Using tiptronic to save gas?

I have a 2000 Honda Prelude with a tiptronic and I've been shifting the car into 4th gear as early as the computer will let me. This has indeed improved my mileage. I drive around the streets most of the week. But does this have any negative effects on the car? Just wondering.

Short shifting is standard technique for saving gas. Because the engine is spinning at lower RPM, also the water pump is spinning at lower RPM so cooling is less effective, so this may be fine in average weather on flat ground, but if you have to drive on hills in hot weather you don't want to short shift as you risk overheating. Won't harm the car.

As long as you are light on the gas, going into a higher gear sooner isn't a problem. And if you are trying for economy, you will light on the gas anyway.

Modern cars it's hard to beat the computer at the economy game, and my Toyota simply won't shift up until the computer says so. You can tap it through to 6th, and it will just change up normally as you gain speed.

But I'm not sure how the gears are controlled in the old Honda. Maybe you can persuade it to change up a bit sooner, and save a bit of gas. Either way, it's not harming the car.

Won't harm the car.

As long as you are light on the gas, going into a higher gear sooner isn't a problem. And if you are trying for economy, you will light on the gas anyway.

Modern cars it's hard to beat the computer at the economy game, and my Toyota simply won't shift up until the computer says so. You can tap it through to 6th, and it will just change up normally as you gain speed.

But I'm not sure how the gears are controlled in the old Honda. Maybe you can persuade it to change up a bit sooner, and save a bit of gas. Either way, it's not harming the car.

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