Third Gear

[stillflat4]

Third has to be the most frustrating gear in the bunch. I still miss it at least once every two weeks or so, and that's not even when I'm pushing the car. It's quite embarrassing. I don't know if it's the damn clutch, or just my own idiot driving... Guess I need to start concentrating a little more...

Anyone else have this problem?

[jdub260]

I've only missed Third one maybe two times. My complaint is the shifter sometime "Sticking" a little bit when going hard from First to Second

[buit9110]

same thing for me, when i shift from first to second it sticks sometimes, i guess i just need to practice more.

[jdub260]

same thing for me, when i shift from first to second it sticks sometimes, i guess i just need to practice more.
I don't think we need practice, every Ford that I have ever driven has stuck when going into second gear(97 Probe/90 F-150/94 Cobra).

[stillflat4]

When I first got the car, second was the trouble. That happened for maybe a week or two. Since then, it's been third. Weird.

[Newf]

the trick is to not overdrive the car. I did this at first as well. The shifter only requires a flick of the wrist to each gear but for some reason everyone tries to throw it into every gear with a lot of effort. 3rd is easy, with a finger or two just flick it up, it'll automatically go into into neutral and then shift it straight up to 3rd.

[CreatureCore]

Newf is right, iv found shifting to be very effortless with this car.

[stillflat4]

the trick is to not overdrive the car. I did this at first as well. The shifter only requires a flick of the wrist to each gear but for some reason everyone tries to throw it into every gear with a lot of effort. 3rd is easy, with a finger or two just flick it up, it'll automatically go into into neutral and then shift it straight up to 3rd.

Heh... that's actually what's getting me into trouble. I easily slip it into 2nd, then flick up to third and GGGRRRRR.... I think my problem is I tend to try to flick too late. I probably already have the clutch up too quick, and of course there's like 1/8" between having the clutch fully engaged vs. not at all engaged. :)

[Newf]

the clutch is tricky. No arguement there. It has a very short engage spot...very short. irritating actually, but you get the hang of it. I've driven a stick for 16 years. It's been a long time since I stalled a car. Matter of fact, my friends used to tease me and try to trick me into stalling somehow because they never seen me do it in other cars. Well, needless to say the first few times in ms6 on a hill, I did stall and the woman hasn't let me live it down since. i won't tell you how many times she's stalled it :)

[ottawaP5]

Hills are still a little tricky for me, I tend to blip the throttle a little more just to make sure I don't stall.