What to save: clutch and brakes or fuel?

[greenhorn]

When stuck in city traffic, I'm faced with two alternatives. slot into second, rev hard to move forward , and slowing down by just easing off the pedal, and engine braking does the rest. This keeps the engine in the 2k rpm mark, so throttle responses are better and there is more control. This is what i usually do. but mileage suffers as a result and i feel I'm straining the engine , and it runs hot :(

Second alternative. Stick to third. The Indica can pull from almost still in third, with some clutch to keep it from stalling. then coast along for a while with the engine at idle , and then brake when i need to stop. I suppose i save fuel, but then I'm eating up the clutch and brakes, but the car is much more relaxed since it is running at much lower revs.

Which is the correct technique

[androdev]

ask an S-class owner ;-)

in any scenario:
save clutch, brake, fuel (in that order)

btw, i don't think FE will be different in the two styles you mentioned. it is usually the leg-pain vs clutch-wear.

[Nikhilb2008]

Why an S class owner ?

Originally Posted by androdev

ask an S-class owner ;-)

in any scenario:
save clutch, brake, fuel (in that order)

btw, i don't think FE will be different in the two styles you mentioned. it is usually the leg-pain vs clutch-wear.

[greenhorn]

in case 1, my right leg is in use the whole time
in case 2, its the left leg, so leg pain wise , both are the same.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Why an S class owner ?

I suppose because the clutch by itself might cost as much as my car

[tsk1979]

In stop and go traffic use 1st gear and switch to second when speed increases.
If you do what you are doing for long(3rd gear) you would be left without clutch plates soon.
With proper use an indica clutch plate can last 1 lakh km+

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

With proper use an indica clutch plate can last 1 lakh km+

From the Horse's mouth itself...Well Said Tanveer.

--
If you maintain 1st gear for starts from STANDSTILL/'0', mechanicals will be saved. forget FE, 1st the car, then the traffic Vs FE. And why do you bother about that in a Indica, whats your average anyways. If its a V6 Accord/Sonata I can understand (5-7KMPL). so chill out and take good care of the car.

[greenhorn]

Forget the idle starts, thing is , i've felt that there is a certain speed range, i somewhere in the 25-35 kmph range, where the engine revs too much in 2nd, and is just above knocking in 3rd. so i need to shift a lot.

1. Originally Posted by hell_rider

   My only gripe is the band between 30-40 kmph. Its a bit too high for 2'nd gear and too low for the 3'rd gear. At this speed band, in 2'nd gear, engine rpm is at sround 2000 rpm and sounds high pitched, but 3'rd gear does not have sufficient rpm and engine drags. So in traffic conditions like aarey road, there is a lot of 2'nd gear driving, which I am not happy with. I would have preferred it to be in 3'rd where engine sounds much more relaxed.

Pretty much the same problem as hell rider has mentioned here (Indica TCIC - updated - 6500km after 1st service)

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Why an S class owner ?

Price of replacing clutch will be higher with S class

[Rehaan]

Hi Greenhorn,

This has been discussed before - (well, 1st vs 2nd - unlike your 2nd vs 3rd gear, but kindly adjust as per car's toqrue)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...gear-move.html (Do you always use first gear to move on?)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ar-second.html (First gear or Second)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ng-styles.html (Questions on General Driving Styles)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...on-needed.html (First gear clutch release operation in MPFI cars - clarification needed!)

Please continue the discussion in the most appropriate thread.
Thanks,
R