5th gear :thumbdwn: each to there own, but I am still finding it hard to believe, must give it another try today...

If I knock mine in 6th on a flat road at 30mph (like the one that goes home from my work) I can lift off the accellerator and the tickover revs will accellerate me to a nice 38(ish)mph and hold me at that (cruse control for the poor ). So I'm sure it can't be labouring the engine that much on a flat road.

Curiously if I knock it down to 5th, it will slow down and want to stall.

Obviously - not sure if this would work with the new gearbox. I have an 03 plate.

Obviously - not sure if this would work with the new gearbox. I have an 03 plate.

It does - pushes you along at 30...

If I knock mine in 6th on a flat road at 30mph (like the one that goes home from my work) I can lift off the accellerator and the tickover revs will accellerate me to a nice 38(ish)mph and hold me at that (cruse control for the poor ). So I'm sure it can't be labouring the engine that much on a flat road.

Perhaps not labouring the engine' date=' I may have used the wrong term (I am not most engine minded person )[/color']

But I really would of thought that would not be doing any good to your car...

I must say' date=' after trying it this morning, it just doesn't feel right at 5th. I like to know that if I put my foot down the car will actually accelerate, not just make more noise. I also don't want to be in a situation where I have to scramble for a lower gear...

I definitely find 4th great at 30 in the Furby. It sits at around 1600 rpm, which leaves plenty of available power and excellent economy.

The Fabia vRS is the first car I have driven where 30 in 4th is ok, my dads 1.6 Xsara for example is much happier in 3rd.[/quote']

Off topic slighty, but I once owned a Xsara Vtr Coupe with the 110bhp 1.6 engine, and just wondered how he generally found it. I had nothing but grief with mine. Ended up giving the keys back to Citroen and walking away from it. :(

Off topic slighty, but I once owned a Xsara Vtr Coupe with the 110bhp 1.6 engine, and just wondered how he generally found it. I had nothing but grief with mine. Ended up giving the keys back to Citroen and walking away from it. :(

I think he has the Desire, 120bhp engine? Its a 1.6 16v anyway.

He regrets buying it really - the only problem hes had is a speaker which was replaced under warranty (he didn't even ask them too, they found it at the 1500 mile inspection )

Its just so wishy washy, soggy suspension and seats, controls feel very vague... and not as economical as the 1.8 Picasso he had before.

But its ok to be honest. I don't find it any fun to drive...

He will be trading it in for a C4 HDI VTR+ next year. I actually liked the 3 door one I test drove

Edit - just to add - its been more reliable than my vRS is proving to be, can't get in my boot now

WTF?

I just tried doing 30 in 6th on the way back from work and the engine was UNDER 1000rpm and felt like it was about to stall!!!!

3rd gear for me every time... Just over 2k rpm, ready for action!

But I really would of thought that would not be doing any good to your car...

Lets just say, to me, it didnt exactly feel too great!

3rd with cruise on, nice and stable. Hunts in higher gears.

950 rpm in 6th for 30 mph, cruise enabled, tried it just on the way home, no problem.

950 rpm in 6th for 30 mph, cruise enabled, tried it just on the way home, no problem.

Thats shocking.

950 rpm in 6th for 30 mph, cruise enabled, tried it just on the way home, no problem.

What's the point though? At 950rpm the economy is **** and how often do you drive far enough in a 30 zone without stopping or slowing down to justify cruise?

What's the point though? At 950rpm the economy is **** and how often do you drive far enough in a 30 zone without stopping or slowing down to justify cruise?

I mentioned this a while back Apparently everywhere outside of the 30mph roads I drive!!!!!

Chris (cruise is for motorways )

Definitely 3rd unless it is an open road then mabye, just mabye, 4th. All the advanced driving courses and the AA,RAC recommend 3rd gear in 30 zones for exactly the reasons stated previously, more precise control of the throttle and possibly better mpg. You have very limited throttle control in 4th at 30.

Hi

Advanced driving organisations used to say that you used the highest appropriate gear. However, in the politically correct late 90s the IAM announced that it was easier to control your speed in 3rd than in 4th in most cars, so you should drive in 3rd to avoid creeping over the speed limit. This is not advanced motoring, this is LCD (lowest common denominator) motoring. Just because the IAM advocate something does not mean it is the best way.

If the government wanted to be serious about saving those 890,000 tons of CO2 by 2010, they could start advocating proper use of gears rather than pursuing speed cameras every 400m on motorways.

As for possibly better MPG, just get out there and check your instant readout to see how much fuel you "save" in 3rd as opposed to 4th or 5th at 30mph. And for more precise control of the throttle, read "will allow you to get away with less precise control of the throttle". It is easy to control a steady 30 in 4th and 5th in the Fabia. It is easier to control in 3rd, but you pay the fuel costs. If this is a problem, practice. For properly precise control of speed and acceleration, observation, planning and anticipation will allow you to drive at 30 in 5th AND have instant acceleration when you need it, because you will change to the appropriate gear just before you need it.

Chris

PS, for the older higher ratio gearboxes, 5th migh be a bit too high.

What's the point though? At 950rpm the economy is **** and how often do you drive far enough in a 30 zone without stopping or slowing down to justify cruise?

Around here, there are miles of 30 limit roads where absolutely nothing is happening most of the time and it is really easy to just pop cruise on in 5th and keep an eye out for gradients. This leaves you more time to watch the scenery or look out for hazards.

Proper use of cruise control is being added into the driving instructor training soon under the eco-safe driving banner. I will ask the supervising examiner tomorrow morning what he would consider appropriate use if I see him. It will also be interesting to see how the DSA resolve the 4th or 3rd debate. I used 4th at 30 on my ADI part 2 test and never got a fault for it. My students use 4th at 30 on test in the Fabia and thus far, no one has picked up a fault for it either Inappropriate use of gears would have landed me or my pupils one (at least).

Chris

WTF?

I just tried doing 30 in 6th on the way back from work and the engine was UNDER 1000rpm and felt like it was about to stall!!!!

3rd gear for me every time... Just over 2k rpm' date=' ready for action![/quote']

I don't do 30mph/6th, I was just saying that it seems fine to the engine when I have done it.

Tried 2000rpm in 3rd on the way home yesterday, that gives me a steady 38mph. So not so helpful for a 30 limit. When I hit 30mph I was around 1700-1800rpm, which can be a little unresponsive at times too.

I think this is why I hate slow (stop/startish) moving traffic in the vRS, 2nd is too low and 3rd is too high. I'm always going between 2nd and 3rd.

I tried mine it won't do 30 in 6th, 34 is the lowest.

Fuel economy at that speed was indicated at 100+ mpg In 5th it was 86 mpg.

Indeed it is not something I generally do, mostly I'm in 3rd/4th, but it's not impossible.

@black magic - do you have the older gearbox then, or is the remap keeping the revs at 1k+ (which I can understand, it's rather low after all )

I can see skoda fabias stalling all round the country

If anyone needs to borrow some money for diesel let me know

I can see skoda fabias stalling all round the country

If anyone needs to borrow some money for diesel let me know

I'm letting you know Only for research you understand.

I

I think this is why I hate slow (stop/startish) moving traffic in the vRS, 2nd is too low and 3rd is too high. I'm always going between 2nd and 3rd.

:iagree: :thumbdwn:

I

Still cannot see why controlling speedat 30mph in 4th / 5th is a problem' date=' unless the older cars taller gearing puts you below 1100rpm in 5th, which I would guess it does. However 4th should be easy enough. As I said earlier, my learners can consistently do it, so no one with a license has any excuse. Sure it is easier in 3rd, but that does not mean that doing it in 4th / 5t in any way compromises your control of the speed.

There is also consideration of noise, the engine in 3rd sounds busy, fussy and underloaded for the speed at 30 in 3rd.

Speaking to the DSA Supervising Examiner on Friday about suitable use of cruise control. For tests for ADI (not the standard driving test) he would expect to see cruise control used if fitted and used at 30mph where observation showed a suitable period of time will be spent at a constant speed.

Chris[/quote']

I wasn't refering to 4th gear, was talking about 5th and even worse 6th.

In 5th gear you cannot slow down quickly to 20 then be back up to 27-30 safely, you just cant do it - hence little control over your speed.

As for saying the engine feels fussy and overloaded in 3rd, have to disagree there, it's just about right, sits just under 2K

unless the older cars taller gearing puts you below 1100rpm in 5th, which I would guess it does.

Only 6th gear was altered with the gear box revision so all the other gears should be identical....

Speaking to the DSA Supervising Examiner on Friday about suitable use of cruise control. For tests for ADI (not the standard driving test) he would expect to see cruise control used if fitted and used at 30mph where observation showed a suitable period of time will be spent at a constant speed.

What's the reasoning behind that? Just demonstrating that you know how to use it or encouraging it as a way of life? I have cruise but rarely use it as I find it more satisfying (and convenient) to control the speed with my feet. Saying that, I have no intention of becoming an ADI as I have no patience and far too many bad habits

Chris

What's the reasoning behind that? Just demonstrating that you know how to use it or encouraging it as a way of life? I have cruise but rarely use it as I find it more satisfying (and convenient) to control the speed with my feet. Saying that' date=' I have no intention of becoming an ADI as I have no patience and far too many bad habits

Chris[/quote']

For the eco-safe driving techniques that will probably eventually be taught and tested for learners. The thinking is that cruise control gives better fuel economy than the average person can manage manually. Under this eco safe driving banner, I would expect that if going along in 3rd at 30mph, when 4th was appropriate, the test candidate will incur driving faults as it wastes fuel. With a limit of 6 driving faults in a one hour drive for the ADI test, this could be a quick way to fail. Try a google on eco-safe driving and see what comes up.

Chris