GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Are you using 6th gear?

DEFINATELY! I usually use it if I know I am going to be at a steady speed for at least a mile. Sometimes I am in it as low as 35-40 mph. Drops the RPM's to around 1500. Makes for great mpg. And I always use it on the highway.It is really up to the driver though. I do like to get on it from time to time, but I can tell at the gas pump when I do. So I try not to waste everyone at EVERY light.

I always use it.

I use mine frequently. Not if I'm driving around on a cold engine, though. Besides making heat faster, I don't want to lug out a cold engine and cause excessive stress on the engine. Otherwise, I also typically use 6th beginning at about 40 mph as long as I'm not climbing hills or passing someone. Saves gas and drives smoother.

I love 6th gear on the highway as the revs drop to a very reasonable level for such a small 4 cylinder motor. IIRC, 85mph is right around 3600rpm. Much better than my '97 Prelude which spun around 4250rpm at that speed.

quote:Are you using 6th gear?Yes. Sixth gear works well with cruise control on highways.

I use 6th on the highways as well, usually waiting until I get to about 100kmph. I find that it works moderately well with the cruise control, but when I'm heading out to the mountains and climbing up a couple of the longer grades on HW#1, I need to downshift to 5th in order to maintain my speed superiority over all of the SUV's (I will never, never permit myself to be passed by an SUV. Ever.).

6th gear is great...I like to cruise along on the highway in 6th when i get up to 60-70. Even if i'm just on local roads at 45 I throw it in 6th to save gas. Actually it's fin to have it in 6th, have some Honda race by thinking I'm driving some family vehicle, I drop it into 4th and I take off...muahahahahahahahahaha. One of life's little pleasures...

Wasteing Hondas is always a treat. I love 6th gear it saves me lots of headaches because it still climbs on the flat surface very well.

Well now that I am envious of you all having the 6th gear. My Vibe now has a sticker on my shift knob that says 6 Actually the gear for 6th is the same ratio as the 5th for the base, or am I wrong on that? You get the higher RPM range.

Even with the standard 5-speed, it's a tossup whether to use 4th or 5th in most situations. Sometimes I downshift to 4th during a long straightaway just to confirm that the engine is actually running Hey, it's hard to hear over that radio.

My typical shift are:1st 8 mph2nd 15 mph3rd 22 mph4th 32 mph5th 40ph6th 45 mphIt might be a little off since I haven't driven mine in 2 weeks since I got the Mazda 6. I find that I can drive 6th into the low 40s if I don't want to take off again quickly.

I agree with the speeds you listed. often times, I find myself skipping from 2nd to 4th to 6th or from 1st to 3rd to 5th. This way, I get to hear the engine rev a little, my clutch leg gets some time off, and I save a little gas (better than revving to 3k in each gear). I sit a little closer to the dash than in my previous cars and I've been practicing my heel and toe, double-clutched, downshifts. Skipping gears on the way down isn't too much fun. The other day I downshifted from 5th to 2nd (not double-clutched) I wonder if compression revving the engine to 7700 rpm like that hurts anything?

I use it only on the highway above 60 MPH.As for wasting Honda's, so far, I've only been able to have full size V8 pickups try to race me. They go down too easy.

100mph in 6th gear is right around 4300rpm in 6th gear. I cruised 90-100mph today coming back to Dallas from Austin, the car feels good at that speed, I'm very impressed with this car so far...right at 1700 miles in less than a month!!

I use 6th at 45+I raced a Cavalier last Friday for mt first race

Shadow Realm......You are correct....... 5th on the base and 6th on the GT are the same ratio...... Here is the published numbers according to Pontiac.Base 5 Speed.. 1st 3.17 2nd 1.90 3rd 1.31 4th .89 5th .73 final 3.94GT 6 speed... 3.17 2.05 1.48 1.17 .92 6th .73 final 4.53The final drive is much higher but the GT engine reves higher.... the higher final drive gives you better acceleration.....Love my VIBE GT

absolutely.....especially now with the current gaz prices!

You will screw up the Tranny by skipping all the time!

quote:You will screw up the Tranny by skipping all the time!How do you figure?

Yes, please elaborate?? I go from 2nd to 4th frequently when I'm just slowly cruising around town.

quote:Yes, please elaborate?? I go from 2nd to 4th frequently when I'm just slowly cruising around town.Yes, inquiring minds want to know...

Gear synchonizers these days all operate pretty much the same, and off and on for over 15 years Corvettes have had a computer-controlled 1 to 4 skip shift at low RPM....

Cubanpete wrote:quote:You will screw up the Tranny by skipping all the time!MadBill wrote:quote:Gear synchonizers these days all operate pretty much the same, and off and on for over 15 years Corvettes have had a computer-controlled 1 to 4 skip shift at low RPMCamaros and Firebirds have had that skip shift for years too.You learn quickly here who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't.

quote:Gear synchonizers these days all operate pretty much the same, and off and on for over 15 years Corvettes have had a computer-controlled 1 to 4 skip shift at low RPM....Not that I'm disagreeing, but didn't the current generation have a 2nd to 5th skip? That was really setup to save on fuel as I recall.

It's called CAGS (computer aided gear selection), it's been on the F-bodies and Vettes for a while now to help GM's CAFE numbers which is basically corporate fuel economy. I bypassed my CAGS on my Corvette with a bypass device on the 1st or 2nd day I had my car. The car will block out 2nd gear and force the transmission to go to 4th gear. The bypass prevents this from happening, so I can go to 2nd gear whenever I want.As far as the Vibe, you can skip gears all the time, just make sure you don't bog your motor too much, lugging the motor is actually worse for it than revving it high all the time.

That must of sucked. Quick thinking on your part to pop it into neutral. Go rent a little pickup truck or go test drive a little Nissan or something without the salesman and then teach your cousin on someone else's car.

This is probably a good time to re-tell the story a GM rep told me: He was called to inspect a new Vibe GT that had suffered major damage. On a test drive, a prospective customer had managed a high RPM shift from fifth to FIRST, resulting in the flywheel exploding, shrapnel through the hood, etc. and the write-off of the vehicle!

I now it's possible, but how do you force it into first from fifth? I have to either rev the engine or slow down when going into first. Heck, when it's cold out, I do a lot of double clutching to get a smooth shift.

No kidding!!! I don't think I've ever heard of a 5th to 1st shift, that's crazy!! Wow, I bet it make some interesting sounds as the engine, flywheel, clutch, the whole drivetrain was exploding!!

(Nova would be happy)I've decided to resurrect the old link to ask the question of 6-speed drivers: at what RPM's to you shift - and I'm talking normal driving. Usually, I shift at around 3000/3500 RPM and end up going into 6th gear at about 60 MPH. Anybody do something different?

quote:(Nova would be happy)I've decided to resurrect the old link to ask the question of 6-speed drivers: at what RPM's to you shift - and I'm talking normal driving. Usually, I shift at around 3000/3500 RPM and end up going into 6th gear at about 60 MPH. Anybody do something different?Sounds about right to me!

this is the first time i read this post, i obviously don't have the 6spd but, i accidentally shifted from drive to reverse at about 55mph (don't ask how) and nothing happened! i was delighted, imagine if that had been a different, older car...

That sounds about right for driving on the highway. Actually, I usually go 1-4 and then skip to 6th.I use 6th gear all the time, even when going as low as 30 MPH. If the speed limit is 25 then I typically downsift to 4th, but otherwise, I am usually in 6th. And I think that my Gas milage proves it.

i shift about 3500-4000 rpm unless i'm just having fun. i always try and use 5th or 6th depending on speed. try to keep the rpms down as much as possible to conserve gas on every day driving. helps offset my mpg when i floor it.

quote: Q. Anyone actually use the cruise control onthe GT ?? I did once, but it was only for two minutes because I was trying to put my shoes back on ..You people who enjoy driving barefoot are a menace to society!!! ( I remember you posting something about that before)

I typically shift around the same speed, but I go into 6th usually around 55. Really odd after taking a Mustang GT for a test drive when cruising at 4000rpms in the Vibe seems normals.

automatics have clutches in them also, and a failsafe that wont allow the gears to enguage, unless the rpms, and speed are ready for it.HOWEVER, if you go any gear, into PARK, you cause MAJOR damage.Park, has a rod that comes down into the gears, to lock them into place. over time, if you dont use the E brake, the locking rod will "mushroom or chip a notch, to where the gears rub against it. Thats where the "CLUNK" sound comes from when parked on a hill and you take the car out of park.remember, E-brake first, THEN put in park.

again.....

A friend in high school managed to put his car in park while driving. Jused clicked repaetedly until he went back to d. Can't believe no damage was done. Must have been a safety. This was an old grand prix.