[Tromatic]

Originally Posted by Dake

If you want the best mileage, you have to think like a modern AT. It upshifts as soon as it possibly can to keep the RPMs as low as possible. If you're waiting until 4k (or even 3k) RPM, that's too high.

Around town in regular traffic I regularly upshift at 2000-2200. That gives adequate acceleration and does not bog down the engine.

To equate it to MPH I go:

1st to 2nd: almost immediately (and don't even leave second for a rolling stop)
2nd to 3rd: 12-15mph
3rd to 4th: 19-20
4th to 5th:28-30
5th to 6th: 38-40

The reality is, from a dead stop I often skip-shift first to third, third to sixth; from a rolling start it's second to fourth, fourth to sixth. Again, this is on mostly level terrain, in regular traffic. On any given tank of gas I still get after it when the spirit moves me and I still do 70-75 on the highway, but the rest of the time that's how I shift and I maintain a steady 30-32 mpg.

How badly it must suck to be you to have this car and drive like that.