[paulymu]

I've had my manual 340 for about 2 years now, my first stick shift car. Had a few lessons on a friend's manual car years ago when in college and loved it ever since. I need help being smoother through the gears, especially 1st and 2nd. She's my daily and don't get a-lot of time to practice working 2 jobs. I'm confident enough to get the car going and moving along no problem, but i know i can be smoother or should be smoother. I do believe the car assists me when letting out in 1st unlike an older car which would just stall. Debating getting an older, cheap manual to practice on. Thoughts, suggestions?
Thank you.

2016 Estoril Blue 6 speed 340 xdrive

[BimR]

I don't know what specifically you may want to improve but maybe pull into an empty parking lot on the weekends and practice the low gears for 10-15mins? You have had the car for 2 years so this should be an easy fix.

You cannot say you don't have time to practice but then also state that you want to buy an older car.... for practice!

[WDE82]

CDV delete.

Beyond that you don't drive another car to learn how to drive your current car better. Just go drive it and focus on being smooth.

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by paulymu

I've had my manual 340 for about 2 years now, my first stick shift car. Had a few lessons on a friend's manual car years ago when in college and loved it ever since. I need help being smoother through the gears, especially 1st and 2nd. She's my daily and don't get a-lot of time to practice working 2 jobs. I'm confident enough to get the car going and moving along no problem, but i know i can be smoother or should be smoother. I do believe the car assists me when letting out in 1st unlike an older car which would just stall. Debating getting an older, cheap manual to practice on. Thoughts, suggestions?
Thank you.

2016 Estoril Blue 6 speed 340 xdrive

You already have a car to practice on. If you’ve been driving for 2 years and haven’t mastered a manual, perhaps a manual isn’t for you. As stated above, you don’t have time to practice and you work 2 jobs. Yet you want to buy another car to practice on. It makes no sense.

[auburnf30x]

Yeah, no need to get a second car. I learned to drive stick with a 1984 Nissan pickup that had rolled down a hill a couple of times, been spray painted yellow, and smelled like raccoon pee (beater vehicle at my college job). Clutch was practically burned out.

When I drove the next manual car, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing and had to relearn everything. By the time I got to the next one, I thought, OKAY! I’ve got this now. Nope.

The learning curve gets shorter with each new car, but there always is one.

Practice with the car you want to drive better. Buying another will only teach you how to drive that car well.

[shoman24v]

Sounds like you need less throttle as you shift the more gears you go through. The clutch is like your brakes, but it works opposite. Bad shifts mean you are either shifting too slow making the revs fall lower then where they should be or you're giving it too much gas between shifts making the revs higher than where it should be. CDV is supposed to aid in smoother shifts.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by shoman24v

Sounds like you need less throttle as you shift the more gears you go through. The clutch is like your brakes, but it works opposite. Bad shifts mean you are either shifting too slow making the revs fall lower then where they should be or you're giving it too much gas between shifts making the revs higher than where it should be. CDV is supposed to aid in smoother shifts.

CDV does not work like that. It limits how fast the clutch can engage. That means that the clutch does not follow your foot on the way up if that makes sense. It makes the 1-2 shift pretty annoying. Taking the CDV out of my E82 and adding a clutch stop was amazing for driving improvement in all regards.

[paulymu]

Originally Posted by WDE82

CDV delete.

Beyond that you don't drive another car to learn how to drive your current car better. Just go drive it and focus on being smooth.

What's cdv delete? Think i'ver heard it mentioned before but don't know about it.

[CajunBMW]

In my experience it takes time behind the wheel to get used to your car. My current cars are all automatics, but I learned to drive a manual on old fiat, then had an old VW bug before driving a manual mustang 5.0. Each of those cars had different characteristics that I had to get used to, to drive them smoothly. My advice is really go out to a parking lot and practice. Wish I could be of more help.

[HighlandPete]

I honesty don't get this difficulty in learning to drive a manual.

Within five minutes, or a few starts, we should have understanding of the clutch action and relationship to the throttle. Get in a different manual, five minutes driving and it's all sorted. Where's the issue?

2-years and not mastered... get an AT.

To me, it's a bit like the many 'seat' threads we have on here, taking ages to get a decent seat position.

Don't we get in a car, set the seat to our normal driving position and drive... okay we may need a minor tweak or two, but the first day we should be sorted.

[Skyhigh]

In Europe we drive primarily manual gearboxes (automatic becoming more popular now that they are significantly faster and more intelligent... we never saw a point earlier).

We all learn how to drive on manual and from that experience, I'd say my best advice is:

Forget about your audio system at the beginning. Listen to the engine. You need to get an acoustic feeling about RPMs and when the engine is screaming at you to upshift (or downshift)! Depending on the situation (cruising vs fast acceleration) it will be a different moment. You should try to only use the RPMs on the instrument cluster as a reference at the beginning, but then just listen... Eventually it will become subconscious. The noise form the engine will be telling you subconsciously when to downshift and upshift.

As you practice and gain experience, it becomes a muscle-memory thing, dependent on your speed as well. Eventually you will not need to look at the stick or cluster, you would know at any given point in time what gear you are in or should be in, based on your speed and engine sound.

It takes practice, but before you know it, you will realise you have started doing it subconsciously.... It is like putting the seatbelt on - you don't think about it, you just do it

Good luck!

[Solidjake]

With two years driving you should have no issues. I know the main issue with the F30's is getting out of first with the clutch shuddering. It takes some finesse.... to get it right

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by WDE82

CDV does not work like that. It limits how fast the clutch can engage. That means that the clutch does not follow your foot on the way up if that makes sense. It makes the 1-2 shift pretty annoying. Taking the CDV out of my E82 and adding a clutch stop was amazing for driving improvement in all regards.

Originally Posted by WDE82

CDV delete.

Beyond that you don't drive another car to learn how to drive your current car better. Just go drive it and focus on being smooth.

This. Any other car my 1-2 shift is as smooth as butter. In this car it makes me feel as if I'm a noob driver and it's very annoying. The only thing I've personally found out was to rev out first gear longer (instead of shifting at 2200-2500, shift at 3000) and the cdv doesn't interrupt as much.

[shoman24v]

Originally Posted by WDE82

CDV does not work like that. It limits how fast the clutch can engage. That means that the clutch does not follow your foot on the way up if that makes sense. It makes the 1-2 shift pretty annoying. Taking the CDV out of my E82 and adding a clutch stop was amazing for driving improvement in all regards.

Yes, but in essence, it shifts against the driveline will be smoother since you're delaying the shifts. The only time I've ever had it be a problem was during spirited driving. Around the town, it is not noticeable. Unless it's changed since the E36/E46 generation. That's not the reason why OP isn't learning how to drive it though.

[paulymu]

Originally Posted by Solidjake

With two years driving you should have no issues. I know the main issue with the F30's is getting out of first with the clutch shuddering. It takes some finesse.... to get it right

This explains my issue perfectly…thank you.

[Solidjake]

Originally Posted by paulymu

This explains my issue perfectly…thank you.

Yea it sucks and I've been driving stick for 5 years or so. I find that a little more gas and getting off the clutch quicker works (assuming you have room to accelerate in front of you) if not I get off the clutch slowly and slowly apply some gas.

[Psi5]

I have three MT cars and they all shift a little differently. The two Mazdas are pretty similar, smoother in lower gears than my BMW. That said, the 3-4-5 transitions in the BMW are like butter. Nothing better than a perfect 3-4 snick on the twisties.

As for getting better., Practice in the car you are driving (switching between Mazdas and the BMW requires a few minutes to readjust every time). Maybe get an experienced friend who has a BMW MT to ride with you and see what you are doing. Very hard to diagnose remotely but in the car, it should be immediately apparent.

Or get an automatic...

[CajunBMW]

Originally Posted by Solidjake

Yea it sucks and I've been driving stick for 5 years or so. I find that a little more gas and getting off the clutch quicker works (assuming you have room to accelerate in front of you) if not I get off the clutch slowly and slowly apply some gas.

In essence the issue is always getting out of first. Each car I have had that was a manual was completely different. My first car that I bought, a VW beetle, had a light clutch that released early. My mustang had a heavy clutch and released late and it stunk driving in traffic. When ever I travel to Europe and rent a manual whether in the UK or mainland Europe, the cars are always different and it does take a few minutes or tries to get it right. Since I am the only one who can drive a manual, you would think my family would not be back seat drivers, but they will still give me grief as I learn each new rental car.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by shoman24v

Yes, but in essence, it shifts against the driveline will be smoother since you're delaying the shifts. The only time I've ever had it be a problem was during spirited driving. Around the town, it is not noticeable. Unless it's changed since the E36/E46 generation. That's not the reason why OP isn't learning how to drive it though.

It doesn't help with smoothness. Quite the opposite. Its purpose is to prevent driveline shock, not to help with comfort.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by paulymu

What's cdv delete? Think i'ver heard it mentioned before but don't know about it.

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=25423392

It's more complex on the F30

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by WDE82

It doesn't help with smoothness. Quite the opposite. Its purpose is to prevent driveline shock, not to help with comfort.

IMO, it is only preventing what many drivers can't do with correct coordination.

I've never had a BMW MT with CDV prevent me making smooth and comfortable shifts.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by paulymu

I've had my manual 340 for about 2 years now, my first stick shift car. Had a few lessons on a friend's manual car years ago when in college and loved it ever since. I need help being smoother through the gears, especially 1st and 2nd. She's my daily and don't get a-lot of time to practice working 2 jobs. I'm confident enough to get the car going and moving along no problem, but i know i can be smoother or should be smoother. I do believe the car assists me when letting out in 1st unlike an older car which would just stall. Debating getting an older, cheap manual to practice on. Thoughts, suggestions?
Thank you.

2016 Estoril Blue 6 speed 340 xdrive

If driving the car every day for 2 years isn't enough "practice", I'm not sure what benefit you will get from driving a completely different car.