Changing gears

[Joe Garra]

I need help to settle a husband-wife argument. I was watching my wife change gears in our 159 the other day. Rather than go straight down from 1st to 2nd , she goes across to neutral and then back and down , keeping the clutch down the whole time. I asked "What are you doing?" the reply was, "this is how I was shown to change gears 20 years ago - it's better". My reply was "what a load of hogwash (or similar less polite words;-). Please tell me I am correct. Thanks.

[Scott Farquharson]

I am assuming this is in a 159 manual with H pattern.  If so then yes you are right - it is a load of hogwash (or words of a similar ilk)  The 159 has a modern synchromesh gearbox and "going into neutral" has no effect whatsoever however even if you don't "go into neutral" from first to second you actually are in neutral momentarily in any case as once you have moved the lever back out of first you are in neutral, moving the lever laterally makes no difference at all. 

All that is needed is a firm deliberate movement straight back from 1st to 2nd not too slow and not too fast - that is all that is needed.

What did she learn in, a 8 tonne truck with a road ranger?

[Joe Garra]

Close - it was a Datsun.  I now shudder to  think what she's been doing to the gearbox of my 164Q the last five years (on the rare occasions I let her drive it). Interestingly, the gear box on the Q seems a bit better than the six -speed of the 159 (maybe I'm just used to it).

[Evan Bottcher]

As soon as the lever is shifted out of gear the gearbox is in neutral.  Moving the lever to the centre has no effect.  Someone perhaps tried to teach her double-declutching at some stage, and she only remembered the "something about being neutral is easier on the gearbox" part.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_declutch