I am wondering if I am shifting too low I am shifting at 10, 20, 30, and 40mph is where i usually shift and haven't had a problem with it because I have noticed it acting a little funny when I am doing 50 up a steep hill that it has never had a problem with before though or is the transmission breaking in so it'll shift a little different or am I crazy?

 

i usually rev 1st to 3500rpm + on a normal street start.
2nd through 4th 3K+ depending on traffic.

dont be shy reving the engine. downshifts i blip 5K+ to use engine braking as needed.
(side of foot to blip while braking with toe).

 

What gear are you in when your going up the steep hill at 50? You'd probably have to downshift to at least 4th if you want some acceleration up the incline.

Does the shifting feel clunky or is it harder to shift? Sometimes you have to rev the engine higher to get a smooth shift.

 

yes shift above 5k

 

even with the slightest uphill, I use 4th gear until around 65mph

If you downshift early and build a little momentum, you actually end up saving a bit of gas and do reduce wear and tear on the car since you are not lugging it

 

Don't lug the motor, don't go uphill in 5th.

I shift 2.5k or 3k if i'm just putzing around. I wouldn't really shift according to vehicle speed, then again nobody shifts according to anything except for engine note unless they're new. Which is fine.

It's funny driving around I notice that almost no matter the car, BMW Porsche, Honda, Hyundai, pickup truck, whatever, we are always shifting at almost exactly the same time around town when I listen out the window.

 

If its acting odd going up hill definitely downshift. I am notorious for under revving cars, it just depends on the road, what type of incline or decline.. there are times im in fourth gear by 25/30mph...If its a long down hill followed by a incline ill be in 5th at 25 and let gravity do its thing, just dont try to accelerate hard when lugging. lol all my friends tell me im the only person in the world that drives a Honda like it has a cummins

 

If I'm going 60 and encounter a long slight incline the car slows down to like 50 and I get stuck in an awkward spot in the powerband. It's either lug it in 4th or sometimes I have to downshift to 3rd for a little while to get up to speed and it turns about 4K RPMs. I just hate using so much gas staying in 3rd for a while.

I think its better for the engine though to rev when needed instead of trying to save gas and eventually getting up to speed.

 

I don't think there's really any one correct way to shift, though there are obviously incorrect/poor shift points for certain circumstances. If the engine is lugging or not pulling enough for what you want, downshift; if it seems like it's revving higher than is needed, upshift. It's not exactly rocket science; if you trust your instincts and don't fear to let the engine rev a little, you will probably do just fine.

I tend to shift into 5th at somewhere between 40-50 depending on the terrain. I don't generally have any problem going up moderate hills at 50 in 5th gear—which is not the same as accelerating while climbing them. However, there are a lot of variables—how heavily loaded the car is, what elevation you're at, how fresh and good the gas is, whether the tires are properly inflated or not, to name just a few. (When traversing the rockies, I did have to downshift from 5th to be able to maintain the 70 or 75 mph speed limit on the interstate—due to a combination of the air resistance, the comparatively steep grade, and the high elevations without a turbo.)

 

Amen!

See page 150 of the Owner's Manual and you'll see it suggests upshifting from 1st to 2nd at 15mph/24kph, from 2nd to 3rd at 27mph/43kph, from 3rd to 4th at 39mph/62kph, and from 4th to 5th at 53mph/85kph. I just shift whenever it feels like the engine needs it.

 

Beat me to it...so Ill second this

 

Shifting earlier is a little less wear and tear on the engine then shifting later. Gas mileage can be worse for shifting too early since you are lugging.

I like to shift based on how fast I want to accelerate vs the uphill/downhill grade.

 

There are 2 reasons to shift gears.
1. tokeep the revs down to 1500 to 2000 rpm for better economy or to increase the gear ratio to maximize power
2. to prevent the engine from reving less than 1500 rpm to avoid stalling or lugging the engine or to avoid over reving the engine to avoid engine damage. Sounds like you shift at those speed limits regardless of lugging the engine because you're going uphill.
If the engine is acting funny first stop lugging the engine and see if it gets smoother when you elay upshifting when going uphill. And as your coil paks and spark plugs wear the avaiable torque is less so lugging is avoided. Lugging BTW is when the engine struggles to produce enough power to smoothly propel the vehicle. Its the sound the engine makes whe it can't turn over well enough to make the needed power and it sounds like 'lugging'.. You cannot always up shift or downshift at given speeds.
And of course you must be sure you are shifting correctly and not damaging synchros in the transmission which will indded cause the engine to act funny.