If you're lugging the engine by having it in too high a gear for the speed you're going, it is bad for the engine. Vibrations aren't ever good and it'll effect the engine all the way down to the main bearings in the worst case scenario.

I don't like to spend a lot of time in first gear myself, too easy to get torque steer and build revs too quickly. If I'm driving 'spiritedly' I'll stay in first to maybe 4500 RPM but run to 5500ish through second and third, which oughta get you to around 85-90 MPH which should probably be adequate for public road use.

Not sure how different a 5-speed will be vs my 6-speed in the above scenario because I don't think the gears are spaced all that differently.. at least not differently enough to make a difference over the distance you're talking.

PS you're having trouble shifting down into first while moving because you're not supposed to do that. Either ride it out in second or coast to a stop with clutch in or shifter in neutral till you're stopped, then change down to first.

 

i shifted at about 2750 in daily driving. i RARELY take in past 4500, cause there is no need to. its another story when i go to the track though.

 

Just driving around the city....35-45 MPH, I will start in first go to about 15 mph, shift to third to about 30mph and then slide into 6th. No need for that clutch and gear shifting with the lowend torque of the v6.

 

I've gotten mine rolling in second before......but I don't make a habit of it - only when I'm coming up on a light that changes and I'm slowing down to almost 1rst gear. As for driving around town, I follow the same basic pattern you do - I lostly shift at 3k around town, although I get out of 1rst at around 2500 or less a lot of the time because it's such a short gear.....and I NEVER downshift to 1rst, again, for the same reason.

For aggressive driving, I shift at 4500-Redline.......it all depends on where I am and what I'm doing.

I'm a 6-speed by the way.

 

i shift at 3K generally, and usualy try to keep my tach between 2 and 3k when driving around town til i gotta gun it to beat a light or somthin.

 

I try to shift at 3K (5 speed) but sometimes end up taking it to 4K or so since the 6 is so smooth and quiet that I don't notice the RPM i'm doing.

 

Get an exhaust system and intake and it won't be quiet any longer! :3_devil_w

 

between 3-4k usually... but when im already going fast im around 2-3k (5-6th).

 

I usually skip 5th in daily driving. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (sometimes), and into 6th. That's getting to 40-45 mph. If I'm on the parkway or somewhere that has a 55+ mph speed limit, I'll go through all the gears. I don't really watch the RPM's. I just shift when it sounds/feels right.

 

I usually skip 5th in daily driving. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (sometimes), and into 6th.

Exactly. 5th gear is almost NEVER used... only rare circumstances where the speed limit is like 30 mph or I possibly need to accelerate from 40-45ish w/a little more oomph than 6th would give.

 

I do it old school lol. I dont even pay attention to the RPM's. I just shift by the sound of the engine. And with a CAI and SSA catback you know you can hear it clearly..

 

Hrm... is it a common practice for you 6 speeders to jump from 4th to 6th? or is that only when racing and you have the 4th near redline?

If so that'd make up for the extra shift differential if a 5 speed were racing a 6 speed. Although I doubt doing this would've built enough torque to take off quick from 6th. Hrm.

 

I never jump from 4th to 6th......I do however, not spend much time in 5th. It's a short gear like 1rst, and 6th is a much better cruising gear.

 

i jump from 4th to 6th alot...i usualy shift around 2500 ish. i try to keep my rpm's as close to 2000 without going below it. when cruising

 

(5speed- normal driving) 1st just to get rolling, immediatley into 2nd. shift to 3rd at 30mph, 4th at 40mph and so on...
now that i have headers, the car pulls strong all the way to redline, so if im feeling agressive; i shift at 6500-6700, whereas before i would shift at 5500-6000..

 

I used to shift at about 3k, but now I shift at 3.5k, I'm tired of shifting so much just trying to keep up with normal traffic (6-speed btw) Once I'm up to speed, I try to keep the rpms between 2k-2.5k.

I may not be getting as much mpg now, but the exhaust note after 3k more than makes up for it. Hotshot headers+Ark single Ti=flippin sweet

 

I have an auto-manual GS, but if I'm in manual mode, I'll usually shift at either 2500 or 3000ish, depending on if I feel like saving gas or not.

 

I usualy shift at around 2500 RPM's i guess. However i get out of first when cruising at 2000RPM's. The V6 coupled to the 6 speed gives a lot of torque. I can make a corner in 3rd and it wont bogg the motor down at all.
Ken

 

Third gear is the best gear in a 6 speed Tib

 

Pshh - not when your racing. I missed third gear 3 times in a row when I raced a 240 last weekend - I was so frustrated.