M6 6th Gear slowest speed?
 

On a flat road where I just need to maintain speed I seldom go below 55MPH in 6th gear. How slow can you go w/o damaging the engine?

I drive 35mph-40 in 6th all the time. Sometimes leaving it in 6th when slowing down to a stop to engine brake. I doubt it would hurt anything leaving it in gear all the way down to 1500 RPMs. The damage comes in flooring it when the RPMs are low. But with gentle enough acceleration you won't really hurt anything as long as the car is moving.

Personally, I try to keep it above 2500 rpm, and at 55 I'm usually in 5th. Granted, I'm on the freeway for 5 miles on the way to work, so I'm not really cruising for long distances. If I were racking up a lot of highway miles, I'd be in 6th at 55 and not worry about it. Just make sure you downshift to pass. Lugging an engine at very low rpm is not great for it.

I'm with Chuck. I'll stay in 5th even at 60 if I know I'm going to be exiting or slowing down 'soon'. I tend to down shift at about 2500 RPMs in higher gears and 2000 in lower.

As far as slowest in 6th...maybe 50. But lower won't hurt the car.

The slowest I've been on 6th was 40mph (don't remember RPM....1500-2000?)

I'm sure you can go slower than that, but the car probably wouldn't like it.

Sixth gear is virtually unknown to me. I only use it on the freeway and then I still want to going faster than 55.

Not because of engine damage. 35-40 MPH might get me into 4th but likely still in third.

It is interesting seeing how different driving styles operate.

It takes a conscious effort for me to let the rpm drop below 3k. Gas mileage be damned, I've got to make up for the 40% of the time I'm creeping along in 1st gear at 12 mph on the freeway.

:iagree: Gas mileage is for folks who care, like the little lady. She tells me about how cheap gas is at some station and she saved x cents. I'm lucky to have a cost conscious gal but spending money on gas is better than spending on mods in my opinion.

I use 6th frequently. Some of our roads have long stretches between lights and I'll throw it in 6th at 40-55 and just cruise.

Freeway is 6th all the time 55+ (except to pass or accelerate).

I usually sit w/cruise control and +/- my speed from the steering wheel. I love cruise control. :drool:

I use cruise a lot w/ 6th. I'm usually switching at 70 on freeway which is about 3k in 5th. I have a really big hill to climb out of work so I tend to leave it in 5th at 3k to climb it. I'm in 4th to 5th in city and 5th is really only when I can cruise it out for a while. No point in changing to 5th when there is a stop coming up.

damn, you guys are making me feel old for cruising so slow!

Cruise Control? I hear that in some areas of the United States that is used frequently, here in Orlando no way that's even possible. OK maybe from 12AM till 4AM.
I usually run 2-3K at whatever gear works, I like to keep the car at an optimum point to punch it and go if the situation demands it, nothing like needing a burst of speed at 45 mph when you're in 5th or 6th gear, it ain't gonna happen.

on a flat road i keep rpm 1600-1700rpm if im just cruising around (not in cruise). this saves gas dramatically. not that i really care, but why not.

typically on surface roads im 2K-2.5k range.

I think the manual says 33mph is the lowest for 6th.

:iagree: as soon as the rpm comes down rounding 2000rpm I downshift:tup:
I don't even look at the mph, its all about rpms for optimal advances