How to adjust to a new car?

[bk7794]

I've noticed a massive difference between my two civics. The clutch on my newer one engages much lower compared to the 91. My question is though, now I have to re-adjust and I am having a very difficult time doing so. It seems that I can shift at a much slower pace compared the the 91 due to the lower engagement point. However, how long approximately does it take to adjust? Also any advice? I have found that thinking about it is much worse lol.

[Shadow]

Depends on the driver. Personally, I can quickly adjust to pretty much any manual transmission car. Then again, I've been driving them for many, many years and I've owned lots of them during that time.

Just give it time and you'll get used to it.

[watkins]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

[bk7794]

Depends on the driver. Personally, I can quickly adjust to pretty much any manual transmission car. Then again, I've been driving them for many, many years and I've owned lots of them during that time.

Just give it time and you'll get used to it.

Thanks for the advice, I'll have to take the car out on a weekend when I am more refreshed and there are less drivers on the road.

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Yeah, I found getting the car to move to not be much of a challenge, but just doing it smoothly consistently.

[silent425]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Couldn't resist, so I have to ask, what's your job?

[tankinbeans]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Couldn't resist, so I have to ask, what's your job?

Gigolo?

[rml605]

Your's probably catches similar to my Acura.

I've always thought lower clutch means off clutch/on gas quicker? Maybe just for me, but it seems slower clutch release just becomes a struggle with the DBW and such.

[ClutchFork]

Have had three full size Ford trucks with 4.9L inline sixes, all manual transmissions, from 1977 through 2011. Have driven them with high pedals, low pedals, even a pedal engaging right off the floor, and never recall any trouble adjusting. But when I got this Ford Ranger in December 2011, it seems it took me nearly a year to fully acclimate to driving it. I think the big difference was engine size, going from 4.9L to 2.3L, because I briefly drove a couple 4-bangers on single trips here and there over the years, and found the clutch in those to have a rather toyish feel compared to the big 4.9L. The Ranger feels great now though.

[six]

I have driven my fair share of manuals over the last seven years, (true, I've only owned two, but driven many) and didn't really have much trouble adjusting to the different clutches. Now, driving them smoothly, that's a different story, but at least I didn't have trouble driving them. Maybe me learning stick on one of the trickiest clutches in the book helps a bit, I don't know, but that shouldn't really matter.

[potownrob]

I've noticed a massive difference between my two civics. The clutch on my newer one engages much lower compared to the 91. My question is though, now I have to re-adjust and I am having a very difficult time doing so. It seems that I can shift at a much slower pace compared the the 91 due to the lower engagement point. However, how long approximately does it take to adjust? Also any advice? I have found that thinking about it is much worse lol.

it should only take a year or so to adjust

[potownrob]

I've noticed a massive difference between my two civics. The clutch on my newer one engages much lower compared to the 91. My question is though, now I have to re-adjust and I am having a very difficult time doing so. It seems that I can shift at a much slower pace compared the the 91 due to the lower engagement point. However, how long approximately does it take to adjust? Also any advice? I have found that thinking about it is much worse lol.

like the others have alluded to, it will probably take longer to adjust since you haven't driven too many manuals. for me, i've driven many manuals but only a handful or so were my cars or cars i ever drove for more than a few minutes. it still took me at least a month to get used to each new car. keep in mind all these cars were totally different cars from one to the next (civic to maxima to accord to newer slushbox accord to impreza to slushbox jetta), and it took a good month or 2 to get used to the throttle etc. even of the automatics. your car is actually not TOO different from your old car, but it will take a while to really get used to the lower clutch engagement zone, along with the throttle response, braking etc. i think it's okay and sometimes necessary to think things through at first, but you will want to stop thinking about it as soon as possible (twss??).

[Squint]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Couldn't resist, so I have to ask, what's your job?

Same here. I end up driving a manual at work every now and again, so I don't think it's too hard to adjust to a different car. It's not necessarily going to be super pretty, but fairly easy to do.

And to answer the question asked at watkins, I work at a car dealership doing special finance paperwork/phone calls/income verification/etc... so I help get some cars stocked in on trades, cleaned up, filled up with gas, etc.. There aren't that many manuals out there, but I still see some now and again.

[AHTOXA]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Ditto. There were times where I'd go between driving 3 different cars in the same day for decent distances - enough to get used to one clutch only to jump into another. Overtimes you just learn to adapt fast. Generally the more different cars you drive and the more frequently you do so, the easier it is to adjust between cars. It's been a while since I've not been completely comfy getting into a completely different car for the first time and having issues with it.

[bk7794]

I was able to take it on its test drive and drive it off the lot and such. Just making it pretty is what I am currently having issues with. It is getting there though. I think the initial problems is the fear of damaging the car.

[watkins]

The more cars you drive, the easier it is to adjust. I drive a ton of manuals for work, so I only take a few minutes to figure a new car out.

Couldn't resist, so I have to ask, what's your job?

Automotive Wellness Practitioner. Thats "mechanic" to normal people. Im a certified Chrysler Group tech at the largest selling dealer in New England.