Basics

• 1). Start from a full stop in first gear by depressing the accelerator and releasing the clutch. Almost as soon as you're moving, the engine will remind you with its whine to shift to second. Every car is different but in general accelerate to the cruising speed for the next gear, shift into it and continue accelerating to the next.
  
  
• 2). Downshift to maintain road speed on a hill or curve, or for extra power to pass another vehicle. At the extreme of needing to downshift, the engine will begin to "lug," gasping for a lower gear because it's working too hard.
  
  
• 3). Cruise in the highest gear you can, to save gas and wear and tear on your engine. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, National Public Radio's "Car Talk" guys, have said each car engine has a certain number of revolutions it can make; if you use fewer of those revolutions per minute you drive, your car will last longer and go farther.
  
  

Save Gas

• 1
  A "Stop ahead" warning is a good time to begin downshifting, or even coasting in neutral.Very Reflective Stop Ahead Sign Abstract on a Blue Sky image by Andy Dean from Fotolia.com
  
  Use engine braking or plain gravity to slow down instead of the brake pedal. Shift into neutral as soon as you see a red light, stop sign or stalled traffic. Once you stop, wait in neutral and release your clutch; this will also save your throwout bearing.
  
  
• 2). Start off from a stop without hesitation. While authorities including the U.S. Department of Energy discourage abrupt acceleration, that is one of the pleasures of stick-shift driving. Get a bit of both goods by watching the light for the crossing traffic and getting ready when it goes yellow or the "Walk" signal becomes a steady "Don't."
  
  
• 3). Use gravity or momentum whenever you can, letting your engine idle in neutral.
  
  

Letting Go

• 1
  The Pacific Coast Highway in California is one of the sweetest drives in North America.driving through pacific coast clouds image by poGosha from Fotolia.com
  
  Put your car through its paces on a scenic byway and enjoy the swooping curves and hills as much as you do the scenery. After all, two-lane blacktop is the manual driver's joy.
  
  
• 2). Downshift through curves to increase the strength of the connection between the engine and the axles (torque), and you needn't lose ground speed or control. Begin downshifting at the sign warning of a curve, aiming for the gear your car likes best at the recommended speed. Coast into the top of the curve, slip into the gear and accelerate out.
  
  
• 3). Brake on extreme downhills by downshifting (or never shifting up) instead of riding your brakes. This is less an issue with antilock brake systems (ABS) but a long descent from mountain to valley can still bring hot wheels and wasted gas. Touch your brakes briefly if the engine protests or if you're gaining too much speed or losing control.