What's Your Car's Minimum Speed?

"KirkyV" (KirkyV) 12/09/2015 at 19:09 • Filed to: None

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62

That is to say, the slowest it can go without you having to use the clutch. (I imagine this works differently on automatics, so you guys get more or less infinite slow.)

To start off, mine’s a fairly standard 5MPH. I’ve become very well-acquainted with this rate of travel since starting uni in a city with some of the worst congestion in Kent.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:13

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About 5mph too, it’s a bit juddery though.

HammerheadFistpunch > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:14

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The cruiser has a pretty low min speed (auto and low range) but the sportwagen is pretty high, like 5-7 mph. as soon as you let off the clutch...you’re off. I can get to 30 mph pretty easy without using the gas. 1st to 7, 2nd takes me up to about 18 and 3rd to 30 while never leaving idle

KirkyV > HammerheadFistpunch 12/09/2015 at 19:16

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In fifth, I can be close to idle at around 35, but above that the revs start to climb pretty quickly. It’s only a 1.1, after all.

jkm7680 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:17

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I can pull off three or so without having to use the clutch.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/09/2015 at 19:18

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I used to get a lot of that, but I’ve had to get pretty good at maintaining just the right level of accelerator to keep it from happening while still holding at around idle since morning traffic in Canterbury became a regular thing for me. Still happens sometimes, though—I’m sure it’s mostly me, but I occasionally get the impression it’s influenced by how warm the engine is.

KirkyV > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:19

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Ooh, that must be nice when you’re stuck in a jam.

jkm7680 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:21

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Which is pretty much every day.

Worst part of my commute is a relatively steep uphill section where the traffic is stop and go. The first gear in my A6 is relatively short, making it a giant pain to constantly have to go between first and second on an incline.

Übel > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:22

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The GTI mins out around 3-4 if I’m willing to tolerate some really low RPMs. The Karmann Ghia I have no idea because the speedometer doesn’t go below 10mph.

HammerheadFistpunch > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:23

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If my math is accurate in low range at idle (750 rpm) I will travel 1406 tire revolutions in an hour, at 103 inches traveled per revolution, thats something on the order of 2.28 mph. This is in the land cruiser, btw. I can go slower because of the torque converter, but if it was a manual and I had the same ratios that’s what it would be

TheHondaBro > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:23

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I’ve definitely seen excess of 5 MPH in drive and 0% throttle.

Tekamul > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:27

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A solid 4mph, based on the digital speedo in my FR-S.

they-will-know-my-velocity > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:28

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On the GTO the minimum is 10mph. Any dip below that starts some unpleasant vibrations. It’ll do it down to 5 without me revving it but it’s not fun. Traffic isn’t great with an almost gone clutch.

HammerheadFistpunch > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:28

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Turns out I was wrong, at least according to the math. The sportwagen TDI can go as slow 3.75 miles per hour. 12.8:1 gear reduction means 5o tire revolutions per minute at 65o rpm (idle), means 3046 tire revolutions per hour at 78 inches per revolution is 237656 inches which is 3.75 mph.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:30

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I rarely encounter traffic, my average speed on my commute is somewhere around 60mph, so I havent had to creep in first very much haha.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:31

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3-4 mph with my CVT I think, never really thought about this to be honest.

Min speed for my car is naught though. ;)

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > HammerheadFistpunch 12/09/2015 at 19:32

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I only recently discovered that the car will happily idle along at around 5mph in first and 10mph in second with no throttle input whatsoever... After driving it for the past 5 years and 100k miles

KirkyV > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 12/09/2015 at 19:32

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I suppose it’s more noticeable in a manual ‘cause you have to start juggling with the clutch below a certain point. Makes ultra-slow traffic more annoying.

HammerheadFistpunch > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen 12/09/2015 at 19:33

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Yeah 2nd at 10 is a real benefit for parking lots and such

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:34

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This. I sit in 2nd a lot because 1st is worthless.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/09/2015 at 19:34

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Ah, I miss those days. The actual trip to Canterbury’s mostly alright, as long as I don’t get stuck behind a lorry or someone going incredibly slowly for some reason - it’s almost all B-roads - but once you’re actually in town things slow down pretty dramatically.

KirkyV > they-will-know-my-velocity 12/09/2015 at 19:34

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Yeah, that doesn’t sound comfortable.

KirkyV > Tekamul 12/09/2015 at 19:35

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My speedo can be off by almost five MPH once you get above thirty, so I am guesstimating somewhat.

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 12/09/2015 at 19:35

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#AudiThings

How’s the A4 btw?

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > HammerheadFistpunch 12/09/2015 at 19:36

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Also for moving forward in long, slow moving lines at malls haha

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:36

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Likely. No real help that my speedo doesn’t really move until you’re at I believe 5mph. Strange gap between 0-15 mph I believe it is.

KirkyV > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:38

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My first is pretty short, too - I think the idea is that, with as little power as I have, you want to have a lot of torque available in first to get going on an incline when fully loaded/towing - but I don’t have any particularly lengthy slow, inclined sections on my morning commute.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:39

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According to my calculations, 1.2 MPH, which sounds stupid low so I’m probably wrong.

miadaman? yes please > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:39

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My speedo doesn’t work below around 5 mph (metric), so sir, 0 mph is how slow my car can go without touching clutch.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:40

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My isuzu in low range is 2.32 mph in first in low range according to the Internet . Mazda 3 is about 5 mph then it’s not to happy.

KirkyV > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 12/09/2015 at 19:40

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Something to do with the low range gearbox, maybe? I don’t know much about proper off-roaders.

thebigbossyboss > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:41

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Probably about 6 mph before I have to start engaging the clutch.

davedave1111 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/09/2015 at 19:41

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Most engines can run a little below idle speed under load without stalling, so I’d guess you can even go a bit slower.

Sneaky Pete > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:43

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Fit is pretty slow, I’d guess 2-3 mph.

Viper is not, I’d guess it’s around 10 mph.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:43

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It’s good. No real problems to report. I’m itchy to buy so fun bits for it but I am having a hard justifying the costs when I’m not sure how much longer I’ll have it.

When you are you going to show Oppo the rides?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:46

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Yeh, low range 1st with the 4.7 diff on 32 inch tyres at 700rpm. 1.1764mph, apparently.

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 12/09/2015 at 19:47

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Get some fun stuff! Fun stuff is best stuff!

I’m actually not sure when I’ll show it, haha. Probably after I get new wheels for it. I’m planning on taking a cross country trip with it over the summer, after that I’ll probably end up with a B8 A4.

davedave1111 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:47

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If I put the Camry in first and let the revs drop to idle, I can actually slow down even more by braking and still not stall. Lowest steady speed must be about ~4mph, but I’ve had it down to an almost complete stop (trying to let the traffic in front move off) and then let the brake out and it pulled away just fine without touching the accelerator.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:47

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The WRX with the comp clutch couldn’t really go much below 8 without lugging, and you needed to get up to 10 to get the clutch engaged. It was a pain in the ass in traffic. The BMW is a much more standard 5 or so...way easier to deal with.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:49

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I know I want wheel and a slight drop. Which wouldn’t break the bank. But my luck with this car is just so bad. I know the second I do this something catastrophic will go wrong. The Mrs. needs a new rig first and that’s what I need to focus on.

How far West are you coming?

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:49

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Mine is crazy its like around 20 MPH (auto trans btw)

davedave1111 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:50

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“I occasionally get the impression it’s influenced by how warm the engine is.”

It is. Not sure about newer cars, but older cars used to have variable idle speeds depending on temperature. Cold engines have more resistance to turning, due to things like colder, thicker oil. I’m not sure, but I think there’s also a thermodynamic effect, where you’re losing energy to warm a cold engine, and that takes away energy to turn the thing over - although I have no idea if that’s significant or negligible.

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 12/09/2015 at 19:52

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What kinda wheels? The more you modify an Audi, the more you’ll want to. That’s what I’ve learned from mine. Keep up with routine maintenance, and it’ll pay you back!

I’m planning on heading out to San Fransisco through the southwest to visit family and coming back through SLC and Denver to visit family friends. That’s if I can take leave...

Jonathan Harper > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 19:53

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People ask me all the time, “What’s the slowest you’ve ever driven?”

I answer with a smile, “My lawyer won’t let me answer that question.”

KirkyV > davedave1111 12/09/2015 at 19:53

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That’s really impressive—my car would’ve either stalled, or bucked into the back of the car in front if I’d tried that.

Also, you have a Camry? In the UK? Man, that’s a rare car over here.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 19:55

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Probably nothing crazy. Maybe some TSW Nurburgring or RASSCASSE.

Nice. That should be a fun drive.

KirkyV > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe 12/09/2015 at 19:55

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How’s that even work on an auto? I’m assuming it won’t stall or buck if you go below 20.

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 12/09/2015 at 19:58

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Both good choices! Do eeet!

I hope so! I’ll need 02 sensors and some AC work before I manage to go out though. My travel companion doesn’t trust the A6 though...

HammerheadFistpunch > davedave1111 12/09/2015 at 20:09

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In the cruiser yes in the Volkswagen no that sucker LOVES to stay at 650

davedave1111 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 20:12

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Huh, did you miss that one?

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/camrys-are-now…

Just coming up to a year at the end of January. Not just rare, they were rare here to start with. There are barely any left.

Oddly enough, since I’ve had it I’ve seen two others. One was in really nice condition, but when I went back the next day to grab a pic of the two together, it wasn’t there anymore. The other was rather ratty, but the identical colour to mine. I almost jumped up and ran outside thinking someone had stolen my car, when I saw it drive past, but on second look it was clearly much worse.

ETA: the bigger engine and low-down torque in a body not much heavier than your Pug’s makes life a lot easier.

KirkyV > davedave1111 12/09/2015 at 20:17

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Yeah, completely missed it. Looking at the post date, I’m pretty sure I know why, too: you got your Camry - or, at least, posted on Oppo about it - on my birthday!

Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in person before. It’s actually a surprisingly elegant - in a conservative sort of way - design, looking at it there.

I feel like owning a given car means you’re all but guaranteed to catch sight of every other example on the road, no matter how rare.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 20:29

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My dad had a diesel, 6 speed, 4wd ram, low range, 1st gear redlined at 2.5mph.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 20:35

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Starred for the gif of a tarpaulin in the wind.

Smarts in North America have a bit of creep programmed into the transmission, so it’s possible to scoot around a parking lot slowly in forward or reverse without using the accelerator. Once I start using the accelerator, however, I get a bit of bucking/lugging until about 5-6 mph, when the computer seems to engage the clutch.

Opposite Locksmith > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 20:50

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6-7 with lurchy lurch thanks to low compression boxer engine

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 20:53

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Yeah it’s fine under those speeds. But If I put in drive and don’t brake it’ll creep up to about 20 by itself.

davedave1111 > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 21:19

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“you got your Camry - or, at least, posted on Oppo about it - on my birthday!”

I think that was when I bought it on Ebay, and I picked it up a few days later. Come to think of it, it’s been such an uneventful ownership experience that I don’t think I’ve posted about it again - except the one about fixing the hole in the silencer.

I like the looks too. They’ve grown on me. Smart more than particularly good-looking. I wonder if the elegance - or whatever it is - comes from our brains naturally seeing the aerodynamics inherent in that kind of shape.

“I feel like owning a given car means you’re all but guaranteed to catch sight of every other example on the road, no matter how rare.”

For sure. And from prior experience, there are >100,000 selling cars you never even noticed existed before you buy one. The first car I ever bought was a Toyota Carina E. I had to look up what the Carina was when I saw the ad - it had been Toyota’s best-selling car when new. Ever since I bought it I’ve seen them all over the place, although in dwindling numbers now.

CompactLuxuryFan > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 21:27

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Never paid attention to the exact speed, but it feels pretty high on my B7 A4. Luckily Bay Area traffic rarely crawls that slowly, I almost never have to go down to 1st.

My brother used to have a Renault Twingo (an uncle has it now), and Colombian spec Renaults have always had “mountain” gearboxes with incredibly short gearing, so that one was great in slow crawling traffic. It could practically stand still. Hit the fuel cutoff at like 34 kph in 1st.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 12/09/2015 at 21:34

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Get those sorted you should be good. Wish you were headed this way. But SF to Seattle is a long ride.

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 12/09/2015 at 21:51

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Yup, I’d love to make it up to the PNW at some point though.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 22:04

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We have a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 dually at work with the 5.9L Cummins diesel and 6-speed manual. If the bed is empty and you aren’t towing anything, it will go to all the way to idle without stalling and just creep along at under 1 mph. It’s a weird sensation to get used to. Even in second gear you can get going from a stop in by just slowly letting out the clutch without touching the accelerator. Heck, I don’t even use first unless I’m towing or off-road.

My Forester on the other hand barely gets below 10 mph before it starts to shudder.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 22:11

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This feels relevant here.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > KirkyV 12/09/2015 at 23:48

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car easily idles at 900 in 5th at around 50 Km/h, a 5 km/h crawl in 1st isn’t out of the question.

Berang > KirkyV 12/10/2015 at 01:22

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I don’t know. Slower than walking in the Saab 96. It will even idle up hills in 1st. 1st is super low, like the granny gear on old trucks. Too slow to register on the analogue speedometer.