Hi there,

this is my first car which I had a for nearly a week. im a fairly new driver so i might not be doing it correctly...but when i switch from 1st gear to 2nd gear it feels rough, i mean the car doesnt judder, the actual gear stick transition isn't as smooth as when you change other gears.

I use the palm style grip on the stick, so if i want to select first gear from neutral, i palm away to my left and push it up.

If im switch from 1st gear to 2nd gear do i just pull the stick directly DOWN or do i push the stick in 1st gear firmly to the left while pulling down?

or do i pull the stick down, wait for it to spring to the neutral middle then palm it to the left and down?

or is it down to my revs or how quickly i bring up the clutch(even though it's not the car that feels rough it's the actual stick)?

and one more question to whoever has an fiesta ecoboost how do i check my mpg? im guessing it going to be on the dashboard screen but where are the buttons for it?

46 minutes ago, newdriverwatchout said:

I use the palm style grip on the stick, so if i want to select first gear from neutral, i palm away to my left and push it up.

Yeah once you've had a bit of driving experience you'll grow out of that lol. You'll just end up keeping your hand over the top of the stick.

47 minutes ago, newdriverwatchout said:

If im switch from 1st gear to 2nd gear do i just pull the stick directly DOWN or do i push the stick in 1st gear firmly to the left while pulling down?

Push to the left a little still. You can end up in fourth if not.

49 minutes ago, newdriverwatchout said:

or do i pull the stick down, wait for it to spring to the neutral middle then palm it to the left and down?

I'd hate to sound rude, but did you do this at any point when doing your driving lessons? It's no different now.

52 minutes ago, newdriverwatchout said:

or is it down to my revs or how quickly i bring up the clutch(even though it's not the car that feels rough it's the actual stick)

Well your clutch should be completely disengaged untill you are in a gear. You will find your gearbox doesn't last very long otherwise. Your clutch being disengaged means your gearbox isn't connected to the engine, your revs shouldn't make a difference.

Chances are you're just not used to different gearboxes. Hell my Fiesta has the smoothest one I've ever used. You want to try a 25 year old Citroen with over 100,000 miles on it. That's a rough gearbox. 1st to second being "tough" is normal really considering how low range it is.

57 minutes ago, newdriverwatchout said:

and one more question to whoever has an fiesta ecoboost how do i check my mpg? im guessing it going to be on the dashboard screen but where are the buttons for it?

Press the trip button to cycle through the different modes. It's on the end of the indicator stalk. It will show up on that little screen showing the temp outside, the trip computer readout, and coolant temp.

5 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

Yeah once you've had a bit of driving experience you'll grow out of that lol. You'll just end up keeping your hand over the top of the stick.

Push to the left a little still. You can end up in fourth if not.

I'd hate to sound rude, but did you do this at any point when doing your driving lessons? It's no different now.

Well your clutch should be completely disengaged untill you are in a gear. You will find your gearbox doesn't last very long otherwise. Your clutch being disengaged means your gearbox isn't connected to the engine, your revs shouldn't make a difference.

Chances are you're just not used to different gearboxes. Hell my Fiesta has the smoothest one I've ever used. You want to try a 25 year old Citroen with over 100,000 miles on it. That's a rough gearbox. 1st to second being "tough" is normal really considering how low range it is.

Press the trip button to cycle through the different modes. It's on the end of the indicator stalk. It will show up on that little screen showing the temp outside, the trip computer readout, and coolant temp.

thanks for you help :) i think i may need some booster driving lessons as i didn't really have an instructor, i learned in my mums car and im at uni away from them :s

Just lift off the throttle a little, dip the clutch and change by pulling down to the 2nd gear position whilst keeping a little pressure to the left so that you don't get 4th instead.

Bring the clutch up swiftly but smoothly and apply throttle as required.

If you aren't sure of where to find the controls, they are all listed in the owners manual.

If you haven't got the manual you can download one from here

 

http://secure.ford.co.uk/OwnerServices/Owners-Manual/

 

Maybe you lift off the throttle a tad too early? Grab the stick, fully depress the clutch, move the stick to 2nd with a slight pressure to the left, release the clutch, Throttle control is purely practice.

Don't change too early, <~3krpm and you may get judder.

Give it some beans and see how you go, you may be being too careful.

The turbo kicks in at ~1500rpm, don't change up until the new gear will reduce the revs above 1500.

I.e, if the new gear reduces the revs below 1500 you changed too early.

EDIT: if your mpg falls below 34 don't blame me

 

 

 

That's the downside to turbo cars, you have to rev them a fair bit. Much more than 3krpm doesn't do the engine much good though, especially when it's cold. If the turbo isn't spinning then you end up lugging the engine. I bet being a new driver you aren't going much over 2krpm, which is fine if you are staying at the same speed

11 hours ago, Luke4efc said:

That's the downside to turbo cars, you have to rev them a fair bit. Much more than 3krpm doesn't do the engine much good though, especially when it's cold. If the turbo isn't spinning then you end up lugging the engine. I bet being a new driver you aren't going much over 2krpm, which is fine if you are staying at the same speed

I don't have the eco but the 1.6 and you are so right on this and the turbo side,went in my mates and pulling upto a junction very slow in 2nd gear

and a nice gap so foot down and very slow until turbo comes in,it can catch you out as on mine i just foot down in 2nd and it goes.

It just takes time and we have all been there to set into our own driving ways but you will love the fiesta in a lot of ways and the kick down once turbo is in.