Driving really hard

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD
How often do you drive your car to the limits?

Do you think it affects the reliability of the car when you push it? Do you limit the stress by doing it in short bursts?
 
I can't see that you'll do any harm using the engine's full power band and rev range provided it's serviced properly, and importantly: fully warmed up before you do so. I can't stress this enough. Fully warm. Not just the coolant temperature gauge in the working range.

The start of the red on the tacho is simply to denote the upper end of the usable rev range.

Sure driving hard will see you rip through tyres and brakes rapidly, and you'll certainly pay at the pumps but I cannot see how this would damage the car in any way at all.
 
I always wait until my car is completly warmed which takes roughly 20 minutes and before if for whatever reason I do need to put my foot down, in any perticualr range I never take it above 4k rpm.
 
TBH, it has been quite a while since I pushed the car hard yet alone know what the limits are. On occasion if overtaking somebody on the motorway or on an A road who is dawdling, then I give the throttle a quick press and I am around them and gone in no time at all. I think even then, the last time I pushed the car was when I had the turbo done and that was literally a 20-30 second squirt. One of my other problems that make this difficult is the noise the Beast makes, it is announcing my incoming presence long before I arrive. I do try and be disciplined and behave myself on the public roads and save my eager right foot for the track day.
 
TCJBOLDIE said:
^^^^ ???? 4k is when my motor really gets going :)
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The diesel party is generally nearly over by 4000rpm but I still use the 4600 red line in mine without worry.

Moving on, I cannot see the point of owning/using/driving a free revving petrol car with a 6500+ red line (limiter set higher still) and not exceeding 4000rpm. Using the full rev range is not 'thrashing', it's exactly what it is - using the full rev range, and nothing more.

People that 'nanny' engines frequently have problems with emissions at vehicle testing time. Those of us that drive them progressively generally don't have problems. My Dad is a low rev merchant - he never exceeds 2500rpm. Ever!! Silly man, and his cars always need some attention to get through an MoT emissions test.

No one is saying that you have to use all the revs constantly, that would be pointless, but even if you did you'd only pay at the pumps. You won't hurt the motor in the slightest.
 
On track I use the full range available and it is usually before the limiter kicks in as that is when it is tailing off. I have an adjustable shift light to assist me. On track you don't tend to stay at high levels for long, only for swishing through the gears.
 
stamford said:
On track I use the full range available and it is usually before the limiter kicks in as that is when it is tailing off. I have an adjustable shift light to assist me. On track you don't tend to stay at high levels for long, only for swishing through the gears.
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We have a little 3 cylinder petrol Ibiza here, totally spineless but revs happily to 6700rpm. And with this thing you HAVE to use all the revs to make decent progress on main roads. Fun to drive, No, not remotely. But it is workable if you can stand the noise. as I have said previously, fuel economy suffers, which is why I can't see the point of cars with minimal power and torque. My 528i was cheaper on fuel than the aforementioned Seat.

Neither car suffered any problems from being driven throughout the available rev range.
 
I had a couple of Austin Rover Montegos - these both managed 130,000 miles and I drove them 'hard' too. O series 2.0 and S series 1.6 engines - not known for longevity but they worked well for the era
 
At last somebody that thinks using the whole RPM range is acceptable and the car isn't going to instantly explode! :)
 
RobBentley said:
At last somebody that thinks using the whole RPM range is acceptable and the car isn't going to instantly explode! :)
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Thankyou. You read my previous posts too I trust. Engines are better for being worked throughout the rev range and generally last longer (much much longer) than those that are 'nursed'.

So is driving 'hard' actually hard? Or just using the engine's full power band?

My Dad will have it that going over 2500rpm is thrashing.
 
Not possible to explore its limits on the road or even get close, I have as much Power as that Cobra;). Can pull 9k in 2nd, 3rd & 4th if I was feeling suicidal but that's 104mph, 154mph & 197mph before I need 5th. Would need a very long straight to explore 5th :D. One persons fast is another's not trying it depends on Power/Torque you have available.
You need a runway to exploit cars with 0ver say 850bhp or you will be in serious trouble on the road. That's why they run events like Vmax so these Hyper cars can flex a few muscles. I don't mind a rep in his BMW overtaking & thinking hes in a fast car it boost his ego & makes me chuckle .
 
Another thing that crossed my mind in favour of what HDi said... I've never really had any engine related issues of any significance with any of my cars and they've always been tuned and always been warned up and then taken through the full rpm range. Apart from when I've stopped using the cars regularly... and they've just done a bit of local work.

The Passat W8 hit the redline daily and was bombproof until it became a second car and got used one a week at the very most. Then stuff started to go wrong rather quickly.

The Audi RS4 was bombproof and spent its life making its way to my raised 9k Rev limiter... but when I got the C63 it became a car I used rarely and didn't really drive hard. Again it started to suffer issues.
 
I think what Rob and I are leaning towards is that there's a huge difference between hard driving (using the full rev and power potential of the engine) and mechanically abusive driving (bouncing off the rev limiter stone cold and then side stepping the clutch, for example.
 
HDi fun said:
I suspect that a repmobile BMW is slightly more comfortable than a 850bhp Cosworth
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Rod's Sapphire is fully unholstered and soundproofed. However, it will still be noisier than the modern BMW but MUCH more fun :) I know which I would chose.
 
Whats been said already, I have always explored the rpm range on all cars I have owned over the last few years.
I don,t see it as thrashing the car and I have never suffered any engine problems in about 20 years.
I have never had any emission problems at m.o.t time either.
 
It is called the rev range fir a reason and there is no harm in using it assuming the car is properly warmed up and serviced etc.
but can be a bit of a problem if you have serious power it just isnt possible to "use the rev range" in a 500 bhp car on the roads on a regular basis without being mad or suicidal.

Of course on a track/strip/airfield................
 
A life of short journeys is horrendous for a car. It's why I take the missuses Yaris to work and back every few weeks. She does literally 3 miles each way to work. TBH sometimes I think she'd actually be better off with an electric car.

Plus there's 99% of drivers out there who have NO IDEA what really goes on under the bonnet and will speed off from stone cold.

Every car I've had I will always let it warm up first before giving it beans.
 
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