At what RPM do YOU up shift?

[Team996]

I'm new to "performance" driving, whatever that might be, but I do want to hone in some optimal driving habits. One thing I do, and I don't know if it's just because I'm overly fastidious or methodical, is up shift when I'm at the top of a specific range of RPM (i.e., between 3,500 and 4,500 RPM). Before I started thinking about it, I was up shifting around 3,000 RPM, which i now feel is too low. So, I raised it to 4,000 RPM, which feels like there's a much higher charge behind me. Is it okay for the engine if I cruise at 4,000? If not, is there some kind of doctrine to this? Thanks.

This is similar to what I use to shift my gears with:

Edited February 21, 2008 by Team996

[fastboydave]

After the engine, gearbox, brakes etc etc has warmed up there's no hard or fast rule. You drive as to what suits you and how you like it to feel behind the wheel. Just enjoy the Porsche experience and dont be 'mathematical' about it. Feel the gears/engine revs and with practise that will tell you when you should change up and adapt for different styles of driving (cruising, spirited, mental!). Enjoy yourself!

[70Sixter]

Fastboy is right. Just remember every time you bump up against the rev limiter, it is logged for the dealer to notice.

[White987S]

I shift out of 1st quickly3-4K RPM's. After that, I use the entire RPM range and all 6 gears. If cruising on the highway, I'm in 6th.

[pjalexandre]

Is this post a joke??

Anyhow, why would you want to do that? Cruise at 4000 rpm... that is just plain abuse. When you drive your automatic do you hold her in 2nd on the highway to enjoy cruising along at 4k rpm? Didn't think so.

Also, I am glad you use the shifter to shift your gears with. Novel way to get it done. :)

-P

Is it okay for the engine if I cruise at 4,000?

This is similar to what I use to shift my gears with:

[saaber]

Is this post a joke??

Anyhow, why would you want to do that? Cruise at 4000 rpm... that is just plain abuse. When you drive your automatic do you hold her in 2nd on the highway to enjoy cruising along at 4k rpm? Didn't think so.

Also, I am glad you use the shifter to shift your gears with. Novel way to get it done. :)

-P

Is it okay for the engine if I cruise at 4,000?

This is similar to what I use to shift my gears with:

P, lighten up. Sheesh

[Izzy]

Here is one resource many 911 drivers have used:

Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook By Vic Elford, ISBN 0760327548.

This one is the 2008 version, and will help you with a lot of these questions people take for granted. I have the previous version of the book and it is excellent. This new one has 996-7 and Cayman/boxter driving.

No question is a joke here, all good and more often than not, questions that others have simply not asked yet. Welcome to the site and to owning a 911. Will make you smile, will make you cry.....

[vette67]

Izzy +1. Its actually not a bad question. Because of the power curve in most of our cars, we usually dont get the kind of instant acceleration I live for until 4500+ RPM. If I am weaving thru traffic (ok, that sounds kind of bad but what the heck, sometimes you gotta drive it like you stole it right?) I will cruise at 4000 for the instant acceleration.

When I first got my p-car I babied it too much. I was shifting at 3500 RPM. IMHO you just have to get used to the engine noise at higher RPMs and then you dont hesitate to rev it right up there all the time. I remember the first time I hit the rev limiter (Road Atlanta track day) I thought I had broken something. Now its not such a big deal.

I take good care of my car and never neglect its maintenance, but I think the harder I drive my engine the better it performs. Werent these cars designed to be driven?

Izzy, thanks for the book tip. I checked on Amazon and its not out yet but I put it in my wish list.

Edited February 21, 2008 by vette67

[pjalexandre]

Sometimes I really wish I wouldn't post.

Seriously though... Cruising at 4K? Posts a picture of a shifter to show us all that "this is similar to what he uses to shift the gears with"

I see nothing negative about asking the OP to clarify if he is really serious or just having fun.

A serious post deserves a serious answer. A joke post deserves..Whatever.. Have fun with this folks.

Edited February 21, 2008 by pjalexandre

[Team996]

Sometimes I really wish I wouldn't post.

Seriously though... Cruising at 4K? Posts a picture of a shifter to show us all that "this is similar to what he uses to shift the gears with"

I see nothing negative about asking the OP to clarify if he is really serious or just having fun.

A serious post deserves a serious answer. A joke post deserves..Whatever.. Have fun with this folks.

P, you made me laugh out loud with your first post. Yes, I thought it would be pretty ridiculous to post an image of what I like to use to shift my gears, but I admit feeling a little ridiculous asking the question, so I thought I'd top it off.

I appreciate everyone's responses. I just wanted to see if you're SUPPOSED to cruise at 4,000 RPM, and just "get used to the engine noise at higher RPMs," as vette said. Good to know there's not really a rule, and I think my tendency is to want to baby it (but I'd like to get over that and start DRIVING my 996).

Great posts, and I will definitely (!!!) pick up the High-Performance Driving Handbook when it comes out.

Thanks, Porschefans!

Edited February 22, 2008 by Team996

[pjalexandre]

Good to hear... so now we know that you are a character :)

Well an honest answer to your question.. No you should not Cruise for extended periods at an RPM as high as 4K. Drop it in 5th or 6th gear depending on your speed.

The other extreme is what we call lugging the engine which would be like cruising along at hwy speed in 6th and slowing down behind someone doing 45 and keeping it in 6th and trying to accelerate.. The RPMs would be in the 2k range and the car would feel unresponsive...this is the opportunity to use that lever with 6 #'s on it, select 2nd or 3rd depending on your speed and appetite for forward thrust and blast away.. once you settle down to "cruise" pick the gear 5th or 6th that feel appropriate without revvving the engine.

I'll answer this now since I know you want to ask... Is it ok to shift a gear in between.. like going from 1st to 3rd.. or 2nd to 4th, etc

Yes it is perfectly ok. Many folks will enjoy their car from a stop using all the rpms available in 1st and 2nd to merge onto the hwy up an onramp then since 2nd already has you surpassing 70 just shift over into 5/6th and blend in with traffic and cruise.

There ya go! Welcome aboard.

[der meister]

This is what I see you with. :)

Geez folks, the car's designed to go all out on the Autobahn.

That might mean cruising at about ~140mph at 5000rpms in 6th (?).

No big deal really.

I cruise my '93 Eurovan (Audi 5 cylinder with 109hp) at 75mph at over 4,000rpm and it's got about 160k miles and it doesn't miss a beat!

Izzy, thanks for the tip on the book, Vic Elford's a legend of course.

[Boxster02]

I would always drive my Boxster, and my 996 around town @ 4K all the time. Never any problems. I think these engines were designed to be driven @ 4K+ RPM. Just my 2 cents :D

[John Ware]

In my part of the world, if you cruise at 4000rpm in 6th, you're likely to have more problems than worrying about the state of your engine.

Put it this way, you're likely to find it has plenty of time afterwards to cool down. :angry:

[JamesD]

After having a Auto tip. Boxster for some time, I always made note of when the car choose to change up/down

& found that the car would be in 5th gear @ around 40mph (this is not when putting the foot down)

this is in city centre driving... It would change between 2000/3000 rpm

It would work it's way thu, gear quite fast.

So now in my 996 man. I think I have the habit to change gear @ around 3000 rpm (very eco friendly indeed)

But sometimes just sometimes when there's no cop's on bike's around (I think screw the environment)

[KevinMac]

Well lets just say this, the higher the rpm the more wear. So if you like 4k so be it. But in my case for around town driving I don't let it get below the mid 2k range. Which means it very rarely sees 6th. Sometimes stays in 4th for extended periods.