gmbfly98

By "neutral shifting", I'm assuming you mean when coming to a red light or stop sign? It can be debated all day which is better; shifting into neutral, or downhifting through the gears. If I can see that I'll be coming to a full stop, I just go straight to neutral, but if I think I might not be stopping completely, I'll downshift through the gears. Since you're slowing down anyway, you aren't likely to worry about over-revving due to a missed shift.

The only point about downshifting through the gears for a manual beginner is that, assuming you let the clutch out on each downshift, you're more likely to be in the correct gear if you need to start moving again, rather than having to guess if you're in neutral.

By the way, check out http://www.shortshifter.com/techniques2.htm. If you practice using shifting using the short-shifting technique, you're much less likely to have a missed downshift, such as the 5th-to-2nd. By changing the orientation of your wrist, it makes it almost impossible to accidentally go from 5th to 2nd.

moosestang

+1

I've burnt my clutch twice in second gear because I didn't fully release it before punching it. It's still going, but mine rattles now from a stop.

miltoneagle

Your really lucky it was raining that day. I honestly think that because of that, the tires didnt catch on the pavement and they just spun. If they would havecaught the person behind you would have been rained on by all the **** spewing out from under your car

Feng Houzi

mine rattles too... is it broken?

moosestang

I don't know, but mine rattles and the car shakes slightly when I slowly release the clutch without giving it gas. I don't remember it doing this when new. Take yours to the dealer. Mine has a 1 piece driveshaft which I have no intentions of removing so they probably won't cover mine under warranty. Not sure they would anyway with almost 9K miles on the car.

I'm going to drive mine until it doesn't work anymore then replace the clutch with a spec clutch and flywheel. Probably a metal flywheel, i heard the aluminum ones make noise.

Chef

i popped the clutch in second my third day out over some potholes and thought i blew an axle. In reality mine was just the lugnuts popped loose in the trunk (i got the stupid wheellocks) now i keep the nuts in the center console. I also keep the crow bar behind my drivers seat as it was bouncing around. my car wont downshift if going too fast (it has prevented me from doing so on many occassions). i dont know if the 07s are differnet. I never downshift to slow down, only to go faster, why waste gas? good luck brother

Chef

also after the cai went in, i couldnt understand the noise at 2000 rpms, its drone from the factory exhaust, my stang no likey 2000 rpms, it wants to eithier go faster in the gear or shift up. youll get the hang of it. Also, the solid rear axle takes getting used to, its like richard hammond described in Top Gear, a pencil with two tires attached at both sides, any lumps or bumps in the road and your sliding. i dont even take mine out in the rain

Chef

here's the video that explains the live axle thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCtswmi2xpM

jrm1900

+1 this is a very good tip, after many yeras of driving stick I still use it sometimes.
Another tip, never drive with your left foot on the clutch pedal even a light pressure migh make it slip and will cause premature wear.out.
Get stuck in the kind of traffic jams I see every day and you'll be an expert in a couple hours.
I think you'll be fine, such clutch burnouts do decrease the life of the disk slightly but for a couple times it is no big deal.
And yeah I've been there done that nobody is born knowing everything. Dont feel bad and don't get nervous,
Enjoy your car.

PRGT

Mine rattles too, I think is the clutch that is starting to get damaged.