Driving a 5-Speed Insight?

[Chris]

Who here drives a 5-Speed Insight? How hard is it to drive a 5-Speed? I think it would be pretty hard. What do most of you Insight owners prefer to drive, CVT or 5-Speed? I am going to buy a 2005 Navy Blue Peral Insight around when I graduate, and would really like to get good mpg, but I cannot drive a 5-Speed, only a CVT. I would really like to learn how to drive a 5-Speed so I can get up in the 90's and 100's for mpg. If I were to get a CVT what kind of milage do you think I would get? To me driving a 5-Speed would be too hard, it sounds complicated. I mean I don't really like the fact that if I get a 5-Speed I would have to drive one handed all the damn time. How long did it take some of you to learn how to drive a 5-Speed, and how long have you been driving one? Another thing I do not like about a manual or 5-Speed is that when I go to break I will have to put the clutch in every time, or atleast I think you do. What would you Insight owners that drive a 5-Speed do if someone slams on his brakes in front of you? I would think that you would crash, but if you were driving a CVT you could just slam on the brakes. Also what is it like driving a manual in bumper to bumper traffic? I would tend to think you would rear end someone. Can someone please explain to me how you would drive a manual of 5-Speed? I have heard that you can slow down faster in a manual or 5-Speed, is this true? I think that you would slow down faster in a CVT. How do you even know when to shift in a manual? Also what is lean burn mode?

[Foxpaw]

Driving a manual transmission is easy once you get the hang of it. You don't have to have one hand on the shifter most of the time, only while shifting. In the Insight it's usually best to leave the clutch engaged while braking until you are almost stopped, so as to get the most regenerative braking.

Anyways, it is foreign, but you get used to it, and then it's second nature. It's much akin to moving from a mouse to a trackball or vice versa. At first it's awkward and seems like it's more complicated, but eventually it just feels natural.

As an added bonus, the manual is marginally faster and standards are definately more fun to drive once you get the hang of it. The only time when the clutch and shifter are a hassle (once you get used to it) is in busy parking lots where there's a lot of stop and go.

Unfortunately, getting started from a standstill is the hardest part of driving standard, (by far) and it is necessarily the first part you have to learn. This I think is what turns people off to manual transmissions most.

Lean burn is a mode where the car burns less gas than is theoretically the ideal mixture for the amount of air that is coming in. It produces less power, but is more efficient.

[ElectricTroy]

Originally Posted by Chris

Who here drives a 5-Speed Insight? How hard is it to drive a 5-Speed?

TWO ANSWERS (based upon my own experience)
- EASY = shifting from 2-->3 or 3--->4 or 4--->5 is easy; piece-of-cake

- HARD = shifting from Neutal to 1. That's because the car will stall below 5 mph, and so it can sometimes be tricky moving from 0 to 5. You have to slowly release the clutch as you apply gas until you pass 5 mph.

Fortunately this car has an electric motor. I've found that sometimes I can pull out of a stall by using the electric motor. This is probably the easiest car to learn manual shifting.

[ElectricTroy]

Originally Posted by Chris

I would really like to learn how to drive a 5-Speed so I can get up in the 90's and 100's for mpg. If I were to get a CVT what kind of milage do you think I would get?

A CVT gets about 60 mpg. You might as well buy the Civic Hybrid CVT which does about the same.

[1]I don't really like the fact that if I get a 5-Speed I would have to drive one handed all the damn time.

[2]What would you Insight owners that drive a 5-Speed do if someone slams on his brakes in front of you?

[3]Also what is it like driving a manual in bumper to bumper?

[4]I have heard that you can slow down faster in a manual or 5-Speed, is this true? I think that you would slow down faster in a CVT.

[5]How do you even know when to shift in a manual?

(1) When cruising down the interstate, I don't shift at all. I leave it in 5th & I eat my McDonald's breakfast.

(2) I'd slam on the brakes. The car would stop, and the engine would stall, but that does not matter. Just slam the brakes.

(3) Bumper-to-bumper is a pain. My approach is to coast along in 1st gear at 5 mph, so I don't need to shift. It's easier to deal with stop-n-go traffic if you just coast along slowly.

(4) The car which weighs more is the one that takes longer to stop (the transmission is irrelevant). I think the CVT weighs more.

(5) I shift like this:
1st - 0 to 30
2nd - 30 to 60
skip all the other gears and use 5th

Or when slowing down:
5th - 60 to 30
neutral - 30 to 0



I HOPE YOU BUY THE INSIGHT! You'll love it! Don't let the manual scare you. As I just described above, it's not difficult to learn. I learned it & you can too.

I had my salesman teach me. I made it a pre-condition for sale. I suggest you do the same.

[Chris]

I don't get it how can you skip 3rd and 4th gears, can't you jam or lock up you gears doing that? Also aint it hard on the car if you stall it? What does it mean when someone pops the clutch? I would not buy a civi hybrid, I do not like them, I like the Insight, alot more, it is more unique looking.

[ElectricTroy]

You can shift in whatever order you feel like. 1-2-3-4-5... 1-2-5 (like me)... 1-3-5... 1-4-5... or even 1-5. You have a car now? If yes, watch the RPM gauge and pay attention to how the automatic transmission shifts. (Also note that sometimes the auto skips gears if you put pedal-to-medal)

Popping a clutch is revving your engine to 6000 rpm, and suddenly releasing the clutch pedal. It makes your wheels spin and causes a lot of internal stress & wear. Not recommended unless you plan to junk your car at 50,000 miles.

Stalling the engine is not the best thing to do... no. But it's preferable to do that then rear-end someone. So, just slam the brakes.


Like I said, don't worry. The electric motor makes the Insight hard to stall & easy to learn.

[james]

Can't be of much help telling you how to do it: it's like riding a bike in that once you learn, you never really think about it. The hard part, for me, is driving an automatic. I don't do it often, but just spent a week in one (business trip). Horrible! No control, the engine is lugging all the time, and whenever I stop concetrating I go to shift, and stomp on the brake instead of the clutch... I was so glad to get back to the Insight.

Bottom line, unless you have some major physical disability, I bet you'll do better in the Insight. Just takes a little investment in learning

[figgy]

I have driven automatics and manuals, but I learned to drive on manuals and I have never owned an automatic ever.

I have never owned an automatic.

Never.

I find all of the fun is gone with an automatic.

In my opinion, if you have never driven manual, then you have deprived yourself of a huge opportunity. Manual puts you in control, not the car. It lets you make decisions, not the car. It makes you a better driver because you are in tune with the car and paying attention to how you are driving.

The only possible reason anyone would ever want to drive an automatic would be because they were physically unable to handle a stick or if their entire driving time were spent in stop and go traffic and nothing else ever...

Sure the learning curve is steeper over an automatic, but it's also harder to walk than crawl, but isn't walking fun!

One more closing bad analogy:

Driving an automatic is like taking a gourmet meal and putting it into a blender!

[ron]

Chris, I didn't know how to drive standard either when I fell in love with the Insight. So I got a friend to teach me how and it's like everyone else said.. it took some learning but once I got it it stuck with me. Now I can drive anyone's manual car.

The standard Insights get slightly better mileage.. not sure of the exact numbers.

Ron

[jsanford]

I think I'll respond to your inquiry as someone whose driver's ed car was a 1986 Ford Escort 4-speed manual with broken power steering; that is, I learned to drive an automatic uh...six years later. Maybe it'll a helpful perspective.

My Insight is a CVT, which surprised me since my prior car was also an automatic and I had always said never again.

BUT, the CVT doesn't drive like a normal automatic; it won't take off at 7mph in drive if you lift your foot off the brake. It also doesn't have that little buck when shifting as do many automatics (but then again, my Celica didn't have that, either). Plus with Second or Sport mode (a button on the wheel) the shift ratios can be adjusted for conditions where you need more power, such as climbing up a steep hill in the city or passing quickly that crazy driver on the freeway weaving in and out of their lane at 50mph. It does feel a bit strange when slowing down without the foot on the gas or brake pedal, since one can't feel it shift downwards and it's those times when I want to downshift into 4th or 3rd gear the most.

--
Okay, that said, I'd say learn to drive a manual transmission on a traditional gasoline car, preferably an older one. Start out in big parking lot and just practice slipping the clutch at first, until you can comfortable bring the car to the point of a stall but save it by pushing the pedal back into the floor (this is hard on clutches; another reason to use an older car). Then try going into first gear and forward, then braking--putting the clutch pedal into the floor so you don't stall when stopping. The drilling isn't very sexy, but its a good way to practice as well as learn to reflexively start the car back up when you stall--'cause you WILL stall on the road in an intersection; everyone does when they're learning. People don't get rear-ended as other drivers can tell when someone's learning a clutch.

For now, try driving with just your right foot, braking with it instead of your left, if you don't already.

Most who drive manual transmissions don't go back unless they experience a lot of stop-and-go traffic in their commutes or drive often with kids. Driving a manual transmission affords more direct control of the car and is sexy for both genders.

--
So why did I get a CVT? For the same reason as last time: the car was perfect for me otherwise, and the CVT didn't have all the drawbacks of an automatic, especially with Second or "Sport" mode. Also, since much of my driving is in the city, the SULEV rating was a bonus to me.