What to buy for the EIGHTIES WAGON

[Professur]

Hopping from the first Mirage to the Celebrity was like driving a limo.

 

[rrfield]

downshifting doesn't wear out a clutch

???

Anytime a moving part moves, there is wear.

 

[Altron]

That's how I was taught. Empty parking lot, and a whole lot of stop, first, second, stop, first, second, stop.

You do know that you're not supposed to shift gears in the middle of an intersection, doncha? Set yourself up a few intersections (if the lines are still visible) and practice getting through in one gear.

Then, when you're all done, and confident, make sure there's nothing withing 100 yards of you and try this. Put the car in reverse. Make sure your belt is good and tight. Put your right arm on the back of the seat beside you. Turn so that you're looking out the back. Left arm at the 12-1 o'clock postion on the wheel. Start off backwards. Snap the wheel to the left, and floor it. And hang on for dear life.

In a tight space, this can be aided by pulling on the hand brake between half and three quarters. But pulling the brake usually means you're not looking out the back, so you're not looking where you're going ... and that's a bad thing.

Is that a Reverse Donut recepie?

 

[Professur]

Oh Yeah.

 

[Altron]

It's comforting to know that I can still do donuts in the Maxima.

At work yesterday we were trying to see who could nurn the most rubber.

The first dude went around the corner then peeled out.

The second dude went up to the corner and floored it. Not sure if he had RWD or not. The back wheels were definetly spinning and smoking, but it might have been four-wheel-drive, because the back end didn't swing out on the turn.

Then I did a sharp turn and let the back slide out for about twenty feet, then did a quick direction change and went another 20 feet the other way. I think I won

edit - s'pose I must mention that it was pretty wet out, so these all were more sliding than skidding. The rain just makes it easier and doesn't leave huge skid marks.

 

[chcr]

The second dude went up to the corner and floored it. Not sure if he had RWD or not. The back wheels were definetly spinning and smoking, but it might have been four-wheel-drive, because the back end didn't swing out on the turn.

Positraction.

 

[Altron]

I do the brake trick too -- I keep my right foot on the brake and let the left foot out until the dashboard shudders a little bit, then I take my foot off the brake and give it some gas. I use that trick for backing out of my parents' driveway all the time.

Also, you'll get used to the positioning of the clutch. Most of the time, you'll want your foot to not be on the clutch anyway, so to the left should be fine... and if you're going to be stopped for a little bit, it's best to put the tranny in neutral and let off the clutch to save wear on the throwout bearing.

How am I supposed to hit the brake, the clutch, and the gas all at the same time? I only have two feet.

 

[Inkara1]

You don't. You let off the clutch a little bit, until the dash shudders a bit. At that point, the engine is gripping the clutch some, so when you let off the brake the engine will keep the car from rolling back. Then you give it some gas.

 

[Altron]

Makes sense. Sounds like there's more danger of stalling, though.

 

[chcr]

Makes sense. Sounds like there's more danger of stalling, though.

You will stall it a time or two at first. It just takes a little practice though. The trick is to do it smoothly and quickly.

Actually, you should get to the point where you can feel it start to engage before the dash (or anything else) starts to shudder.

 

[Inkara1]

Eventually, he will. I'm to that point going forward, but when I back out of my parents' driveway, which is REALLY STEEP and ends at the garage door, I still find myself using the dashboard shudder.

 

[chcr]

Eventually, he will. I'm to that point going forward, but when I back out of my parents' driveway, which is REALLY STEEP and ends at the garage door, I still find myself using the dashboard shudder.

You don't heel-and-toe then?

 

[Luis G]

I don't either

 

[Altron]

All of the pedals in the Maxima combined have about as much surface area as my brake.

Or about half as much surface area as my gas.

 

[Professur]

Inky's trick is even easier if you have a hand brake instead of an parking brake pedal.

 

[Inkara1]

My car now has a hand brake, but I learned to drive a stick in a Ford Ranger with a 4.0 V6 and a parking brake pedal.

 

[chcr]

All of the pedals in the Maxima combined have about as much surface area as my brake.

Or about half as much surface area as my gas.

Smaller pedals are better for heel-and-toe driving.

I learned to drive in a '66 Chevy pickup with a three on the tree, then moved up to a '68 GMC with a four speed with granny gear. With my relatively small feet, it was a struggle to heel-and-toe either, but I figured it out.

 

[Altron]

Ah, so you leave the handbrake on until you get it to grip, then drop it and go?

 

[Professur]

Yup. Just like having a third foot. Just don't forget to let it off, or your gas milage is gonna suffer something fierce.

 

[Inkara1]

I don't even use the hand brake. I let the clutch out until it's to the point where the engine is gripping the clutch enough to hold the car still, but slipping enough to not stall the engine. Then I take my foot off the brake, and the car doesn't move because the engine is holding the car in place. Then I put my foot on the gas to build up some revs, and the car will move then, at which point I start to let the clutch out the rest of the way. It sounds like a lot of steps but with practice it takes less than a second.