Driving in 1st gear

Sometimes when driving around looking for parking around a few blocks I drive in 1st gear. Usually in most manual cars 15-20 mph is the limit. Any real issues to worry about when plodding in 1st gear with the 308 v-8? I read the 308 loves to rev but what are the rev range of the gears? I'm just so use to driving a quiet automatic so a 308 with its sound can be a little confusing and worrisome esp. in 1st and 2nd.

 

I don't see it to much of a problem since you say 'looking for a parking place', therefore implying the engine is warmed up (oil temp).


stephen

 

I will typically leave mine in second sometimes third ( depending on my speed). It decreases the lurching when you tap the accelerator, especially if the wife is still applying makeup. I don't want to walk in the restuarant or store and have my wife looking like an Indian with her war makeup on. I'm sure glad she does not read Fchat. As posted it shouldn't be a problem if warmed up.

 

I like leaving it in first gear - it sounds cooler when you are just cruising in a parking lot.
I love the sound when cruising in a parking structure, and all the car alarms that go off as I drive by....

 

Ah, the setting off of other folks car alarms.

One of the many joys of owning an Fcar!

Cheers

 

+1

 

For me , once the engine/fluids are warmed up no problem using 1st gear up to 4,000 - 5,000 rpm's just depends on how loud you want to be. The last bit of driving to my house is thru a residential neighborhood, most of the time I'm in 2nd gear at about 2,500 rpms but sometimes if I see people/kids outside then I keep it in 1st at about 4,000 rpms. At that speed it sounds like a race car and everyone looks to see what is comming. One of the houses I pass, the guy has a fairly new vette, well when he goes by in his vette you can barely hear it, so I let him know when the Ferrari goes by, even if he is in his back yard.

 

2nd gear is fine. At least in the 328 (and the 308 isn't that different), there's plenty of torque to roll around at 15mph. 1st is for launch from a dead stop. After that, I wouldn't use it much -- you don't want all that 'lurching' as it stresses the drivetrain: the key is to keep things smooth, and to avoid 'drivetrain whiplash'.