Gaspo

How high do you guys let your cars rev before switiching gears when driving standard? I haven't been driving that long and just want to know the general consensus?

kc5zom

Normal Driving - 4-5,000RPM
Racing - A little over 6,000RPM

Shifting at 6k puts you in the meaty part of the next gear.

AJD19

I have ( by accident) when over 7000 rpm..and motor still was pulling strong...does anyone know if there is a rev limiter on there cars?

VagaBond-X

for me
normal driving with parents : 3000 - 4500 RPM
While its me and my friends : around 5000 RPM
While I'm racing : I redline it


My parents
Normal : around 3000 RPM
Racing (only my dad) : Around 5000 RPM


It really depends on how you like to drive, if you like to drive the car hard and race it, then you'd do it at a higher RPM range

If you want to cruise nicely along, not stressing the car out, then I'd say some thing from 3000 - 4000 RPM would do you good

thast just my $.02
eace:

nightowl

normal driving...usualy around 4k.....racing, 6800- redline

kc5zom

Keep in mind though that the better quarter mile times are generated by shifting around under the redline on our cars. And we do have a rev-limiter and I believe it is set to 7000. I haven't whacked mine yet but that is my impression from word on the street.

BGHITR

the last 2 days ive been giving it 2 my car. all the way 2 rev limiter all the time. its an auto. is this bad 4 the car?

Gaspo

Alright sweet so I'm not a fool or anything. Normal driving I usually shift between 3K and 4K closer to 4 though, and for highway driving, merging especially I like the extra kick so I let it get up to around 4.5K or so. I just wanted to find out the consensus and know I'm not harming my car.

I was taught to drive standard from my father, but driving around in his Miata he shifts at like 2.5K...it seems to be geared really short, but I still think he doesn't know how to drive it, the only man that is in 5th before doing 60KMH, and taking corners in 4th, doing 20KMH.

Thanks guys.

David

So? He's just looking for better mileage. If I have people in my car I'll shift around 2500. He's not hurting his car he's just not having fun

MazdaSpeedRacer

A good point David, not that i would ever really do that(shift so low)but it doesnt hurt the car to shift at 2K even or 1K for that matter. No acceleration at all, but you will get the best gas mileage ever! LOL!

JJB

I'm with most of these guys...

before it is fully warm: before 2500RPM all the time

going to and from work (i.e traffic): usually about 2500RPM, there is trul no chance to get moving quick at all and sometimes up at 3k.

usual driving on the back roads and suck: probably around 4 or 4.5k

"spirited driving": usually at ~6k, I don't usually make it to the red line as I noticed that power starts to roll off before you get there... I shift it so that I am back in the meat of the power band for the next gear.

hihoslva

I know you all are not really serious about this "shifting at 1500 RPM" thing, but don't think that you will get good mileage - your mileage will suffer greatly by shifting too low.

If the car has to struggle to accelerate and is chug-chug-chugging along in a high gear at low speed, you're burning MORE fuel than you would i you were in the proper gear at higher rmps.

With these little 4-bangers, the power is not low in the rev range. Trying to acclerate this way (20 MPH in 4th gear, standing starts in 2nd, etc.) only puts MORE stress on the car, as it tries so hard to push the car along while it's making very little horsepower and torque, and sucking up gas in the process.

Shifting properly is when the mileage benefits of a manual are seen - shifting at ridiculously low rps will hurt your mileage noticeably.

And Gaspo - No disrespect, but I don't think your dad know how to drive either.

~HH

unclebuz

"As soon as the bitch is warm, ride it like you stole it!" That's what my Daddy told me so that's what I do! Remember, the car has a 50,000 mile warranty!! I bang the shifts at 7300 rpm in first & second...third & forth at 6800rpm...5th to 6th...oh wait there ain't one!
4th will take you to about 103mph Cars are meant to be enjoyed so give it hell then sell it!

pr5owner

i shift at 2.5K, i find that it gets me the best gas millage, (only on flat level roads) if i am going up hill i go to 3.5K but only after my car is warm. while my car is cold i shift at 2.25K
________
VAPIR NO2 VAPORIZER

gcs118

Hey Gaspo, don't forget if your car is new that the 1000KM / 600mile break in period is good to wait out before taking the RPMs too high. Check the manual so you don't hurt your baby before it's "broken in." I just like to be on the safe side with new cars