Anyone else find 3rd gear redundant?

[NOHOME]

Originally Posted by Mister

Thank you for reminding me why I have a personal policy to avoid buying used import sports cars.

What am I missing here? Few times now in this thread the 5500 rpm shift point has come up but I am not clear why? Too low a shift point?
As to the rest of y'all, relax, I know the value of all the gears in the box. Yes 3rd can be fun on the on ramps. If I did all my commute on such ramps that would be great!

I find that for normal driving, the car pulls well up to 5000-5500 rpm and then drops down to 3000 in 4th where it seems happy to go about its transportation duties; in this situation, third would be a very brief visit before I had to shift again. Unlike some of you, I don't feel that owning this thing makes me responsible to some higher calling of car ownership, its just an appliance once you get past the bling. As to this being my first manual, that has got to be the funniest comment posted yet.

Still not seeing how this is going to wreck synchros. Makes no sense.

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by Hanni_0176

What is silly about a close ratio 6 speed transmission? Especially for a car with as narrow a powerband as ours...

Why buy a sports car if all you want to do is keep the car at the lowest cruising rpm's as possible? There are far more fuel efficient (econobox) cars on the market these days...

Because people drive their car on the interstate. And want good fuel mileage for that reason.

[Hanni_0176]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

Because people drive their car on the interstate. And want good fuel mileage for that reason.

How would having a 5 speed improve highway fuel mileage? Unless your staying in 5th gear and not shifting up into 6th?

If anything, more gears improves fuel efficiency by allowing the final gear to be extremely tall. Check out the 7th gear on the new Corvette Stingray's (MT) for a perfect example of that.

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by Hanni_0176

How would having a 5 speed improve highway fuel mileage? Unless your staying in 5th gear and not shifting up into 6th?

If anything, more gears improves fuel efficiency by allowing the final gear to be extremely tall. Check out the 7th gear on the new Corvette Stingray's (MT) for a perfect example of that.

Let me be clear and don't put words in my mouth. I simply was responding to your comment about keeping RPMs low to improve gas mileage. So, that is exactly what any driver should want in any car if they are interstate driving.

It has nothing to do with 5 or 6 speeds. There are cars with 5 speeds that are geared way taller than the FRS. You think the FRS is geared tall? Hope not. Because 6th gear is not tall. Hate to break it to you.

[Hanni_0176]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

Let me be clear and don't put words in my mouth. I simply was responding to your comment about keeping RPMs low to improve gas mileage. So, that is exactly what any driver should want in any car if they are interstate driving.

It has nothing to do with 5 or 6 speeds. There are cars with 5 speeds that are geared way taller than the FRS. You think the FRS is geared tall? Hope not. Because 6th gear is not tall. Hate to break it to you.

I never said our 6th gear was tall, but if you think our (under)rated mpg's are bad for a sports car, I hate to break it to you. And also,

Originally Posted by Hanni_0176 View Post
What is silly about a close ratio 6 speed transmission? Especially for a car with as narrow a powerband as ours...

Why buy a sports car if all you want to do is keep the car at the lowest cruising rpm's as possible? There are far more fuel efficient (econobox) cars on the market these days...

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by Hanni_0176

I never said our 6th gear was tall, but if you think our (under)rated mpg's are bad for a sports car, I hate to break it to you. And also,

Uhh. I never said anything about the FRS/BRZ/86 gas mileage (quit putting more words in my mouth). It's actually quite good. So was my old tC's gas mileage (was geared really low!).

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

Uhh. I never said anything about the FRS/BRZ/86 gas mileage (quit putting more words in my mouth). It's actually quite good. So was my old tC's gas mileage (was geared really low!).

I am making the point that gas mileage is better with lower RPMs on the interstate. Obviously there are other ways to help a car's gas mileage out that needs to rev high for performance. Ultimately lowering the RPMs is best for improving fuel economy on the interstate.

[Hanni_0176]

Dude are trolling me right now?

You quote my first post talking about people wanting good gas mileage.

I mention 5th gear because the post you quoted was in response to the OP not understanding the point of a 6 speed.

You mention keeping rpm's low on a highway cruise, which isn't the same thing as always keeping the car at the lowest cruising rpm's as possible. Besides which, I actually tend to do quite a bit of passing on the highway, and let's not forgetting merging on in the first place.

So let's just agree to disagree on whatever the point was in the first place.

[AVodka14]

Yes, dude. I am trrrooolllinnnggg you. I am the king of trolls. Watch out. We are on the rise.

Get over yourself.

So you must be passing people all the time and getting off at every exit to only get back on the interstate.

My point is simple. Guys that buy sports cars indeed want some sort of fuel efficiency. So, telling someone to go buy an economy car is quite irrational.

You sir, sound like the troll in the way you responded to the OP.

[strat61caster]

-Avodka: People buy sports cars with good mileage because that will be their primary use, interstate driving.

-Hanni: 6 speed transmissions help achieve better mileage ratings as well as keeping the motor in the power band as much as possible.

Problem solved.

[AVodka14]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

-Avodka: People buy sports cars with good mileage because that will be their primary use, interstate driving.

-Hanni: 6 speed transmissions help achieve better mileage ratings as well as keeping the motor in the power band as much as possible.

Problem solved.

Haha, love it. I hope you know what my point was.

[Wattage]

aaaaand today I only got unstuck from a huge quantity of snow because of third gear

most useful gear ever

[Vracer111]

The FR-S 6 speed manual transmission sucks...I'm only getting 20-21 mpg from it!

Oh wait, maybe that's because I'm always above 5k rpm when not cruising and don't slow down but rather downshift and speed up for turns. You know, for some reason passengers keep reminding you there's a turn coming up after you downshift then increase the speed... LOL! But its even more fun taking tight 90 degree major subdivision intersection turns at the posted speed [30mph] in second.

[dave77]

I like shifting, so I just shift from all the gears. But yea, everyone from time to time skips some gears. But it shouldn't be an every-time thing. Like "screw 3rd gear, I'm going to 4th. And screw 5th, I'm going to 6th. Brah, you gotta be nice to all the gears.