Motors Chat - Round 8

Special Circumstances · 22-07-2015 12:35PM

Hal1 wrote: »

I've been reading an old article on pistonheads regarding correct gear changes. The guy who wrote it is an advanced police driving instructor. It's well worth the read even if you already know what it entails to brush up on your driving skills.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=154&t=361550&mid=75577&i=0&nmt=Zen+and+the+art+of+changing+gear.&mid=75577

I wonder if some of this has been made redundant with modern cars. I know I used to use some of these techniques but it seems to me that clutch delay valves can turn some "smooth driving" techniques into the opposite! Going up the box at least.

I was thought taught to drive with the thumb up, thumb down hand positions.

joujoujou · 22-07-2015 01:42PM

I know some modern cars keep revs high for a very little while to keep smooth gear change-ups.

Hal1 · 22-07-2015 02:10PM

What I do is hold in the clutch for a bit longer and when the revs come down I engage the gear. I try to put as little strain on the clutch as possible and don't usually gear down unless navigating a series of bends that caught me unawares :pac:. Gears to go brakes to slow etc.

Pov06 · 22-07-2015 02:11PM

Hal1 wrote: »

What I do is hold in the clutch for a bit longer and when the revs come down I engage the gear. I try to put as little strain on the clutch as possible and don't usually gear down unless navigating a series of bends that caught me unawares :pac:. Gears to go brakes to slow etc.

Actually releasing the clutch pedal slowly means there's more friction and the clutch gets more strain than just dumping it. The idea is that your blip the accelerator to reduce most friction and then you can dump the clutch and not have much jerkiness.

UnknownSpecies · 22-07-2015 02:11PM

There's definitely a big difference in changing on newer cars. The newest car I've driven is a '14 A4 and the changes were an absolute dream compared to my own '04 3er.

jimgoose · 22-07-2015 02:15PM

Hal1 wrote: »

I've been reading an old article on pistonheads regarding correct gear changes. The guy who wrote it is an advanced police driving instructor. It's well worth the read even if you already know what it entails to brush up on your driving skills.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=154&t=361550&mid=75577&i=0&nmt=Zen+and+the+art+of+changing+gear.&mid=75577

Yes, I do all of that. Large trucks force you to practice pretty much all that your man describes, they startle easily and won't be lashed around like a Fireblade. :pac:

Hal1 · 22-07-2015 02:21PM

Pov06 wrote: »

Actually releasing the clutch pedal slowly means there's more friction and the clutch gets more strain than just dumping it. The idea is that your blip the accelerator to reduce most friction and then you can dump the clutch and not have much jerkiness.

I don't disengage slowly it's one swift action I just delay that action by a second or so until the revs are reasonably matched to engage the next gear for a smooth gear change.

Pov06 · 22-07-2015 02:23PM

Hal1 wrote: »

I don't disengage slowly it's one swift action I just delay that action by a second or so until the revs are reasonably matched to engage the next gear for a smooth gear change.

That makes sense if you're up-shifting.

I assumed you do this while down-shifting :pac:

Big Nasty · 22-07-2015 02:31PM

Clutches? What are these clutches you speak of?

Pov06 · 22-07-2015 02:33PM

Big Nasty wrote: »

Clutches? What are these clutches you speak of?

Pleb alert!!!

Hal1 · 22-07-2015 02:40PM

Pov06 wrote: »

That makes sense if you're up-shifting.

I assumed you do this while down-shifting :pac:

What, this is only when I'm up shifting. Gears for going brakes to slowing.

Interslice · 22-07-2015 02:57PM

Hal1 wrote: »

I don't disengage slowly it's one swift action I just delay that action by a second or so until the revs are reasonably matched to engage the next gear for a smooth gear change.

I found the alfa used to grind slightly going into third if you shift up from second too fast at high rpm, >6k or so. If I just let the revs drop from 7k to 5k in neutral before I shift into third it's 100%.

Double clutching is great for smaller revvy petrol engines when dropping from 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd to overtake. Would recommend trying it. It doesn't have any dodge factor like left foot braking or heel tow either. The instant power when over taking makes it quicker and safer, with no strain on your gearbox, clutch and engine. You can even go from 5th into 2nd if you stuck behind a tractor or something.

Try this.
5th @ 2300 rpm/80km/hr
clutch in, neutral, clutch out
Still in neutral with clutch out blip throttle to 4300rpm or what ever. Helps to learn your gear box to match it perfectly.
clutch in, 3rd, clutch out and off you go.

By letting the clutch out in neutral and blipping the throttle you rev match both the engine and most of the gearbox and not just the engine. When you get used to it it can be done pretty quick. You don't have to even fully release the clutch while in neutral as your only using the engine to spin shafts inside the gearbox.

Sobanek · 22-07-2015 09:20PM

IS220d - any good?

*totally unrelated to Hachiko, looking for honest opinions*

Supergurrier · 22-07-2015 09:21PM

Sobanek wrote: »

IS220d - any good?

*totally unrelated to Hachiko, looking for honest opinions*

No

Sobanek · 22-07-2015 09:24PM

Any reason as for why they aren't? How do they compare to the e90 320d?

Supergurrier · 22-07-2015 09:25PM

Sobanek wrote: »

Any reason as for why they aren't? How do they compare to the e90 320d?

2.2 diesel is somewhat unreliable and not as frugal as some of the alternatives

Much better options out there

CIP4 · 22-07-2015 09:27PM

Sobanek wrote: »

Any reason as for why they aren't? How do they compare to the e90 320d?

They would be seriously hard on diesel compared to a 320d. youd be talking 30 mpg even on longer trips. Not sure what a 320d would do but it would certainly do 40mpg I would say.

Supergurrier · 22-07-2015 09:28PM

The bmw 2 litre diesel unit has it's haters but it has the nicest power delivery of all the 4 pot turf burners imo

CIP4 · 22-07-2015 09:31PM

I'd be a long way off a BMW lover but would have an e90 320d over an is220d anyway of the week. Just my opinion though some love the look of the is220d.

Pov06 · 22-07-2015 10:22PM

Would the IS250 be better in terms of reliability?

Interslice · 22-07-2015 10:43PM

Alot of 220d's you see on the roads seem quite smokey. In general the germans do better diesel engines than the japaneese.

dgt · 23-07-2015 01:11AM

Supergurrier wrote: »

The bmw 2 litre diesel unit has it's haters but it has the nicest power delivery of all the 4 pot turf burners imo

Shes no d-turbo though

Supergurrier · 23-07-2015 08:21AM

dgt wrote: »

Shes no d-turbo though

Id buy a 406 daily just for their excellent leather interiors mmm moo

Noccy_Mondy · 23-07-2015 10:02AM

Aviva and Allianz are now refusing to insure vehicles 15 years or older (if starting off a new policy). I know they caused a bit of agro with older cars before, but their excuses about bad tyres/poorly maintained is a bit of a pathetic excuse, tarring everyone with the same brush. There are cars 15 years or older out there that are in better condition than 8/9 year old cars. Ridiculous. Insurance companies are let run a muc and get away with everything!

http://m.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/insurers-refuse-to-cover-older-vehicles-31397715.html

jimgoose · 23-07-2015 10:15AM

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

...their excuses about bad tyres/poorly maintained...

Someone should explain to them that many cars have replaceable tyres, as well as most of the service items. :pac:

Chris_Heilong · 23-07-2015 10:17AM

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Aviva and Allianz are now refusing to insure vehicles 15 years or older (if starting off a new policy). I know they caused a bit of agro with older cars before, but their excuses about bad tyres/poorly maintained is a bit of a pathetic excuse, tarring everyone with the same brush. There are cars 15 years or older out there that are in better condition than 8/9 year old cars. Ridiculous. Insurance companies are let run a muc and get away with everything!

http://m.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/insurers-refuse-to-cover-older-vehicles-31397715.html

They will be doing it in a bid to try and control what kind of cars we drive, they would like nothing more than for all of us to scrap our cars and buy new ones every 5 years.

Special Circumstances · 23-07-2015 10:24AM

There was a surprising amount of effort went into that article, chasing up sources and facts and figures. The Indo will beat that out of him yet.

Pov06 · 23-07-2015 10:42AM

Meanwhile there are 7 year old BMWs driving on Triangle Tyres

Chris_Heilong · 23-07-2015 10:44AM

I have said for a long time that insurance companies in Ireland and out of control and revisions need to be introduced, Can we put the insurance regulators email up on the site, taking action is an area us Irish seem to be lacking. IMO we should all bombard both the regulator and the minister for transport.

So the cut off point for these companies is a 2000 year car? it might seem mad be a 2000 year car almost seems relatively new to me. I am driving an 18 year old car now and it runs perfectly.

Pov06 · 23-07-2015 10:48AM

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

I have said for a long time that insurance companies in Ireland and out of control and revisions need to be introduced, Can we put the insurance regulators email up on the site, taking action is an area us Irish seem to be lacking. IMO we should all bombard both the regulator and the minister for transport.

So the cut off point for these companies is a 2000 year car? it might seem mad be a 2000 year car almost seems relatively new to me. I am driving an 18 year old car now and it runs perfectly.

It almost seems like the motor trade want us all to scrap our old cars.

First was the CO2 tax rate which made tax much cheaper for new cars. The old CC rate is driving old big engined cars to scrap yards.

Now insurance companies are not insuring old cars... I don't see how that should be allowed if the car is perfectly capable of passing an NCT.

********Motors Chat - Round 8 ********

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Motors Chat - Round 8