is it safe to cruise with my xB around 80+mph? engine RPM sits a little above 4000 at these speeds. Can these little motors handle that kind of load for a long drive?

it's obvious that 5th gear in these cars isn't a very overdriven gear, i wonder what the reason was for that...kind of disappointing.

BTW save the safety speach for someone else, i'm a safe driver i just like to cruise in the fast lane on my way to work.

 

Personally, I don't really like to go over 80 for an extended period of time. It kills your gas, and I don't think it's too healthy for it. I like to keep it around 75 on the highway.

 

i did 80-90mph for a coulpe days when i drove mine from NJ to AZ and had no problems i started driving at around 7 am would stop around 1 for lunch and stop at around 7 or 8pm to sleep

 

Easily. These litle motors are made to spin FAST. You're not used to these revs, maybe, but they seem OK to me 'cause I also ride motorcycles and many of them have rev limits into the 10K-12K and above range. My BMW K75 would cruise all day at 85-90 with the tach at around 6K . . . . Don't worry about it; just drive it.

 

It won't hurt the engine, but it will kill your milage! FYI the auto at 80+ is only about 3500 rpms.

 

no problem did Charlotte to NYC at 80 or faster...charlotte to Charleston and Tallahassee all np and I have 37.000 miles

 

no problems at all for the motors...

been doing it for 2 years, not a single issue.
gas milage does suffer though.

 

The difference in gas mileage and/or safety for the engine between 75 and 80mph is minimal. its only a difference of a couple hundred RPM, maybe 200 if that.

i dont know about you, but with my '06, at 75mph i'm at 4000RPM on the dot which is where my concern starts. i'm wondering if these cars can handle 4000+ RPM of load for an extended period of time. i'm not talking hours, just on a half hour cruise to work.

 

isnt the tach at 4k at 90. i know the my audi does and w/ 183,XXX. it has had no problems. i have not had any hi speed problems w/ the xb except gettin it over 95.

 

I am sure it's OK. The redline is over 6,000 RPM, and the engine is small and made to turn high high RPMs. It even feels and sounds good doing it. Some of the Japanese superbikes have nearly the same displacement as our xB engine and redline at 10,000 RPM.

 

thats almost upsetting

 

Resistance increases with square of speed, and is 15% higher at 80 mph.
Assuming the car gets 30 mpg at 75, a 15% drop is 4.5 mpg = 25.5 mpg.

You must have an AT. In my '06 MT, 75 mph is 3500 RPM and 80 mph is 4000 RPM for a 500 RPM difference.

 

i've asked myself these same questions...
when i first got the car.. after 1000 miles.
i had to go from san diego to los angeles..
i did the entire drive never dropping below 85mph..
i was at 95-100 most of the way..

 

oh yeah, but yeah it's safe..
i hit 115 on stock wheels..
do-a-ble.. yes.. safe? i doubt it

as for the tach being high.. u just get used to it..
it's fine..

 

just turn the radio up and don't worry.

 

My 1987 Mr2 was the same way as the xb it spins at like 4grand at 80 and it has 130k on it so I doubt its a problem!

 

It freaked me out, to be screaming down the road and only doing 80, when I first got the car. I even took it back to the dealer. It's just what happens when those little hamster feet start flying on that wheel under the hood. I got over it, and I drive an average of 80-90 for about 3 hours three times a week. 57.5k on the car and no worries.
Listen to a honda civic doing 45 sometime, and you'll realise this isn't bad at all.

 

that's good to know, mind if i ask where you got that info from?

and i have an '06 MT. none of my cars have ever been automatic.

 

nope not on my '06. at 80mph its slightly above 4k.

the gearing on your audi is probably completely different than in the xB too. just for comparison, my WRX was around 3100 rpm @ 80mph in 5th gear.


my average speed is probably 80mph everyday to work and i still managed to get 29.7 mpg between city/highway.

 

Sweet I get 22 mpg. wtf.

Time to reset the ECU again.