devnull

bingo!

Bill Dearborn

I have a Z06 and if I am not in traffic shift to second gear and the other gears before the tach gets to 2000 rpm sometimes before 1500 rpm. I live in an area where the main streets have speed limits of 25, 35, 45 and 50 mph. In the 25 mph areas once the car is moving I run in 4th or 5th gear, same goes for the 35 mph areas. Every place else it is 6th gear. If I am on a freeway I will run in 6th until the speed is 75 mph and then go to 7th. This is because I found I get better gas mileage using 6th and Eco mode Vs 7th and Eco mode until the speed on a level road goes above 75 mph. At 70 mph in 7th the engine only runs in V4 mode a very short period of time and spends more time switching back and forth than in V4 mode. In 6th at that speed the engine stays in V4 mode unless encountering noticeable inclines.

On track I shift just a shade before red line most of the time.

Around town there is no need to run the rpms up as the engine will pull like a freight train in 4th gear from 1000 rpm up. If I am feeling lazy a lot of times I will skip a couple of gears while shifting up leaving a stop sign or traffic light.

Bill

Matthewstorm

I see most people shift at speed. I shift at RPM. On the country roads usually just at 4K. More congested roads I shift around 3K. Except when I'm first starting out I'm at 3.5K until the yellow bar goes away.

JMII

Same here, I am all over the place This is the advantage of a manual- I adjust my shift points based on many factors. In traffic I often short shift, if things open up I’ll let her sing. On the highway I’ll go into 7th once I know I can maintain stready cruising speed. Given the TQ of engine it’s like driving a diesel, you turn pretty low rpms yet still keep up with most traffic. With the rev match half the fun is coming back down thru the gears.

Skid Row Joe

I generally shift in the 16 to 19 my 1 to 4th gear zone. I really need to get the aftermarket CAGS eliminator device installed. First, I need to procure the CAGS eliminator device!





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jimmbbo

2000-2500 RPM is my personal sweet spot for normal driving

pickleseimer

In normal traffic, usually let 1st gear run up to about 2500-3000 rpm before shifting to the next gears where I'll shift sooner as the speed gradually increases. Occasionally a passenger may ask why - just seems natural and not really thinking about it.

However, no hard and fast rules, algorithms, programmed shift points or computers between the driver and the gearbox, so you can do whatever you want or is needed. To each their own, but isn't that why we buy manual transmission cars?

neogenesis

Great responses. I've found that I tend to shift early in and around town and just lazy commuting (ie <2000 rpm) and usually settle on a gear that keeps me between 1000-1500 rpm. Having fun, spirited driving is a completely different issue

muncie21

^ me also if I'm just going from A to B. Rarely do I shift out of 4th in town.

JockamoIPA

I don't want to offend anyone, but I've been driving manuals all my life, for over 30 years. Regardless of vehicle-type (car or truck) I've always bought manuals. I can't believe some of the responses here. I never worry about RPMs or speed correlation. If every road was straight and traffic was flowing then shifting would be identical each and every time, but as fluid as driving conditions are there's absolutely no way to follow a specific rule of thumb when shifting. I shift when the situation calls for it, period, whether that's up shifting or down shifting. Whatever the RPMs and speed are at that point, so be it.

Because of this post I made it a point to monitor my shifting yesterday. Normally, in this car (17 GS) I don't shift out of 1st into 2nd until the 3500's. If I'm getting on it a little I'm in the 4k-5k range easy. The rest is really depending on traffic and road conditions. Those of you in here that are actually monitoring your shift/speed or shifting from 1-2 below 2500 RPM I don't even know what's the point of having an M7.

muncie21

@JockamoIPA
For what it is worth, I didn't take your comment to be offensive. You're correct we cannot set a predetermined shift point without understanding the route and traffic ahead of us.

Elk

It is simple; they happen to drive differently than you do. Neither of you is wrong.

JerryU

Hmm, have you beat by 30 years! 1st car was a '41 Ford coupe I "stuffed in an Olds engine!" 3 on the floor, followed by a 3 on the tree 50 Ford! The first 4 speed was a '67 Corvair my first new car. Bought with HD suspension, quick steering, metallic brakes (all available from GM) and I added Plus 1, 14 inch wheels and tires (when Plus 1 and Low Profile were not words used- lots of measuring.) It had headers and other mods- great car. My first 7 speed was my twin stick Dodge Colt Turbo also with Plus 1 Pirelli's on aluminum wheels etc! (Needed that when we could only get gas every other day and my CJ5, V8 headers 3 speed with twin stick overdrive in all 3 gears - could not make in from CT where I lived/worked to LaGuardia airport and back on one tank of gas! ) 2nd 7 speed was a Doug Nash 4 speed with electrically operated button on the shift **** that came in my 1st Vette, a 1988! Of interest it was the same price as an automatic. Have only had standard shift DD's in 60 years of driving including my 5 speed truck with a B&M short shifter and many mods!!

The OP asked what the typical speed was we were shifting. I and I'm sure most others responding don't MONITOR when we shift. We shift at different speeds in different situations when just cruising. That's what the OP asked.

ALL THAT SAID, shifting from 1st to 2nd at 3500 rpm "all the time" when cruising is strange! Yep I often hit redline in 3rd for fun on the 3/4 mile long road between farm fields near my home (no homes, only corn and cotton that could care less how fast I'm going!) BUT to each their own!

Judgment Day

To be honest, I don't really pay attention as much outside of two things:

Leaving the freeway: Downshift from 6th (or 7th) to 4th. If it's the trip home, the exit has a long curve before the light to the main roads.
Upshifting: From 1st to 3rd. That's my favorite shift (I can't be the only one who has a favorite shift), so I do it when the opportunity presents itself. I'd say that's around 25mph for me. I'm at the point where I can pretty much always avoid the mandated 1st - 4th deal. But as many pointed out, it all depends on the situation, traffic, weather, etc. I should look at my PDR recordings to see my driving style on a typical day. Or...since it appears that Michigan might be done with snow, I'll just drive my C7 instead.

Rarely use 7th unless I'm either on a road trip or going down the entire I-696 stretch with no traffic. And if there's no traffic, I might not even do it then because of speed "temptation". The beauty of manuals

Elk

As well as manually shifting an automatic. In either case you can be in whatever gear you desire.

I find interesting/unfortunate how many are posting the other guy is shifting wrong. Shy of lugging the engine or continually bouncing off of the rev limiter there is no "wrong."