I also leave my gear indicator on, because I like to know just by looking at the driver information display what gear I'm in without actually having to pop the shifter out of gear. All my cars have had shift indicator lights, but I have always ignored them. They're just suggestions, anyway.

Not wanting to shift when it tells you to shift is the exact same reason we all bought the MT in the first place! If I let the car tell me when to shift, I might as well have bought an automatic!

 

The torque of the B8 2.0T engine is rated 258lb-ft@1500 RPM. With 258 lb-ft, the engine should not feel like lugging @1,600 RPM. I am puzzled...

 

That's precisely my point and that's why I said that I'm struggling with the fact I don't really feel the abundance of torque at 1500-1600 RMP on 5th gear, although the paper value is clearly impressive. I guess that's why I'm asking if everybody has same/similar experience.

I already took the car to the dealer and they said it runs fine, just like a clockwork.

Can anybody convince me that there is nothing wrong with A4 lugging on 5th gear doing 40 MPH when my old 2.3 Accord runs smoothly on the same stretch of road on 5th gear and has no problems accelerating (albeit somewhat slowly), whereas with the A4 I have to downshift to 4th gear in order to increase the speed (simply pressing the gas pedal w/o downshifting causes the engine to lug...).
Yeah, I'm puzzled too.

 

if you want power, at 40 mph, you need to be in 2nd or 3rd. you're not understanding how the gearing works.

 

Agreed... +1

 

There's your problem, you're comparing two different cars. At 40 MPH, you should probably be driving in 4th gear anyway, not 5th. Try driving around town in 4th gear and seeing how the car handles. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

With the A4 (actually, with almost all manual cars), you should only need to be in 5th or 6th when you're over 50 mph or if you're on a freeway/highway. Those are considered cruising gears.

Was your 2.3 Accord a six speed?

 

I've been driving stick for the last 20 years so I dare say I do understand how the gearing works. What's not being understood is rather my question, perhaps because it is not being asked articulately.

I'm not talking about needing the power to ACCELERATE from 40 MPH. I'm talking about CRUISING at 40 MPH at constant speed. My expectation is that with 258 lb-ft torque at 1600 RPM the 5th gear should be the ideal gear but my car is "asking" for the 4th gear (because the engine lugs on the 5th gear). I'm just trying to understand if that's how all the 2.0T engines in the B8 model work or if there is anything wrong with my engine and/or car.

 

I guess we're talking about something that is highly subjective. It's been always my opinion that unless I need the power to accelerate (or keep the engine in high RPM just for joyriding), the ideal cruising gear is the one that does not cause the engine to lug but keeps the RPM low (for better mileage and longevity of the engine). Long-distance 40 MPH cursing on 4th gear does not make much sense to me but that does not mean that it couldn't make sense to others. Also, if that's how the B8 engine & transmission are designed, that's fine, ultimately that's what I'm trying to find out.

The 2.3 Accord has a five speed MT.

 

So you've got conflicting statements then. Does 5th gear on your A4 cause your engine to lug or not? By your own admission, if 5th gear is lugging, you need to be in 4th gear.

 

This thread has been going for awhile without answers, so I looked back and realized that Cyberdude is just asking a general question about the car, not technical theoretical capabilities. So I drove for a week with my car in 5th at cruising at 40mph and 4th at cruising at 40mph.

Yes, Cyberdude, you should cruise in 4th at 40, here's why - better MPG, available power, and handling. I averaged 26mpg in 5th and 28 in 4th. Not sure why, but I asked before if anyone else had the same experience with slightly higher RPMs and better mileage. My guess is the higher RPM keeps the Turbo wound which in turn would require less effort from the engine to keep the car moving. I am not sure of the reason, it’s just a guess; I might be talking out my butt. Either way, I experienced better MPG.

5th gear also didn't provide instant available power, which you might be referring as lugging. I didn't experience straight up lugging, I could get it going when need, but it did take a second to engage. It wasn't like driving up a hill and there was no power at all, but rather a hiccup before moving. 4th had no problems punching it.

Handling, well do I really need to go into that? The car was just way more responsive in 4th. Completely accurate and predictable.

Conclusion: Test it out for yourself and see if you get similar results. Honestly, I could live with power and handling issues if I got better MPG in 5th, but I didn't, so I will take the better MPG, power, and handling and have a more enjoyable ride in 4th.