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01-26-2011, 02:40 PM | #1 |
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6MT owners- when do you shift?
Hi all,
Having had too many speeding tickets to mention, I need to be extremely careful driving. I've gotten into the habit of driving at the maximum possible speed( generally speed limit plus 10) I frequently drive the West Side Highway- speed limit 50- so I can get away with 60. ( I've also got a ...minivan ugh- and the cops will allow another few miles an hour when I'm driving that, but in the 1, you have to be super careful- but that's another story) Anyway, if I keep her in third gear, 60 miles an hour is 4000rpm- which keeps the car at it's most responsive point. It feels faster and more fun to drive. When do you shift? What gear do you drive in if you need to go 60mph?
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01-26-2011, 02:47 PM | #2 |
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On the FDR the car is in 5th.
On a side note. Cold 2K shift, warm 3k shift 4k cruising will lead to excessive wear and it must kill your gas mileage |
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01-26-2011, 02:49 PM | #3 |
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Uhh, well if you want to accelerate faster, yeah choose 3rd. If you are cruising normally you'd probably want to save fuel and engine life by choosing the highest gear possible for your speed.
Cruising I normally shift at around 2500RPM. |
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01-26-2011, 03:02 PM | #4 |
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I dont shift under 3000; highway i like to shift at 4000 or higher (depends on if im trying to race around). Wear and tear is part of enjoying the car; i compensate by doing oil changes more often. I regularly cruise at 3500 to 4000 on the highway.
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01-26-2011, 03:05 PM | #5 |
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Probably not the best comparo since I'm driving a 128i, but I sometimes like to keep my revs in the 4-5k range if I'm in the twisties or whatever, just to feel the car pull harder. But we're talking a pretty limited time and certainly not for highway cruising. Shit, that's what overdrive is for!
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01-26-2011, 03:08 PM | #6 |
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01-26-2011, 03:09 PM | #7 |
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I hear you about the gas mileage- I'm lucky to get 16 mpg.
but I only drive 12 or so miles a day- so i can live with that aspect. In terms of wear and tear- that's one great aspect of leasing a car. I have tried driving in 6th many times. It sucks when some shitty Camry gets the jump on you cause you're cruising at 200 rpm.....
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01-26-2011, 03:09 PM | #8 |
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Pretty much; under 3000 is for trucks mang...
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01-26-2011, 03:17 PM | #9 | |
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Reading the comment above it sounds like the issue isn't when you are shifting, but that you want to be faster and race every single person that comes by going faster than you. That is why you are getting tickets. You have to change your outlook on how you are driving. It's not a contest to see who has the faster car everytime you get into the vehicle. I know my car is fast. My car is faster than 85% of the cars that I come in contact with, but I don't have to flex its muscles to know this. Who cares if a Camry drives down the interstate faster than you. Your car is far superior in almost all aspects. Until you can change the way you drive I'm afraid that you are in for many more tickets my friend.
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01-26-2011, 03:23 PM | #10 |
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I usually shift between 3-5k rpm while the engine is warm(under 3k when its cold). I sometime try to wring the engine out at redline but this baby gets up in speed wayy too fast. It's really hard to drive at the speed limit with this car.
However the other day i was in a rush and had to get a spot in the no 3 lane before it was too late, i gunned it from 2nd gear til 3rd and almost redlined it and the speeds was like 75mph or something it all happened so fast i got really excited/scared as to the gobs of power that this car has. Boy what an engine.
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01-26-2011, 03:29 PM | #11 |
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That is so true...it is all about your mindset. When I drive my winter car (2010 Outback 4liter) I tend to keep the revs higher and go faster, and get the jump on the other guys at the light.
When I am driving the GT-R, I AM FASTER than any other car on the road (maybe minus a modded Z06/ZR1/911TT) and I tend to actually drive SLOWER through town, off the lights, etc...and I would never street race anyone at a light...you already know the outcome. |
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01-26-2011, 03:49 PM | #12 | |
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Tom |
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01-26-2011, 03:58 PM | #13 |
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Yes I did phrase that badly.
I agree- no need to race on the street or highway- in fact it's a horrible idea. I never got tickets racing another car. I did love to drive fast- but only when it was safe- and not when other cars were near. Remember, in a speed trap on the West Side Highway, 62mph is considered speeding. I suppose a better way to put it would be that I like to feel the power of the car- and if I do need to accelerate, I like the engine to be in a sweet spot.
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01-26-2011, 04:12 PM | #14 | |
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I just can't imagine why you would be to be at a constant 4,000RPM on the highway, unless you are in 6th doing 120mph. |
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01-26-2011, 04:33 PM | #15 |
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I like it because it really does make the car feel more responsive.
Also it's not constant, as generally, I'm driving between 50 and 60.
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01-26-2011, 04:40 PM | #16 | |
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Just please don't dart around not using blinkers and driving like you are passing cars in a race, people do that shit all the time in Corpus and if my car had machine guns I swear to God I would deploy them on these idiots. I also do not block the left lane, ultimate pet peeve. |
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01-26-2011, 04:44 PM | #17 | |
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I normally cruise the highway in 5th or 6th and downshift when I want to feel frisky. I normally do 8 above because our speedo's read a little high so it put's me at 5 over. |
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01-26-2011, 04:46 PM | #18 | |
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Your revs should be relative to throttle. If you're accelerating WOT, you should shift near redline. If you're accelerating leisurely, you should shift around 2500. If you're cruising at 60, you should be in 6th or sometimes 5th. |
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01-26-2011, 04:50 PM | #19 | |
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I find the "sweet spot" cruising speed for my MT 128i is the torque peak of 2,750 RPM, or 75 mph in 6th. I generally downshift at around 2,000 in the upper gears and 1,500 in the lower gears. I've been rewarded with a car which burns only 1/4 quart of oil between 8,000 miles changes and has a cumulative gas mileage average of 27.9 mpg for 33,000 miles. But since the turbo's torque peak begins much lower (1,500?), why not save gas and cruise in 6th at any speed above 50~55? Naturally, you would be prepared to use the 1er's excellent gearbox to downshift as necessary. You might also consider taking a trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway where 4,000 in 3rd can be both useful and fun. Tom |
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01-26-2011, 04:54 PM | #20 |
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01-26-2011, 05:29 PM | #21 |
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Thanks Tom- I have driven the Blue Ridge in my Carrera- and did manage to get a speeding warning for going 7 mph above the 40mph speed limit ( if I remember correctly)
That was quite lucky as an hour before I had her up to about 85 on a lovely deserted section where I had a clear view for at least 1/2 mile. But that's basically the idea of driving in third on the West Side Highway. Blue Ridge Parkway it ain't but there are some sweet curvy areas. Gary- accelerating WOT? What's WOT? Slick- we share pet peeves. Darting between cars sucks- I'll admit that there are times I accelerate to prevent someone from darting in front of me....but I make sure to signal when I change lanes- and do so in a safe fashion giving a lot of space between cars. Another pet peeve of mine is drivers that tailgate. Years ago I might have even stepped on the brake to scare the crap out of a tailgater- today I just change lanes Left lane does not mean all that much in Manhattan- as Tom mentioned.
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01-26-2011, 07:30 PM | #22 |
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So people really drive around in 6th gear going 50? I thought that carb'ed up the engine?
Under normal driving circumstances, I probably shift in the 2.5 to 3.0k range. |
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