RED MX5

The car has a six speed because it is economical to cruise around at low revs, and fun to downshit when you want to accelerate. To some extent, this is what the F20C is all about, and it's a big part of what some of us love about the car.

FWIW, if you start upshifting when you can you'll do more than just save gas and have fun downshifting. You'll get lots more shifting practice, and before long, your shifting will be as smooth as your friends. If you really wish you could shift like he does, know that you can, if you really want it. Just follow his advice. Keep the car in the highest gear that will give you all the acceleration you need without lugging the engine. If you need to be in VTEC in first or second, downshift to get there and scoot, but if you have sufficient acceleration in third or fourth, use third or fourth. Two thousand RPM in sixth is not too slow and will do no harm, as long as you're not trying to accelerate enough to lug the engine. Downshift for hills or whenever you need more brisk acceleration.

I get 25-26 MPG in a mix of city and highway driving, and I'm running FI.

raisantos

if it doesn't sound bad... then it's good

cruising at 2grand doesn't sound bad... therefore it's good something i learned from logic in college...

GTS Jeff

Even accelerating from 2k is fine for keeping up with traffic. Despite the aggressive topend tuning, it's still a 2.2L engine in a tiny car...

ROTFLMAO

How soon after break-in did you guys start constantly holding the revs? I am at about 1,500 miles now and am still varying my RPMs.

Vik2000

Red MX5 thanks a lot for the advice. I'd go for it and you're right it's a great chance to practice shifting

Jsmply

I think you are fine now to drive normal.

ROTFLMAO

I think you are right. I'm just trying to err on the safe side.

TailSlide

When I feel like cruising around town, I usually keep my revs around 2.5 - 3

Vik2000

^That's what I'm usually doing now. Wonder how ECU gets affected.

RED MX5

Guys, when I'm driving our Lexus (AWD RX-300) I frequently do little things to stretch the gas a little further, and one of the biggest gas savers is getting off the gas early when approaching a stop. If you can time red lights so you never come to a full stop, gas mileage will go up enough to matter. If I'm going down a hill in a 55 zone and approaching a 45 zone (where I'd probably be running 65 ), I might let off the gas a mile or more before reaching the lower speed limit, so the vehicle more or less coasts down the hill under light engine braking (becaue the car is in overdrive, engine braking is really minimal, as it is in sixth gear in the S2000 at legal speeds). When the throttle is closed on decel, no fuel flows from the injectors, so you are riding for free. The sooner you get off the gas and the less you use the brakes, the better your mileage will be.

Making longer slower stops is a good time to practice smooth braking.