OK, I do like shifting my manual MINI (No ruckus needs to be started here about the manliness of DIY shifting)....:crazy: But lately in town I've been using the top three gears in the shift pattern, namely 1 - 3 - 5. It seems much less tiresome for in town motoring. RPM matching seems almost perfect and I'm sure I'm getting better gas mileage versus rowing through the gears to 5th. Try it... You might like it..... PS: I'm fine with my manual.... Sometimes I like Mr Jekyll and sometimes I like Mr Hyde.
I often skip gears while toddling around town. Our cars have torque, I say why not use it. Years ago I read an interview with Prost & he explained how he often skipped gears. I figured if it was good enough for the world champion it was good enough for me. :smile5:
Yup, that's how I maintain high average gas mileage. If the traffic and road conditions are right it's 1,2,5, short on the 1 just to get it rolling.
I have to shift my other car 1-2-4 in the morning because the third gear synchro is too worn to work when the transmission's cold. :biggrin5: It's harder to short shift the R53 because it sounds so good when you get on - off - on boost.
I thought you had to go 1-2-3-4-5-6! This saves on gas? It doesn't hurt the transmission? Love this forum. Thanks to all posters. I have learned so much about my car that I would never have known otherwise.
In stop and start I just use 2, maybe 3. But 5 almost never gets used for me. So count me in the 1,2,3,4,6 crowd most of the time.
Operator error is what hurts transmissions. As long as you don't "lug" the engine, the sooner you can get into the higher gears your gas mileage gets better. Keep in mind, for every rotation of the engine crank, you roll farther in the higher gears......
Thanks for the reply MM! I'm just really careful and have a couple of non-negotiable rules: 1. Teenagers don't learn to drive shift on my MINI. 2. Teenagers don't drive my MINI even if they learned to drive shift elsewhere, hoping to get to drive my MINI. 3. Teenagers can get a job and buy their own MINI. I knew about higher gear meaning better gas mileage. I didn't know that I could skip over a gear. Except, I don't use first if the car is already rolling in neutral. What is "lugging" the engine? :confused5:
I only occasionally skip gears. Just habit to got through in order. As far as lugging, if you shift in too high a gear too soon. Hard to explain the exact feeling but basically the engine will feel very week, not good and not fun.
Thanks. I have a feel for this, just don't know how to put it into words. It's one of those things that you really feel in the pit of your stomach if you do it wrong! :blush2:
What is "lugging" the engine? :confused5:[/QUOTE] Lugging happens when an engine's rpm is below its power curve and is struggling to give motion to the vehicle.
OK, gave this a try and found that it worked great while going down hill. Otherwise I need all my gears and glad to have them. Jim