Got a car. Have questions. Shifting, engine oil, and punctures.

Hi all. I recently got a 2008 Peugeot 207 rc (aka gti). It's my first car and have been driving it for about a month now, and I have some questions for experienced car owners.

1) I'm getting used to matching revs. At first the car jerked quite a lot between shifts. Now I have gotten it down better, but the car still jerks sometimes (I'm working on heel-and-toe so sometimes I have a lot to think about while I'm shifting :D). Am I supposed to be able to lift my foot of the clutch instantly and get a perfectly smooth transition or that being too anal? When I do mess it up, it sends a shock through the transmission. Can I get away with doing this now and then, or will it irreparably warp the transmission, and I should therefore be more careful?

2) I drive a lot on highways, and to cruise at 150 km/h the engine has to constantly rev at 4500. I'm wondering if that would wear down the engine too much (peak hp is at 6000 revs and redline starts at 7000 revs)?

3) What's a good engine oil to use in very hot and dry climates? The previous owner used 0w30 and I'm thinking of changing it to 10w40 semi synthetic. A good idea?

4) A nail punctured my tire (which is still pretty new, damn it!) and I had a mechanic plug it with a tire repair compound. Is it good as new again, or should I change it asap?

5) Wat makes ur car go fastur?! fire decallls, or nEEons?!?!!

I know that's a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate it if I can get some good answers, thanks!

You should be fairly smooth with your shifts. A little slip is a necessary evil. Dropping the clutch is bad for the clutch trans and engine so try not to do it. RPMs kill engines. How fast depends on the quality of the engine so a good rule of thumb is the lower the RPM the longer your engine should theoretically last. That isn't to say it will die tomorrow or next week or next year but that also isn't saying its going to last 10 years. Oil is tricky. I would consider how you drive as being a severe condition even though it is a constant RPM so I would look into a good synthetic, use what the vehicle calls for and change it every 3k. If it is nice and clean looking at 3k you can bump it another 1k. Oil changes are the #1 thing to keeping an engine alive for a long time so don't push it too hard even if it is synthetic. A tire plug is an O.K. repair. A patch plug is the best repair. As for hot rodding your car, I don't know about Peugot vehicles so the internet is your friend there.

1) I'm getting used to matching revs. At first the car jerked quite a lot between shifts. Now I have gotten it down better, but the car still jerks sometimes (I'm working on heel-and-toe so sometimes I have a lot to think about while I'm shifting :biggrin:). Am I supposed to be able to lift my foot of the clutch instantly and get a perfectly smooth transition or that being too anal? When I do mess it up, it sends a shock through the transmission. Can I get away with doing this now and then, or will it irreparably warp the transmission, and I should therefore be more careful?

Some slippage is acceptable when shifting. Any slight mismatch between the engine and tranny revs are corrected in that transition. As mentioned, constantly "dumping" the clutch is bad. It just takes time and practice to get the right feel for it. Granted the 207 RC is a sporty little car, but heel-and-toeing the brake and gas pedals is usually reserved for racing...hardly necessary on streets unless you really want to keep the speed up through a corner. It's just excessive wear on the brakes.

2) I drive a lot on highways, and to cruise at 150 km/h the engine has to constantly rev at 4500. I'm wondering if that would wear down the engine too much (peak hp is at 6000 revs and redline starts at 7000 revs)?

Top speed is listed as 220 kph @ 6,000 rpms...so 150 kph @ 4,500 sounds about right. You sure you're in 5th?

3) What's a good engine oil to use in very hot and dry climates? The previous owner used 0w30 and I'm thinking of changing it to 10w40 semi synthetic. A good idea?

Use the viscosity recommended in the owner's manual. Too high viscosity can starve an engine of the lubrication and cooling it needs....and is critical for turbocharged (TC) engines! Using a semi-synthetic or full synthetic can help prolong engine life. Most modern TC engines require synthetic, don't get cheap!

4) A nail punctured my tire (which is still pretty new, damn it!) and I had a mechanic plug it with a tire repair compound. Is it good as new again, or should I change it asap?

A good patch & plug job should be fine for the life of the tire. I'd avoid the tire-patch-in-a-can unless you are stranded and desperate.

5) Wat makes ur car go fastur?! fire decallls, or nEEons?!?!!

Decals just weight you down and create drag. The light emanating from the neon bulbs causes the surrounding air to become excited and heated up, creating a slight pressure that propels the car to incredible vel....yes, I'm full of s**t.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the replies.

According to what Peugeot put online, the THP engine in my car needs 0w30 synthetic, which is what's already in there, so all is good. Except it's getting old so I need to change it anyway.

jdmccright, yes I'm sure I'm in fifth! I'm thinking the 207 rc was tuned more for twisty roads than high speed cruising. Which is good because it forces me to drive at a speed safe for the current blazing heat and also reduces my chance of getting tickets :D

As for heel-and-toe, yeah I don't using for daily driving ofcourse. But haven't you ever wondered how fast you can go around that hairpin corner? I know I have. That's why I got a hothatch instead of a civic :)