I found my '00 celica surprising easy after a while...it's what I learned to drive a manual on though.

 

Trust me you may find this intensive driving annoying or diffucult now, but after owning cars with no input or "feel" i love the jerky, loud, raw s2k.

 

just be smooth with all your inputs... it's really not that hard.

 

I don't need to go back to basics. I can drive stick just fine and without the car jerking.

I've read on here people bragging about driving so smoothly that the passenger doesn't lunge forward at all. That's what I want to know.

 

This is true is theory, but change those numbers to SIXTH gear and 35 MPH and you're more on target. 4th at 42? You're still buzzing around for no reason.

As for not pushing the clutch all the way to the floor as others have said, I don't see how this could prematurely wear the clutch, but it WILL prematurely wear your synchros if you aren't fully disengaging the clutch when you shift, and that distinction may be a bit tough to feel. It's better to be safe than sorry, so get that pedal to the floor and learn to time it that way.

 

As per owners manual ....here are the recommended shift points for the 06' model I drive: Shift up from 1st to 2nd at 15mph,2nd to 3rd at 25mph,3rd to 4th at 40 mph,4th to 5th at 47 mph,5th to 6th at 52 mph.

Practice these ranges until you get proficient.

IMO 6th gear at 35mph is essentially lugging the engine.

 

In real-estate, it's "location, location, location". In smooth shifting, it's "practice, practice, practice". Basic philosophy: if it works, keep doing it; if it isn't working, try something else. I think the most significant change will be to try different shift points. While you can rev-match any upshift or downshift, when you are upshifting, there are specific shift points and specific accelerator settings (how much the engine slows before you let out the clutch in the higher gear) that will make your shifts smooth.

Try different stuff and keep those practices that work.

 

I had a funny and somewhat "out of body" experience the other day. I was driving my wife's MY08 Civic EX and was on the freeway doing about 75mph at 2200rpm. Boy, did that feel weird. Really quiet.

There will always be more movement in your S (acceleration, deceleration, road variations, curves, etc.) but that's why you like it, right? You feel the road. Your shifts will never be as smooth as some of those weird variable speed transmissions, but that's not why you drive an S.

Practice getting smooth and you will be just fine. Give your passengers a VTEC goose every now and then so they know what they're missing in their "smooth riding, automatic transmission, land yachts".

 

I say its all about the mix of throttle and clutch. They will move in and out at different speeds, depending on your acceleration. I dont even look at my gauges while driving anymore, while up shifting or downshifting. Get a loud exhaust, and trust me you will do the same lol.

The way I do it is this. When pressing the clutch (at the proper rate per my acceleration) I will also, at the same time, be easing off on my gas pedal. Putting it into gear, Ill have the gas pedal slightly down, then more so as Im releasing the clutch, at the rate according to the speed I am accelerating.

You have to realize too, the car is super smooth. You see your passenger jerk, but they actually thionk its smooth as hell. Let someone drive your car and you will see. Thats how I found out.

 

Yea ,I know the feeling.We've owned a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 automatic for 9 years that has become to feel like a cushy tame ride compared to the S. My Pathfinder now feels like a Greyhound bus. I tell ya ,I just love this little car.