M6 Drivers

[Jeanius]

How often do you use 6th gear? I use it everytime i go over 65mph(driving gas efficient that is ) Just wondering how often it comes into use for all you others, I have alot of friends who never use it on their F-body's

[TraceZ]

Whenever I can. I'll use 6th as long as the RPMs stay above 1500. If they drop lower than 1500, I downshift to 5th.

[96Camaro]

Yea, usualy around 55 or so I kick it into 6th.

[MN6WS6]

What TraceZ said. Basically, that means only from about 70 and up. 6th gear in my car probably has less miles on it than McDonald's bag in the back seat floorboard

[Disifer]

Above 65 on level ground or above 55 going down a hill. I have stock gears btw. If I have 3.73's or 4.10's it would be getting a lot more use.

[Z Ya Later]

50 or above, just like the book recommends. I may keep it in 5th if I know traffic isn't going to permit me to stay in 6th, but usually I'm all about saving gas.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Every day. (above 55-60 depending on how hilly)

[Rhode Island Red]

I use it under these guidlines

1) Traffic is light. IF traffic is too heavy, I will have less reaction time and there is no point staying in 6th gear if your going to always be forced to shift to 5th because traffic speeds are always changing

2) Must be 45-50 mph or over (lowest i've seen in the gear is 42 mph), and be able to sustain the same constant speed.

BTW best mpg I-ve gotten was 30 on a stretch between D.C. and Front Royal (north entrance to Skyline drive) on I-66. There was times I saw no car or vehicle for over 20 miles.

So the more you are able to sustain the same freeway speed (without braking or accelerating) the more capable and useable 6th gear is (and the better your mg's are also)

[wrd1972]

I found that since I went to 4.10's I use 6th nearlyall the time.
Believe it or not the engine will accelarate in 6th from under 1000 RPM.
My city miles are even better, you just dont to shift much anymore.

[darkz711]

70 and over only, i always forget that i have another gear when im in 5th.

[Steel2686]

I rarely use it, but when I do, it's only if I'm sure there is very light traffic.

[Christopherrr]

what's 6th gear?

[Mach83]

70 and over

[markd79ta]

When I drove the '97, I used it constantly...it saved me a lot of gas over my 100,000 mile use of this car. The speed limits here typically 65 on the edge of the city and 75 outside of the cities.

[thomas]

on my stock ws6's I used 6th as much as possible. I skip shifted alot like 1st - 3rd- 6th and somtimes around town we have these long straight roads that go through town and I could hit 6th at 35mph. I couldnt go any faster if I hit the gas pedal. I would have to down shift to go any faster, but I saved alot of gas. Trying to save gas on a stock ws6 with exhaust and kn filter around town I got low 20's. I averaged out on the highway high 20's low 30's. The best
I ever got was on 95 coming back from florida and on 1 tank of gas I got 37 mpg!! The other tanks I got around mid to low 30's. Ofcourse luck was with me and I just used the cruise control and there was no traffic! Most of the time I was around 80-90mph. I love 6th.