If I'm at a "steady pace", I'll probably be around 3-3.5K (in whichever gear is appropriate), but I'll sure take her up to near 6K every shift (when she's good and warm). Thus, if I'm on a typical road, 45-50 mph or so, I'd be in 3rd at the low end of the power band. I mentioned "lugging the engine" on a recent Rennlist thread, and Pete Zimmerman gave a great explanation about how it's really putting more of a strain on the tranny too at lower rpms (not necessarily the engine). Bottom line, I'm almost never below 3K rpms, and that type of driving is certainly not causing unnecessary wear imo. Heck, at 80-90 mph on the Interstate (not often for me), in 5th, she's going to be probably close to 3500, and they're designed to do that ALL day long, every day, plus I get 27 mpg to boot @ those rpms
. Drive it like a sports car should be driven is my .02 worth...