Driving a manual transmission car...

[BlackDog]

Originally Posted by BUCASmoker

So I just recently (late April) purchased my first car with a manual transmission...

I'm the other way around. After driving for 31 years the Ford Escape I drive now is my first automatic. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the manual. Much more control over the car with a manual, especially in snow. I learned to drive on an 8 speed Ford dump truck. Lots of entertainment value there for onlookers. that thing could buck like a bronco. I think I hit my mouth on the steering wheel.

As the others said, practice is your friend. Watching the tach is fine, but listening to the enginbe is better. You'll get to know instinctively when the revs are right to make a smooth gear change.