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SnailpowerMk7

Go Kart Champion
Location
NJ
Car(s)
MK7 GTI SE 6SPD MT
Yeah the funny thing with this car is when it tells you when to shift. I think it wants me in like 4th gear doing 35mph, on my Main Street in town. I guess that isn't as bad. I believe the Mk6 had me in 5th gear on Main Street which I thought was nuts. Though it could never make up it's mind. It would be immediately yelling at me to go back to 4th so it depends. Nowadays I try to just shift on my own feels and ignore the system recommendation. It's definitely designed to get the most gas saving but doesn't necessarily mean you are probably in the most efficient gear regarding power necessary for the situation.
 

Luva

Go Kart Champion
Location
FL
Car(s)
2020 GTI SE
The shift light is purely for fuel economy.

Sometimes it says funny stuff like 3-6
Yeah, I pretty much ignore the gear shift recommendations. I really don't like to be below 1.5k no matter what gear I'm in. I'm sure someone has figured out how to turn off the recommendation part and only show the current gear.
 

helushune

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport 6MT
I'm sure someone has figured out how to turn off the recommendation part and only show the current gear.
It seems you can only delay it (thread). I'm curious how long the delay is; I'll report back.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
Yeah the funny thing with this car is when it tells you when to shift. I think it wants me in like 4th gear doing 35mph, on my Main Street in town. I guess that isn't as bad. I believe the Mk6 had me in 5th gear on Main Street which I thought was nuts. Though it could never make up it's mind. It would be immediately yelling at me to go back to 4th so it depends. Nowadays I try to just shift on my own feels and ignore the system recommendation. It's definitely designed to get the most gas saving but doesn't necessarily mean you are probably in the most efficient gear regarding power necessary for the situation.
Funny, my first manual was a MK6 GTI. I have to say, the transmission in that car was the best transmission I’ve had in a VW. And only because of the ratios.

I delivered pizzas in college in a town where the speed limit was 25-35 everywhere, I got incredible gas mileage (30+ around town) driving 24-29 in 4th and 30+ in 5th. Yes - it was at 1400 rpm. Yes - I didn’t know how bad that was at the time. But it felt fine, not like my MK7s do when they’re down low. But that’s because the 5th gear in my MK6 was like half way between the 3rd and 4th on both my manual MK7’s in terms of hearing. 6th gear had you at 3K rpm at 70 mph. My Alltrack doesn’t feel truly confident in itself in 6th until 80, because it’s at like 2500.
 

Shadowtuy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
NY
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Funny, my first manual was a MK6 GTI. I have to say, the transmission in that car was the best transmission I’ve had in a VW. And only because of the ratios.

I delivered pizzas in college in a town where the speed limit was 25-35 everywhere, I got incredible gas mileage (30+ around town) driving 24-29 in 4th and 30+ in 5th. Yes - it was at 1400 rpm. Yes - I didn’t know how bad that was at the time. But it felt fine, not like my MK7s do when they’re down low. But that’s because the 5th gear in my MK6 was like half way between the 3rd and 4th on both my manual MK7’s in terms of hearing. 6th gear had you at 3K rpm at 70 mph. My Alltrack doesn’t feel truly confident in itself in 6th until 80, because it’s at like 2500.
So I usually try to keep RPM low for gas mileage so like 1.5K. What is a better rev target? 2k?
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
So I usually try to keep RPM low for gas mileage so like 1.5K. What is a better rev target? 2k?

Yes. 1.5 is too low, the engine simply can't make useable power at that level and it's unhealthy for the engine and your transmission, especially if there's even a slight 1-2% incline, that would really lug it. I shoot for 2K for cruising, and 2.5-3K for inclines depending on how steep they are. The engine is still quite efficient at 2-2.5K, since it's in the powerband it can use exactly what it needs to keep moving, nothing more, nothing less. At like 1500RPM the engine actually can use MORE fuel than wouldve been required to keep moving had it been at 2K, since it doesn't have any available power and has to try super hard to overcome slight inclines etc
 

Shadowtuy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
NY
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Yes. 1.5 is too low, the engine simply can't make useable power at that level and it's unhealthy for the engine and your transmission, especially if there's even a slight 1-2% incline, that would really lug it. I shoot for 2K for cruising, and 2.5-3K for inclines depending on how steep they are. The engine is still quite efficient at 2-2.5K, since it's in the powerband it can use exactly what it needs to keep moving, nothing more, nothing less. At like 1500RPM the engine actually can use MORE fuel than wouldve been required to keep moving had it been at 2K, since it doesn't have any available power and has to try super hard to overcome slight inclines etc
Wow! My pour car!

Ok when it suggests shifting to higher gears putting me at 1.5k say I'm just on the highway or cruising.

It felt kinda odd just seeing the gauge at 2k the whole drive since I'm used to the car being quiet my whole drive.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
Wow! My pour car!

Ok when it suggests shifting to higher gears putting me at 1.5k say I'm just on the highway or cruising.

It felt kinda odd just seeing the gauge at 2k the whole drive since I'm used to the car being quiet my whole drive.

Yeah dude in my Alltrack I shift at the following speeds for normal, chill driving:

1-2: 10-15mph
2-3: 25-30
3-4: 35-45
4-5: 45-60
5-6: 65+, depending on salient conditions (grade, oil temperature, wind, etc)

I rarely use 6th gear, even on the highway my car got better gas mileage going 75-80 in 5th ~2.8-3K RPM when I was in the mountains last weekend (3%+ grades, and heavy winds). Even on the way home the next day going back downhill on the same highway the car felt so much healthier in 5th going 70-75 than in 6th. 6th didn’t feel “healthy” or natural until 85+ mph lol. It’s seriously an autobahn gear, barely suitable for American roads.

and I will note that with AWD and an 87 octane stage 1 tune running 93, I get 22-25 mpg city and 29-31 highway. With the same driving habits in my GTI I got 24-27 city and 32-35 highway.

as an alternative shifting technique/strategy, you can just hold a constant throttle at like 10-15% in 1-3 and shift @ 2.5-3K RPM. You can shift 4-5th at like 2.5, 3K would put you near 60mph.

GTIs also do a bit better in 6th than Alltracks bc FWD/3200 lbs, whereas the Alltrack has to overcome the drivetrain lag and additional weight of the AWD and wagon chassis (~3500 lbs). So the Alltrack has to do more work for the same effect, which has a lot to do with why it was so much better in 5th even at speeds like 75 on the highway. My car needs accessible power to keep moving happily, GTIs are definitely less thirsty
 
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CarlosCanizares

Autocross Newbie
Location
Surrey, BC, Canada
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf R
The shift light is purely for fuel economy.

Sometimes it says funny stuff like 3-6
I told my wife [who isn't into cars] it's like women's sizes. Let's stay around the 2-4 range and we're good.
 

helushune

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport 6MT
I did the shift recommendation adjustment, had an hour or so joyride and the normal commute today. "Delayed" isn't the right adjective; I would use "different". I only notice a delay in the suggestion when starting in 1st or going down hill, it might wait a second longer before recommending a gear. It has a level of sass about 2nd now and has a suggestion up the second I let out the clutch. I still see ridiculous suggestions like 3->6 at 35-40mph. Leaving it unchanged, it's a predictable distraction in the corner of your eye. With the change, it's much more sporadic.

I learned to drive manual on a Mk1 Rabbit on the road in front of my parent's house since we lived out by a farm. Since then, I've only had manuals. It's a skill, keep at it and you'll get better. My advice mostly echos what's already been said. Be fluid in most of your motions. Starting in first or downshifting, I tend to do almost a pause at the bite point for the clutch to engage and give it a little throttle, then continue the motion. Try to keep it around 2k cruising. I'm coming from a TDI that also had the 02Q, and was lugging the GTI out of habits. I was averaging 26-27mpg combined and with the 2k change, it's getting 29-30mpg combined. In city traffic, I tend to shift around 2.7-3k. If the engine's cold, 2.5k max.
 

Shadowtuy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
NY
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
So today I rolled into 2nd going like 8MPH. I think I heard my clutch slipping or maybe something else. That being said ...what does that sound like? And what does burning clutch smell like?
 
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