Gear Changes

[T4M]

I had a go in manual mode tonight but i forgot when to change gear!!

I had lessons in a manual before switching to an auto instructor. What gear would you use for certain speeds and when would you change down to a lower gear???

I'm going to use it all day tomorrow just for a wee change but the car ends up revving as i change down too early.........

[pogo]

common sense tam lol

[Duncan]

You can just tell from how the cars sounds, whether it's labouring etc. or whether you're revving the tits off it. No hard and fast rules, it's just feel and common sense really.

Edit: lol, you beat me to it pogo! lol

[Flaninacupboard]

i tend to do:
1 pulling away and then
2 up to 20 and then
3 up to around 35 and then
4 up to around 45 then
5 up to about 55-60
6 up to as high as i like.

That's for normal/relaxed drving. if i were for instance going off a roundabout and up a slip road:

1 up to about 15
2 up to about 45
3 up to 70
6

or on a motorway probably add in a bit of 4 to get to crusing speed before resting into 6.

[T4M]

common sense tam lol

I'd hate to see me driving a manual!! I'd also hate anyone seeing me driving one.........

After spending 2 years in an auto it feels weird even being a passenger in a manual.

[Gsi3.2]

it all depends on the engine's speeds..if you down change too early,as you've found it over revs....

try to avoid big RPM downchanges, the box really hates them....

[AndrewTi]

On the 2.2 Dti. I found the usefull rev range to be between 1750 and 4000 rpm. Just practice keeping it between those.

Also, reckon on an upchange or downchange being worth between 1000 and 1500 rpm, depending on gear and roadspeed.

Keep playing, you'll get to know it by ear.

[Karl]

leave it in auto and enjoy the ease of driving! lol

For economy I change at 2-2.5K, around 4.5k when having fun

Downshifts are harder if you have never learnt in a manual, especially as an auto box has different ratios to a manual.

[Dwabo]

fun is in the red line!!