Transition from 5spd to 6spd

[sls8207]

I think it was a 6 cyl but those things aren't really geared for highways anyway. I haven't heard anything good about it from the owner regarding speed and acceleration, but that's not what it's made for.

[AHTOXA]

I guess it's strange to me because I've owned a 6-speed Wrangler and even after large offroad tires and other added weight, I've never had issues with power.

[sls8207]

I guess so. The owner came from a muscle car right before it so that's probably why they're complaining about speed.

[Rope-Pusher]

The owner came from a muscle car

Fickset

[watkins]

Tonebone, the JK with the 3.8 is awful. Even at highway speeds I have to downshift to 4th just to make it up some hills, and definitely need to downshift to pass with any semblance of speed. Worst combination of (lack of a) power band and gearing I have ever come across, hands down. The Pentastar isn't much better.

[tankinbeans]

I went from a 6 speed down to a 5 speed and constantly catch myself reaching for the shifter on the freeway to find my imaginary 6th gear. I've grown very fond of the reverse lockout/whatever is put in there to prevent the shift from 5th to reverse.

Power is similar, and gas mileage went up 10 percent so overall I don't necessarily miss the 6th gear. I do hear that the transmission in my Focus is slightly old tech, but no biggie. It works nicely for me.

[AHTOXA]

Tonebone, the JK with the 3.8 is awful. Even at highway speeds I have to downshift to 4th just to make it up some hills, and definitely need to downshift to pass with any semblance of speed. Worst combination of (lack of a) power band and gearing I have ever come across, hands down. The Pentastar isn't much better.

Thinking about it more - I see it now. My personal experience was with a 4.10 rear end. Standard JK rear is what 3.7something, right? That would explain it.

[watkins]

The same hills I have to downshift for in a JK I dont have to downshift for driving my own car. Dont even hit boost.

[sls8207]

Tonebone, the JK with the 3.8 is awful. Even at highway speeds I have to downshift to 4th just to make it up some hills, and definitely need to downshift to pass with any semblance of speed. Worst combination of (lack of a) power band and gearing I have ever come across, hands down. The Pentastar isn't much better.

Really? I love the Pentastar's power in the new Grand Cherokees even though they're all autos.

[watkins]

The Grand Cherokee is a different animal.

[rml605]

The Grand Cherokee is a different animal.

It sure is..

[Rope-Pusher]

It was determined that the Jeep tested in the previous post was overloaded.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/29/2012 ... oose-test/

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/20 ... -test.html

[Shadow]

Wow, blowing tires left and right. LOL

Those Grands appear to have the 20-inch wheels and low-profile rubber. I wonder how it would have responded on the 18" wheels, or even the 17" wheels that come on the base model. That might just be one more reason not to put 20-inch wheels on a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

[Bill B]

I remember driving my old 4 speed VW Beetle after having driven a 5 speed for while, and by force of habit trying to shift into 5th when there wasn't one. I have never owned a 6 speed, but probably will sometime in the future as long as they keep making them.

Congrats on the new car. Having a 6th gear shouldn't really be any different from your old 5-speed, other than the fact that you might not "remember" that you have another gear to shift into after you're in 5th. With my car, I can actually use 6th gear even on the back roads as long as I'm going at least 30 mph. Any lower than that and I don't bother shifting into 6th gear.

[daleadbull]

I would love to own a 7 speed, but I need a Porsche 911 or a Corvette for that. lol