Third Gear

peterattheboro said:
General rule:

1st to get the car rolling
2nd @ 10mph
3rd @ 20mph
4th @ 30mph
5th @ 50mph
6th @ now your just showing off! :p

That's what I was taught in my driving test anyway.
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I sit in 3rd sometimes 4th around time, i like to keep the car revvy and free to move iof need be.(in a manual, damm camrys and auto)

But on the move having a bit of a hoon then its this


1st @ redline
2nd @ redline
3rd @ redline unless im going too fast
4th @ redline unless im going too fast
5th @ redline unless im going too fast
6th @ never had this before other then on Gran Turismo:(
 
The Punto is usually best in 4th @ 30, unless the road is dead flat, then I use 5th.

Won't be the same for all cars, a 1.2 Punto doesn't have very tall gears.
 
Toker said:
I always put it in neutral at the lights, no point putting unecessary strain on the thrust bearing
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Ditto. If I'm sitting there for more than about 5-10 seconds at lights, busy junctions etc I'll put it in neutral. Handbrake, too if I'm on an incline. I especially hate it when people sit on the clutch and ride it, with the car rolling backwards and forwards, lol
 
[TW]Fox;12069461 said:
She is right, you are wrong, but in practice i usually do what you do anyway.
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I was taught by my instructor to leave it in gear at traffic lights and did this on my test and it was never picked up.
 
Take it out of gear at the lights as if your car has a cable driven clutch and you have it in gear, then the cable snaps, into the back of someone you go!

As for the revs thing, depends on the road, but third for about town, fourth for if its a cruize and you can see theres no obstructions etc. Wouldnt get away with 5th, and it gives no acceleration at all if you needed it then.
 
peterattheboro said:
General rule:

1st to get the car rolling
2nd @ 10mph
3rd @ 20mph
4th @ 30mph
5th @ 50mph
6th @ now your just showing off! :p

That's what I was taught in my driving test anyway.
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That's an absolutely terrible way to learn when to use each gear. It's not a "use this gear at this speed" kinds thing. You use the right gear for the situation, selecting lower if you need acceleration, keeping near the power band, and higher for cruising.
 
Scuzi said:
I was taught by my instructor to leave it in gear at traffic lights and did this on my test and it was never picked up.
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Likewise, I was told by my instructor to only put it in neutral if it is clear you will be there for some time. She does it even if it is clear the lights are about to turn. I'm not talking about sitting there for a year and a half with it in.

I obviously didnt make myself clear in my first post.

Berger said:
Take it out of gear at the lights as if your car has a cable driven clutch and you have it in gear, then the cable snaps, into the back of someone you go!
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I would go nowhere, as my other foot is on the brake pedal? Unless I shouldn't be on them in case the brakes failed at the same time of course? :o ;)

Furthermore even if I didnt, my car would probably stall with idle revs and i'd probably move a foot at most!
 
Berger said:
Take it out of gear at the lights as if your car has a cable driven clutch and you have it in gear, then the cable snaps, into the back of someone you go!
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Hows that? If the clutch were to be dumped at idle rpm the engine would stall immediately, especially if you had the footbrake or handbrake on, which you would when sat at lights.
 
I imagine instructors are more likely to say that since learner drivers aren't the fastest at putting the car back in to gear and moving off swiftly

I asked my instructor about keeping the clutch in and she was like it's ok the clutch is only burning when you're at the bite, I replied with what about straining the thrust bearing and she didn't really know what I was talking about.

Replacing a worn thrust bearing is a major effort
 
I only take the car out of gear if I know I'm going to be stuck in traffic, or at the lights for some time. The clutch pedal can get a bit heavy in my lil ol' Clio after a while

My general rules:

1st: Get it going, but 2nd can do that too, even 3rd when I've not been paying attention, but only with some revs.
2nd: Get out of this as soon as possible, as it's neither here nor there.
3rd: My favoured Italian tune up gear. But it's over rather swiftly.
4th: Now we're talking. Feel that 1.4l surge. Ideal for those white knuckle overtaking manoevures. :D
5th: Disengage brain gear. Nothing really exciting happens here until I get the thing doing 80+. Which isn't very often these days. :(
 
Clarkey said:
Hows that? If the clutch were to be dumped at idle rpm the engine would stall immediately, especially if you had the footbrake or handbrake on, which you would when sat at lights.
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If you have the handbrake on then why leave it in gear.

Id assume you had no feet on the pedals or only lightly on the brake.

Plus it depends how much power your car has and how good the handbrake is if its applied!
 
For driving about in a 30mph area I just use whatever gear the car feels comfortable in. In most cars that seems to be 4th or 5th. 3rd seems a bit excessive unless you're raring to go or something.
 
Lopéz said:
For driving about in a 30mph area I just use whatever gear the car feels comfortable in. In most cars that seems to be 4th or 5th. 3rd seems a bit excessive unless you're raring to go or something.
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but @ 30 in 5th gear, can you accelerate quick if you need to in a emergency ? ...I was always taught to be in a gear around town that could get you out of trouble.

Prefer to have instant power on tap rather than accelerator feeling like it's connected to engine via a piece of elastic. (and that aint safe)

Top gear at 30mph is for taxi drivers only imo, and they dont drive like us normal humans
 
No they ignore everyone else and go nuts if you get in their way.

Tetchy at taxi drivers at the moment, 4th one this week thats ignored me at a roundabout when I had right of way and then proceeded to lay the blame at my door.
 
Flukester said:
but @ 30 in 5th gear, can you accelerate quick if you need to in a emergency ? ...I was always taught to be in a gear around town that could get you out of trouble.

Prefer to have instant power on tap rather than accelerator feeling like it's connected to engine via a piece of elastic. (and that aint safe)

Top gear at 30mph is for taxi drivers only imo, and they dont drive like us normal humans
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What sort of emergency are you having at 25mph where you need to power out of trouble?
 
Lopéz said:
What sort of emergency are you having at 25mph where you need to power out of trouble?
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maybe if someone is heading straight for you and you wanna power / swerve to avoid. I'm guessing if your chugging along in 5th this is not gonna be as efficient.. engine braking is also a lot better in lower gears to help you

if I was in any dangerous situation in a car at 30 and had to choose a gear to help me out of it, it wouldn't be 5th, and you won't have time to change gear... so best be in right gear to begin with ? :confused:
 
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Flukester said:
maybe if someone is heading straight for you and you wanna power / swerve to avoid. I'm guessing if your chugging along in 5th this is not gonna be as efficient.. engine braking is also a lot better in lower gears to help you

if I was in any dangerous situation in a car at 30 and had to choose a gear to help me out of it, it wouldn't be 5th, and you won't have time to change gear... so best be in right gear to begin with ? :confused:
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3rd won't power you out of anything either at 25mph - not quickly enough to make a difference anyway.

Do you walk down the road tensed and ready to burst into a sprint incase someone drops a grand piano from a 3rd floor window? :D
 
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