im a new driver.. i have an 04 5AT, and i think i beat on my coupe too hard. i dont want to ruin the thing, im kind of confused. is it bad to shift at 4-5k Rpms most of the time? i usually put it in tiptronic and it goes well over 4k when i shift. should i ease it up a bit?

 

you're fine. just don't redline it (6500+ rpm) constantly.

 

drive like that most of the time and you will have HORRIBLE gas mileage on the car...

its alright for the engine tho...

 

hey can i throw in a couple questions here just for me? i have a 6MT and i have been shifting around 3k for the break-in period:

1) is that a good rpm to shift at? i'm keeping it under 4k like everyone says. 3500 is probably the highest i've been at normal driving.
2) what should i shift at when the break-in period is over?

 

yeah youre doing just fine... (i have an 05 6mt...)
when breakin is over, shift from 3-4 if you like, that should be just fine...
wut year is your car? 03-04 redline = 6.5k, 05 redline = 7k
for optimal gas mileage, 3 and below is best.

shifting is really a preference, i like to drive fast so i shift at 4.5 or so usually...
i hear some people shift at like 2, that would be just tooo slow for me

 

ya, i have an 05. i've actually gone about 4k-4500 on accident. i got really scared when i did that. so ur saying about 4k is good for when the break-in period is over? what's the highest i can shift at without hurting the car?

 

redline! 7000 rpms...

if you ever over-rev during breakin dont worry... somepeople have this theory that youre supposed to tear up the car during break-in, redline it as much as possible, and they swear by it! i went to a porsche/ audi dealership and they ALL told me to "drive it like you stole it"... i did that on my 04 5AT after about 500 miles and no problems...

just play it safe! but remember if you accidently over-rev, dont sweat it!

 

2k is WAY too low to pull off a smooth shift. The G loves to rev high so I hit 3k in 1st in no time even when I'm easy on the throttle.

DeStreGa5: before and even after break-in, your best bet is to shift at or around 3k. I've noticed the higher I rev it up to, the smoother my shifts are, it's so hard to keep it under 4k But I also watch my speed instead of the rpm, @ 15 I put it in second, @ 25 in 3rd, 35-40 in 4th and so on. What's my biggest problem with this car is the impossibly high clutch, it makes it really hard to get the car rolling in 1st.

 

I have also heard mixed reviews from people.
Some have said to tear it up during the break in but many have said to take it easy and not to push it over 4.5K.

So I did a mix of both. For the most time I kept it till 4.5K but every now and then to feel the ephoria I would punch it.
I have abt 850 miles on the car.

 

actually i found the lover the RPM the smoother the shift, but i agree w/ shifting ~3k, not too slow not too fast. Never went passed 4k before the break-in period, glad thats over but now i take it to 6.8k every once in a while, just for kicks.

 

Yeah I guess when you shift early there isn't a big difference in the engine speed between the 2 gears and it's easier to rev match. But when I do shift @ 4-4.5k, it turns out smoother than say @ 3k.

Stop teasing with that 6.8k, some of us got a long way to go until we're allowed to do that

 

normal driving, i shift at 2k, i try to compensate for when I do drive fast

 

shouldnt be too long of way to go right??? maybe a couple of hundred miles, you'll be there soon enough, they you'll be there before you know it.
BTW i'm off next sunday aprl 3rd if you wanna get together for a lil photo shoot, pm if your available.

 

My 2005 6mt has been great to drive, but no way am I shifting at like 3k every time, even during this break in. The fact that I'm leasing it probably has more influence on the way I drive. Even so, this is a sports car, not a Toyota Prius, I got it to have fun with it...but to each his/her own.

 

I did the proper brake-in on my 04 6MT. I rev it to 3k when the wife is in the car and to 4 or 5 when I'm tearing about. It feels almost like the tires want to loose traction, but that's why I bought this car! I have 12 miles to get to the autobahn and I try to keep it at 4-6k the whole way.