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I had the car for 3 months now and wondering when to use and not to use the 6th gear because I don't want to put stress on the engine.

Generally, what speed to I have to be doing to be in 6th and what speeds when going up the hill, say up around 30 degree hill?

I use 6th gear from 20mph to 155+mph.

This is a big, torquey engine but it still lets you know when it's unhappy enough to want you to change down.

It is terribly bad for the car if the revs are less than 7000 because it takes ages to get anywhere.

I suggest using 8000+.

20mph on 6th gear? uhm probably time to take some classes..

you shouldn't be in 6th gear unless you're going over 50mph or on the highway..

10-20mph - 2nd gear
20-30mph - 3rd gear
40-50mph - 4th or 5th gear

Most of the time i change up as soon as poss just like petroldave, but change down before labouring the engine. Would drive the car all the time between 2nd & 4th if i could afford the petrol though. Peter

Ah the dreaded petrol costs - tend to trawl around in 6th cause I'm lazy..and sometimes forget

you guys fail to see that using higher gear at lower speed can strain the motor which means more fuel will be used.
switching gears too fast can use more fuel too and it put more wear on the engine and tranny because the motor is straining..

so think again when you're going 30mph in 6th gear.. you aren't saving gas you're just stressing the motor out and wasting more fuel.

scub wrote:20mph on 6th gear? uhm probably time to take some classes..

you shouldn't be in 6th gear unless you're going over 50mph or on the highway..

10-20mph - 2nd gear
20-30mph - 3rd gear
40-50mph - 4th or 5th gear

Dave is correct (although I bet there is a bit of tongue in cheek at play )
I can start in 2nd, shift to 6th at 30, without a hiccup...

true story:
I've been driving my 951 (R is to the right & down)
same as 6th in the RS4
I've been mistakenly putting the RS4 into 6th (thinking it's reverse) and the car will start to roll! in 6th...

the car has 90% torque at 2000 or so, and high final drives, it can pull very well

^ i agree you can drive fine in 6th gear if you're cruising and maintaining speed on a relatively flat road.. you better downshift if you plan on hitting the gas.. letting it creep up slowly by not downshifting will waste more fuel than if you down shifted and revved the engine to bring the engine rpm up to speed.

i rather cruise around in 3rd of 4th in the city though

scub wrote:20mph on 6th gear? uhm probably time to take some classes..

you shouldn't be in 6th gear unless you're going over 50mph or on the highway..

10-20mph - 2nd gear
20-30mph - 3rd gear
40-50mph - 4th or 5th gear

Says who? I normally shift 1, 3, 6 around town, 30mph in 6th is no problem. Less revs. Less fuel.

scub wrote:you shouldn't be in 6th gear unless you're going over 50mph or on the highway.

That's probably one of the stupidest statements I've read in ages.

The gearing in 6th is approximately 24mph per 1000rpm - so you're saying that running the engine at less than 2000rpm is wrong? This engine has so much torque from about 1200rpm upwards that using 6th from 30mph still keeps you on the flat plateau of the torque curve.

Try driving in a traffic queue in town in 6th - keeping up with the other cars is no problem at all, and when you do get onto the open road change straight down to 3rd and enjoy!

Like BlingBling I usually shift 1st, 3rd, 6th.

BTW if it's so bad for fuel consumption, how come I'm getting 20+ mpg driving this way?

Got to agree with petroldave, normal short shift 2, 4 and 6. Sometimes find myself in 6th with about 1800 rpm but car still pulls.
As for fuel, if I drive this way I get 20-22mpg - if I drive using all the gears then it hovers around the 19 mark (I do get there quicker though).

Thanks for your opinions. Wow I never thought it is quite normal to change into 6th when doing 20 30 40 or 50 mph.

I only change to the 6th when doing 70mph.

^^ its not normal to drive in 6th at 20mph, these people have no clue what they're talking about.. seriously i've been driving the RS for more than 2 years i know where the optimum spot is on the RPM range by now.

higher gear does not mean fuel saving plain and simple. search around or take a Audi driving course, they will explain the "sweet" spot you should be in RPM zone.

good luck.

Enlighten us all scub, on the sweet spot?? Unless your out for an enthusastic run, driving around at the 4-5000 rpm mark can be a pain - everybody assumes your just graduated from being a boy racer. RS4s are loud when reved..

As long as we all enjoy our cars, who cares when we change up. Surely if we all acted the same, we'd all end up like robots - much to the satisfaction of our nannying state!!