6 speed manual, What gear do you use at what speed?

I recently upgraded from an 2001 5 speed v6 to a 2007 v6 6 speed. I have never had a 6 speed and was wondering how you drive your manual? Not really sure what gear I should be cruising in for the best MPG. I have noticed I rarely use the 5th gear unless accelerating. Heres what I have been doing in general.

25-30mph 3rd
35-45mph 4th
50-70+ mph 6th gear

assuming no hills

This about normal? Just so used to cruising in fifth it feels so odd not to use it much at all.

 

What the number of the gear is doesn't really matter-As long as the engine isn't screaming or luggin out you are probabyl pretty close to good. I cruise about 2200-2500 RPM most places. A little higher on the freeway.

 

this is rocket science

 

I try to keep it under 2000rpm, ideally at 1500rpm when just keeping a steady speed and its not straining the engine.

 

pretty much same here.
although i rarely use 3rd. 1, 2, 4. I do a lot of rural driving so speed is always low, HW is always 6th.

 

I'm not 100% sure about the mph right now, but I try to keep the RPMs as low as possible, shifting under 2k unless I need to accelerate quickly. If I'm cruising at ~35mph or higher and don't have to climb hills I'm always in 6th.

 

I'm hard core....everywhere I go I use 6th

 

I've only started driving manual last year. Why do you skip 3rd gear? WHen I test drove the 6 speed 1st gear seemed pretty useless as well.

Do you save gas driving in 6th when possible?

 

Lower RPMs = lower fuel usage provided you are light on the skinny pedal.

 

mpg is a function of engine load and throttle, not necessarily RPMs

 

I shift mostly by feel. If the engine feels like it's lugging or reving too high, I'll switch. The user's manual gives recommended shift points for the best fuel efficiency.

 

I usually skip gears as well (mostly 4th to 6th). I skip because the speed I'm at is usually sufficient to warrant it. I tend to rev higher to get up to speed quicker, taking advantage of the engine's higher torque at higher rpms (torque peak is about 4200 rpms). It doesn't hurt anything.

1st gear is pretty tall. It's useful when towing or slow offroading. Larger tires makes it a little more useful for day to day.

 

This.

 

EXACTLY!! I wish more people would understand this!

You could be going 25mph in 6th gear with your foot to the floor using WAY more gas than if you were rolling through a parking lot in 1st gear at 4k rpm

 

Toyota says 127 MPH in 5th haven't tried it yet.

 

Start in 1st [obviously,] then @ 20 mph for 2nd, 30 for 3rd, etc. Every 10 mph matches the gear# @ 2000 rpm. Just remember:

2 for 20
3 for 30
4 for 40
5 for 50
6 for 60

this is also an easy way to tell what gear you're in just by looking at the tach and speed, in case you forget.

 

x2 on this. 5th and 6th are so close it doesn't make sense most times for me to use 5th.

 

I've heard 100 is possible in 3rd

 

I disagree...can you back this up?

 

Although your RPMs are higher in first gear, you arent actually using more fuel than if you are applying more throttle in 6th gear to maintain the same speed. Lets say you are going 20 mph in first gear, high RPMs, but only using 30% throttle, you will be using less gas than if you were in 6th gear, at 1000 RPM, using 98% throttle. Think of it as using MORE fuel to go the SAME speed, thus, LESS MPGs

EDIT: I used to follow the low RPM = saves gas movement, however, what I have found to work best is choose the gear which allows you to use as LITTLE of the skinny pedal as you can. That means being in second gear to go up a hill rather than being in 4th, just so that skinny pedal doesnt have to hit the floor.