OVERTAKE manual gears
Auto clutch on. Neutral, F, throttle, shift. First gear from a stop will not launch you.
EMZ Games recorded the official OVERTAKE manual tutorial because the same stall filled Discord for weeks after launch. The method is short. Players skip it, mash F in first, and call the car broken. This page is that method in writing, plus stall recovery after a crash, plus when to touch Left Shift.
Read the keyboard controls table if you do not know Q, E, and F yet. This page assumes those binds.
Official start method
- Open Settings and confirm auto clutch is ON. It is on by default. You do not need to clutch to learn the game.
- Use Q and E until the HUD shows Neutral. Never start in first. Never start in a high gear from a stop. Cars in this title do not launch that way.
- Press F to start the engine.
- Give it throttle (W). A silent Neutral idle is not a launch.
- Shift up with E. Auto clutch blips the clutch for you. You should see the assist fire even if Left Shift is untouched.
- Keep shifting as speed climbs. Downshift with Q when you lift or brake so the next pull is not a lugging stall.
That is the whole trick. If you try to start on first, F will sit there and do nothing useful. If you try to start in a tall gear, the engine either refuses or dies the moment you dump the clutch assist.
Stall recovery after a crash
Crashes dump you to 0 mph in whatever gear you were in. The overtake multiplier also resets — see how to overtake — but the immediate problem is the engine.
Same four beats: Neutral, F, throttle, shift. Do not hold F hoping the gearbox will guess. Do not rev in first until the car “catches.” If the HUD still shows 1 or 2, you are not in Neutral yet. Q/E are cheap; F is not a reset button.
If Shop or radio stole focus, press R, close the panel, then recover. A Codes paste in the middle of a stall is how people think the engine bind broke. Redeem before you drive, using how to redeem, not in the barrier.
Handbrake P can stop a roll while you find Neutral. Release it before you shift up or you will stall again.
Auto clutch versus Left Shift
Leave auto clutch ON until restarts are boring. The official video shows the assist clutching for you so you can watch traffic. You can turn it off later in settings and use Left Shift as a real clutch. That is extra workload in a 15-player no-hesi server. It does not pay extra cash. It does let you clutch-kick a stall on purpose, which is a vanity skill, not a first-hour requirement on getting started.
If you disable auto clutch and then forget Left Shift, you will recreate the “car is broken” ticket. Turn the assist back on before you buy a pack.
Shifting in traffic
Upshift before the limiter if the engine is screaming and the car is not gaining. Downshift before a pass so you have torque in the hole, then upshift as you clear the target. Do not downshift into a redline slam next to another player — that is a crash, and a crash wipes the multiplier earn cash depends on.
Neutral is for stops and restarts, not for coasting an overtake. Coast in gear, lift on W, and keep the engine alive. Rolling into Neutral at 80 and then hitting F is how you shut the car off and call it a stall.
Gearboxes on packs and tuned cars
Muscle Pack cars (BULL Devious, CHARRIOT M8) and the JDM pack car still start in Neutral. A 650 Robux shell does not add an automatic transmission. VIP adds cash, a tag, and 25,000 cash — not a different F bind. Tuning parts change how fast you need to shift; they do not remove Neutral. If a tuned car feels “more stalled,” you are probably launching in the same illegal first-gear habit at a higher idle.
Starter shells on the starter cars list are the right classroom. Learn the sequence there, then spend code cash on upgrades that keep the car planted while you shift.
Practice loop
In an empty stretch: stop with S and P, Neutral, F, throttle, E through a few gears, brake, Neutral, repeat. Ten clean restarts beat twenty minutes of YouTube comments. When that is easy, take it into light traffic and protect the multiplier instead of chasing a perfect shift animation.
Neutral, F, throttle, then Q or E. Repeat that sentence after every crash until your hands do it without the HUD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers for highway runs, codes, and tuning.
Why does F not start my OVERTAKE car?
You are in gear. Shift to Neutral with Q/E, then F, then throttle. Auto clutch should stay ON in settings.
Should I start in first gear?
Never. The official tutorial says that will not work. Neutral only. Full binds are on controls.
Do I need to press Left Shift?
No while auto clutch is ON (the default). Left Shift is optional later. Learn the sequence on getting started first.
I crashed and cannot restart. What now?
Same as a cold start: Neutral, F, throttle, shift. Then take a calmer gap using how to overtake so the next crash is not immediate.
Does a pack car start differently?
Will tuning parts remove the stall?
No. Tuning changes response, not the Neutral rule. A faster idle still dies if you launch in first.