[CaymanMatt]

I'm kind of confused by this thread. Don't see an issue with this at all, but for what it's worth - obtaining an upshift to the next gear can also be achieved by a blip of the throttle, then allowing the rpms to fall a bit and then easing out the clutch. That can be done by reaching about 1500 - 1800 rpms. Even less. Riding the rpms to 5k and then shifting isn't what I would do leaving a traffic light or in the middle of town unless I was looking for attention.

It's really not a big deal and I don't view it as gathering attention. I do it because it makes it easier to shift to 2nd. If you shift from 1st at 4000, the shift to 2nd will only have it at 2300-2400rpms. If you carry it to 5000rpms, your shift to 2nd will be at around 3000rpms. For me this works better because the revs aren't dropping so low. I'd suggest trying it.
MOO & FWIW

 

[cbarber]

This is actually all pretty helpful advice

 

[GTS18BGTS]

It's really not a big deal and I don't view it as gathering attention. I do it because it makes it easier to shift to 2nd. If you shift from 1st at 4000, the shift to 2nd will only have it at 2300-2400rpms. If you carry it to 5000rpms, your shift to 2nd will be at around 3000rpms. For me this works better because the revs aren't dropping so low. I'd suggest trying it.
MOO & FWIW

What's your speed at 5k rpms in 1st gear from a standstill? 35 - 40mph? I have no issues driving my manual from a standstill to moving without going over 2k rpms. As I stated, the engine speed can be declining and there's no issue with shifting. Just ease into 2nd.

 

[CaymanMatt]

What's your speed at 5k rpms in 1st gear from a standstill? 35 - 40mph? I have no issues driving my manual from a standstill to moving without going over 2k rpms. As I stated, the engine speed can be declining and there's no issue with shifting. Just ease into 2nd.

My car is in her winter bubble but my spreadsheet says 5K rpms in 1st should be 30mph.
I have the most difficulties getting a smooth shift to 2nd when I take it slow & then try to get the revs to match. That's why I usually carry it higher, maybe not to 5K all the time but always 4-4.5K. It gets easier the higher I go, within limits. For me 5K is the sweet spot. BTW, this is the only car I've ever had difficulties getting a smooth 1-2 shift out of. I think it's because of the large drop in ratios between 1st & 2nd - 3.31:1 to 1.95:1.

MOO & FWIW

 

[cbarber]

hmmmm, did someone say, spreadsheet?

 

[JazzCatGab]

Second may sounds silly, but at least for me, its meaningful and that is footwear. I always prefer the right shoes for the job when doing any serious driving. I really appreciate a good pair of "minimalist" shoes for good feel to the pedals. These don't have to be "driving" shoes... Tigers are great / inexpensive. My current preference is a pair of Merrell Trail Glove 5's. Very wearable as a daily sneaker and fantastic in the car hitting the backroads.

I wear Sperry Top-Siders, something of a throwback to my sailing days. I didn't think of it though, until "Quick Vic" Elford mentioned it in his autobiography-ish "Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook". Anyone who has worn these shoes know they are both thin-soled and narrow. Plus they wear very well and are about a quarter of the cost of driving shoes.

 

[Puffins_00]

I am not really the one to offer advice about how to shift smoothly. My first manual transmission car was a 1974 1/2 260Z and I have had a manual transmission in every daily driver since. Also, I have never considered myself a smooth shifter and never even tried to shift silky smooth. But, I never wore out a clutch. My 1988 E30 M3 had about 140K on it when I traded it with the factory clutch. I always, at least in the back of my mind, was conscious of a need to let the clutch out quickly so as not to "ride the clutch" any more than absolutely needed and give it gas as necessary to either keep it from stalling or give me the acceleration I wanted. Either nobody cared about my shifting (especially 1st & 2nd) or was too polite to comment, but I was content as I felt good clutch life was more important than smooth shifts. Enter my GF five years ago. She is vocal about wanting smooth shifting so, of course, I now shift smoothly, or at least a lot smoother than I naturally did in the past. That entails giving more throttle than previously while letting the clutch pedal out much slower. I have no illusion I will eventually have to pay a King's Ransom to replace the clutch but that is still a lot less expensive than the brain damage incurred from not shifting smoothly. Smooth up-shifts from a start rapidly became natural for me and I now even drive with smooth shifting even when by myself or just with the dog, although he seems to care less.

😂

 

[chester7]

I think you need to drive another 718 2.5 GTS manual to confirm that there is not something wrong with your car. I have owned two Porsches in my life (718 GTS 2.5 and 944 Turbo) and both have been the easiest to shift of all my cars smoothly under ALL circumstances. All of my cars for the past 30 years have been manuals except for my wife's Alfa SUV, which is a automatic.

You owe it to yourself to make sure it is not your car that is causing the difficulty shifting.

 

[cbarber]

Hmm I'm still having trouble with hill starts in my 2018 boxster MT.

On a hill, do you all find that you let the clutch out to the bite and then give throttle, or do you rev first and then let the clutch out?

Compared to my Volkswagen MT, it's harder to control the throttle in the boxster, I too easily rev to 3k when I'm aiming for 1500

 

[JazzCatGab]

If the hill is steep enough, the hill brake ought to kick in, however, what I always do, and I did this during my motorcycle phase also, is to ease the clutch out with the brake on just till it barely dips the RPMs, let off the brake and then ease the gas to go. It is now very brief and automatic whether on a hill or not. At stop lights, I always try to stop with a vantage point where I can see enough of a light for the other direction in the intersection to assist my footwork. I am not sitting there dragging the clutch, the whole exercise is very quick and my clutches last forever (or a very long, long time, whichever comes first).

 

[davidinperth]

Hmm I'm still having trouble with hill starts in my 2018 boxster MT.

On a hill, do you all find that you let the clutch out to the bite and then give throttle, or do you rev first and then let the clutch out?

Compared to my Volkswagen MT, it's harder to control the throttle in the boxster, I too easily rev to 3k when I'm aiming for 1500

I have a manual (2019 base Boxster) and I certainly find I have to build the revs before letting the clutch out - especially if on a hill.

 

[cbarber]

Thanks..

 

[cbarber]

Picking this up again..seems some people let the clutch out to the bite point and then give it gas, and others give gas first.

Which one is best? Only asking because still having trouble.

 

[davidinperth]

Picking this up again..seems some people let the clutch out to the bite point and then give it gas, and others give gas first.

Which one is best? Only asking because still having trouble.

I probably do both simultaneously. One foot coming up while the other goes down. Don’t be afraid to give it some revs!

 

[JazzCatGab]

@cbarber it is a bit of a combo for me. I'll typically take my foot off the brake, give it a little rev, catch the RPMs coming down with a little drag from the clutch, and then smoothly accelerate and smoothly release the clutch pedal at the same time. Alternately, you could keep your foot on the brake until you can see the RPMs reduce a 100 or so as you gently release the clutch, then do the smoothy accelerate and release the clutch combo of above. It sounds complicated, but it is all done in one fell swoop. The second version is best if you have hills where you are. I think the "give the gas first" version is really a simpler version of either version I just described but I think what I do is a more conscious way of getting the clutch up to engine speed before putting the full load on it.

 

[gatorfast]

Picking this up again..seems some people let the clutch out to the bite point and then give it gas, and others give gas first.

Which one is best? Only asking because still having trouble.

I let the clutch out to the bite point first and then start to give it gas. Dont see a point in giving it gas first unless you are trying to launch or take off quickly.

 

[cbarber]

Thanks...

And even on a hill youd recommend I let the clutch out to the bite point first and then give gas?

 

[GTS18BGTS]

I'm still confused

 

[gatorfast]

Thanks...

And even on a hill youd recommend I let the clutch out to the bite point first and then give gas?

I mean its really personal preference. On a hill you obviously need to be more deliberate with the gas to avoid rolling backwards and/or stalling.

 

[JazzCatGab]

Thanks...

And even on a hill youd recommend I let the clutch out to the bite point first and then give gas?

Particularly on a hill. If you hold the brake and barely engage the clutch, just enough to hear (or see on the tach) the RPMs begin to drop, it buys you a moment to get to the gas without rolling back much before you ease the gas on as you ease releasing the clutch simultaneously. When I was an obnoxious teen and someone would pull up too close behind me on a hill, I became the master of slipping the clutch a little so I'd roll back before taking off. Not enough to hit the car behind, but enough to remind them that not all cars are automatics.