Someone help me out here. What is the slowest speed it is safe to drive in 5th gear?
Does it use more gas to go 40mph in 5th than in 4th due to gear ratios? It seems like it should use less gas in 5th, but it feels better to cruise around in 4th. I have also had people tell me in the past that using 5th gear for city driving is bad for the car. That doesnt really make sense to me, obviously if you are going TOO slow, the car will chug. I can drive 35-40mph in 5th gear as long as I am not going uphill and it seems fine. But my gas mileage isnt so great and Im now getting curious. Ive got an 04 xb, I just got it used. Its pretty much the first car I ever had that is relatively new and where I actually cared about gas mileage and engine wear. My old hondas didnt seem to be quite as touchy as this thing. But hell, when your car has 250k miles on it, who really cares, lol.

 

I usually don't shift into 5th gear until i get to 60.

1st - 0 to 15
2nd - 15 to 25
3rd - 25 to 40
4th- 40 to 60
5th - 60 and up

this is how i shift on my xb. i like to drive it safe and i have never ever floored it before. i drive like an old woman so i make it last forever. haha.

 

i use 5th gear in city driving too. lol. i always shift to 5th when im going 40mph..so we're in the same boat. i use to do that with my GSR too and had no problems, so im just so used to it.

my gas is ehhh too. lol...i'll just cruise in 4th and see what happens.

 

light foot on the gas you can go slow as 35mph in 5th gear

 

5th gear driving.

Compared to a honda or even a 1.8 liter Toyota, these overworked engines are extremely ! sensitive to driving style.

You CAN drive in fifth around town if you don't mind the feeling of not having power at your disposal. These engines will deliver their "claimed" mileage if you drive like a little girl and NEVER break 55mph. But start climbing and the mileage will drop significantly. if I push it around town and up to 80 on the highway I'll get as low as 26 mpg. Thats with fresh plugs an exhaust and synthetic lubricants in Tranny and motor.

By contrast my old VW 1.8 liter could take a pounding routinely see 100mph and never drop below 28 mpg.

Any way for what its worth! Drive in whatever gear you feel comfortable in!

G

 

I shift to 5th gear when I hit 60 or more.

 

I shift gears at 2500 rpms. Its not over reved or under reved. I have noticed on my wife's automatic xB it shifts at 3000.

 

i shift at 3000 around town, 4000-5000 if climbing a hill, 6000 in 1st and 2nd if merging on a highway

 

isnt 5th considered the 'overdrive' gear? i use 5th in city, 40 mph or higher. it just seems like to me its working too hard if i leave it in 4th...

 

The undersquare engine design and efi give relatively good torque at lower rpm's, so 5th gear is entirely useable for steady 40 mph cruising. Otoh, I end up leaving it in 4th for most traffic situations... While it'll cruise fine at 40 in 5th, it won't accelerate well at all... once it drops to 35, I need to downshift anyway...

I'm not content to roll along in the right lane behind the slowest dingbat on the road, and I'm usually looking for whatever openings allow me to get to my destination more expeditiously, so my mileage tends to suffer accordingly...

Once I'm out on the freeway, and traffic is moving 45 or better, then yeh, 5th gear for sure...