First Report on 6 Speed--Drove it Home!!

[Billy]

Can you get heated seats on cloth interior?

Yes.

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[robplumm]

Interesting on the clutch. Coming from a TJ to a JK was a HUGE difference. The catch point is so low on the JK comparatively. It's worked "up" over the last 5 years with use...but I can't tell you how many times the wife and I stalled the damn thing initially. The TJ catch point was just so much higher...like near the top of t

 

[Flyguy81]

You bum!

Heck yeah!

 

[zyt]

I just picked up my manual JL last night and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I've been driving a manual 06 Miata for about 8 years, it always shift super smooth and it is a blast to drive around. I know it is unfair to compare JL vs miata, but they are the only two manual transmissions I've driven.

Clutch: I am totally surprised on JL's clutch. It is short, effortless, and even better than miata.
Shifter: obviously it is longer throw comparing to a sports car, gears are not quiet as clear as Miata, but both are totally expected. Shifter nob is really nice quality, and it is the same as Rubi's. I was actually expecting a cheaper version on my sports model. That nob is a great touch. Reverse is super easy as well. There is no rattling on the shifter what so ever. So simply put, I think this 6sp is as good as the 6sp on my Miata. JL has much more torque which makes its manual easier to drive than Miata's.

Things I am still adjusting:
Miata is very Rev happy, the best and smoothest shifting happens around 3000-3500 RPM just for normal drive around town.
I've never driven a V6 before, so I haven't figure out the best RPM for shifting. I shift around 2500 rpm on JL, then I found myself cruising around 65mph at 2200 rpm, but I was still on 5th gear. Should I shift it into 6th and run at a lower rpm?

@DanW if you could chime in what speed/rmp you normally shift, it'd be much appreciated.

Miata has a left foot rest petal (area) where JL doesn't. I do feel the space is a bit tight around the arm rest on the left door. I comfortably fit in Miata, but felt JL's door is too close to my left arm.

A couple side note:
My premium soft top also drips a stream of rain water when opening the door Water is coming from some sort of channel under the cloth top material. I think the water on hard top is from a gutter.
I will play around with the soft top when it is a bit warmer outside. Miata's manual convertible top can be lowered/raised in less than 2 seconds all while sitting in the driver's seat! It is safe to say JL top operating will not beat that time. :cwl:

 

[FrenchSSGTMike]

Cruising with my V6 Mustang is around 1500rpm, 2500 seems too high, and sounds like 6th gear would make more sense, but to me it’s more a thing I feel/hear, so hard to tell precisely while I don’t have my JL yet

 

[DanW]

I just picked up my manual JL last night and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I've been driving a manual 06 Miata for about 8 years, it always shift super smooth and it is a blast to drive around. I know it is unfair to compare JL vs miata, but they are the only two manual transmissions I've driven.

Clutch: I am totally surprised on JL's clutch. It is short, effortless, and even better than miata.
Shifter: obviously it is longer throw comparing to a sports car, gears are not quiet as clear as Miata, but both are totally expected. Shifter nob is really nice quality, and it is the same as Rubi's. I was actually expecting a cheaper version on my sports model. That nob is a great touch. Reverse is super easy as well. There is no rattling on the shifter what so ever. So simply put, I think this 6sp is as good as the 6sp on my Miata. JL has much more torque which makes its manual easier to drive than Miata's.

Things I am still adjusting:
Miata is very Rev happy, the best and smoothest shifting happens around 3000-3500 RPM just for normal drive around town.
I've never driven a V6 before, so I haven't figure out the best RPM for shifting. I shift around 2500 rpm on JL, then I found myself cruising around 65mph at 2200 rpm, but I was still on 5th gear. Should I shift it into 6th and run at a lower rpm?

@DanW if you could chime in what speed/rmp you normally shift, it'd be much appreciated.

Miata has a left foot rest petal (area) where JL doesn't. I do feel the space is a bit tight around the arm rest on the left door. I comfortably fit in Miata, but felt JL's door is too close to my left arm.

A couple side note:
My premium soft top also drips a stream of rain water when opening the door Water is coming from some sort of channel under the cloth top material. I think the water on hard top is from a gutter.
I will play around with the soft top when it is a bit warmer outside. Miata's manual convertible top can be lowered/raised in less than 2 seconds all while sitting in the driver's seat! It is safe to say JL top operating will not beat that time. :cwl:

When just cruising around, I'll usually upshift around 2500. From first to 2nd, though, it might be closer to 2800 or 3000, just because it gets there so fast. There is a big gap from 3rd to 4th, so I may go a little higher there, but for cruising, I like to be around 1800 rpms. For the highway, I'll cruise at 55 in 5th and go to 6th if I accelerate to anything 60 or above. I do't accelerate in 6th, though. I go to it once I am at whatever cruising speed desired, again, above 60.

I'm still getting used to this. With my JK, it is all by feel after 120,000 miles. The feel on this thing is waaay different. I'm still learning what this engine likes and wants. I'm also fighting the urge to nail it after every stop. This thing likes to rev and be run hard! It is just too fun, even with 35's. What a machine! I haven't had this much fun going through the gears since my Solstice. It had an awesome gearbox/shifter/clutch, and a fun engine, but this one has the whole package, with an engine that is much more fun because it pulls hard through almost the entire RPM band.

This thing is as fun on a twisty road as it will be on a trail!

 

[DanW]

@zyt Have you tried 4 low in 1st gear yet? It will absolutely blow your mind! You could slither on your belly faster than that thing can crawl at idle! I think it could idle up a cliff, and pull a house off its foundation! I can't wait to get this thing into the rocks in Colorado or Moab!

 

[macintux]

@zyt Have you tried 4 low in 1st gear yet? It will absolutely blow your mind! You could slither on your belly faster than that thing can crawl at idle! I think it could idle up a cliff, and pull a house off its foundation! I can't wait to get this thing into the rocks in Colorado or Moab!

Zyt doesn’t have the Rubicon gearing, so it crawls faster. About 50% faster if my math is correct.

 

[DanW]

Zyt doesn’t have the Rubicon gearing, so it crawls faster. About 50% faster if my math is correct.

Ahh. I'll bet it is still good with that super short 1st gear. It probably feels like a JK Rubicon.

 

[zyt]

Cruising with my V6 Mustang is around 1500rpm, 2500 seems too high, and sounds like 6th gear would make more sense, but to me it’s more a thing I feel/hear, so hard to tell precisely while I don’t have my JL yet

Thanks! It makes sense that I should shift into 6th gear on highway driving around 65 mph. I only averaged 18 MPG with an hour of highway driving switching back and forth between 5th and 6th.

 

[zyt]

When just cruising around, I'll usually upshift around 2500. From first to 2nd, though, it might be closer to 2800 or 3000, just because it gets there so fast. There is a big gap from 3rd to 4th, so I may go a little higher there, but for cruising, I like to be around 1800 rpms. For the highway, I'll cruise at 55 in 5th and go to 6th if I accelerate to anything 60 or above. I do't accelerate in 6th, though. I go to it once I am at whatever cruising speed desired, again, above 60.

I'm still getting used to this. With my JK, it is all by feel after 120,000 miles. The feel on this thing is waaay different. I'm still learning what this engine likes and wants. I'm also fighting the urge to nail it after every stop. This thing likes to rev and be run hard! It is just too fun, even with 35's. What a machine! I haven't had this much fun going through the gears since my Solstice. It had an awesome gearbox/shifter/clutch, and a fun engine, but this one has the whole package, with an engine that is much more fun because it pulls hard through almost the entire RPM band.

This thing is as fun on a twisty road as it will be on a trail!

Thanks for your feedback. A couple more days for me to get a better feel of the engine and gearbox would help big time. I think the car is learning my throttle habits as well.
Definitely agree with you that a 6sp JL will be just as much fun as Miata/Solstice and any other roadsters. For anyone who's considering the 6sp, you should definitely get it. It is also a good car to learn how to drive a manual! Maybe getting a used JL in a couple of years if you planning to learn on it.

I haven't tried 4 Low yet. The power of 3.6 V6 alone is overwhelming for me to adjust. :cwl: I am sure 4 low would below me away.

 

[McCloude]

I got to test drive the manual this past weekend. I currently drive an ecoboost mustang. But drove a RX7 / RX8 in previous years. The arm rest positions the hand nice. It was very comfortable. It only took me the test drive to figure the clutch out. Compared to the mustang, it "grabs" higher up from the floor, and I needed to get use to slowing down my shifts. It feels more like the clutch from the RX8. Overall, good experience and it confirms that I'll order a manual. That first gear though... you shift out of it quick.

For those in MD, Adams Jeep in APG has the manual I drove.

 

[wanderer]

What about starting in second. Is second too high?

 

[COBill]

What about starting in second. Is second too high?

In what situation?

In my TJ, for 2H and 4H you would start in first but in 4L I never found a situation where it wasn't better to start in second.

 

[JeepFan]

... It is also a good car to learn how to drive a manual!

Coordinating the clutch release and the gas pedal is the hardest part for someone who is just learning to drive a stick. I've found you can really reduce frustration by having them begin on DIRT in LOW range. Then it's very hard to kill the engine while they are first learning the clutch. After they get the hang of that, then I have them switch to HIGH range - but still on loose ground. Of course this is more forgiving than pavement because it's easier to spin the wheels a little if they release the clutch to quickly or don't give it enough gas. Once they get good at starting up smoothly, then we work on shifting; and finally I let them take to the pavement.

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