Everyone who loves driving will tell you the joy of driving a manual car. Even though automatic cars have taken over the market, manuals will always be in demand because manual driving is when you are actually driving. So, here are some Dos and Don’ts when driving a stick-shift.

DOs When Driving a Manual Car

When shifting gears, be sure the clutch is engaged at all times

Your car's transmission can be damaged if you don't engage the clutch when shifting gears. A clutch's primary job is to regulate the amount of transmission/engine contact. A jerky motion might occur as the car tries to find the correct gear-and-engine-speed balance.

Use Gears Properly

Maintain gears according to your speed, or else your car’s transmission and the engine will be ruined after some time. Improper gearing and speeding up are two obvious signs of wear and tear on a car. Because of this, you'll hear a noise that isn't normally made by automobiles. In the long term, driving an automobile with mismatched gears is detrimental.

Use Clutch Properly

Grinding the gears is a very common driving blunder. Due to a variety of factors, the gears could grind to a halt. When the car is moving, do not fiddle with the clutch and disengage properly. Be sure to shift gears with 100% pressure on the clutch. 

Don’ts When Driving a Manual Car

Never drive with the clutch engaged continuously.

When you're pressing the brake or shifting gears, the clutch should be disengaged. The clutch will wear down more quickly if you keep it pressed halfway while driving. Your car's maintenance costs will go up as a result of this.

When you're parked, don't put your manual car in gear.

When the car is in gear and at a stop, it's safe to assume the clutch is engaged, too. Longer periods with the clutch engaged shorten its lifespan. As previously noted, this will increase the cost of car maintenance.

Don’t Coast Downhill

Driving up and down mountains is a wonderful experience, but don't let yourself get carried away by coasting downhill in neutral. You may assume that this will save you money on gas, but it's quite unsafe. You'll only be able to brake, thus you'll have less overall control over your vehicle. Secondly, coasting in neutral while descending a slope will put additional stress on the braking system.

Don’t Use Clutch to Hold the Car On an Uphill Road

Even in manual gearbox cars, many new vehicles have hill hold assist. In some cases, the car would use the brakes to help you climb a steep hill. But in a vehicle without this feature, it's all about manual control. That said, you should never use the clutch or gas paddle to hold the vehicle. Instead, use the brakes. Slipping the clutch by driving the vehicle down a hill while it's parked increases the temperature, which in turn leads to increased wear.

Everyone should know how to drive a manual car since you never know when you'll find yourself behind the wheel of a manual vehicle, and also to obtain a drivers license in India, the driver needs to clear the driving tests using a manual car. It's a little more difficult to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's plenty fun.