first gear

[rubezz]

I've been driving for long enough now, i don't drive like most people and having forked out for one full clutch already i'm quite happy to give it beans in 1st and then drop it into 2nd once the turbo is awake - otherwise all you get is a boatload of lag then frantic wheelspin when the turbo finally wakes up ... it's just not a smooth way to drive If i was driving a N/A car then yes, i'd just plonk it in 2nd and floor it.

lol 2500rpm in 1st gear?! i hate over reving it, makes it sound like u cant drive.. one of they old grannies that drive along reving the **** out of it, car juddering about.

first seems to short to get any speed out of it, i thought i was cause there is 6 gears and theres closer together, but i think it depends on how u let the clutch out as well..

 

[UncleFester]

lol 2500rpm in 1st gear?! i hate over reving it, makes it sound like u cant drive.. one of they old grannies that drive along reving the **** out of it, car juddering about.

first seems to short to get any speed out of it, i thought i was cause there is 6 gears and theres closer together, but i think it depends on how u let the clutch out as well..

How you let the clutch out doesn't affect the gearing - i take mine to 4500/5000 rpm most of the time. Even if you coast along in 1st up to 2500/3000rpm .. .when you do drop it in 2nd the turbo is already awake so you don't get lag. Lag is bad, not cool and dangerous if you're not expecting it. Too much wheelspin caused by too much boost will cause the TCS to cut in which can leave you stuck in the way of traffic on roundabouts. Had this happen and it's not pleasant

 

[richybigman]

I'm with unclefester on this, i do pretty much the same as him.

 

[Mitchy]

Absoloute no point in starting in 2nd.

Its just stupidity in a car, and a silly driving habit that will cost you money in the long run.

Lots of reasons as to why not, bye bye clutch, far more turbo lag when trying to pull away quickly, the car doesn't like it, your causing more engine vibration, and so on and on.

In your original post, its like your saying this is completely normal behaviour

HGV/LGV entirely different, absoloute no point in using 1st as its so short and a change is needed at something daft like 3-4mph. 2nd gear start all the way unless you're pulling off up a slope.

 

[JamesL]

as said all you're doing is damaging your clutch.

This reminds me of when a mate had just passed his test... he did exactly the same, thought he was very clever and skillful because he could sit in traffic and pull away in second... after about a week of this we got to college one day and he had completely fubarred his clutch and it stunk. Everyone had a right old laugh and he never did that again.

!st is there for pulling away and stop start traffic. as long as the car is rolling you're fine to use second gear. if the car comes to a stop then put it in first.

 

[Number86]

I wish I could use first to accelerate from traffic. Unless I've got a fatty in the front, and it's a smooth dry road I can't even hoof it in second

Even with Spangly new Eagle F1 Asyims!

I wonder if the dog bone is really that useful...

 

[rubezz]

main reason i asked was because the car has 6 gears. so i thought 2nd would be closer to 1st than in other motors with a 5 speed. and since the car has no trouble at all pulling away in 2nd, i though it was ok.

 

[CupraR210.DJM]

I'm of the same thinking as unclefester. I used 1st gear whether standing still or gently rolling, i only change to second when I get to 2000-2500rpm. I'm not going to risk damaging the cluth/gearbox for the sake of not using first.

 

[rubezz]

2500rpm i think thats overkill. id say as long as your wheels are rolling u can go into second. everyone will do it different though

 

[JamesL]

if you are planning on accelerating fast ish away then you are better off staying in first until the turbo is going. Then when you drop to second your turbo will already be spinning plus you wont knacker clutch/flywheel by trying to push it too hard too low.

2500 rpm is overkill? my grandad drives above that, how can that be overkill?!

I'll change gear at different revs depending on conditions, I wouldn't say I do it at xxxx rpm.

You do seem to really like 2nd!

 

[CupraR210.DJM]

I'm not saying i change at those revs religously, but using it as an example......of being stuck in heavey traffic, Generally in traffic i change to 2nd about 2000-3000revs, but pulling away from a junction i use 1st until the turbo spools up and then change to 2nd, then use the full rev range from then on in all gears.
Guess its difficult to explain how you drive, but i defo don't pull away in 2nd or under rev the engine at all.

 

[Andy3004]

it feels ok cause there is no engine labor, smooth transition -
.

It will do. engine is fine because you're revving it and slipping the cluch to avoid stalling the car. which will f**k the clutch up.

Simple.

 

[chriswilks]

i think you should buy an auto.....then you'll be confused!

 

[jamiebennett81]

eh...WTF

had to read that twice....its their for a purpose, to pull away in!

the mind just boggles...

 

[traumapat]

if getting away quick id happierly hit 4k before changing up from 1st gear, usually change at about 3k when driving ordinary. 90k still on original clutch.

 

[richybigman]

The way i see it they wouldn't give you a 1st gear if you didn't need it to pull away.

 

[CupraR210.DJM]

Your right, if we didn't need a 1st gear it would be there.
And it you only needed a 2nd gear, surely that would be reclasified as the 1st gear and a vicious circle begin, evenutually you won't have any gears, oh now i'm just getting confused, hahahahahaha!!!!!!

 

[richybigman]

 

[goble]

bonzy explain this:2nd gear spins the flywheel faster ????

 

[Bonzy1800]

read my post
"while pulling off"
ie need more revs to pull off in 2nd than you would in 1st