Club 80-90 Forums

I'm a Newbie van owner - with only car driving experience.
The previous owner of my T25 (1990 Holdsworth with 5-speed gear box and 2100cc petrol engine) told me that I should treat gears 2-5 like a standard H-shift gearbox and only use 1st gear if I am starting on a hill ? I have been adopting this driving style - generally just using gears 2-5 - and it seems to work fine. I do indeed find that the only time that I need to use 1st gear is if I'm on an incline.
However, I have a nagging doubt running around at the back of my mind as to whether this is indeed the "correct driving style" or whether I am just rapidly going to wear out my clutch ? Any advice from you experienced van owner will be much appreciated !

If it were me i'd use it, my car has a 5spd box but i wouldn't pull away in second gear in that

On my empty (ie non camper) caravelle I can get away with using 2nd on the flat or downhill, but an incline does usually mean 1st.. unless a lot of clutch slip.. with a load on (people/gear/trailer etc etc) need to use 1st..
On a heavy (all the time) full camper.. I'd be using 1st just about all the time... unless you like to fit new clutches... only you can judge if you are slipping it more than you really ought to be to get off the line...
1st may seem a little low, but second is a fraction high for a "1st", the old Merc 307's had a similar problem with 1st second

Personally I get it rolling in 1st then change into 2nd quite quickly...

Which reminds me ...I had great fun on the test drive of my Syncro.

Previous van was a heavy camper with a five speed gearbox and I always used first for driving off as second needed just that bit too much clutch to get the heavy thing going.

So there's me, test driving the Syncro and starting off in G gear out of habit (it sits where 1st is on a five speed) ...by the time you've finally worked yourself into 3rd starting from G, you have a fair few annoyed motorists behind you

I've been out in the van yesterday & today and have tried always starting using 1st. I'm getting used to it now.
The main thing I note is the extra bit of effort needed to push the gear lever well over to the left and back - to get it in gear; and then the extra effort to get it into 2nd; and then the "click" as the spring associated with the push-down action of the lever springs back into place ......
I'll get used to it ...... (better than eventually having to replace the clutch !)
Thanks for the advice.

I dont use 1st unless am on a hill

The 2.1 has plenty of power to pull away in second.

I treat first as a crawler gear

I always use 1st. Pulling away in second can be done but it's got to put strain on the clutch that it wasn't designed for.

I would use first if your pulling away from a dead stop, you will rid the clutch less, and take some of the load out of you drive train.

1st is just there to creep you forward enough to jump into second really. That said, still find on roundabouts you need first if you want to get away quick (even though you won't be in it for more than 3 seconds). For a casual pull away, 2nd seems fine.

use 1st all the time,vw put it there for a reason if no get rid of it as your carrying extra weight,

The extra weight in your case Rob is you

if you read the owners manual that came with the transporter it actually says

as long as your van is unloaded and your on level ground pulling away in 2nd gear is perfectly ok on the 5 speed box.

so there you go approved by vw!