I never expect too much out of wear associated items. Even if it is checked out because anything can go wrong. If they are going to do anything I would be very happy. I have driven a 3,4,5 or 6 speed much of my life: drag racing, street racing(younger, stupid, another life), auto-x and just zipping around. I have abused and taken it easy on clutches but it doesn't seem to matter sometimes they just wear out. Drive your Porsche and enjoy.

 

I change the same way - glad to see I am doing it right.

 

not trying to hyjack here, but a number of posts back the idea of neutral vs. in gear but clutch pedal fully applied came up. This one has always been a question for me. Intuitively, it seems that being in 1st at a light with the clutch pedal fully depressed would not wear the clutch. I am less clear on impact to synchros and what-not.

Is there really an advantage to being in neutral at a light vs. fully depressed clutch?

 

I was under the impression that by depressing the clutch while waiting at a light, for example, you are putting unnecessary pressure on the throw out bearing and hydraulics.

 

You shouldn't leave the clutch depressed at all at a light. It is used for changing gears only.

If you are in neutral at a light, the gear select is out of gear, the clutch is let out, right foot on the brake.

To leave the clutch fully or partially pressed at a light, while does not wear a clutch, does unnecessarily engage parts that should not be. Taking 45 minutes to slip in gear is what wears a clutch prematurely (well, that, along with 5000RPM clutch dumps).

When the light turns green, press clutch, put in gear, release clutch.

 

I keep my clutch depressed at all lights , signs etc, and have 3 cars one of which has 185K, another 105K and one with 45K and orig clutches in all. 2 Bimmers and a Porker.

 

i keep the car in neutral at red light because
1) i've been taught that way. and
2) it takes more effort to keep the clutch depressed while waiting for light to turn green vs keeping the foot on brake.

my understanding is that keeping the clutch in for long duration can put extra stress on throwout bearing & the pressure plate.. and wear it out faster.

However, these parts will prob outlast the car no matter what we do at a red light.

btw, do u keep it in gear for safety or convenience ?

 

clutch depressed at lights = unnecessary wear on throw-out bearing. Leave it in neutral and put it in gear when you are good to go.

 

When I start in first gear, I have to rev up the engine more than I would expect before letting my clutch out or I stall. I don't seem to have that problem in sport mode. I'm concerned that I am being hard on the clutch as I am gradually letting the clutch out as I rev the engine. Any thoughts?

 

And the German traffic lights are set up for this precisely.
When the light is red, you is there in neutral, clutch out.

When the traffic signal is going to turn green, the yellow/amber light comes on along with the red, to tell you the light is about to turn green. That gives you the notification to go ahead and depress clutch and select first gear and get ready... and a second or two later the red&amber go out and the green comes on.

When the lights go from green to red, the amber/yellow comes on all by itself (so you don't confuse the two uses of yellow/amber).

In the US we only have the yellow on when we go to red. From red, we go directly to green, so there is no warning. With such an abundance of drivers with automatics that like to launch from green lights, the need to then shift and go, delaying movement for a second or two at green causes some anxiety. So we have folks 'gear ready' on red...

I'd prefer to stay in neutral till needed, but sometimes the impatient folks behind and overly short light cycles force me to 'wait at the ready'.

 

Sometimes, in the in the traffic signal housing, you can see the glow of the light signal for the cris-crossing traffic. The amber-light will begin to glow and the green-light glow will stop. I try to use that, just like the German system, to depress the clutch and begin to engage first.

 

Habit and reaction time...

 

I have a SSK and am surprised to find that I can't get into 1st sometimes at a light. It is very stressfull to be sitting there in a very expensive car with the top down, and clutching and pushing for first like crazy with traffic starting to go without me. I usually try to push it into gear twice, then clutch once, push it in first - and that usually gets me going. But by then my blood is up and I over rev it making a scene further. This doesn't happen very often, making it more of a crap shoot. It has happened probably 4-5 times since I got the car in December. FYI my clutch is pretty new (8K miles on it).

 

don't stress buddy.

i believe this usually happens when the car is still warming up.

next time, try putting it in 2nd gear quickly before switching it to first. Keep the clutch in the whole time. U might not even have to actually put it in 2nd gear.. as long as u initially pull it towards 2nd.

 

I am in neutral at all stop signs unless I know the specific light sequence at that particular intersection. I actually "peak" (look at) at the traffic light showing the lights for the cross traffic wherever possible so I know what to expect. It is just another trick I use to be ready to move.