Driving like you used to.

[billyo]

I noticed that older drivers seem to stay off the redline and younger ones keep the car up near the rev line.

Do you drive your car as hard as you used to or have you calmed down a bit.

Is this down to age or just the cost of fuel?

[DETHTATS]

I would say a combination of the two! Knowledge of what it does to the car and the wallet!!!

[waynne]

I am concious of the damage done to an engine from driving it hard all the time. I think experience plays a part in this. When you are younger you can only afford to run smaller engines so you wring out as much as you can from them. When you get older your car tends to have more power than you need for everyday driving so you can happily sit in the mid range torque band and be happy.

[HDi fun]

Nothing wrong with using all the revs if you keep things serviced. The red line is set well below the engine's safe upper rev limit.

[waynne]

I concede your point HDI but higher revs will always mean more stress=more wear than lower revs.

I guess it depends on the engine. A sporty engine will be better and reiliable than a standard 1.4 or 1.6 if driven hard. Oil changes are the most important thing to do.

The thing that worries me is the history of the car. Unless you have had it from new you can't guarantee it has been looked after. I still tend to err on the side of caution and enjoy the occasional spirited drive.

[pgarner]

used to drive all the way up to the redline, now cant be bothered along with my power starting to tail off at 6k.
like it has been said if your driving a smaller engine it has to be ragged to keep up with larger cars. and when youve got the larger car it doesnt need to be pushed hard to keep up with something small in front.

[blacklineninja]

I don't drive as angrily as I used too, partly because I don't want to abuse the engine and partly because of my accident.

[Prince]

I drive a Honda...I have to keep it near the redline!

[HDi fun]

Jap petrols are usually rev happy. And they soak it up with good grace too. My Nissan saw the naughty side of 7000rpm on a daily basis.

You can do lots of damage revving an engine hard before it's fully warmed up so be gentle for the first 15 minutes or so.

You can also do a lot of damage by labouring at low revs in a high gear.

And deposits accumulate too if you don't use the rev range properly, regularly.

Clearly, keep your servicing up to date and you shouldn't have problems.

Incidentally I drove the P11 Primera from new until 178,000 miles and it never read more than 0.01 ppm on the CO test. Engine was never repaired. Never used oil. Never smoked.

Original factory cat and exhuast still in place.

And dipstick me PXed it for a diesel!! The bloody thing is still around now, it's got over 250,000 on it and it's STILL going.

[pgarner]

thats hellish it should have stopped around 120k bloody diesels

[HDi fun]

The Primera was a petrol 2.0 twin cam. This pug is the first diesel I've ever owned. Strangely that, too is a twin cam 16 valve unit. And I cannot understand why with a red line at only 5000rpm it needs a 16 valve head.

[Izo Azlion]

I definitely dont drive like I used too about a year after I'd passed.

Once did a trip late at night (1am or so) back from a friends 12 miles away. Back in my Civic, 1.4, I made hit home in 13 minutes (I'd done it in 14 previously and wanted to beat it)

Sped in some very stupid places, had the car off the ground... yeah I've learnt now. I drive alot more calmly, quickly, but more fluid.

Plus the Golf is alot heavier, if I had that off the ground its likely it'll just buckle and kill me.

[madman]

i have to say that ive prob not calmed the only real difference is that im more fluid, smooth and dont make the bad or rash decsions that i used to wen i was a young boy!!