6th gear usage

[7smurfs]

From my previous cars (particularly the s15 that I have just come from), I only ever used 6th gear when going 100km/hr. I did some testing in the s15 and noticed that my fuel consumption increased when I shifted to 6th @ 80km/hr cruising through traffic lights.

Optimal fuel consumption on the s15 occurred when maintaining cruise speed in a gear @ ~1500rpm (5th gear @ 80km/hr).

Now with the 135i, I've found myself shifting to 6th gear quite often! There seems to be plenty of torque to not have to downshift when I drop down to 70km/hr however what comes to mind is.. whether this is fuel efficient. The shift light seems to suggest that I shift at around 1300-1500rpm lol

I will do further testing to get to the bottom of this!!

TL;DR

Do you use 6th gear often and if so @ what speeds?
How does your fuel consumption compare with it's usage.

[Simonnn]

I find that I'm usually in 6th at around 80km/hr, any lower than that and 5th is probably better IMO (fuel economy and power wise).

It still surprises me when I put my foot down in 6th at 80km/hr and theres enough torque to pull me to 100km/hr in a very short space of time :P

[RadiuM]

I often forget to go past 4th sometimes due to the wonderful smoothness of inline 6's

But when I do, I only really use 6th over 100.

[koastal]

I Like to use 6th as a safe and quick overtaking gear on the highway. Then back to 7th. DCT is awesome on so many fronts

[flinchy]

i almost never use 5th, unless i'm going to be doing a lot at 70-80.. even then, 70 quite often calls for 4th, which i also don't use much, and anything even a little above 80 is 6th lol

it's often 1-3-6 or 1-2-3-6

though as above.. sometimes on the highway i've looked down and been doing 100 in 4th (or rarely 5th) haha, after leaving the slow bit on the gateway with music up.

[froop]

I use 6th gear a lot actually. Pretty much anything over 60kph and I'll usually be cruising in 6th. I've got more than enough torque to comfortably accelerate. Of course if I need to stomp it I'll shift down but otherwise I just keep it in 6th. Saves me from constantly shifting.

[Kiwi Peter]

Originally Posted by flinchy

i almost never use 5th, unless i'm going to be doing a lot at 70-80.. even then, 70 quite often calls for 4th, which i also don't use much, and anything even a little above 80 is 6th lol

it's often 1-3-6 or 1-2-3-6

though as above.. sometimes on the highway i've looked down and been doing 100 in 4th (or rarely 5th) haha, after leaving the slow bit on the gateway with music up.

Hey Flinchi some good news just for you. BMW have just announced a new transmission. Its a three speed with column change as fitted to the HQ Holden.
I agree sex gears is far to many

[PeteA]

Use it all the time.

[bsm135]

Originally Posted by flinchy

i almost never use 5th, unless i'm going to be doing a lot at 70-80.. even then, 70 quite often calls for 4th, which i also don't use much, and anything even a little above 80 is 6th lol

it's often 1-3-6 or 1-2-3-6

though as above.. sometimes on the highway i've looked down and been doing 100 in 4th (or rarely 5th) haha, after leaving the slow bit on the gateway with music up.

Why would you shift 1-3-5?
Do you have transmission problems?

You do realise you will prematurely wear out the synchro's in your gearbox from doing this...

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by PeteA

Use it all the time.

Same, Once I hit 80, just cruising.. Still have heaps of torque at that speed in 6th.

[Kkuba]

6th at 80 for sure.

My dilemma is 4th or 5th at 60.
My observations of the OBC (questionable accuracy - I know) tells me almost 0.5l/100km less in 5th.
Usually 4th or 5th in traffic, 5th if there is no one around and I don't need to adjust speed too frequentl, and I can just set CC until the.next red light etc.

[ansch]

same.. 4th is my least used gear

[RadiuM]

Originally Posted by pd135

Why would you shift 1-3-5?
Do you have transmission problems?

He's a hardcore 135i owner.

[Simonnn]

Originally Posted by RadiuM

He's a hardcore 135i owner.

I enjoyed reading that

[froop]

Originally Posted by pd135

Why would you shift 1-3-5?
Do you have transmission problems?

You do realise you will prematurely wear out the synchro's in your gearbox from doing this...

Skipping gears will only prematurely wear out the synchros if you don't let the RPMs drop before going into the next gear. I sometimes do it but when I do I'll normally wait a little bit before popping in that next gear.

[MightyMouseTech]

90 seems to be my 5-6 cruising switchover point. Below 90 in 6th and the exhaust drones.

[bsm135]

Originally Posted by froop

Skipping gears will only prematurely wear out the synchros if you don't let the RPMs drop before going into the next gear. I sometimes do it but when I do I'll normally wait a little bit before popping in that next gear.

Fair enough!

But I'm sure there's n52 owners out there that redline 1st gear then slam it into 3rd or 4th gear! Lolllll

[MightyMouseTech]

Because that's healthy for the syncros. Eeek!

[ExREX]

i normally 4th to 6th. same when slowing from 6th to 4th.

[flinchy]

Originally Posted by Peter@Advan

Hey Flinchi some good news just for you. BMW have just announced a new transmission. Its a three speed with column change as fitted to the HQ Holden.
I agree sex gears is far to many

HELLS YES

bench seat 1er time

Originally Posted by pd135

Why would you shift 1-3-5?
Do you have transmission problems?

You do realise you will prematurely wear out the synchro's in your gearbox from doing this...

because shifting every gear, while it feels very smooth and is fun

is a lot more effort, and entirely unnecessary at street acceleration?.. power band is wide enough to skip gears and quickly get to speed.. shifting every gear say before 3000 results in waaay too many shifts. Shifting at say 4k results in having to shift too soon in the directly next gear.

how would I wear synchros when i match every gear? When skipping gears you just wait a quarter second longer to shift and it slots right in... No need to think i'm a total idiot in EVERY aspect hahaha

1-3 aaand i'm at 60-70 easily (0-30 in first, then 30-60/70 in 3rd), and 5th to cruise if 6th is too low 2nd is still too short... heck, if it's a slight downward incline, don't even bother with first, just let go in second. sometimes i'll go 1-2-3/4-6 or something, but really just RARELY row them all.

same with the 135, when you have such a broad torque band and fairly long gearing, even being lazy you're at highway speeds halfway through 3rd...

[7smurfs]

Originally Posted by flinchy

same with the 135, when you have such a broad torque band and fairly long gearing, even being lazy you're at highway speeds halfway through 3rd...

I wish the 135i had a shorter gearing ratio/final drive.

I find it's gears to be really really long and to get through all the gears 1-2-3-4-5-6 and not be over the speed limit (generally 80kph), I have to shift before 3000rpm!

My honest opinion, the car feels flat after launching. There is no 'kick' feeling which is probably due to the linear power delivery after hitting max torque. I hope that a JB4 tune will fix this and make the car more exciting to drive!

[Simonnn]

Originally Posted by 7smurfs

I wish the 135i had a shorter gearing ratio/final drive.

I find it's gears to be really really long and to get through all the gears 1-2-3-4-5-6 and not be over the speed limit (generally 80kph), I have to shift before 3000rpm!

My honest opinion, the car feels flat after launching. There is no 'kick' feeling which is probably due to the linear power delivery after hitting max torque. I hope that a JB4 tune will fix this and make the car more exciting to drive!

Yep you get a buttload of power after you shift into second, not sure if thats because boost is capped in first gear.. never really looked at the boost gauge while launching it in first.

There is an option to adjust the max boost pressure of each gear with the JB4 though