Yes...I'm learning to drive a manual in a new 2011 (after not driving a manual in 20yrs) and it's coming along better than I thought. Memory is starting to kick in. I have a few questions:

Should I be shifting at about 2500-3000 rpms in normal driving?
How fast can I drive in each gear...can I drive 30-40 mph in 2nd or 40-60 mph in 3rd, etc...?
In more aggressive driving should I shift just before redline or in the 4000-5000rmp range?

Any suggestions, advise would be great. I do more daily driving than anything else but like to get o it onc in a while. I know nothing beat times behind the wheel to get better but hearing from the experts on this forum is part of the learning process!!!!!!!! Thanks....

 

For best fuel economy, I shift at about 2100 RPM except from 5th to 6th.

In my 4 cyl accord I would usually shift at 3k.

 

Fuel economy??? What is this fuel economy?? I find 6500 is an awesome place to shift. But, then I'm getting between 12.5 and 13.8 mpg each tank.

So tell me more about 2100... sounds interesting. I should learn this.

 

too many stop lights to get to 6500

 

Shift at whatever seems appropriate. Unless you are trying to be compile statistics, just forget about the RPMs and listen to the motor. If it's racing and you are following a dump truck going up hill, you probably should have shifted already. If you are going for broke but it sounds like when your mom is driving, you probably should be running it up higher before shifting. Yes, pay attention the RPMs (eventually you want to be able to tell you are near redline just by the sound), but I wouldn't let it tell you when to shift.

And remember the most power in the new 5.0's is up high in the band. For maximum acceleration, let her run all the way up until she starts losing power, which with the new 5.0s, is pretty much all the way to redline.

 

That's right in the skip shift range. I say shift above 3000RPM from 1st to 2nd, then have fun and forget about fuel mileage.

 

Maximum fuel mileage.
2nd gear start.
2-4 at 1750 rpm (84% Split)
4-5 at 1375 rpm (28% Split)
5-6 at 1750 rpm (54% Split)

It aint a lot of fun but Ive averaged 22 mpg in the first 1700 miles 80% City / 20% Highway. Of course I still have to do a few of those 20-90 mph blasts power shifting 1-2 and 2-3 about 6500 rpm on occasion.

 

Joker, you should revise your signature. There's a spelling error. Just sayin' !

 

Best advice in my opinion. I tend to shift around 2k because the 3.73's make each gear so quick that shifting at 1700 would be tedious. Once you are actually driving though, I find 1k rpm to be a good thing to aim for. Too much lower and you could lug the motor, too much higher and you are wasting gas. I go to 6th above 30 mph.

 

Thanks for the advise...lots to taken in. I'm concermed about what gear I should be in during city driving...normal 35-45mph drive. I find myself driving in 4th wanting to go to 5th for some reason. Is this right? I normally drive about 40-45mph were I live (minus highway driving)and I'm at 2500rmp or so...

 

Yeah i usually go into 5th at about 40mph if i know i wont be stopping for a little while. This way i can get a little better mpgs.

 

What rear end gears do you have? And again, RPM's are key, more than speed. Pick that gear that gets you as close to 1000-1200 RPM without going under. If the car feels too sluggish, or like its lugging, shift down a gear. Give it 2 weeks and you will know your cars happy RPM's and speeds. But the Ti-VCT and power of this car means you dont have to drive at 2500 rpm, its not a 130 hp corolla.

 

For my daily drive I shift 1-3-5 from a stop, 2-4-5 from a roll. Accelerating to ~2500 in each gear and cruising at 1700-2100 rpms. I also have noticed that this car will coast forever even on the slightest of grades so coast away!

 

The owners guide has a section on that. Page 220....

Shift from (When skip shift mode active):
1-4 17 mph (27 km/h)
4-5 25 mph (40 km/h)
5-6 40 mph (64 km/h)

 

Im in 6th by 39 mph with 3.55. Hit the info button until the little bars come up. Pick the gear that shows the most bars at that cruise speed. With 3.73 I think you will find thats 6th at anything over 30 mph.

 

Actually thats the parameters for the EPA mileage test. Now you know why the skip shift is required. Also why the automatics get better ratings than manual on many new cars (They are in top gear much earlier than the manual is allowed).

Like I said on the other post try using the little bar graph that indicates how well your current mileage is doing vs the average since reset. Try to pick the gear that shows the most bars. Info button will get you to it.

PS I get well under 20 mpg if I tuse those charts above instead of my usual 22 mpg (mostly city).

 

I have 3.73 gears, and I don't go into sixth untill I get on the freeway doing over sixty.

I go into forth when I'm doing 35-40 to get a little better gas mileage.

FYI: the MPG on the car's computer is way off. It said I was getting 13 MPG when the actual was closer to 16. Too much WOT I guess.....

 

WTF? Why would you rev the car so high? That's straight up asinine. You are just wasting gas and increasing wear on your motor.

 

Wow Ducky. I don't believe that. You might as well be coasting. I'm an old fart and even I don't drive like that. You must see the skip-shift often then.

99redmustang: City driving, 30 mph limit, I am in 3rd gear, rpm between 2000 and 2500. At 45mph limit, 4th gear should be fine. On the highway at 70 mph, I'll shift into 6th but below that speed 5th gear. Certainly not in 6th gear at 30mph. Surely Ducky is joking above. As someone mentioned earlier, use the sound of the engine rather than the gauge for your normal shifts. You will soon get a feel for when to make the change. Don't try driving or accelerating below 2000rpm as you will be lugging. Normal cruise is comfortable around 2000 to 2500 rpm. When you are in a hurry, use 6500+ for your shift points, but normal shifting will be around 3000 to 4000 depending on your mood.

Somebody mentioned coasting for fuel savings; just be aware, in some areas of the country this is against the law. You have less control of the car without engine braking.

Enjoy your new car and Ducky, for Pete's sake, pick it up a bit, eh.

Cheers.

 

Hey Ducky. Some of us take it to the track. Normal shifts are at red-line and we often see/hear the rev-limiter. May even put in a tune to raise the limiter. Horrors! This is why a lot of us bought the car. I don't think this is asinine. You may be focusing on fuel milage figures while others are having fun. To each his own. Enjoy.

Cheers.