mousecrab

My BMW doesn't like 1st at all unless the car is more or less a complete stop.
I always use 2nd gear when in stop and go traffic but do find the P doesn't like 2nd gear start much.
I've been shifting into 1st when the car is down to around 15KM or so for stop and go. Is that ok or would I add stress on my clutch?
Thanks!

Skibum

Personally I don't think downshifting to 1st in traffic is the best way to go.
I'd go from 3rd to 2nd (at 40 or less in mph), and then when going slow enough, depress clutch and use those big red brakes.

Selo

I never downshift into 1st unless at a virtual stop.

Hella-Buggin'

I have to go down into 1st where I live because of all of the tight corners and steep hills. I do it if I drop below about 15mph and a steep grade is coming. I'll slow down to about 10 mph. It seems to go into 1st fairly easy for me around there.

mousecrab

should made this clear. not down shifting to 1st. it's when the car is rolling slowly at neutral and needs to accelerate. Using 2nd when the car is going at very low speed doesn't feel right with the P. I put it to 1st from neutral when I need to move a bit in slow traffic or parking lot.

aaks38

The 911 doesnt produce enough low end torque to pull away in second unless you really give it a lot of throttle. I came from a vette and in that car you could pull away in second with very little throttle. Youll just have to adjust your driving style.

SARGEPUG

I only downshift into first on my street, when I am coming back from a run. Soley for the reason to hear the exhaust at a higer RPM!

Mike in CA

If I'm "rolling" a stop I'll keep it in 2nd and not downshift to 1st and there is adequate torque for reasonable acceleration in that situation. In very slow stop and go traffic or when starting from a dead stop, however, I engage 1st gear. That's what 1st is for; no reason to slip the clutch with 2nd gear starts or lug the engine while creeping along.

mousecrab

So sounds like following the old school way of not to use first unless at complete stop or less than 5mph or so is still good.

Mike in CA

5mph might be stretching it for continuous "cruising", maybe 10, but in general I'd say yes. If you need max acceleration or are lugging the engine for any reason then you should downshift to 1st. I don't know which 911 you have but the new 3.8 liter engine has 310 lb/ft of torque which is about the same as the V8 in my old Audi S4. The key, of course, is to have the right gear selected for your needs and to avoid lugging. IMO, most of the time at slow speeds 2nd will work fine for that.

96redLT4

Rarely in first except from a complete stop.
Jim

rodsky

With PDK, why cant you go down to first for a very tight hair pin corner at 20MPH or so? does it harm the car?

Mike in CA

You can and it won't harm the car. That said, although I drive my PDK in manual mode most of the time, on track or for serious performance driving I usually leave it in auto mode with Sport or Sport Plus engaged. In the situation you describe, in auto mode, if you nail the throttle coming out of a tight turn PDK will downshift to 1st. OTOH, if you downshift manually to 1st and then try to catch 2nd just right yourself, I guarantee you will be slower. 1st gear is good for about 30mph so you only have 10mph to work with if you're doing 20mph to start. The car accelerates so quickly that you'll barely have downshifted before it's time to upshift. If you're going for max acceleration it's just not possible to beat PDK shifting for itself.

BHMav8r

I typically dont downshift aggressively into 1st - usually gently ask it to engage around 15 to 10 mph while decelerating. More aggressive with 2nd though.

Palmbeacher

If you stress anything it would be the 1st-gear synchro, not the clutch unless you slip the heck out of it.