Does anyone use 6th gear

[kit]

Afternoon folks

 

As title says, does anyone use 6th gear? Ive never used it as its always more economical when travelling at 120 km to use 5th gear. My GF asked me the other day when we were driving down the motorway why i didnt use 6th and i told her why...she looked puzzled so i told her to note what mpg we were getting now at this speed and that we had travelled an hour, i then put it into 6th and low and behold it went down over the next hour at then same speed.

 

Now im sure there will be some continental drivers on here who use the autobahns and use 6th as they are maybe travelling at faster speeds and it would be more bennificial to do so BUT are there any othere who use 6th?

 

kit

[Stoofa]

I get my vehicle into 6th as soon as possible. I find the shift indicator is actually pretty spot-on and I'm always attempting to move up the gears as quickly as possible.

I'll be in 6th at 40mph thorough a town. I can think of no reason not to get into as higher gear as possible as soon as possible.

Not convinced on the fuel economy argument - one single short test is far, far from conclusive.

[kit]

Its not one single short test...its every time i put her in 6th the MPG goes down. In 6th at 40mph?!! Jaysus mine would be almost stalling!!

 

K:)

[Wardy]

Quite frequently Kit. Usually on mine, between 50-60mph, but largely depends on conditions - if I know it's a constant and especially when a flatter gradient, I might use it at a slower speed. All about the lowest RPM for a given speed, whilst not labouring the engine - when I'm in economy mode anyway

 

I don't understand why, on yours, 5th at that speed (what, 80mph in old money?) would be more economical than 6th? The engine's spinning faster and at a constant speed, that will use up more fuel, as more fuel is required to keep the engine spinning at a higher RPM.

[kit]

Quite frequently Kit. Usually on mine, between 50-60mph, but largely depends on conditions - if I know it's a constant and especially when a flatter gradient, I might use it at a slower speed. All about the lowest RPM for a given speed, whilst not labouring the engine - when I'm in economy mode anyway

 

I don't understand why, on yours, 5th at that speed (what, 80mph in old money?) would be more economical than 6th? The engine's spinning faster and at a constant speed, that will use up more fuel, as more fuel is required to keep the engine spinning at a higher RPM.

Beats me as well!!...was the same with my mk1 fab vrs!!...maybe its just my style of driving. On sunday it went from 54.9mpg in 5th to 49.6 in 6th travellimg at the same speed on more or less the same road (inclines and such) conditions. Yep i think 120km is more or less nearly 80 mph.

 

K:)

[Aspman]

VRS will sit in 6th at 30mph quite happily as long as it's warmed up and you don't labour it.

 

The TFSI is a very flexible engine it was one of the appealing things about it.

[Stoofa]

Its not one single short test...its every time i put her in 6th the MPG goes down. In 6th at 40mph?!! Jaysus mine would be almost stalling!!

 

K:)

Your car would be almost stalling in 6th at 40mph??

You should get that looked at.

[Wardy]

Very strange indeed, unless your instant MPG readout is inaccurate? Have you calibrated with VCDS at all?

 

I must admit I very rarely look at the instant readout.

 

Only way of proving it for sure would be to brim the tank, do a test run using 5th as your highest selected gear. Then refill and repeat the same journey using 6th and then refill again. This would show what the actual, physical difference in fuel used was.

 

You'd need to do a minimum of 3 runs in each to give you at least a representative sample, which sounds like a bit of a chore to me! But if you've got some time to kill.... :p

 

Cheers,
Steve

[Wardy]

Your car would be almost stalling in 6th at 40mph??

You should get that looked at.

 

Agreed. Unless you're then looking to make decent progress away from 40mph, whilst still having 6th selected. That's not recommended. 

 

But keeping at a constant 40mph in 6th should be no problem at all.

[kit]

Ahh Steve here now!!!...Think i can find better things to do with my time maybe one day when im bored outa ma coupon i'll do it!!!

 

K:)

[Wardy]

Thought so! But just wanted to check :P

 

Look at VCDS calibration for the trip computer instead

 

Do you do any proper brim-to-brim fuel calcs usually? Or have you done any in the past?

[davejones2]

Mine's a diesel so may not be comparative, but my DSG will seek out 6th at a much lower speed than I'd ever think to do so myself (anything over about 40 mph on the flat).

 

I was very surprised just how high a gear it would choose when I first got the car.

 

If I use manual mode I always end up with 3-4 less mpg as I'm in a lower gear most of the time, even though it "feels" more appropriate in terms of rpm.

 

So 70+ in 5th sounds like madness to me!

[M12MKD]

My DSG doesn't kick up soon enough. 6th is at best only possible once over 40mph. My fabia if on a steady throttle and level road would be in 6th around town at 30.

The citigo also sits in 5th around town and makes a difference on the trip computer.

[Nobafett]

I get my vehicle into 6th as soon as possible. I find the shift indicator is actually pretty spot-on and I'm always attempting to move up the gears as quickly as possible.

I'll be in 6th at 40mph thorough a town. I can think of no reason not to get into as higher gear as possible as soon as possible.

Not convinced on the fuel economy argument - one single short test is far, far from conclusive.

Being in a lower gear at 40 will give you much more flexibility. You'll have engine braking and the power to accelerate decently, neither of which you'll have in 6th. I use 2nd and 3rd around town and occasionally 4th for the longer 40mph sections. Never any higher and I don't give a monkeys about fuel economy.

[Zillio]

I often have mine in 6th gear at the 40mph mark, and it's a petrol. Does not seem to stress the engine

[marcusthehat]

I have preached, bytimes in vain, about the diesel engines ability to efficiently pull low revs.

change up change up change up.

Should really be the cry.

Strangely (but not actually to me) the 1.6 TDI/DSG rather exactly mimics my gear change regime in der old 1.9TDI Galaxy.

Choosing to sit about 1500rpm, in any normal driving, and changing up at about 2000 (under normal acceleration) 

blip,blip,blip.

btw

Commercial diesels in trucks major on low engine revs, 1200/1500 ish (I think I imagine)

Proof positive indeed

PS

Anyone who cannot change down (block change or otherwise) fast enough to accelerate away when necessary or desired. 

Should not be driving.

Merely demonstrating their insufficient anticpation and lack of roadcraft.

Seriously.

Marcus

PPS

I dont like 6 manual gears, feels over-complicated, I much prefer 5 well choosen gear ratios, as seems to be used across a surprising amount of the current Skoda range of vehicles, from a recent showroom visit.

6 speed boxs were def in the minority.

Edited 1 October, 2013 by dieseldogg

[Brooksuk]

I use 6th regularly for any speed from about 50mph upwards. Not tried it at 40mph but might give it a go.

Mines a vrs CR btw. 6th is particularly good at speeds above 120mph.......cough.

[Nobafett]

I have preached, bytimes in vain, about the diesel engines ability to efficiently pull low revs.

change up change up change up.

Should really be the cry.

Strangely (but not actually to me) the 1.6 TDI/DSG rather exactly mimics my gear change regime in der old 1.9TDI Galaxy.

Choosing to sit about 1500rpm, in any normal driving, and changing up at about 2000 (under normal acceleration) 

blip,blip,blip.

btw

Commercial diesels in trucks major on low engine revs, 1200/1500 ish (I think I imagine)

Proof positive indeed

PS

Anyone who cannot change down (block change or otherwise) fast enough to accelerate away when necessary or desired. 

Should not be driving.

Merely demonstrating their insufficient anticpation and lack of roadcraft.

Seriously.

Marcus

PPS

I dont like 6 manual gears, feels over-complicated, I much prefer 5 well choosen gear ratios, as seems to be used across a surprising amount of the current Skoda range of vehicles, from a recent showroom visit.

6 speed boxs were def in the minority.

 

No offence intended, but anyone with an ounce of roadcraft would know that being in the correct gear for the circumstances, is one of the most important aspects. 6th gear at 40mph around town, is most definitely the incorrect gear. 

[marcusthehat]

I was not intending to offend, or indeed suggest driving at 40 in 6th.

Whatever the engine/transmission combination is happy with.

From direct experience in the vehicle.

Without needlessly revving "just in case" (like Gerry at work with his foot always on the clutch, "just in case", he should need to change gear, when I asked him why?)

Modern gearboxs are so slick, and clutchs so light, gearchanges should be almost instanteanous.

And I cannot imagine a set of circumstances that would not allow one sufficient time to change down, assuming one was reading the road ahead.

Indeed I would argue that a competent driver, will quite subconsiously, have selected the correct gear ahead of time.

PS

I also suspect some elements of taught "roadcraft" are behind the times in respect of modern engine performance envelopes.

cheers

marcus

PPS

I should add my "advice" is all diesel based and related.

Edited 1 October, 2013 by dieseldogg

[Chappers.]

The DSG in mine is a constant source of annoyance in it's need to be in the highest possible gear - the lack of flexibility due to the engine being off boost (actually off torque/power generally) really goes against almost everything I learnt regarding Roadcraft. Keep the revs over 2-2.5k and the car responds promptly and is more settled in bends and is a much, much nicer driving experience. Thankfully "S" or manual mode achieve this. 

 

There is an optimum rev/power band on every engine when it will prove to operate at it's most efficient - just over tickover is not it.

[marcusthehat]

How can a car be "more settled" in bends at higher engine revs?

More responsive perhaps, not more settled.

Edited 1 October, 2013 by dieseldogg

[marcusthehat]

Most odd?

After attempting to edit my previous post to add comment.

Then resorting to a new, quite wordy post.

system said my lengthy paragraph post was "empty"

Anyway try again

*************************8

Modern diesels are designed to be most efficient at low revs, below 2000rpm, i.e. just above tickover. Absolute fact.

Just like the Rolls Royce Merlins as fitted to the Spitfires in the war.

A senior boffin from Rolls Royce was tasked to establish why reported poor fuel economy was restricting operating ranges.

Compared to Rolls Royces tested and calculated figures with the new variable pitch propeller.

Turned out the Pilots refused to run the engines at optimim crusing revs on a coarse propeller pitch setting.

Preferring to run at higher fuel guzzling engines revs on a fine prop setting.

Cos the engine sounded "happier"

Hey, they were pilots, they knew how to fly.

They were also mostly young and brash.

cheers

marcus

Edited 1 October, 2013 by dieseldogg

[Plantman]

6th gear ASAP!!!!!!!!!

 

unless 'making progress'

[bulls20042002]

I always use 6th asap , I even skip 5th if the road allows!

Mines a petrol vrs and will happly sit at 30-35 in 6th and pull away.!

My wife drives a mk1 vrs and I realy miss 6th when i drive it!

[Dr Zoidberg]

My Bravo with a mighty 105 bhp will cope with 6th quite happily at 40-ish, so if a VRS is nearly stalling then there's something wrong with it.