New-generation buyers may not know much about the classic “stick shifts” due to the popularity of automatic gearboxes. In driving a stick shift, the driver must know when to shift up and down. This inconvenience, at least to some, was eliminated with the arrival of automatic trannies. However, this came at the expense of fuel economy.
Stick shifts actually let the driver decide when to shift gears. Ideally, he should make the most out of the gear before shifting to higher gear, and save on fuel in the process. With an automatic tranny, the computer is programmed to shift gears upon reaching a certain speed or rpm. Computer input isn’t as variable as human input.
To make your gears count in a stick shift, experts suggest a technique called “rev matching.” This allows you to change gears smoothly within the so-called “power band”, or the optimal rpm, of each gear, allowing maximum acceleration as you move up. The power band depends on how much horsepower a car’s engine can produce, but traditional driving sets the ideal figure at around 2,000 rpm.
If you’re buying a sports car, with its higher torque, achieving 2,000 rpm before gearing up will not do the car’s power justice. Often, racers let the rpm hit close to redline before shifting gears, which is ill-advised for conventional vehicles due to their weaker engines.