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What are your shift points in various circumstances?

3K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  GTODEALER 
#1 ·
hey guys, I wanna know how your shift points look when your doing city cruising (25-35mph), backroad (45-50mph) and freeway (55+). Also specific if its for fun or for fuel economy.

I dont know how well I drive for fuel economy lol, but at 340 miles on the odo I am now averaging 13.7 MPG:

1) To avoid Cags I shift into 2nd the second the light comes off unless Im gunning it
2) Stay in second until around 30 I think, takes between 3 and 4 grand.
3) Shift to third and stay if im city driving, or if im gonna be above 40 for a while I may drop to 4th. Havent driven on freeway yet.

I have heard some of you guys skipping shifts, how well does that work? Also how do these overdrive gears work on the M6?
 
#4 ·
Typically in the neighborhood of 2500 rpm. A little lower if poking through traffic, higher when I've got some space in front of me. I am fond of the 1-3-5-6 gear sequence, or 1-2-4-6, for general around town driving. Not so much for fuel economy but just to minimize the # of shifts up and down.
 
#10 ·
I agree with others, that it depends on the circumstances. Also, I'm still taking it easy on my car (I've heard various things about break in, and the engine being broken in at the factory, etc, and didn't know what to think as so much of the info contradicted other bits--so I just said the heck with it, I'll be easy on the car the first 500-1000 miles). Additionally, I hadn't driven a stick in many years, so was a bit rusty.

Taking it easy, it still depends on whether you have some room to move, or are behind the typical sluggish traffic--and traffic has been bad in town lately.

I've been, behind sluggish traffic, usually doing about every 10 mph a shift. A bit low, but I try to keep the rpms below 2500 usually, but above 1000. Currently the gas-mileage-ometer thingy is reading 17.4, but there's been a reasonable amount of traffic, including some stop-and-go-and-stop on the highway.

Once I feel more confident with shifting and have given the car some easy first miles, I'll open it up more. I've done a few stretches up to 3k.

Btw, I'm surprised the redline is as high as it is--6.5k IIRC. I usually see it in the 5's on a factory V8. How close to redline can you get it and keep it safe?
 
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