How to drive fast in a manual car

[@ChipsAAHoy]

I have a 2004 E46 M3 manual, and this very thought process goes on in my head every time I drive it. This kind of driving takes practice, humility, and patience to get it right, but when you do, it is fabulous and satisfying. I guess I'll have to wait until Mick's USA tour to give him a hug... Steve -- Ohio, USA

[@benjaminwiner6220]

Go as deep as you can into the corner then turn the wheel lol

[@humus124]

you got a magnificent car mate!! i love it!!!

[@sau6400]

most normal ohio resident

[@dimitrisboulios]

The passion in your voice. The understanding of the systems. It's like you're part of the gears. Impressive. I'm gonna rewatch and practice tons.

[@MickDrivesCars]

Thank you!

[@apox5308]

But he is still a virgin

[@1nspireheroes]

Mick is 100 percent right about practicing quick starts, especially if you are in a new car. The roundabouts where i live are always busy and knowing that i can make gaps is essential.

[@coryestewart]

The M2 takes two business days to shift from 1st to 2nd, but the rest is completely normal haha.

[@BallTickler420]

It's the exact same thing with any BMW I've driven so far lol, it's always the 1-2 shift that's super slow and if you try to do it faster it will jerk as if you were straight out of driving school. A bit annoying when trying to get moving a bit faster in traffic haha

[@coryestewart]

@@BallTickler420 yep, clutch delay valve right?

[@Basor011]

@@coryestewart it takes a while for the revs to go down i think?

[@patrolmostwanted]

It's the same in most new cars due to excessive rev hang as far as I can tell, though in BMWs it seems to be even more pronounced and therefore more difficult. Initially, the 1-2 upshift just feels like garbage. "You say you've driven manuals before? Yeah, tough luck here mate!" - says the BMW. You've got to get used to it, then with experience you can manage by slipping your clutch like Mick demonstrated. Doing so will make it smoother and at the same time quicker with adequate practice. Either this or it's time for a clutch/shifter mod and CDV-delete. Some folks say that even something as simple as a clutch stop in the floor makes a big difference.

[@reformedartist8528]

@@coryestewart Yes, remove the clutch delay valve and it will go away.

[@alwayslate4656]

The way this man speaks about manual cars and the explanation that comes with it made me feel all sorta things in my body

[@loiywer1292]

Glad im not alone

[@fortnitetrashcan8308]

are you perhaps mansexual

[@JDDGYoutube]

Ayoo hold up

[@doxed64]

How a man does one thing is how a man does everything.

[@ziepex7009]

man telepathy

[@siddarthepuri1550]

Bro trying to rizz us up at 0:17

[@DeividasJac]

I love manuals, since the day I got my license i've been driving non stop for a year just learning, I feel so bad for my poor civic and it's clutch having to deal with my learning haha

[@goonersgang9937]

Really enjoyed this video. I drive a manual Kia Rio with 80 BHP. Would love to experience driving a powerful manual car one day

[@MickDrivesCars]

I spent years in a 1.2 twingo with 100hp. Enjoy it mate, there's a certain type of fun you can't find anywhere else.

[@JWL-UK]

You'll get there! I worked hard and get to daily a manual F-type V6 now in my early 40s. Started with an 1985 ethanol powered Ford Del Rey when I was 18 😉

[@bigpapivini6436]

80hp wtf thats weak as hell I have a 2007 fiat Bravo and its 120hp i didn't expect a kia to be this weak

[@jonathansteven9938]

@@bigpapivini6436 And i'm 17 with a 270 hp GTI, don't be an ass to people just because they may be less fortunate than you

[@bigpapivini6436]

@@jonathansteven9938 bro nooo what i wasn't being rude or something i was just saying how surprising the fact that that car has so low hp i mean i got a low hp car my self so u kinda misunderstood me its ok tho 😂

[@doxed64]

"mechanical sympathy"... there's only one other post in 2 months of searching that used that terminology. You're a real one, Mick.

[@mikulaspetricko3935]

Very nicely putting into words...exactly why I love my manual gearbox

[@GTofu86]

Watched this yesterday. Watching again cause it was quality content all the way through, but also very educational. Everything Mick says in this video is spot on. It's wisdom, from years of experience, doing one thing, correctly... It's worth the rewatch. You never fully absorb the whole lesson with teachers like Mick. Subscribed.

[@nugs2727]

Got my driving test today and oh well well well is the driving examiner in for a shock when I drive off a cliff at 88mph

[@Natsuki.Muramoto]

Lmfao, bless. Go well? 💕😅

[@nugs2727]

@ yeah i passed. Driving off a cliff was the way to go

[@nevenasterikova3335]

I love how you have exactly 88 likes.😂

[@nugs2727]

@@Natsuki.Muramoto yeah i passed :D

[@Natsuki.Muramoto]

@@nugs2727 Woo! 🎉 Congratulations!! ✨😄

[@Phrizzey]

this is really good to know for upshifting. I was already "knowledgable" for starting and downshifting but i was just dumping my clutch 1-2/2-3/3-4. Thank you.

[@chadlittewillie7397]

Boutta go racing in a Renault Twingo with this tutorial, thanks :D

[@Kayloxk]

this guy zesty lowkey

[@substro5640]

Nah just british

[@takethatlfr9337]

Hes gearsexual

[@pachicore]

​@@substro5640same thing

[@achuparlasocio206]

​@@substro5640i can confirm

[@sasaivanovic1260]

​@@substro5640i was just about to comment that

[@Andreas-jl9nr]

When I found out Mick is Oscar Piastri's UK brother 😱

[@MickDrivesCars]

News to me, but I'll take it

[@Quirky.Turtle69]

Drove a 2003 mini s and the gearbox was amazing. I buttered the 1-2 shift on my first try which is a far cry from what we would expect from a modern car

[@MrRyancarr13]

I have a 70hp Fiat 500 (Sport 😎) and I can't wait to try these. Great video man I loved the passion, the humour, how well structured the explanations were, and super easy you made it to understand. I'd say this is a must watch for new drivers honestly just to understand how the revs/engine power works beyond what they're taught in lessons

[@wrightwoodwork]

The good old traffic light grand prix. Too old for that now but still a useful skill for the roundabout gap od blink and miss it

[@TheZiomalsky]

Heel/Toe will always be hard af for me. Whenever I lift my heel I can no longer maintain smooth break pressure, so when I blip the throttle I also accidentaly change the break pressure and shake the car.

[@matess3655]

I had the same problem, try this practice: on an empty road, apply a low amount of brake while holding the clutch, low enough to have a fair bit of time before you fully stop. While slowing down and still holding the cluch, try to rev the car a few times, to varying rpm levels, all while maintaining the same exact braking pressure. In some time, your foot will adapt to sort of moving around the brake pedal instead of just pressing down on it harder and it will get smoother. Try it with varying amounts of brake pressure each time so you truly get used to it.

[@RobotDCLXVI]

Do big toe little toe. It's easier.

[@SolidMGSnake]

Love your enthusiasm about manuals

[@pixelpusher1393]

Interesting video - the biggest advantage of a manual shows in city traffic. City traffic is all about choosing the appropriate method of approaching the next stop with a just sufficient amount of initial acceleration. A manual lets you choose between shifting into idle and letting the car roll, or leaving the selected gear in and using it´s breaking power, or even shifting smoothly down one or two gears for more breaking power to minimize use of the brakes (for which you have to let the clutch come very slowly and delicately to avoid unnecessary wear). If done right, you arrive at the traffic light when it turns green in the appropriate gear and you can simply continue driving. Accelerating is indeed a bit of a challenge, particularly the shift from 1st to 2nd gear. Here I keep the clutch semi-engaged during 1st and 2nd gear. Only once I shift into 3rd gear I let it go completely. A manual lets you chose at what rpm you shift into the next gear, and I prefer to upshift as soon as possible. I rarely hit 2000rpm in 1st gear, and usually upshift between 1400 and 1500rpm. It is perfectly possible to let my car roll in 6th gear at 35mp/h, with 1200-1300rpm. It goes without saying that this driving style is all about minimizing fuel consumption, not about experiencing acceleration.

[@oleksandrs1102]

Bought my first manual Mazda 3 2.5 NA. Enjoy this content. I feel a lot needed to be learned.

[@alpha6549]

Welcome to the club. I just bought a Mazda 6 but let me tell you. I don't like the way it shifts. Way smoother on German cars Other than that it's great

[@vonix9199]

I had no idea you could just instantly let go of the clutch when launching if you have enough revs, but then again I drive a 110hp renault megane 😂

[@wedowbravee5290]

Same here 😂 i have a megane 3 1.9 and i do it all the time just turn off traction control and rev it up to 3500rpms and dump that clutch u should get a pretty good launch with some wheel spin 👍🏼

[@wolf-knivestv1260]

You can in that too

[@neeeenawwwwwwww2269]

@@wedowbravee5290I have to redline my seat Ibiza to be able to dump the clutch without stalling 😂

[@ラッセル9728]

i just looked tht car up and lmfao, that car is a pos !!!!!! ( i drive a kia soul)

[@beddiefrenson4424]

I think it's just about rpms : you stall whenever you hit (for example) less than 1000rpm, thats why you stall : if you lift off the clutch too quickly when speeding up ; you didn't give enough rpms for the engine to move off. when braking too much without engaging the clutch, same reason. That being said, if you give your engine 2000/3000rpms to work with, I think you can take the clutch almost instantly as it would have enough rpms to not stall

[@SM-pr1qt]

Thanks mate gonna go try this in my Corsa now 🚗

[@marianpyter5948]

9:53 that's the way most people drive because that's the most economic way

[@sniperboy380]

Its hilarious how you added nope on the speed 😂😂😂

[@MickDrivesCars]

😂

[@eleftheriosgkioulekas1001]

Sulu! Go to warp NOPE. 😂

[@tophplays6154]

He wants that yt revenue

[@ellispalmer9220]

I know how this sounds… but you should consider putting some sort of disclaimer at the start of videos like this. Young inexperienced drivers could watch this and run out of talent, fast. Launching is one thing, what happens after is another. We all think we are Hamilton when we first get on the road. Informative video and well presented 👍🏽

[@carlosbriseno3802]

This dude just made me want to drive my Mustang gt for no damn reason

[@barcabarcabarcaa]

hey Mick. I've been watching your channel for quite some time now and I really enjoy your content. I'm right now still in the process of learning how to drive and getting my license as it takes around a years time here in Switzerland and I've been eagerly trying to practice your advice with my parent's manual car (it's not a sports car AT ALL). thank you for your helpful content.Your G87 is my absolute dream car. i'm excited for you and truly happy to see you enjoying it. Congrats on such an awesome ride!

[@2XPWeeknd]

This video is so useful!! I just bought an 08 civic si and its honestly been so much fun learning standard in it

[@fahadassiry224]

I was 12 years old when my uncle taught me how to drive a manual car for the first time. He simply said, “Do this, don’t do that, and go!” He didn’t think I needed a full course-just a little push, and I’d figure it out on my own. and i'm sure all people can do that, you have to drive alot and practis

[@TimpBizkit]

The fastest way to launch is pedal to the floor, and letting the clutch out at the rate that keeps rpm at the torque peak. I don't do this as too much wear. I prefer to use about 1500 rpm and use the throttle to control how quickly I launch. Only applying further power when clutch is locked.

[@pastorcookie8689]

im already subbed, but im glad you reminded me to like the video after the inuendo LOL. Great vid man, i just got a manual less than a week ago and ive actually gotten comfortable driving around town, but i do so VERY SLOWLY. this is what i needed!

[@andreimilotin912]

my man explains how to drive a manual car, keeping his foot on the clutch all the time when the car is stationary :))

[@prismgames]

Damn, watched your videos when you were driving a Renault Magnum RS, congrats on moving up to an M2

[@SatanDotExe]

I have an OG manual M2 and I just budget a new clutch. It's way too fun to drive these cars hard 🤣

[@daviddaw999]

What a great driver at around 5:35 - going through an amber light that you had plenty of time to stop for.

[@JWL-UK]

Lovely video, I daily a manual F-type V6 on A and B roads and it's outstanding. I like blipping the throttle as I up shift just to keep the Jag howling, popping and banging a bit more. 😎

[@dalecampbell3034]

I love this guy😂😂

[@JayantMall]

Thanks for the vid! Aiming the camera towards the dash would work better while talking. Not trying to be nasty, just a suggestion.

[@valentindobchev6005]

Sick upgrade over the Meg! Currently on the market for a F82 to upgrade my meg with!

[@yeety1208]

the 1st to 2nd shift is so real when i was learning it was always so jerku

[@stuntdrag0n]

This came at the perfect time. I got my Manual M2 2 weeks ago and I’m getting more experience with it (my first manual), and now looking for techniques to be smoother and faster

[@Salpeteroxid]

I think that's the only new M-car I'd trade in my F82 M4 for. But I'll buy one second hand off warranty so I can tune it lol 😂 G87 seemed very heavy when I drove at the Nürburgring and most F82 and E92 M-cars just flew passed them, me included. Do they feel very heavy or was the G87 drivers to blame?

[@stuntdrag0n]

@@SalpeteroxidI came from a Supra, so absolutely it feels heavy. Right when you open the doors you can feel the weight. The Supra felt like a missile rocket and the G87 feels like a freight train. Both are fast, but the Supra you can feel the sense of speed more. M2 feels like an overall better whole package car though.

[@Salpeteroxid]

@@stuntdrag0n Is the supra a harsh ride and is the rear axle solid mounted like the M-cars?

[@stuntdrag0n]

@@Salpeteroxidgood question, I don’t know!

[@Aderin.]

Bro i love the way you explain things 😂 I havent driven a car in my pife but your videos make me feel like i have

[@WG_269]

I'm a fairly new driver, but have driven for like three or four years, and have never knew about how to upshift. My car thanks you.

[@BanhChui1968swe]

To learn each cars components and how they work together and how they differ from other cars is a freaking art. Everything from where the biting point is to where each gears revs are for the corresponding speed. The one thing I find the most difficult is that some of the manual cars I've driven don't have the desired pedalspacing for heel and toe (nor big toe small toe), since the pedals might either be too far apart from eachother or to far infront of the other (when the brake is pressed). Though the cars I'm talking about are not meant or built to be sporty. SAAB, Opel or Toyota. The car where I found heel and toeing to be the easiest is the Honda civic from the years 2008-2012 or so. Where the gas pedal is like on the BMW in the video.

[@kenyaflutter8049]

Your videos have been very educational. Could you please make a video on how to perfectly center a car in the lane? Thanks!

[@Alex-p4s5j]

First step: buy a bmw

[@aslap4you882]

Step 2: Signal delete

[@_joonskipi_927]

Step 3: fix the bmw

[@ラッセル9728]

no, civic tuned is good enough too.

[@zarishzubair4732]

​joonskipi_927 3rd step:buy new bmw

[@Mihir_685]

Learnt many things mate, Kudos to you!! 🙇

[@microndo]

you're very good at explaining things, thank you

[@pakistani69420]

Great now I can use this on my hyundai getz

[@paulprince906]

Those innuendos😂

[@MickDrivesCars]

:)

[@Sandyyrn]

Dropping the clutch without traction control was fun😂😂

[@YouNeedToKnowTV]

Mick how many joints did you smoke before this video?

[@Overlord176]

lmao

[@MaiKimNha]

Mere bhai ka recommendation best tha, ab main bhi sabko 4ra recommend karta hoon

[@tonycuh114]

bro is poetic

[@rozafaff]

LMFAOOOOO mick you’re my new best friend 😂 the personality is fye

[@kazabon_]

That sweet nectar ❤

[@zombiedeutsch]

downshifts look easy in this car, i think it does the rev matching for you

[@luuthaiEOX]

4ra ke features aur interface dono hi best hai, full on maza aata hai

[@Tanush-d9n]

Underrated vid😂

[@grosfumiste4429]

on the road by post malone is a nice detail

[@ShanBGLR]

I would like to differ here - It's not working hard, one's an artist to understand each car and shift gears at the right RPM to get the best out of it, may that be performance or fuel efficiency. That's the fun of driving manual which no Automatic can give.

[@chuggetmcnugget2739]

Great video- I basically taught myself manual and love it, but my shifter has gotten a little grindy and I’m worried I’m doing something wrong but just don’t know what, could you do a video on common mistakes that induce wear and tear?

[@MickDrivesCars]

I've got a maintenance checklist video that might be useful But for your specific problem it's likely clutch or gearbox... maybe a fluid change would help but if it's something like the synchros... it's a long day

[@OKff123]

I’m from Ghana and you are very good with your lessons . Very articulate and interesting.

[@mikenewbold1699]

absolute pseud of the highest level

[@Bl2EAKIN]

I think the hardest thing to learn to deal with is the rev hang from 1st to 2nd. All manuals I've driven after 2000 have rev hang, some more ridiculous than others. My E60 530d is borderline frustrating on this. I literally have to delay pressing the clutch pedal by almost 2 seconds after taking my foot of the throttle, when shifting from 1st to 2nd. It's less noticeable in 2nd to 3rd, and in higher gears it's not an issue... but launching properly and smoothly requires ridiculous precision.

[@Omarock]

11:57 This is almost impossible to do on my stock 8th gen civic (non si) because the gas pedal is placed too low compared to brakes.

[@slavalone4109]

same issue with a hyundai tuscon basically, to be physically able to heel-toe, i'd have to be braking way too strongly for most road conditions lol what i end up doing is just downshifting in advance, before i even really start braking

[@nevenasterikova3335]

Here I am driving an automatic and can't wrap my head around why would I need manual, what more it could give me, much less how to propa change gears. When I was thaught to drive manual they always said to match revs to gear. Here is Mike speeding at 3rd gear, not giving a dam about 4rth gear, and I can't get it, neither can I get how people learn this stuff.😭

[@mayurnmahajan]

I liked how you explained stuff and also taught to take care of the gearbox. I could related to it although my lesser technically sound friends wouldn't.

[@prodluckyy4671]

Thanks now I know how to drive Emanuel

[@PhungDucChinh]

recommendation best tha, ab main bhi sabko 4ra recommend karta hoon

[@Bbart77]

My dad tought me this :D But the way you're speaking... love your energy haha

[@Beatsbasteln]

if you ever make merchandise, you need to have a t-shirt that just says 'finesse'

[@yungsquee1651]

The nope was a good idea. Fantastic video man👍🏻

[@LoreeQuynhNga]

4rabet ke features bohot amazing hai, har baar kuch naya dekhne ko milta hai

[@RM98k]

Absolutley brilliant video, love the passion

[@Truth4Lyf]

Ive yet to drive a manual car with enough power to spin the wheels when i dump the clutch and rev to the max. Though when the surface is a little slipperly, ill spin my wheels for about 0.5 seconds. Cant wait till i get one. The M2 sounds like one of the better new options out there. But its too damn expensively

[@Superbustr]

My 2008 Golf GTI (195hp) could spin the wheels with a clutch dump, but you would have to hold the manual handbreak in place. My newer 2019 Golf GTI (245hp) can easily spin the wheels with or without it being wet when dumping the clutch and without having to hold the handbreak.

[@LiễuLệKiều]

Bhai Aaron Finch ke saath 4ra events aur bhi bright aur better ho gaye, real fun hai

[@UmUs]

Getting a good gear box is a must, even if it costs like 10% of what you spent on your car

[@kieran9654]

Tip for this video: watch in 1.2x speed

[@slowly6119]

just picked up a manual 15’ corolla and watching this like 2 weeks after is just making me laugh at myself haha

[@codebycarlos]

oh man that was awesome

[@ooo6876]

me after three beers: this video is a good idea!

[@darkslayer3342]

Indeed, my instructor told me the strongest gear is first gear in a manual car.

[@kebab82]

Great video, training these tricks in the company van so I don't fuck up my own car

[@ActuallyAudacity]

I've tried heel and toeing before. I have relatively big feet but I somehow can't rev match on an R56 😭 One of the main times I tried it I put too much brake while trying to blip the gas pedal

[@Superbustr]

Heel toe takes practice. Also It's a lot harder to heel to on a top hinged suspended acc pedal vs a bottom hinge pedal.

[@bilal6094]

The beauty of a manual is your leg cramps because you're stuck in traffic everyday

[@ПепиПетров-ф5й]

I tried heel toe downshify, but my gas pedal is so damn lower than my brake, that its impossible to reach it. Is that normal for some cars, or i just suck at it

[@MickDrivesCars]

Yeah it's really hard in some cars. You can get close my just rev matching before the corner, then braking. Separate the two.

[@BallTickler420]

That's completely normal, when I tried to learn it I was wondering the same thing. In some cars the brake pedal is higher than the gas pedal and if it's a car with somewhat of an enthusiast community, chances are that there are some upgrade kits to improve on this shortcoming, for example for my BMW E46 there are some extension plates that bolt onto the gas pedal to try improve the heel and toe. If I remember correctly there are also little plastic spacer bits that screw into the back of the pedal where it's bolted to the floor to move the whole pedal assembly forward. You can try this, or just after practice you will have it down - for me the big toe, little toe method works very well despite the height difference between the brake and accelerator - big toe on the brake and little toe on the accelerator.

[@Omarock]

Same thing on my 8th gen civic, I just brake till I get to the top of the previous gear's power band, release brake for a sec to tap gas / downshift, then get back on the brakes. It's slower but that's the best I can do in this car ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@SeiunPinkNebula]

I got a mazda3, love that lil shit, wanr a 2009 manual model, gonna practice all this shit since i push that shitty one I have a manual.one is getting pushed like hell then😭🙏

[@Prodbytazza]

I'm a learner driver and I've always been told not to drive higher speeds in a lower gear like 2nd or 3rd. Why is this? I've noticed myself when I drive without my instructor and with a mate that my car is more powerful in the lower gears and keeps my speed. Anyone with knowledge on this who could give me insight would be greatly appreciated!

[@jopbr.314]

Heel and toe is kinda hard in my swift sport since the throttle response is about 2 business days😅

[@T2305-l7q]

When im not racing i can just normally get the second gear in very fast, because i know exactly where to shift for the perfect gear change. But sometimes im a lil bit too early and im not coming in at 1600 rpm as im driving my car normally, because i cant get my car moving under this rpm

[@xarisvasiliou]

5:25 bro used a flash signal 😳🗣️🗣️

[@SuperEddzz]

Why are you censoring your numberplate? What do you think someone can do with that information?

[@alheadbme]

Harass him. File false reports on the vehicle. Social engineer more information by pretending to be the owner. Etc. None of it's super likely, but there are a lot of people on the internet, and online is forever.

[@Austin-bc1yh]

Rev hang on moderns is atrocious. I drive an old 1.8t 6 speed a4 audi with some bolt ons and a tune and when upshifting I always drop the clutch fast because the rpms are right where they should be by the time i get it in gear(as long as im nice to my synchros). No rev hang, it drops as soon as I push the clutch in. I actually have to blip the throttle a tiny bit from 1st to 2nd to reduce clutch wear because it likes to reach idle before it wants to go in, seems to be the case with all the 1.8ts and ive driven several. I think 1st isnt synchronized on them. 10:45 anecdote you ALWAYS want to be in a high powerband for 2 reasons when going round bends and curves. Reason #1 if you arent touching the gas pedal you get engine braking which helps reduce the effort your braking system needs to slow down. #2 in a slide or out of control situation you can use the cars power to straighten out by hammering the gas pedal. It sounds counterintuitive but as someone who has went into a ditch driving an awd vehicle by taking a corner too hard, letting off the power when you are skidding around trying to maintain control will cause a fishtail if you arent prepared to handle the steering wheel in a manner to regain composure. If you are too spirited and slide around a corner too fast especially on gravel hitting the gas pedal till you get straightened out is your best friend. Especially rwd cars. You often see those videos of someone doing a showoff with their new muscle car and they do the 180 burnout and takeoff only to end up fishtailing into a sidewalk 200 yards later because they let off the gas pedal before they fully gained traction.

[@sikex_x]

silly silly sausage. Nice video and an even nicer car. Big ups Mick

[@ace_ab1132]

This helped a ton! Been looking for some quick but not jerky shifts for my 370z Nismo. Also, what head cam is that?

[@maxajm9111]

First guy who drives on right side, and speaks fully understandable English xD