Go easy on me please

Ok, heres another "dumb" question. If you cant tell this is my first car that has been a stick, so here I go, any help would be great.

1) What RPM's do you normally shift at for casual driving? (I want to be easy and "baby" my car, but shifting around 1.5k doesn't seem as smooth as when shifting around 2k.)

2) How far do you push in the clutch? The clutch seems to let out around 3/4 away from the floor. I have been putting the clutch petal to the floor when shifting to be safe, but is that necessary? When doing that I have to take my foot off the floor, but if I only pushed it until it disengaged I could leave my heal on the floor, like I normally do with the gas or brake. (if that makes any sense)

3) How do you slow down? (all brakes, or combo with down shifting)

4) When down shifting do you rev match or "heal toe"?

5) Why would it be beneficial to "double clutch", and do you do this when up shifting or down shifting?

Any suggestions are welcome, and any other overall help for how to drive would be great. I have never killed a car (believe it or not), but I have been driving manual trans ATV's and dirt bikes for quite a while. I am in no way claiming that I am proficient at driving a manual car yet.
THANKS!

1. 1500-2000 rpm during normal driving. Higher depending on driving conditions (wanting to pass etc). Where you shift will depend on driving style and if you're concerned with mileage.

2. Only as far as needed to shift gears without grinding. Hydraulic clutches are all different so it will take some experimenting to determine proper travel but it shouldn't need to be floored all the time.

3. I use the brakes only to slow down allowing the car to coast to a stop usually. The clutch is for shifting gears IMHO.

4. I usually only rev match when coming to a turn (down shift to 3rd or 2nd to make a left or a right).

5. There should be no need to "double clutch" with a tranny that has synchronized gears.

Mind you all of this is for normal driving conditions only. Racing is a whole other animal. Road course or cone course is where "heel and toe" operation of the brakes and throttle come into play.

answers in red:

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Originally Posted by z-maro

Ok, heres another "dumb" question. If you cant tell this is my first car that has been a stick, so here I go, any help would be great.

1) What RPM's do you normally shift at for casual driving? (I want to be easy and "baby" my car, but shifting around 1.5k doesn't seem as smooth as when shifting around 2k.)

2.5k-3k

2) How far do you push in the clutch? The clutch seems to let out around 3/4 away from the floor. I have been putting the clutch petal to the floor when shifting to be safe, but is that necessary? When doing that I have to take my foot off the floor, but if I only pushed it until it disengaged I could leave my heal on the floor, like I normally do with the gas or brake. (if that makes any sense)

to the floor

3) How do you slow down? (all brakes, or combo with down shifting)

just brakes, unless it's a steep grade

4) When down shifting do you rev match or "heal toe"?

rev match

5) Why would it be beneficial to "double clutch", and do you do this when up shifting or down shifting?

that for trannys from waaaaaay back, didn't have syncros

Any suggestions are welcome, and any other overall help for how to drive would be great. I have never killed a car (believe it or not), but I have been driving manual trans ATV's and dirt bikes for quite a while. I am in no way claiming that I am proficient at driving a manual car yet.
THANKS!

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