Hi all,
My car has the vtec engine and I like how it performs well at higher engine RPMs compared to other cars i’ve owned. This is the first at least somewhat high performance engine i’ve had. I also like the way the shifting feels nice and firm at say, 3500 RPM. It tends to feel sloppy and lower speed/rpm combinations. (its an auto by the way).
So needless to say I like to drive in a spirited fashion, traffic, weather and speed limits allowing of course.
So i’m just wondering if i’m paying the price by wearing out the transmission over time? Now, I don’t go wide-open throttle from every start, I just don’t like rolling around in that thing like a grandma!
So how can I find a happy medium of “fun” driving vs. non-accelerated wear? I change the fluid every 20k too. Do I need to worry about something else instead? Please and thanks!
jmw
An old technique to monitor your driving is to install a manifold vacuum gague. For economy you try to keeep the needle as high as possible when the needle dips low this means you are on it. I hope this adresses your question.
Oldschool, that is indeed oldschool! I just want to know if letting it shift at a higher power setting wears it out appreciably faster. : )
I hate to say it but the more gently you drive, the longer stuff lasts.
You know why BMW motorcycles have a reputation for lasting nearly forever? I believe the fact that these bikes appeal mostly to grown-ups has a lot to do with it.
I used to knock the way my grandfather drove until it dawned on me that it was he who was driving a 20 year old car that was still running like new, not I.
The harder you push it, the sooner it will break. It’s as simple as that. The shifting “feels nice and firm” at high RPM’s because the transmission is at least trying to protect itself. But high RPM, high power shifts will indeed take their toll…
You are asking if driving your car hard wears it out faster? I was thrown off by the obvious answer to your question.
It could make a gentler engagement of the “gears” if you eased up on the gas pedal a moment before each shift took place.
If this car is esepcially a V6 it sound like you chose the wrong transmission. Honda transmissions (automatic) a delicate bunch in the late late 90’s to earlier 2000’s.
If you were driving a manual I would not give a 2nd thought to this, what you do is how I shifted(3500-4000rpm) my old Civic and my current WRX although with a manual tranny.