Gear ratio - best way to drive an S3

[Greggbb]

Hi,

This may sound a stupid question...

I am driving the S3 how I think it should be driven, however, I don't think I am using 1st and 2nd gear to the extent they are meant to be used. Unless I am driving the car hard, I am rarely above 2500 revs. I want to drive the car how it was designed to be driven, with least amount of stress on the engine.

Advice would be very much appreciated.

Regards

Greggbb

[S2Mike]

Can I just say, on clear dry roads ......
.
Warm her up and give her the beans, you will be rewarded with a blur of scenery and a gorgeous roar!
Its what it was built for.... IMHO.

[Greggbb]

S2Mike said:

Can I just say, on clear dry roads ......
.
Warm her up and give her the beans, you will be rewarded with a blur of scenery and a gorgeous roar!
Its what it was built for.... IMHO.

That is pretty much my theory. The roads from Swindon to Marlborough and Devizes were built for the S I think. I don't like how people in vauxhalls get so close to my backside (especially when trying to scale speed bumps!)

I am avoiding the wet like the plague.

Thanks

[S2Mike]

Hopefully with the upturned twin exhausts you will be donating some noxious gases into their fresh air intake if they get too close, give it bootful and they should back off.

[Julesprivate]

I'm a great believer in "drive it like you stole it"; I work on the opinion that the TVR is a driver's car and designed/built to be driven. I do however rarely go over 5500 RPM in deference for the age of the motor.

Having said that, it's a very tractable drive so it's perfectly reasonable to pootle about and use the torque rather than HP to make progress.

when I first got mine i took Jude (my wife) out in a 40 limit and did the whole, REALLY hard acceleration in first and second - OMG the noise was wondeful... then i showed her the speedo - bang on 40 LOL

Cars coming too close behind are a PITA, one of my pet hates!

[Greggbb]

Julesprivate said:

I'm a great believer in "drive it like you stole it"; I work on the opinion that the TVR is a driver's car and designed/built to be driven. I do however rarely go over 5500 RPM in deference for the age of the motor.

Having said that, it's a very tractable drive so it's perfectly reasonable to pootle about and use the torque rather than HP to make progress.

when I first got mine i took Jude (my wife) out in a 40 limit and did the whole, REALLY hard acceleration in first and second - OMG the noise was wondeful... then i showed her the speedo - bang on 40 LOL

Cars coming too close behind are a PITA, one of my pet hates!

The sound is ace, you can't help but smile. I have a radio in the car but I've never had it on!

People don't have the patience, everyone is in such a hurry! I soon burn them off when it is safe and I am not in the town.

You are bang right about the 40mph in 1st/2nd. I took Lucy (gf) out on Saturday and did the same. When parked up, a few people come over for a chat. It is like having a something which every man wants to talk about. Maybe not as much as an E-type, though!

[GadgeS3C]

Does everyone else find the rev counter is a bit lazy and can't keep up in the low gears.

Rev limiter keeps taking me by surprise

[glenrobbo]

GadgeS3C said:

Rev limiter keeps taking me by surprise

Jaye R, did you know about this?

[Jaye R]

glenrobbo said:

GadgeS3C said:

Rev limiter keeps taking me by surprise

Jaye R, did you know about this?

Nope - but I will asking questions when I get home tonight

In answer to the OP - I agree with the above comments - drive it like it's stolen & change gear at top of the revs - somewhere around 3500 is max power/torque if I remember correctly from when I had mine on the rolling road (but I stand to be corrected) -

Cheers
Jaye

[Scoobimax]

Jaye R said:

glenrobbo said:

GadgeS3C said:

Rev limiter keeps taking me by surprise

Jaye R, did you know about this?

Nope - but I will asking questions when I get home tonight

Cheers
Jaye

When would she get time?