Auto vs Manual

A bunch actually. Keep working at it. Just turn off one at a time. For sure you don't want braking or turning assists on because you won't learn anything and you want to turn off stability control too. Beyond that though you want to switch to manual with clutch. Just go with clutch from the beginning. If clutch is the a button you can up shift and downshift just as fast as if you were not using a clutch. BTW using clutch is faster than regular manual.

Firstly, Don't be disheartened by the times at the top.  These are set after countless hours of playing :) 

The VAG is a art to be mastered, know where to stick it and how hard to punch it takes alot of work.  You won't get it straight away, but its much easier for you to improve your times than the guys at the top :) 

Now, for some tips. 

Manual, TCS off and ABS on or off. SCM off is a good set up, you'll get a much better feel for the car with this set up.  

Keep the line on for now and try to get the car into the corners as neat as possible.  

You'll find it confusing with the gears at first, but a general rule of thumb is " A correct gear for the corner is one which you don't have to change when exiting" 

Commit to a corner, don't try and correct your line too much yet - try and be nice and consistent, this also goes hand in hand with being smooth. Squeeze triggers :) 

If you do go with the clutch, remap your controller buttons. Make the A button your clutch and then either X for upshift and B for downshift  or switch those 2. Keep the A for the clutch. You can hit the A/X or A/B at the same time with your thumb to change gears.

I'd suggest going to a drag track and simply work on going through the gears if you want to get used to the control configuration.

And you want the B( upshift) X (down shift) A (clutch) configuration. This works out to you always "covering" the clutch with the ball of your thumb so you can push the XA or XB simultaneously (think paddle shifters on a brand new 458 Ferrari!!!) click click click...

After you run a few down a drag strip, and there are some a mile long if you really wanna practice those shifts, try Road America for a track with some long straights and turns not so horrendously punishing and you can then work on some down shifting.

Trick here is to try and match RPMS so you don't break the rear loose and end up in the grass/wall. Also, try to brake for the turn and then downshift because if you're doing both at once you're really stressing the rears ability to maintain grip.

(BTW all of this is in a RWD car, I can't drive a flippin FWD to save Fitzy's ass!)

Short of that, the only thing that will help is practice. If you go at it full on, I'd say 30 minute sand you'l be runnign through the gears well enough to feel ok with it, 60 minutes and you'll be winning season events no problemo manual with clutch. I switched from manual to manual with clutch and won my first race ever in 204f event the same day @ Sedona full.

Another thing real quick, to simply prove to yourself how much better shifting with clutch really is, go to the leaderboard options, pick a drag track, run a few manual no clutch, and then switch to manual with clutch (same car) and race your ghost a few more. That should really open your eyes to the advantages in power down the straights.

I've had the game since just after it came out, but until recently just enjoyed driving around in pickup races and never really worked at it.  I mention that to say when I changed to manual w/clutch, I'd been driving for awhile,but still felt like there was so much to do I'd never get comfortable with it. Even though in real life I'd driven a stick since I was a kid, in game I'd go to shift and my car would get all out of shape.  It was a mess.  My point is, no matter how much you drive in auto, its still going to feel really weird when you make the change. Just jump in, re set your buttons like Jimmy said and run into stuff for a few days. You'll seriously be amazed at how quickly your shifting becaome "automatic."  Really, if you just stay with it, you won't believe how soon you get comfortable.  So when you shift and take out an AI, DON"T CHANGE BACK.  In a very short time you'll begin reaping the benefits.

Hope this helps!

Dave

I'm not sure what to say about the MS wheel. With a controller it took me a couple days...Maybe 3 to get used to it. Just practice on a track that doesn't require a bunch of shifting. Hockenheim is good practice. Not tons of shifting and the corners are spaced apart nicely. Plus you get a long strait to practice shifting on.

After considering a wheel especially those nice fanatec ones, I have to say I'm fine with staying with a controller. If I changed anything I'd like to put a stiffer spring in the left paddle so the brake "pressure" on the controller was firmer. Otherwise I like it.

One thing you want to do for sure though is get used to manual at least. It makes a HUGE difference. The other night at Road Atlanta I passed you right at the very beginning of the strait in a green Porche.  1/2 of how fast I pulled away from you was me using manual/clutch. The other 1/2 is the car. If that was an AWD car it's going to be slower. They really boned the AWD PI in this game IMO.

Changing from auto to manual or manual/clutch is like changing from a controller to a wheel. It just takes practice and time. Don't get frustrated, and do whats comfortable for you. Just inform us if your racing with us what your trying to do and we'll try to help you and we'll know that a mistake may be made and we'll keep our distance more. Just practice.

You know I'm going to go against the trend and say use whatever assists you need to use to allow you to focus on keeping the car on the racing line.  Work on braking and accelerating smoothly, and being at the proper speeds to take the corners without sliding all over the track.  Once you can do this consistently, you will already be much faster than you are right now.  Then you'll be ready to move onto more difficult challenges, and removing assists.

The only assist I would say you definately should turn off is auto-braking.

The assist I would suggest you turn/leave on is the full racing line.  Your only focus, at this point, is to keep the car on this line.  If you slide off of it in a corner then you took the corner too fast.  More information will come in the future, but until then you need to be able to do this one thing.

I'd get rid of stability management (STM) too. it totally destroys your feel for the car as well as slowing you down a ton. It's completely worthless.

Daddy, you really should do a race school session with me. I think I could help you sort out a lot of your issues with a few basic pointers. Anytime you wanna have a go, just shoot me a text or call if you don't see me online. My # is 615-969-7675. I'm home most days by 3pm CST. Or pretty much anytime on the weekend.

i can try to do a few lower class pick up lobbies this weekend as well if it'll help.

Gunny has also learned it's bad to park sideways at the exit of a blind turn...especially if he's towards the front of the pack...

I think he just wanted to show off his paint job personally...

Actually, all these responses brings  question from me to you.  Ive always just shifted with the paddles no clutch. Was that wrong?? Engine bever acted funny. Anyway, I just updated my frimware on the fanatec to 756 so I can just leave ACL on now and it wont matter right??

Congratulations Daddy and welcome aboard! Parcells had a good feeling about you.