I usually drive in the city in 5th gear no matter how slow I am going. Is this okay for the car? I figured that since the engine is not working hard at all, I am saving more gas. Am I correct for thinking this? I kind of drive it like an automatic but downshift when I need the power. I do not start in 5th gear, I just use it for regular driving. I know that the manual has it's suggested shift points, but is there any problem with the way I drive?

 

wait.. so you mean you start at 1st, then shift to 5th?? and just gradually go faster and faster as time goes on like an auto? wow.. i never heard that before. last time i was in the city i could only go in 1st 2nd and 3rd. there was too much traffic and by the end of the day my legs were hurting! i did post how upset i was anyone rememeber? that however doesnt sound too good. a friend of a friend has a celica GTS 6 speed. he doesnt know how to drive manual. he goes from 1st to 2nd. then stays there. probably red lining it going 40? never hitting 3rd and up. he had to bring his car to the shop twice. think it was his tranny that blew up or something hahah

 

Lugging the engine in 5th going say 25 mph is torture to the engine. Can you say LUG?

Short shift from 1st to 2nd and stay in third for 30-40mph work. This would be fine on the engine.

Never be in a tall gear (4th or 5th) below 1500-1700 rpm.
You may not hear it, but the engine is probably pinging at these levels, scorching the tops of your pistons.

Eventually the engines says enough is enough and you have a 4 cylinder car!

 

Why did you get a 5spd???

 

Probably for a better acceleration but i never heard people doing this, i mean its just plain stupid to ruin the engine like this

 

I love my 5 speed. It is just that my city doesn't have traffic like you would see in a large city. I will get off of the freeway in 5th and then keep it there until I get home. So I guess the answer is that It is bad for my car, right? Since gas prices are still so expensive, I thought I could save a few dollars by driving in 5th.

 

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention. I don't really try to accelerate, I just cruise in 5th gear. At the light I start in 1st, then second, then 5th (sometimes) I don't always drive like this. just when I really don't feel like shifting after long roadtrips.

 

Worst thing you can do for the engine besides pouring sugar in the gas tank. At those low engine speeds to the spark plugs are not burning the gas, it is exploding. Causeing irreversable effects to the engine. keep it above 1500.

 

i drove a mazda 626 stick around for a while, always in high gear (4th or 5th) at 35-40 mph and i think it was usually below 1500, and the engine was just fine. i wasnt accelerating either, just cruising.

is this bad for any engine, or just the maximas? it was my dad's before it was mine, and he drove it around constantly in high gear for 5 years, and it didnt give us any problems.