyboy]

Save the manuals! Thanks for the video tedward, driving manual is an experience like no other and satisfying in ways that automatic transmissions can't keep up with.. Just bought a manual Mazda 3 and it is amazing for the price, lovely gearbox and fun little drivers car.

[@CharlieLiuPhotography]

Holy snaps. My 18 year old wants to take over my 2006 Evo and said he learned how to drive stick from youtube. I handed him the keys, and turns out he was not lying. He showed me the video he watched here, and I wanted to say that you did great with this video! Well done.

[@guwpi]

W son

[@Inf3ctedGamer]

W taste in cars too

[@TheRealSigma_official]

Nice

[@Ilovedeiselguzzling]

That’s awesome and also both of you have amazing taste

[@bilbplays5257]

You must really trust your son to give him your evo. Would love a car like that for my firs

[@sueddo2634]

Tedward is like the dad we wish we had in the car community 🥺

[@memes4life118]

thats doug demuro

[@1xBossup]

@@memes4life118 Doug is more like that annoying uncle who talks ur head off 😂😂

[@neohimself]

TedDad?😁

[@JackAttacksBack989]

Well become that dad for your future children

[@Anonymous-yb1ho]

I want a Ted Dad

[@ZeldoxOP]

Who else is learning on the bed ? 😂

[@boomhauer0079]

me but ur moms next to me

[@Zen69967]

@@boomhauer0079 💀

[@karthiktk28]

@@boomhauer0079ayo what 😭

[@R-way2non]

Yurr😂

[@AUXCARZ]

😂me

[@sarmeddangerous6462]

I'm 23, barely know anything about manual transmissions, and my dad is the original owner of a 1988 Mustang LX that he's dropped *money* into modifying. Attempting to learn how to drive it for when it's eventually passed down to me and this is by far the most helpful tutorial I've watched so far.

[@TedwardDrives]

Thank You! I hope you have fun driving the car

[@bananajoe4233]

Why don't you ask your dad to show you how to drive it? He'd probably love to do that

[@sarmeddangerous6462]

@@bananajoe4233 I totally forgot about this comment until you replied, so thanks lol. happy to see it got a little traction. but yeah, I've been doing my best to learn in it when I'm at my grandparents house during the summers where it's kept. first gear is a featherweight bc he dropped the gear ratio something fierce when he modded it lol. happy to say I've gotten somewhat good at shifting and I only stall once or twice from the transition between stopped/parked and first gear

[@LoganGallant9]

My dads got an 89 lx, second manual car ive driven

[@positrone7208]

I totally agree with you, rev matching is an almost necessary skill for driving a manual, but they dont teach you in driving schools, even here in europe where you learn to drive in manuals. Even my dad doesnt rev match, despite having been driving for 35+ years, ive only learned about it through my own research online

[@ShaiyanHossain]

My dad taught me manual and he still doesn't get why i need to rev match haha

[@cjthemanthelegend]

same bruh my dad and my brother think im crazy for telling them to rev match, saying i spend too much time on my pc and phone smh

[@BasedMan]

Most people (me included as im 20 getting my license) simply slowly release the cluth to the bite point before they fully let it out when downshifting. This wears it out a bit more, but doesnt need much practice and allows the flywheel and transmission speed to match on their own via simple friction. Works the same way on most cars too as its not dependent on throttle mapping, just on the clutches bite point and components revs.

[@robertblack6630]

Civic si and Integra down shift with Rev matching so there no need for heel toe down shifts. Unless I was racing around I never wasted my time Rev matching my downshifts.

[@ShaiyanHossain]

@@robertblack6630 thats crazy but not all of us drive brand new cars. Auto rev match wasn't a thing on the civic until 10th gen for type r and 11th gen for Si. My car is far older than that. Also maybe this is just me but part of the fun of driving manual is nailing each shift. If i want the computer to do a skill I could and should master myself, why wouldn't I?

[@matthewgumabon7498]

As someone who has never even been behind the wheel of a manual transmission car, this was extremely easy to understand and follow along. The multiple camera POVs really helps. Having been spoiled with a life of automatic transmissions, driving a manual seems a bit complicated and frustrating, but then I think about some of the types of people I know or have seen driving manuals 😅 Then I realize if they can freakin do it I could definitely do it😂

[@Brian-ux3jx]

Dont be too cocky. The best drivers I have ever met where people that would be considered not very book smart. Especially if you have been driving automatic for a long time then its even harder then if you started manual. Dont know if you are male or female but if female, will be even harder because they are already poor drivers.

[@Scooter227]

Gender has nothing to do with manual driving experience lol

[@aigomorla]

There is NO WAY you can learn to drive a manual from just listening to someone. LOL It takes MANY MANY MANY MANY failed tries and Lots and Lots and even More Stalling in traffic looking like a fool, before you can drive like he does. And don't get me started on an uphill in a manual if your not comfortable with manual. LOL..

[@gigachad1330]

@@aigomorla chill with the caps, nobody said you can learn to drive from a video.. it obviously takes practice

[@akirawr_7485]

@@aigomorla its not that hard...

[@Brutalized]

I bought my first manual transmission car with nothing but videos like these as my knowledge base. The first couple days were rough but in about a week I became very confident with shifting gears. I’ve now been driving a stick for a little over a year and am very proud to have picked up this skill.

[@Seekingtruth-mx3ur]

I'm gonna start to learn how to drive manual out of necessity. Ended up buying a cheap manual 2003 Toyota Echo today because I couldn't afford anything else. Wish me luck.

[@pepefrog7456]

@@Seekingtruth-mx3uru got a cool little car that’ll be reliable for you. and the fact that’s it manual will allow it to be fun and satisfying to drive. be proud a what u got and have fun brother

[@Seekingtruth-mx3ur]

@@pepefrog7456 thanks man I'll make the best of it while I get something better in the future.

[@Brutalized]

@@Seekingtruth-mx3ur Take a day to drive around in an empty parking lot. Get comfortable taking off and stopping. That was my biggest issue but once I got a hang of it everything else was simple enough. Also, I drove with magnet on the back of my car that said “Learning to drive stick”. It helped to ease the stress that came with my first couple weeks of learning.

[@keemkorn]

@@Seekingtruth-mx3urhow’d you end up driving it home??

[@Speedtale]

I asked my Dad to teach me how to drive a manual, I knew the basics already but his teaching really helped me a lot to properly learn. It was really an excuse to spend more time with him though.

[@josephgolio36]

The trick that always makes it click in people’s heads when I teach them is this: when the car starts rolling, most people’s reactions are “yay! I did it!” and just completely let off the clutch at that point, causing the car to either stall or lurch forward. Instead, once the car starts rolling, you have to go even slower in releasing the clutch. The period after the biting point is the most important part of getting started.

[@eurly93]

My wife’s problem is literally the amount of force required to let the clutch out smoothly. If you’re not using to doing it, it’s difficult to not just dump the clutch. Then she panicks about stalling and floors the gas ,So everytime she starts from a stop she just peels out 😂

[@kevindownes9474]

@@eurly93 it works a weird muscle in your leg that you really never use outside of the clutch so it takes some mind-muscle connection development for sure

[@Terracronz]

Yup, you bring it to the contact point and hold it there for a moment

[@Gadlight]

Not to mention, that its a really "tactile" experience, despite all of the advices and lessons, it is still just practice, but having total control over the speed of the car is really a game changer, specially on tight or dangerous situations.

[@standforcanada4967]

Learned that today ! Couldn't figure out why it kept stalling , once I got rolling I let it out to fast, had to easy off it slower with some gas and it was perfect

[@jv3600]

I learned how to drive a manual car in 2017. I didn't have a clue how to drive one before then, but I wanted to have a basic understanding about how the process worked before test driving my first manual car purchase. I found a guy in my area on craigslist who was offering manual driving lessons. While he did teach me the basics, the thing I remember the most was practically crying throughout the lesson from the amount he was yelling at me for "ruining his car". It wasn't like I was mashing gears on purpose or anything, just a little grinding that you'd expect from a beginner. And don't get me started on the yelling from rolling back a little on hill starts. All in all, he DID teach me how to drive a manual car, but not without traumatizing me in the process. I wish you were my teacher!

[@RyanRoadReaper]

People who don't have the patience to teach and can't handle some wear on their vehicle shouldn't be teaching how to drive a manual

[@TedwardDrives]

This is wild! I have never heard of anyone giving lessons from a craigslist ad. how much did he charge?

[@daigosaito888]

A little grinding is already TOO MUCH grinding

[@triston5540]

That’s ridiculous!😂 what did he expect from a complete beginner😂

[@x1c3x]

Sounds like you should be happy you didn't lose a kidney tbh.

[@hacksm1th]

to all the newbies who are thinking this is too much and you can never drive, i used to think the same but now my brain does this automatically. you just need to practice daily.

[@poundcakedisco]

I’ve been driving stick for about 8 years and was doing everything correctly except for matching the downshifts. This was very detailed and just flowed well. I’m looking forward to improving my technique

[@kunjupulla]

I mean, I learnt to drive in a manual and I've tried rev matching many times. As much as I enjoy it, on the avg Indian road just slowly taking your foot off the clutch is better than rev matching cuz we have to slow down anyways 😂. So yeah, what I do is I slowly take the foot of the clutch and give a tiny bit of throttle.

[@Dreyno]

You don’t need to rev match for 99% of driving. It’s an advanced driving technique to reduce forces back through the transmission and engine when decelerating hard. It’s for racing drivers. Normal driving involves letting off the accelerator, tapping the brakes and smoothly changing down. Giving a tap to the accelerator to rev match is only done when driving really hard.

[@kokopellione]

@@Dreyno It will increase wear on components like the synchronizer but like you said it's not a necessity for daily driving.

[@bejaminhofmann4144]

You‘re absolutly right with that. If driving in normal traffic there is absolutly no need for rev matching when shifting down. Just do it as you‘re deceleraing. Also you need not be in gear all the time. If you need to fully stop just press the clutch and come to a stop. Most people here in germany will even engage the first gear instaniniously if they are in stop and go traffic. Also most people only clutch in first if they are in first gear for everything above that you first break and then go for the clutch.

[@Luggruff]

Don't stress it. Rev matching is never really needed. Some claim you wear your clutch out not doing it, but it will never be enough to be significant. If you want to do it because you find that it is smoother, go ahead, but forget the arguments about ruining the clutch.

[@jefferyepstein9210]

I learned on a Yugo. After that nothing has been a problem.

[@MrChanw11]

Great insight, Jeff.

[@dengernoodle4391]

Humble beginnings, Jeffery

[@razy7609]

Good one Jeff! You know what they say, the faster you run the faster Yugo!

[@ld9950]

Cheers Jeff

[@lordflacko3604]

LMAO da hell you doing here dawg💀💀💀

[@RGMS_]

Something very important that you forgot to mention on the video that some people may not know and cause an accident: If you were to start moving on a uphill, specially with older cars because they dont have hill start assistance, if you release the brakes to press the accelerator your car is going to roll back, so to prevent this you can use your handbrake (also known as E-brake, emergency brake, parking brake or whatever, its a lot of names) to hold the car still, then you release a bit of your clutch with the car engaged in first until it starts bitting, apply a bit of gas and then you release your parking brake, if you do it right (practice on a safe environment first plz) you will not roll back. Another way to do it (but you need to have more experience first) is learning to hold the car only with the clutch (BE AWARE that doing this for longer than necessary will worn your cluch much faster than expected, so as i said before, practice it on a safe environment), to do it you first (with your right foot on the brake) release the clutch slowly until it starts bitting (you will feel the car shake), then you can slowly release your brake, after that you can apply more gas and fully release the clutch, done right your car will not roll back (you know the drill, practice, safe environment) More experienced people can correct me if im wrong on anything or give your own suggestions (there is more advanced techniques like heel toe but i dont think thats necessary) please correct me or share it

[@nirfz]

To the technique without the parking, e.... brake and just the pedals, i would not say you can hold most cars uphill only with your clutch in position. But maybe that's just the steeper inclines here in the alps ;-) In seriousness, i would say it's almost the same as with the parking/e-/...brake. -> Feeling until the clutch bites (a tiny bit more) and changing from brake to throttle fast (but only enough throttle to not stall it but enough in conjunction with the clutchposition to not rol back) and keep releasing the clutch as soon as you are on the throttle, not too slow but not too fast. As you said, needs some practice, a little feeling for the specific car and can vary in difficulty between different vehicles. (Old low powered gasoline/petrol cars -> more difficult; newer cars or old powerfull Diesel powered cars-> more easy) But it can be done. I am by far not among the worlds best drivers but i have done it successfuly that way for over 24 years, even on snow and ice. At first i tought you were adressing the left foot braking issue... when you get used to a manual transmission and think you can left foot brake a car without concentrating incredibly hard on the pressure you are applying.😁

[@zwabbah4841]

3:22

[@faisfaizal5194]

In my country, a hill-start training is mandatory for your license. Every country should include basic manual stuffs like these

[@razumikhim]

or just hold your clutch at the bite point,let off the brakes and give it gas. couldnt get any simpler

[@RGMS_]

@@razumikhim i mentioned that, but i gave a more detailed explanation for the people who need it

[@The_CODIII]

I won't lie this actually made me driving a manual less stressful. Thanks my man. 💯😎

[@delliplays420]

I'm literally 15 watching this and I can't believe It was this simple all along, It used to feel so overwhelming especially when i'd ask my family how do u speed up, what do those gears mean, what is the clutch and what does it do etc.., It now all makes sense thanks to you and I feel like i understood so well That I feel i can go grab my mom's car's keys and drive myself to the gym. Thank you so much man !

[@hyper14102]

Oh man at 14 this video was a saver! I don't know how to drive yet, but my dad taught me how to ride a bike. So gears weren't a new concept, neither was anything technical about driving. I had the knowledge of rev-matching and heel-toe (I also knew very well those are not beginners things) and gears and what not but I've yet to actually do anything real.

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

PSA: When practicing heel-toe for the first times, make sure there's no car behind you! Modern cars have pretty sensitive brake pedals, and you can quite easily brake-check someone by accident when rotating your foot to reach the throttle

[@solidsnake434]

Honestly whenever you are practicing something new even as a veteran driver, you should do it in a place with no traffic

[@kaspeer]

Simple question here, can heel-toe downshifts be done a diesel engine too ? Or it is pointless ? Because for me, this skill was reserved for petrol cars and not diesel ones

[@nearlyretired7005]

What? You make sure there is no car INFRONT of you!

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

@@nearlyretired7005 Try real heel and toe (lift your heel) and report back

[@fancyyahoo]

​@Kaspeer not that easily for big diesel engines (greater than 2 litres, I think), because their RPMs rise considerably more slowly compared to those of petrol engines. This is especially the case if your vehicle's engine has a dual-mass flywheel. You can only find this out through the technical specifications for your vehicle, but if you for example rev the engine by pressing the clutch pedal and then the accelerator/gas pedal, or keep your gearstick in neutral and then press the gas pedal to rev the engine, you'll notice the RPMs rising about half a second after you press the pedal.

[@benhavis2474]

Nothing beats the feeling of a perfect rev match downshift into a curve!

[@mikeydude750]

It absolutely makes up for those moments when you're stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Yeah, it can be annoying constantly shifting between 1 and 2 when traffic's going under 20 but those weekends in the canyons or along the coast? Absolutely worth it

[@jakeq3530]

@@mikeydude750 yes. I live for those windy roads!

[@Mansory811]

​@@mikeydude750thats such a dumb take, holy. Why not make it so much easier for you, so you can always enjoy driving?

[@mikeydude750]

@@Mansory811 You just don't get it, I guess. You're not going to enjoy bumper to bumper traffic either way, and i guarantee you it's a whole lot more fun when you have a wide open road with some fun curves, and you can row your own gears instead of letting a slushbox do it for you.

[@Mansory811]

@@mikeydude750 or you just have a way to high Ego to accept that most people just dont care about having "fun" while driving because comfort is much more important. Also, less Stress.

[@Hippienolic2]

You’re a great teacher. Patient, takes it slow, and explains it simply

[@aidanwilson-nn1rc]

I haven't driven yet but I always enjoy learning about the 'why' of things, and you compile all of that so well into a reassuring package. The first step to being good at something is being comfortable with it, and you convey it all really well.

[@Amnesia3741]

Dude you're a freaking life saver!!!! I've been dying to learn to how drive manual and everybody ese couldn't explain it as clearly as you did in this video. Much love and keep up the good work

[@zackdl]

Only 4 minutes in and I can already tell this is an insanely good tutorial for the beginner. So well done on the physics of mating the transmission to the wheels as well, tedward!

[@RagnirLP]

Bought a 6MT Veloster N with no experience driving MT before in my life (spent 3 hours in a parking lot after buying the car to learn it), then drove 200 miles to get back home since I bought the car in a different city. Your videos have definitely helped me a ton in the do's/donts! I'm coming up on my 3rd* week and haven't stalled for awhile when I drive the car / feel way more confident in it. This video definitely drives it home/reinforces the basics. If you're considering an MT car but are scared to learn, don't be! I was discouraged at first but found that there is more than enough out there to learn, with videos like this one. I think the other saying that stuck with me, slow is fast, fast is slow! Thanks for the awesome videos!

[@deeboh1629]

Im in the same boat, got a MT Supra coming at the end of october and I never driven stick but I bought the car in a different city. Gotta learn the day of so I am here watching this video lol

[@RagnirLP]

@@deeboh1629 Thats a sick car, and congrats on the purchase! You'll probably feel more anxious as the day comes to go get your car, but that'll go away the more confident you get in driving it. I think my first week with the car home I was actually scared of the car because I was still stalling here and there (for dumb silly mistakes, like coming to a complete stop, and then lifting off the clutch pedal while still in gear, oops). The biggest thing for me was listening to the car when practicing shifting into first and lifting the clutch, and hearing the audible change in engine noise when the clutch is at the "bite point". I probably practiced this a bunch in the parking lot nearby the car dealer. As I got more comfortable just getting the car "rolling" forward in 1st with no throttle, I practiced adding a little more throttle at the bite point and releasing the clutch. The only con I guess I can say that you will maybe experience is you'll likely be looking for more excuses to drive the car when you get more comfortable 🤣. I'm always looking for an excuse to drive mine, and sometimes take a longer route going home if it means just a few more minutes of driving time. Always happy to share my experiences if it helps even a little, and you're definitely in the right place watching these videos too! I always try to be a lot more mindful of how I'm treating my car because of information like how its mentioned in this video.

[@kimmichelle8557]

you are brave. most people who learn to drive stick take several weeks to get comfortable to even drive it out on the road but you on the otherhand, bought it and drove 200 miles back the same day after learning to drive MT for 3 hours. that takes balls of steel tbh

[@RagnirLP]

@@kimmichelle8557 😅I guess thinking back on it, it was absolutely a crazy thing to do... I just kept telling me self "the car is an automatic, but I am the transmission" LOL. Semi spoiled by the modern MT mechanics too as well (like hill assist/rev matching), but boy did I stall a bajillion times in those 3 hours in that parking lot. I'm positive that day if my car had feelings and it could talk it would've cussed me out in at least 20 different languages. No regrets though, just happy I got home safely and all of that. Probably wouldn't want to live through that again though 🤣

[@Ajax6969]

i don't understand this, i think its not uncommon to see ppl that never driven a car, enter the car and drive naturally, that happened to me when i was 14. It was a manual in an interstate highway, no engine stall no nothing, ofcourse my dad didn't let me go over 55mph but was fun anyway. The only drawback was that in the way back the police gave me a ticket. From that moment on until i took my license i only used the car in city limits where police wouldn't be.

[@portasharp1526]

Easily still the best 'youtube manual lesson' video out there. I was so focused on the explanation and video that I had no idea the video was about to end, nor did I want it to end.

[@dantosinferne]

What a beautiful interior! I love driving manuals, they're so much more engaging and encourage more mindfulness I think. I'm watching this to get some "detail" tips to drive it better because while I've been doing it for years, I don't think I'm doing it as well as I could. Great vid

[@TheMisterSpok]

Tedward: "You don't need the throttle to start rolling" Me: *laughs in carburetor*

[@zerounderscore]

fr

[@Chimera6297]

*laughs in 2000 RPM idle*

[@Dexoz607]

Man i had a old land cruiser and i still use throttle to start rolling 🤯😹😹😹

[@operator91210]

*laughs in C4 Corvette 4+3*

[@rohitdalvi9361]

Laughs idly*

[@skall95]

I love the camera setting with both the POV and footcam. Really helps to see what I need to be doing with my hands and feet compared to just narrating it. Very helpful video thank you

[@Uberransy]

I just got my own new Si after only owning automatics and this helped SO MUCH, probably because its the exact same car, but I'm so glad I was prepared to get it home and I've had a blast driving it so far. Thank you for making this.

[@BobStark-zj3ub]

I drove a manual transmission for many years and then switched to an automatic. It is such a heavenly feeling, it turns out that you don't have to suffer and just drive and enjoy it. 🙂

[@brandon5411]

Dude, thanks so much for making this. I have this exact car and I’ve been watching all of your videos on it trying to replicate what you do, all the while wishing you would break it down. I have a times become frustrated trying to shift perfectly smooth and not getting it exactly right, and this video is exactly what I was hoping you’d make. Thanks!

[@jdawgproductions8178]

The rev lag does affect it, after first gear shift between 2-3k rpm

[@CasterTown]

Always been impressed at how you're one of the only auto vloggers who drives correctly while reviewing cars (rev-matching downshifts, heel-toe, etc). Maybe I'm not as impressed as I am disappointed in everyone else's severe deficiency, but well done for for keeping the skill alive. People need to know this stuff or else manual will die.

[@HouseThatJackBuilt]

I completely agree. Watching VehicleVirgins lock up the rear axle multiple times during downshifts on his Honda S2000 video gave me heartburn.

[@Redstarka22]

It's because rev matching is completely and utterly pointless in any regular car in the last 30 years. Rev matching is only necessary in cars with no synchromesh. Doing stupid shit like heel-toe or left foot braking in normal traffic is significantly more dangerous than just slowing down like a normal person, i.e. stepping on the brakes with your right foot, engaging the clutch right before your car begins stalling, selecting the appropriate gear, disengaging the clutch, and carrying on. If you're double clutching, heel-and-toe shifting, or left foot braking in actual traffic, you should have your license taken away, because you are **not** a racing driver, and you are endangering others on the road.

[@CasterTown]

@@Redstarka22 You're completely wrong. If you downshift without rev-matching under any circumstances then you are slipping the clutch to the lower gear and causing unnecessary wear on your clutch disc for no reason. Even downshifting smoothly without tipping over your groceries requires rev-matching unless you only drive at very low RPM. Downshifting in a pickup with no weight in the back will lock up the tires if you don't rev-match. It has nothing to do with gearbox synchronization. Modern sychros remove the need for double-clutching, not rev-matching. Saying you should have your license taken away for driving correctly is maybe the strangest thing I've ever heard on here.

[@Redstarka22]

@@CasterTown nobody revmatches in a car except dumbass Americans because they think manuals are somehow unique. If you can't even shift down without tipping your groceries without revmatching, you've either fucked up your car and you should take it to the mechanic, or you don't know how to drive a manual. Slipping your clutch is fine, and the wear you introduce is absolutely minimal. You do not ever need to revmatch in a car outside of a racetrack. Edit: also, the wear you introduce on your clutch when you start moving in first is literally like 3 orders of magnitude higher than when you downshift without revmatching. That's because forcing the engine to from 2000rpm to 4000rpm is piss easy compared to getting a one-and-a-half tonne vehicle to move from 0-5kph. Yet you don't see people worrying about that... Revmatching is stupid, and you shouldn't do it on public roads. Anyone who heel-toes in a normal car on public roads should face penalty points on their license.

[@rientsdijkstra4266]

The great thing of driving stick-shift is that you have much more direct feeling of contact with the car! It makes driving a much more interesting and visceral experience even without going fast!

[@kallyansingha3772]

You are a great teacher! Your explanation is so raw and quite understandable by any beginner

[@hippyman4565]

Honestly this is the best beginner video ever. I'm into classic cars and I've always been afraid of driving them due to the manual transmissions a lot of them have. This video literally taught me how to drive stick starting from zero. I thank you.

[@user-on2if8wr8p]

I'm from Greece and despite the last decade 97% of cars if not all were manual transmission so it really feels something normal for us, but i will never forget my father teaching me how to drive...fun times. You have a good way of teaching other people, congratulations. To whoever watching this, you got it, it's only hard at first.

[@jadenkumar]

I have a question. When you have to slow down do you have to put the clutch first then brake or just put the brake? Slowing down I mean like if your driving and someone infront slows down you slow down but don’t stop

[@SourCherryAdam]

@@jadenkumar You can drive a manual car lots of ways. There are ways witch are better for the car or that are more economical, but in the end you chose the way you drive. When driving a manual you need to look at two things: the rotations per minute that your engine is doing (rpm) and the gear you are in. Every car has an idle rpm. This is the rate your car engine has to turn, to be able to run. You car keeps this rate up (if it can), however if you don't press on the clutch and shaft is connected, by braking you can slow the engine down so low that it stalls. Imagine it this way: if the clutch is pressed (or you are in natural) the engine and the wheels are separated, the wheels can spin quickly and the engine can still be at idle (like if you are rolling down a hill in natural), but if you are in gear and you don't press the clutch, the wheels and the engine are connected. If you press on the brake and slow the car to a stop you will slow the engine to a stop as well. So the only thing you have to look at is keeping the engine in it's operating range. Not always will you have to press the clutch, as you only slow down a little. A lot of gears can handle a lot of speed. For example in most cars you can get going from a full stop in second gear. But if you slow down enough or you are coming to a full stop, you will have to press the clutch to let the engine maintain the idle rpm. I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, let me know and I will help out if needed!

[@JJPowerSlide]

​@@jadenkumar you can brake and press the clutch at the same time to downshift a gear and back to accelerate nicely to fit speed to your needs/wills

[@RandyMarshloveSharon]

Same in Ireland

[@bfraz76]

Seems everyone has that nightmare father/son story of driving manual transmissions. Mine legitimately told me yrs ago I was "never" going to be able to drive one. Thanx Dad, for the no confidence boost back then. Now; there's KZbin :)

[@MrMeepMoop]

I bought my first manual car in 2020 without ever having driven one before, took me a good week before I could get it going reliably and a solid month before I stopped stalling for the most part. Very fun to teach yourself how to drive one honestly

[@vince7230]

Any suggestions on how to drive in the city? Too many stops signs in nyc and it’s really my only main concern of trying out manual transmission

[@lucaj16]

@@vince7230 I drive manual and my only advice is don’t. It’s incredibly tiring changing gears and basically pushing your push against the clutch for that long. Automatic or electric cars are your best friend in the city.

[@marcuspacheco3815]

​@@vince7230 practice in a parking lot, cemetery, or back alley. Stop and go a hundred times, you'll get it.

[@diablo5028]

Why is everyone in the comments newbies to manual cars? Im from Europe (Belgium) and 95% of us here drive manual cars. Im 18 and have my “manual” drivers license

[@dav67109]

@@diablo5028 Because most people in the US have automatic cars. They don't teach you to drive manual cars in driving school and there is no manual drivers license here.

[@enna8867]

this was so helpful!! im getting my first car (a manual ofc) in two weeks, and the information in this video helped me understand the mechanics so much more!! i loved how you not only explained how to drive one, but explained what changes and mechanics were taking place in the machine in general.

[@harpsarp66]

The best explanations always come with an understanding of what is going on, at least for my brain. Your way of describing what the clutch is actually doing in simple terms is helping me wrap my brain around this so much!! Thank you!!!

[@HuskySFM]

This video helped me so much when I first started driving a manual. The video is simple and informative and even the car used makes it easy to follow along. This is definitely the best quality video on manual driving basics. And of course, Tedward being Tedward just makes the video all the more enjoyable.

[@RaihanSergi]

nothing beats a driving tutorial on my dream car

[@therandomdj124]

Vauxhall Astra 2002 sexiest beginner car

[@jaydendavis6753]

Hey Tedward, even though the video is over a year old for me. I really enjoy it. I have never driven a stick shift before, I'm a 21 y/o auto mechanic so I get the logistics in my head of how everything works, but I've never had the opportunity to learn before. Recently I've had a desire to buy a manual vehicle. I have my eyes set on a 2024 Honda Civic Si. I've watched this video at least 100x trying to study it. My girlfriend has a stick shift and she's been driving a stick for years. So she just started teaching me and I actually am a natural for it. I’m not sure if it's my mechanical inclination or your videos. But your video has helped so much. I'm getting better and better at it every time I get behind the wheel. I wanted to learn before I went out and bought the Honda Civic Si. The hardest part is getting the car rolling for me. I definitely stalled out quite a few times on the first day, but the more I do it the more I understand it. She's also an old school manual driver, so her ways are a lot different than yours, but the idea of it is the same. Long story short, I just wanted to share my experience and say thank you for creating such an awesome tutorial.

[@kaitybell]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!! My bf offered to teach me in his car and I was too scared at the time, but I do want to learn and now I feel like I'll have the confidence to be able to do it! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@felixblackpurple]

Life recently threw me a curveball, and I've now ended up driving a manual car. I I'm so glad I came across your video! Super insightful and great quality content!

[@nikolaychod]

It's good idea to make videos like that, I am 15 years old and I have driven a couple of times and these videos help me a lot! Keep the good work, Tedward, thank you very much!

[@JohnEPNR]

The best driving tutorial I've seen so far, and I've been around for a BIT. Great work!

[@xrebblegames8688]

I'm getting my first standard car tomorrow I watched this video 7times already you explain everything soo good I can't wait to use what I learned from you

[@vega0432]

This is by far the best tutorial for driving manual transmission that I’ve seen! Thanks tedward!

[@omariwest9068]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I learned how to drive a manual last year on my new GLI Autobahn ‘6MT - I have over 5k miles on it now and never understood how to heel-toe and rev match - hence I still have a tendency to lurch backwards when downshifting. This was a very helpful demo!

[@dermeisterdesspiegels3518]

Watching this as a guy from Romania doing the driving school lessons still (about 7 lessons left), this helped me understand gear changing and how the gear lever works. Thanks mate!

[@user-le8mu1uv7w]

I'm 15 and I am absolutely amazed that most people have not a clue on how to drive manual (or stick as Americans call it) this video came up on my recommended and I was curious to see how he explains it, I must say I am impressed by his explanation however, mid blown that some people in their 20s have not a clue how to do manual transmission or how to have good clutch control. this isn't a criticism by the way it's just manual transmission is considered standard here in the uk...

[@redundantpancake]

It's funny. I'm a Dutch person and we get thought manual in driving school but NEVER had I been thought rev matching. I didn't find out about that until I got into SIM racing lol. Also I never put my car in neutral. I was always taught to leave it in gear when parked and as soon as you enter the vehicle foot on the clutch :D

[@WreckFatal]

Thank you for the amazing video! I’ve been watching a lot of your videos recently since I’m going to be ordering a new WRX tomorrow. Only problem is that I’ve never driven a manual before so I’ll need to find someone’s car to practice on before mine is delivered. Thank you again! Your explanation of how the clutch works helped me understand the reasoning behind each step of driving a manual

[@NikSpringer]

With how well Tedward explains things I feel like he is/would be a great father.

[@LuisCruz-rb7eg]

Thank you for taking the time to teach me how to drive manual. Just purchased last week a 1979 Corolla Wagon and it’s a manual drive. Just today I took her out for a drive. Stalled twice but overall an amazing experience. 😊

[@nonoiscool98]

Love seeing your explanations even though I already know everything. I also reccomend newbies learning double clutching after this. May not be needed, but helpful if you have a worn synchro.

[@CliffordHerryKapia]

Awesome video and explanation of the mechanics and how to have a smooth transition into the actual driving itself. Enjoyed it and learnt a ton.

[@keithOmighty87]

I drive a stick shift. I have never drove a automatic. But this video is cool. I subscribed for more. Thank you

[@franzliszt8957]

Learning to drive on the road for the first time! You're being so helpful you have no idea! Not gonna lie, it's a bit tricky to do this while holding the phone but that's life! Thank you so much!

[@Mayor-McCheese]

Just a recommendation if you ever get the time but time stamps in the video would be super helpful for videos like these

[@TedwardDrives]

Will do!

[@jehl1963]

At about <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="660">11:00</a> when you're talking about going to 3rd, or other upper gears -- the thing that I have learned is to not try to over-control the gear shift lever. By this I mean a lot of people grasp the lever with their full hand and then try to feel 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th gears. Even worse, they grasp the knob with their palm over the top. This may work with Ferraris and other cars with exposed gates, but most cars have a boot, and you can't see, and may not be able to feel a gate -- because there may not even be one. The way around this is to use the palm of your open hand to move the lever. So from 2-3 in your car would be done by pushing with your palm straight forward. By not grasping the lever you won't apply any lateral force on the lever and potentially put it into the wrong gear. Instead you allow the spring to do it's job and gently move the shifter from the 1-2 plane to the 3-4 plane of the H. You shift from 3-4 by cupping your fingers around the lever (while NOT grasping it!) and pull the lever straight back. To shift from 4-5 you would use your palm (open hand) to push the lever toward <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="120">2:00</a> o'clock. To shift from 5-6 you backhand (open hand, thumb pointing down) the lever toward <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="240">4:00</a>. To go from 6-5, you push the lever toward <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="120">2:00</a> again. From 5-4, you use the cupped fingers of your open hand to pull the lever straight back. From 4-3 you use your palm to push the lever straight forward. From 3-2, you use the cupped fingers of your open hand to pull the lever towards <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="420">7:00</a>. To shift into 1st, use the palm of your open hand to push the lever towards <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="600">10:00</a>. I learned this technique decades ago driving a Formula Ford, because they don't have gates on their shifters or anywhere else in the linkage. So you shift by pushing the lever in the direction of the gear that you want. It works every time in every car that I've ever driven.

[@gergoantal1066]

Great insight, I also shift like this.

[@lovesthebass]

I've always shifted exactly the same way. The only time I actually grasp the shifter fully is going into first or reverse.

[@Lesdig891]

dude what are you on about, it doesn't make a scrap of difference how you grip the shifter hahaha

[@Kimchi21051]

knew how to drive, but now I know how to rev match and downshift with the heel toe technique in a daily context. Thanks for the video, really instructive and easy to understand!

[@WhatYourtold]

This is hands down the best tutorial for driving stick on KZbin. I've watched many, but this is the one that really clicked with me. Thank you.

[@BN99239]

Great tutorial! I recently learned how to drive a manual about 6 months ago and I'm 33. I like that you've pointed out the biting point and being able to get the car moving without touching the gas pedal at all. A lot of people say to peel off the clutch slowly while gassing, which is pretty much what you do, but for learning purposes, that's omitting a few key things. You don't just roll off the clutch slowly, the cluck has 3 steps, all the way down (disengaged), biting point, and all the way up (engaged). The key isn't to roll off the clutch smoothly and linearly. The key is to get to that biting point quickly, and then remain at the biting point long enough for the rpm to match, and then slowly come off the clutch completely after that. For modern manual cars, the car will apply enough throttle when on the biting point in first gear to get the car moving. For some cars though, you do have to rev up to about 1200-1500rpm first before you can start messing with the clutch to get to the biting point. Some older cars I've been in will just stall and won't roll at all even if you get to the biting point without giving it some gas yourself first. Also, heel toe downshifting is different and can be difficult in some cars where the height of the brake pedal and gas pedal makes it tough. In certain cars, you have to be quite deep in the brake pedal to actually be on the same level as the gas pedal so your foot can even hit the gas, which makes it very difficult to heel toe when you're just slowing down slowly.

[@zloychechen5150]

I first learned to heel and toe in my mom's hyundai getz, i found it really easy, however when i was trying it in my volvo 940, i just couldn't do it. Later on, i somehow adapted, and i find it easy in those cars now. I think that the key may be not to press the brake with the whole foot, but to use the joint of the proximal phalanx and metararsal just on the side of the brake pedal, that allows you to easily turn your whole foot outwards to the right to press the gas while pressing the brake. You don't actually specifically use your heel, it's more of whichever part on the right of the foot touches the gas. With practice you can do it in almost any car (some vans are near impossible) with any moderate to heavy braking intensity. But you're right in that it's useless under mild braking - here i'd just downshift into an appropriate gear first, and then brake normally.

[@chabweezy9905]

Most cohesive manual tutorial I've seen to date. Thanks Ted.

[@TedwardDrives]

Thank you!

[@mushylog]

Thanks for this. Explaining how the car works (clutch) it a great idea. Some people need to understand how something works to even start to learn how to use it.

[@daven6634]

Was taught by a parent how to drive stick for the first time today, kept stalling, but learning. This video cleared a LOT, now I feel confident for next time. Thanks.

[@mrdaniel7129]

Tenia mas de 7 años sin manejar un auto manual, gracias a ti pude ir por mi carro nuevo y manejarlo sin problemas a casa

[@FDMF]

So you need to be careful when doing a heel toe that the gas pedal can be reached easely. I have a 2019 Opel Corsa and you can't heel toe on it because the gas pedal is way lower than the brake pedal so in order to heel toe you need to brake seriously hard (like in an emergency stop). So get comfortable with your pedals and look if it's even possible first before trying it.

[@jehl1963]

Depending on the car, I have found that one of two techniques will generally work. In my 911 that has a hard, un-boosted brake pedel and a well aligned throttle I will brake with the ball of my right foot and breath the throttle with the outer portion of my heel. In other more modern cars with soft, boosted brakes I may brake with the arch of my foot and use my outer toes to breath the throttle. In either case I don't "blip" the throttle. That spins the engine up and down too quickly. I've found the analogy that they used to use in Skip Barber works well. You want the engine to swell as you match rev's. You want a sort of "YOUnggggaaaa" sound from the engine that lasts 2 to 3 seconds, not a stab that spikes the revs (a Zoom!).

[@shadingvazx7577]

I find the same issue with my 05 Civic. Oh well, at least it gives me practice braking late into turns.

[@jehl1963]

@@username8644 True. Heel&toeing at mild levels of braking (as usually seen on the street) doesn't often work very well and is kind of pointless, especially since often braking is to a complete stop at stop lights and stop signs.

[@user-hv4qc1of6l]

This is by far the most clear and easy understanding video I have ever seen that teach you how to drive a manual shift car. Thank you!

[@PerhapsGuy]

I've had my 6MT Integra for 4 months now, and your Si videos were an awesome resource for getting me started since it has the same layout. Cheers

[@whatsthat9408]

These videos are very helpful for me and others like me because I do not know anyone who has a car with a stick but I want to buy one. Thanks a lot! Also, this video was especially helpful because I had always believed that rev-matching and heel-toeing we're advanced race driving techniques. Thanks!

[@laurencelemuelayo9991]

Thanks dude, i learned a lot. I've been driving an automatic for about a year now and want to try a manual next year

[@countachsbunda]

i already watched multiple videos about manual driving and i had a really hard time understanding the timing and all that stuff but this video is by far the best ! thank you v much :DDD

[@dainp2005]

Probably the best manual video I have seen so far. Excellent explanations, thanks!

[@matsku5853]

Today I drove stick shift first time! Car I used was Volkswagen Golf MK5 had a couple of stalls but that's all part of the learning experience!

[@frankthu]

Very useful video especially traveling abroad in countries where only stick shifts are available

[@youdonthavetoknowmynaam]

I watched this video 2 times, first time in 2020 and 2nd time in 2024 when I'm a experienced driver believe helped me so much

[@celica96]

Thank you for the great video! Really nicely explained, love the POV and your explanations. I've watched it twice and I'm sure I'll keep referring back to it.

[@bfraz76]

Very nicely done. Just got back into a manual trans. car for the first time in 26+ years last weekend. Had a competent instructor; but your explanation of heel/toe downshifting was awesome. Definitely saving your video for when I need a refresher (not having access to a manual trans. just yet).

[@vocaloid444]

Even though we broke up i still want to be your friend

[@jeanmaletoungou3335]

Why on earth would anyone give this vid a dislike? The video does perfectly what it's supposed to.

[@fatmaemam7437]

Tedward you’re amazing And you did explain everything in a very simple way ❤

[@OzarkDev]

I really appreciate your videos I've been binge watching for a week to prepare myself to drive manual for the first time as I am purchasing a 2011 Civic Si

[@blastmanutz7798]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="240">4:00</a> - regarding the manual shifters: it is important to always start the car with clutch pedal pressed down (whether you start the car in first or neutral while clutch pedal is pressed is irrelevant) - just starting the car in neutral will put additional stress to a starter since it will have to spin not only the engine but also the gearbox. Neutral is as much a gear as any, with the only difference that it does not connect to the differential. So always start the car with clutch down to completely disengage the gearbox from engine. Just wanted to point that out.

[@blastmanutz7798]

@Jessica Suzumiya Seems to me you just want to throw out some knowledge and make you look good and all but... wait what? What are you talking about? You do know that engaging the clutch will completely disconnect the engine from the gearbox right? It doesn't matter if you're starting the car in 6th gear for all you want, pressing the clutch down will still disconnect the entire transmission from your engine (hopefully you don't start driving from standstill in that gear though). Now starting in neutral without pressing the clutch down - that makes it worse in any case, you are spinning the neutral gear in the transmission as well, as well as the clutch. And that's extra stress for the starter, and your battery.

[@jonell1425]

One thing I'd add for beginners: although it might be fun to down shift, remember that brakes are cheaper than clutch. In most cases it's better just to brake in gear as long as possible, then just go to neutral. Another good practice, especially on older cars with slightly worn syncros, is to never use more than 3 fingers of comfortable force to engage any gear. Treat the gears like they're made of glass and they'll last forever.

[@RCXDerp]

gearboxes don't wear out if you rev match reasonably well

[@casper2501]

Everheard of revmatching ?

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

To the other comments: Revmatching reduces wear on clutch. Has zero effect on the synchro wear (hint: as long as you press the clutch, what you do with the engine does not affect the gearbox). If you want to reduce synchro wear you need to double-clutch

[@Redstarka22]

Any car made in the last 30 years requires absolutely no rev matching. You are not saving your synchros, you are not saving your clutch, in fact, you're probably making things worse because you are not a racing driver, and you don't know what you're doing

[@Digi20]

@@Redstarka22 technically you dont need too. but there are many cars that will really bog down f.e. if you try to downshift from fifth to third for overtaking a lorry (meaning revs need to go up from 2500rpm to 4000rpm) and only rely on the transmission and clutch to match the revs. the car will jolt massively and put much wear on it, plus it feels bad. or you have to feed in the clutch veeeeeeeeeeery slowly which is quite awkward because you will also slow down considerably doing that in this situation. a short throttle blip is much smoother and and quicker and takes not much learning if you understand the principle. heel and toe on the other hand, especially in a modern eco car with very sensible brake and sometimes weirdly programmed gas pedal can be quite a hand full and should not be practiced on the open road as a beginner. can become very dangerous.

[@jray5550]

Great tutorial. I gave my 15yo son his first lesson on manual transmission yesterday and wish I saw this first. Nice job!

[@AILEENIEE03]

THIS VIDEO HELPED ME SO MUCH!!!!!!! I NO LONGER STRUGGLE ON HOW TO DRIVE STICK

[@JJRicks]

I've watched a ton of tutorial videos in the last few days and none are as good as this one. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it. Thank you for doing this!

[@TedwardDrives]

Thank you!!

[@1xBossup]

Ted you are amazing for this. U made this very clear and easy to follow with no extra BS thank U!

[@TedwardDrives]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Arltratlo]

lol, my mom could teach you, but she is 85yrs and get into a bad temper if you mess up!

[@Alliappalachian]

You're an amazing teacher thank you!

[@estephaniey123]

Im in the process of buying mh type R and this video really helped !!!

[@ergosteur]

I really wish I’d been taught like this, and including heel-toe downshifting. It’s hard to break bad habits after years of leaning too much on the clutch to do the work

[@TedwardDrives]

I'm glad! I think its important to expose people to good rev matching techniques early for this exact reason. They probably won't perfect it for a while but know that its a good habit will hopefully avoid creating bad ones

[@snorkeldiveja2330]

Bro I swear I’m ready to jump into a manual now. As a trained teacher, I’m literally impressed.

[@itz_br0dy443]

The absolute best explanation video ever. Thank you

[@mycyberspac3]

you’re the best at explaining things and not over complicating, thank you !!!

[@jessicamendezsiqueiros6232]

My husband (who is an incredible teacher) tried teaching me a stick shift. I thought it was so complicated and overwhelming. Watched this video, and BOOM drove us all around, stop and go traffic in LA. This video is pure gold. Thank you!!!

[@nmm3481]

Great video, you're a really good teacher. I've driven manual all my life since I live in the UK, and I've been teaching my wife (who's from USA) but she won't really try it. I saw this video, and thought the way you explain things is pretty good and would be good for a beginner. I know how a manual operates but it's hard actually teaching it and explaining why things happen the way they do without actually being aware of why. Same with her - she's an English teacher and teaches me things all the way, things I didn't know were a thing that I just did as a native English speaker. It's crazy! Where you say the clutch starts to catch, we call it the 'biting point'. Like when you release the clutch and feel the car start to move. Or when you have the handbrake on, releasing the clutch and feel the car want to move.

[@TkHales]

Thanks tedward my dad may give me his 2016 Colorado manual and im excited he said he would teach me but watch a video first and this was the first video that popped up

[@aas_shortforsmthin]

best tutorial ever. THANK YOU!

[@JW-ri1mb]

Great stuff, I've been driving sticks for over 30 years and never really mastered heel toe downshifting. You break it down so easy! Will definitely practice when I get my nd2 in the near future 😀

[@eurly93]

Well some cars are basically impossible to do it in and some are very easy. Pedal placement, throttle mapping, and your engine make huge differences. Mustangs are super easy to heel toe. Good pedal placement, great throttle response and very rev happy engines. Very easy and predictable to learn throttle and engine response characteristics. LS motors suck to rev match. Camaros and corvettes have fine pedal placement and throttle mapping, but their engines have too much rotational inertia so when you blip the throttle at low rpm the engine kind of fights back and doesn’t want to spin up quickly at first but then once it’s going, it revs quickly so it makes it hard to time with the shift

[@etatere3777]

My lancer couldn’t heel toe cos the pedals were far apart😂

[@spicysnowman8886]

@Paul D. my bmw has weird throttle mapping that makes it hard