6th Gear - Why?

[mattsmusic]

Hi - I just bought a 2006 Roadster and drove it from NYC to Boston to get it home. Why does this car have a 6th gear, is it to hit the top speed? It seems pretty useless unless I'm doing north of 80 or 90 and even then the engine feels like it's being bogged down. Do you guys use 6th gear often and if so at what RPM?

 

[dave6666]

It's for fuel economy during non performance highway driving. If you see a kill coming up fore or aft slip out of it and get ready.

With my 3.73's and 20" PS2's I run about 1500 rpm highway in 6th.

 

[QUICKSRT10/SRT8]

I drove mine to Detroit last week in 6th on the highway doing 80 an is got awsome gas milage

 

[Ricketts]

Fuel economy!

 

[Steve-Indy]

Stock setups here...some of our Vipers seem more "more at home" in 6th than others. I use it when reaching 70-80 mph (1350-1500rpm range)...shifting to 5th BEFORE getting on the gas.

Top speed is achieved in 5th.

 

[eucharistos]

mpg

quiet purrrr at hwy speeds

 

[mattsmusic]

That's about what I was doing too but anything below 75-80 seems a little slow for 6th. I'm coming from a Corvette C6 and would use 6th gear every time I got on the highway.

I drove mine to Detroit last week in 6th on the highway doing 80 an is got awsome gas milage

 

[fqberful]

That's why I changed to 3.55's on my 06 coupe. Now 6th is usable from 65mph+, goes up hills easily and gets 20mpg +- depending on how much alcohol is in the gas. Running stock rubber.

The ridiculous gearing 3.08's is for emissions.

The new-new gen4's have a re-gear'd trans which accomplishes the same thing.

 

[mattsmusic]

I have Corsa pipes on mine and it's not very quiet at all! lol.. In 6th at anything below 80 it makes a loud bogged down drone.

mpg

quiet purrrr at hwy speeds

 

[vancouver-gts]

I use at all the time! Got the 4.10 gear though

 

[Paul Hawker]

6th Gear in a Viper is a free gift from Chrysler to remind you why you purchased a Viper in the first place.

When you shift into 6th gear at any legal speeds your Viper turns into a Neon. No torque, hp or performance.(you do, however get better fuel economy) This frustration is easily remedied by simply shifting into one of the lower gears, and the Viper becomes a Viper once again.

Vettes have lower factory gearing to compensate for their smaller engines.

You can appreciate the 6th gear in a Viper when cruising in the Silver State Challenge at 165 mph. Everything makes more sense then as you hurtle down the Hwy with the engine loafing along with quiet confidence.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

2500 RPM or above for me, (Kill mode at all times) don't think I've ever been in 6th...

 

[plumcrazy]

Use it all tje time on the highway. Mostly at 80mph or more when cruising.

 

[PAvenomRT/10]

I love 6th gear on the highway even doing 60 mph because it reminds of the big powerful V10 lurking under the hood with all that torque that can power the car while idling at about 1100 RPM.
PAvenom RT/10

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

24 miles the gallon at 80mph

 

[mattsmusic]

Looks like I'm going to start using 6th gear more often then!

24 miles the gallon at 80mph

 

[wikkid]

Drove mine home from Florida, 1350 miles i think i used 6th gear, maybe 100 of them. Kinda useless to me.

 

[1994viper]

I use it sometimes with my 373 gears

 

[AFL in NJ]

My '02 actually has a really LOUD exhaust drone in 6th gear at highway speeds (70 mph about 1400 rpm) and I use it to ensure that I don't have to talk to my passenger while driving. (there's no point yelling at each other "What?" "What did you say?")

It can also be particularly annoying to owners of cars that sound like sewing machines, yet have a pop-off valve.....so those are the real reasons for what 6th gear is for.

I might change to a Corsa exhaust from Borla this winter.

Regards,
Aaron

 

[SlateEd]

with Corsa and K+N, stock rear diff, flat road, in 6th at 1,500rpm my car does exactly 91mph (just took note of that last weekend) When I drive 4 hours or more of highway it comes in handy.

 

[mattsmusic]

Ok, so clearly 6th isn't going to get alot of use in normal highway driving.

with Corsa and K+N, stock rear diff, flat road, in 6th at 1,500rpm my car does exactly 91mph (just took note of that last weekend) When I drive 4 hours or more of highway it comes in handy.

 

[gilly6993]

2500 RPM or above for me, (Kill mode at all times) don't think I've ever been in 6th...

same here.....

 

[Nader]

I am running 3.33's with a slightly shorter than stock 20 in the back. 6th gear is now useful.

 

[RevHeat]

I had no idea it had a 6th gear. Learning new stuff everyday. Plum, will you let me call you and spend time learning about my car? Please?

 

[plumcrazy]

Rev...anytime noob

 

[johniew398]

I never shift to 6th unless running 80 or higher.

 

[swexlin]

Like the others, I really have no use for 6th except for long distance highway cruising. Back on forth on the PA Turnpike out to Carlisle (100 miles) it does bring some nice mileage.

 

[Richie7]

With 3.55 6th gear is great on the hwy, i dont remember exact but its around 1500rpm at 70mph

 

[mattsmusic]

What's 6th gear stock?

With 3.55 6th gear is great on the hwy, i dont remember exact but its around 1500rpm at 70mph

 

[dave6666]

What's 6th gear stock?

0.5 is stock or at least it was.