So on my way home 2 am in the morning, this 06 g35 coupe (auto) decides to tailgate my 3g Type s (auto). I usually dont like to abuse my car but this prick was being an asshole. So I floored my car and redlined it. By then i was 10 car length ahead of him. Now that i think of it, it was very stupid of me. I basically just wasted gas and abused my car. I'm no expert about cars so please feel free to correct me. I heard that cars have to be abused sometimes. Its not necessarily a bad thing to floor the gas and abuse it. Doing it often can hurt the car but doing it once in a bluemoon can actually help the car. Feedbacks?

 

i'm no expert on the matter either, but just to chime in: i've actually heard the same thing. as long as it's well maintained along with the "abuse", i'd imagine you'd be alright; "slight abuse", and nothing major. prime example, i have a friend that owns an old v6 honda accord. he said back in the day, he pounded the crap out of the engine. today, she still purrs and doesn't rattle like the majority of the same generation accords. well maintained, but beat on every now and then seems to have been the key???

 

taking the car to redline isn't that bad for it unless the car is cold (no lubrication for parts) or if the improper grade of gas is being used. Redlining the car is actually good for it sometimes, it allows the car to blow out any gunk stuck on the cats, valves, etc. and as well keeps the seals properly seated, etc.

 

oh well this is good to hear since the same thing happened to me except it was a benz

 

The TL has a rev limiter, so if you inadvertently go past redline, it will cut the power to prevent damage to the engine. My other car is an RX-7, which revs right up and has a buzzer to warn you when you approach the redline (and on the rotary engine, high revs don't have the same detrimental effect that they do on a piston engine). I hit the TL's rev limiter once after driving the RX-7 for several days and it was STARTLING. I basically forgot that the TL doesn't have the warning buzzer. You'll know instantly if you go too high. I'm not saying you should ever go past redline, of course, but it's good to know that in a pinch you can stomp on it with no worries.

Just don't do it if the engine is cold. When I learned to drive the rule of thumb was not to go above around 3,500 to 4,000 rpm on a cold engine. Don't know if that's still true, but it seems like a sound rule to follow in my view.

 

hitting the redline won't damage your car, but make sure your engine is completely warmed up before you push it.

 

I am sure I speak for a lot of guys in here when I say I redline all the time...usually shift a few hundred rpms before the limiter. The vtec is built for it so as you long as you wait for the temp to warm up and your oil is always fresh, there is no worries. I spoke to alot of mechanics, they all say the same.

 

It's hard to hurt a Honda engine...

 

Interesting, I do the opposite when someone tails me. I either ignore the fucker and continue on cruise, or I'll slow down to piss him off.

Also, how do you know he was an auto?

 

If he had a manual and shifted in the wrong gear, the engine would be history. There was a guy here a little while back who thought he downshifted to 4th and ended up in 2nd. He let up on the clutch fast and that was all she wrote. Automatics wont let you over-rev it.

 

Why not just get out of the way?

 

single lane road = FAIL I usually move out of the way if there's more than one way, if not just go the limit and be done. If he wants to overtake he/she can.

 

I never drive in the left lane except to pass. If someone tailgates me in any other lane, I will not speed up nor move over because the tailgater can go left to pass (or right, if I'm driving in the UK, but people there are much better drivers than in the US). Dealing with tailgaters is one time the TL is truly priceless because of how the windscreen washer nozzles are aimed a little high. Someone tailgates, I flick on the washers. The fluid or spray invariably goes up over the car and hits the tailgater's windscreen, and 99% of the time he'll back off in surprise.

If I'm on a two-lane road, with passing over the centre line, I'll try to pull as far right onto the paved shoulder (if there is one) as I can when the guy behind me wants to pass, although I will neither slow down nor speed up. Seems to me it does me no harm to help the guy pass. Truck and RV drivers routinely do this on the Trans-Canada Highway, and most drivers I've encountered in Mexico also do it. Makes for a much more pleasant time on a two-lane road, but unfortunately (a) most state highway departments don't use paved shoulders (Texas is a notable exception) and (b) most Americans don't have the sense to help people pass as they seem to think it's some sort of personal insult if someone wants to go faster.

 

Just to be clear, it is not abusing the engine to run it to redline (unless the engine has not been fully warmed up).

 

Because 9/10 times it's happened, I was in the RIGHT lane doing speed limit + 5 or 10 and because there was more than enough opportunity to enter the LEFT lane which is used for passing.

People slowing the left lane up is one of my biggest pet peeves. I wouldn't go do it myself.

 

when you are shifting at soon as the car reaches redline it will double tap, or single tap, depending how soon you shifted

in the auto tl it usually double taps, the manual you can single tap since it gives you the most control, a double tap is just as good tho

it is when you ride the car at redline that you encouter problems
ie. shift to second then take it to redline, and bang bang bang bang bang bang then shift
something as dump as that can pretty much kiss your valves good buy


ps. gotta love new york drivers eh? they all think they've got muscle

 

Trying to understand, what do you mean by "tap"? Are you refering to the slight jolt sensation felt when you hit the rev limiter? If I'm racing and want to sqeeze every last ounce of power out of the TL I usually try to ride the entire RPM band as much as I can, especially the 2nd and 3rd gears shifting right before the rev limiter.

 

Ditto... and tailgater's are my pet peeve. I used to drive a lot faster than I do now, so I know what it feels like when someone won't get out of your way. As a result, I always get out of the way as fast as possible. If someone is tailgating me and not giving me a chance to get out of the way, it is really frustrating.

 

I don't understand the point of tailgating someone when you can just drive around them. If your car is fast, why not just pass the driver ahead of you?

People can be so strange sometimes.

 

i think the g35 was trying to egg him on into speeding up and then possibly racing.. usually thats it when u get sports cars on ur ass like that

 

^ werd


and FYI, i beat the hell outta my car. runs like a champ.

i just personally change my oil over 2000 miles, just to be safe

 

No, I realize what the driver behind is trying to do. But it's just so pointless, if the driver in front is prepared to duel, you'll know it if he speeds up when you try and pass.

Anyway, I guess I'm just against racing on the street.

 

I bought my car with 58,000 (previous owner was an older gentleman who made a long highway commute everyday), 27,000 miles of "hard driving" later with religious maintenance with no problems so far.

 

Basically, the g35 wanted to race. I don't really like to race either. Its pointless. I guess i wanted to test how fast my TL-s can go. I'm satisfied =)

 

ok, I've gotta chime on this one because I HATE tailgaters. I usually do not even get that mad unless they are so close to me I cannot see the headlights on thier car. I do not drive slow so there is no reason for anyone to follow me that close!!
Normally I will just drive really slow to piss them off and I like to clean my windshield a lot depends what kind of mood I am in.

 

My sentiments exactly. Years ago when I moved to Canada and wanted a Canadian drivers license I took a driver education course (even though I'd been driving for years) because it lowered my insurance premiums. The instructor gave me a great tip: Gently touch your brake pedal with your left foot - just enough to put on brake lights. At the same time, accelerate with your right foot. The tailgater will back off and you'll open up the space. Works every time!!! Sometimes I do it but I downshift first so I can accelerate fast - confuses the hell out of the tailgater

 

yea dude the tp is the jolt... right before the rev limiter is perfect

besides if you look at dyno's for our car, its better to shift before you bang anyway

 

Yeah that would be I. It happened 2 years ago, 4th gear popped out when I lifted off the clutch, when I went to re-engage it I hit 2nd instead of 4th.....that type of redline will cause you oh, about $4100 worth of damage....2 new heads due to bent valves. P.S. my car still pops out of 3rd and 4th gear even after bringing it to the dealer numerous times.

 

if i floored the car several times does it affect it that much, when it was cold? im trying to not do it anymore but i already have done it a couple times is my engine ruined?

Also what could possibly happen if you constantly redline it when is really cold?

 

^ It was said earlier the thread.

"taking the car to redline isn't that bad for it unless the car is cold (no lubrication for parts)"

No lubrication for internals = bad, obviously.

 

Thats great info man...I tend to baby my car a bit (it's not like I drive like a grandma by any strech of the imagination) but now i guess I'll open it up once in a while...appreciate it

 

so when you guys say once in a while, do you mean, once a week redline it, once a day, once a month, etc...

 

i take mine up in the powerband every day i drive to work...

cant help myself on the straights

 

Only when I'm running from the cops

 

me too...meee too!!! my drive is too long not to make the most out of it. as long as i have money to spend on gas i will hear the purr every day

 

I only floor it when i'm hyper or when im late. Other than that, i dont go beyond 4K rpm.

 

In honesty, there is no time frame in which to hit redline, your best bet would be to take advantage of 1.90 for premium and drive like you stole it when you can, safely. The days of 1.90 for premium aren't going to last long, take advantage of it before it goes away!

 

^ Agreed.

I take mine to redline almost everyday .

 

i take mine to redline everyday but sometimes go past it. i believe my redline is 6.5 on my car but the limiter isnt until 7.2. will this cause damage if i got to 7?

 

Haha... so the truth comes out with the redlining... love it!! I'm guilty as well!