First observations 2011 GT
9/17/10, 08:29 AM
#1
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
First observations 2011 GT
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all of your support to date through the long waiting process. The car finally arrived Monday, so I've been driving it almost a week. I'll post photos soon (my wife and I can't find the cord for our digital camera).
Some observations:
The brick red interior is a big hit. It really makes the car look special. Glad I bought it.
Also glad I did the spoiler delete. It makes the car look so smooth and stealthy.
Driving impressions: This is a car that does not like to be driven slowly. If I'm cruising along behind a minivan and going about 30 MPH, the car seems to be straining to get to the next level. It's hard to describe, but I've never felt this way in any car before.
Also, the car seems to always be at a high RPM. Can't tell if this is something I'm doing wrong or what. If I'm driving at 30 MPH behind that minivan, I'm at 3,000 RPM and it seems like the car wants me to shift to 4th. If I'm in 4th at 45 MPH, the car wants to shift to 5th, and so on. Second gear is hardly usable at all, the RPMs climb so quickly. I'd be curious what others' experience is with this. Doesn't 3,000 RPM seem high if you're cruising down the highway? Should I be in 5th at 45 MPH? On previous manual cars, 4th gear was good all the way up to 60 MPH, if memory serves.
Skip shift has been a bit of an issue. If I'm not concentrating, it seems to always happen. But if I do concentrate, and make sure to get up to 3,000 RPM before shifting out of first, the skip shift doesn't happen. I can't figure out why they designed the car this way, because by trying to avoid skip shift, I rev the car up to a pretty high RPM in 1st gear, wasting gas. I thought the concept was to save gas.
I am really looking forward to taking the car out to the country at some point and driving on some winding two lanes. All of my driving so far has been on clogged highways and streets here in Chicago's northern suburbs. I can tell the car is going to be a real pleasure if I can ever get out of the traffic!
Thanks for all of your support to date through the long waiting process. The car finally arrived Monday, so I've been driving it almost a week. I'll post photos soon (my wife and I can't find the cord for our digital camera).
Some observations:
The brick red interior is a big hit. It really makes the car look special. Glad I bought it.
Also glad I did the spoiler delete. It makes the car look so smooth and stealthy.
Driving impressions: This is a car that does not like to be driven slowly. If I'm cruising along behind a minivan and going about 30 MPH, the car seems to be straining to get to the next level. It's hard to describe, but I've never felt this way in any car before.
Also, the car seems to always be at a high RPM. Can't tell if this is something I'm doing wrong or what. If I'm driving at 30 MPH behind that minivan, I'm at 3,000 RPM and it seems like the car wants me to shift to 4th. If I'm in 4th at 45 MPH, the car wants to shift to 5th, and so on. Second gear is hardly usable at all, the RPMs climb so quickly. I'd be curious what others' experience is with this. Doesn't 3,000 RPM seem high if you're cruising down the highway? Should I be in 5th at 45 MPH? On previous manual cars, 4th gear was good all the way up to 60 MPH, if memory serves.
Skip shift has been a bit of an issue. If I'm not concentrating, it seems to always happen. But if I do concentrate, and make sure to get up to 3,000 RPM before shifting out of first, the skip shift doesn't happen. I can't figure out why they designed the car this way, because by trying to avoid skip shift, I rev the car up to a pretty high RPM in 1st gear, wasting gas. I thought the concept was to save gas.
I am really looking forward to taking the car out to the country at some point and driving on some winding two lanes. All of my driving so far has been on clogged highways and streets here in Chicago's northern suburbs. I can tell the car is going to be a real pleasure if I can ever get out of the traffic!
lol sounds like your enjoying the car, congrats man. I cant wait till mine is here
9/17/10, 08:43 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Right - I have a manual. Sounds like I should just go up to 6th on the highway. I did do that once (it's hard to find a highway around here where you can actually drive fast enough for long enough to justify 6th), and like you said, the RPM was down around 2K or lower.
9/17/10, 10:08 AM
#5
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The car is geared VERY low, you'll row through the low gears quickly. I generally cruise between 1500-2000 RPM while not on the highway, so I'm generally in 5th at 40-45, depending on traffic and hill conditions. 6th I use even going 55. Highway cruise is generally 2000 RPM, and I never take it out of 6th.
9/17/10, 10:10 AM
#6
GTR Member
I can't decide if you're serious, you're really just kidding, right???
You want the highest gear you can use to cruise down the road. If the RPM is too high when cruising then you should be shifting up to the next gear or TWO.
And the point of the skip-shift is not to make you rev it high to avoid it, it is so that when you drive it normally that you will go from first to forth so that you keep the revs down when you don't need them, like at part throttle putting around town. That's how it helps the fuel economy.
You want the highest gear you can use to cruise down the road. If the RPM is too high when cruising then you should be shifting up to the next gear or TWO.
And the point of the skip-shift is not to make you rev it high to avoid it, it is so that when you drive it normally that you will go from first to forth so that you keep the revs down when you don't need them, like at part throttle putting around town. That's how it helps the fuel economy.
9/17/10, 10:33 AM
#8
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
I can't decide if you're serious, you're really just kidding, right???
You want the highest gear you can use to cruise down the road. If the RPM is too high when cruising then you should be shifting up to the next gear or TWO.
And the point of the skip-shift is not to make you rev it high to avoid it, it is so that when you drive it normally that you will go from first to forth so that you keep the revs down when you don't need them, like at part throttle putting around town. That's how it helps the fuel economy.
You want the highest gear you can use to cruise down the road. If the RPM is too high when cruising then you should be shifting up to the next gear or TWO.
And the point of the skip-shift is not to make you rev it high to avoid it, it is so that when you drive it normally that you will go from first to forth so that you keep the revs down when you don't need them, like at part throttle putting around town. That's how it helps the fuel economy.
9/17/10, 10:53 AM
#10
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Join Date: July 27, 2010
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Skip shift is actually a CAFE thing (I guess that makes it related to EPA). Ford wants to keep their Corporate Average Fuel Economy as high as possible to avoid paying penalties. They couldn't care less how people will actually drive the vehicles as long as the EPA mileage test cycle returns good results.
If you're on a highway entrance ramp, skip shift shouldn't come into play anyway. It doesn't activate unless you're accelerating lightly (just putting along).
If you're on a highway entrance ramp, skip shift shouldn't come into play anyway. It doesn't activate unless you're accelerating lightly (just putting along).
9/17/10, 10:54 AM
#11
Bullitt Member
9/17/10, 11:54 AM
#12
I Have No Life
I always cruise in my 05 around 2200 to 2500 in town.
3rd in city streets(going 60km/h), 4th in 80km zones, and 50th going over 100km.
Any get up and go requirements means downshifting...
Last edited by Boomer; 9/17/10 at 11:55 AM.
9/17/10, 01:01 PM
#13
Bullitt Member
Skip shift has been a bit of an issue. If I'm not concentrating, it seems to always happen. But if I do concentrate, and make sure to get up to 3,000 RPM before shifting out of first, the skip shift doesn't happen. I can't figure out why they designed the car this way, because by trying to avoid skip shift, I rev the car up to a pretty high RPM in 1st gear, wasting gas. I thought the concept was to save gas.
Light goes green so we all start moving out. Because I'm not the first person at the light, I'm limited to the speed of the guy in front of me. So I hit the conditions like RPM range where skip shift wants to kick in... but I don't want to start going up the hill in 4th.
So instead I keep it in 1st past 3000/3500 RPMs and the guy in front of me thinks I'm impatient for still being in 1st gear
9/17/10, 01:41 PM
#15
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
I have issues with skip shift as well. It seems like it kicks in exactly when I don't want it to (eg when I'm at a red light behind some cars and about to go uphill).
Light goes green so we all start moving out. Because I'm not the first person at the light, I'm limited to the speed of the guy in front of me. So I hit the conditions like RPM range where skip shift wants to kick in... but I don't want to start going up the hill in 4th.
So instead I keep it in 1st past 3000/3500 RPMs and the guy in front of me thinks I'm impatient for still being in 1st gear
Light goes green so we all start moving out. Because I'm not the first person at the light, I'm limited to the speed of the guy in front of me. So I hit the conditions like RPM range where skip shift wants to kick in... but I don't want to start going up the hill in 4th.
So instead I keep it in 1st past 3000/3500 RPMs and the guy in front of me thinks I'm impatient for still being in 1st gear
9/17/10, 02:27 PM
#18
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
I ordered them through my dealer - Highland Park Ford, and he just showed them to me in the catalogue. I don't have an electronic copy, unfortunately. The ones I got are the Mustang symbol - the pony prancing over the red, white and blue vertical lines.
9/17/10, 02:27 PM
#19
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
Thanks, by the way, to Steve and everyone else at Highland Park Ford in Highland Park, Illinois. They've given me a lot of personal attention throughout the process.
9/17/10, 03:54 PM
#20
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If you think the car wants to go now, you're wrong. Stock, with low mileage, they are absolute dogs. I had a case of buyer's remorse coming on until I got about a 1000 miles on it, and then got a Steeda Cold-Air kit and tune. I was pretty happy !! Then Gus sends me the upgrade. No skipshift, and OMG......now it goes!!!
This AM on the way to work, I'm begging to get caught at a stoplight. Of course, doesn't happen when you want it to. Finally, I get an opportunity to get on it in second gear after letting the bus in front of me get a lead. Three grand, punch it..............sideways!!!! Now it's fun!
Get a Steeda CAI kit and tune. It will make you LOVE your car!!!!!
This AM on the way to work, I'm begging to get caught at a stoplight. Of course, doesn't happen when you want it to. Finally, I get an opportunity to get on it in second gear after letting the bus in front of me get a lead. Three grand, punch it..............sideways!!!! Now it's fun!
Get a Steeda CAI kit and tune. It will make you LOVE your car!!!!!