Quote:
Originally Posted by jeremyc74
Still, in the case of the 135i (and most cars) I'm of the opinion that if you want to save yourself a gear change around town, it's better to take off in 1st, then skip to 3rd or 4th once you're moving, instead of starting in 2nd, just because of the clutch wear.
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You only wear out the clutch if the clutch is re-engaged when the difference between engine rpm's (at the flywheel) and transmission rpm's (at the cluch disk) are significantly different. This difference translates into slippage, until the two rpm's match up. As long as the driver is able to shift at the right point, and adjust the engine speed to the new rpm's of the new gear ratio, it won't matter how many times you shift - you woin't really wear out the clutch. (I think most cluch wear actually happens from a standing start, when people pre-rev their engine too high, instead of feathering it while starting out).
If you are a great driver and really know your car, you shouldn't need the clutch to shift gears at all! You can shift gears simply by adjusting the speed of the engine to match the new gear you are selecting. But this is not recommended for most of us. Of course, this doesn't work on the track, but around town on level pavement it can be surprsingly easy to do. Feather the gas pedal until you feel almost no resistance on the gearshift knob, then slip it into neutral. Then choose the new rpm of the gear you are shifting into at the speed you are going at, and you will be able to slip into the new gear without the clutch. You might want to try this on a friend's car first though!
