Tips to Drive a Manual Rental Car in Dubai

November 22, 2019

Back at home, you might be used to your automatic car. So, having to drive a manual can be quite a challenge considering you are probably quite rusty. Rental companies rent cars out based on their availability so if you did not make a booking in advance you might be stuck having to drive a manual car. Because you might be a bit out of practice, we have compiled a few tips to make the transition between automatic and manual easier. Dubai rental agencies offer a variety of rent a car deals in Dubai, making life a little easier for you.

Familiarize Yourself

The only thing that changes between an automatic and a manual car is that a manual has a clutch pedal while an automatic does not. The clutch pedal is the extra pedal beside the brake pedal on the left. The gear lever can be located by the center console. Have a look at the directional pattern of the gears. Most vehicles only have five gears and a reverse gear. It is important to know which gear moves to which position.

Start with A Manual Car

Before you can start either an automatic or neutral car, it has to be in neutral. If you can wiggle it l freely then it is in neutral. Start the car by pushing the clutch in and selecting ‘first’ gear.

Clutch and Break Method

While an automatic just needs to be placed in ‘drive’, a manual requires some more work. Start by pushing in the clutch and lift your foot off of it slowly. By releasing it slowly the engine will tell you where it wants to ‘take’ or ‘pull’. Then start applying pressure to the accelerator while simultaneously taking your good off the clutch. After applying this ‘press and release’ motion, the car will begin to pull forward.

Shift Gears

You have learnt how to pull away, so the next step is to change gears. Accelerate to approximately 2000 RPM, press the clutch to the floor and select ‘second’, located to the bottom left. Repeat the ‘press and release’ motion and you are driving! The same logic applies to the third, fourth and fifth gears. While you might not be used to changing gears in your automatic, it is an integral part of driving in a manual vehicle.

Keep Practicing

It might be a cliché, but clichés exist for a reason. The more you drive with a manual vehicle, the better you will become at it. After all, it is a skill that needs to be learned and once you have mastered it you will be driving smoothly in no time. Go to an empty parking lot, familiarize yourself with the vehicle and practice your ‘press and release’ motion.