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I have a 2012 Mazda CX-9 (a big 3-row SUV, if you aren't familiar). It has the manual shift gate and I do use it on occasion, but probably not in the way that most people would think. A perfect example is entering my small town where the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 and then to 35 in under one mile. In a vehicle that weighs over 4k pounds, taking my foot off the gas pedal and coasting doesn't slow me down nearly enough. The brakes are the obvious solution, and I do brake to slow down close to 35, but as I go through town I will creep back up to 40+ if I don't ride the brakes OR downshift. So I move the shifter to the manual gate, choose 3rd gear (it's a 6-speed auto) and coast along at 35mph until I exit town and get back to 55mph. But I will admit that I forget what I've done sometimes and there's a 4-way stop in town. If I don't shift back into drive, the car automatically puts itself in 1st and doesn't upshift until I catch it.
Various automotive media sites have tested automatics being shifted manually vs. just letting them shift on their own....and 99% of the time, leaving it in Drive nets the quickest results! If you want to shift gears yourself, get a car with a proper manual transmission (clutch and all).
I agree with that in general street driving, but in drag racing and road racing double clutch manually shifted automatics change gears instantly, something that nobody can do with a manual.
I am not against manuals as I have a six speed in my Mustang because I prefer shifting, but I am not racing.
I modded the Ford AOD 4 speed auto in my V8 RX7 for instant shifts up and down (would bark the tires into every gear, including overdrive when the throttle was used aggressively). Made the car much faster than a manual trans example would be on the track and just as fun on the street. It also made the V8 swap much simpler as there was no worry about fabbing up a clutch system.
I also modded the 2004R 4 speed auto I installed in my kid's '79 Chevy pickup for crisper shifts, and the ability to slapshift when performance driving, so now it has a manual mode as well.
My BMW 740i Sport has the steptronic trans with a higher stall converter and manual shift mode, and yes, in manual mode, it shifts faster and firmer up or down to make passing and playing on twisty backroads more immediate, while having a smooth shifting automatic for cruising and commuting with. Best of both worlds, and the car would not be better served with a pure manual trans. In manual mode you can choose what gear you want to be in to anticipate cornering and the like that in automatic mode it can't do.
The point of a manual mode is to retain the automatic mode that you don't get with a pure manual, while still getting the option of, when you want to, choosing what gear you are in yourself, in anticipation of different conditions that the automatic can't anticipate for you.
I have a 2012 Mazda CX-9 (a big 3-row SUV, if you aren't familiar). It has the manual shift gate and I do use it on occasion, but probably not in the way that most people would think. A perfect example is entering my small town where the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 and then to 35 in under one mile. In a vehicle that weighs over 4k pounds, taking my foot off the gas pedal and coasting doesn't slow me down nearly enough. The brakes are the obvious solution, and I do brake to slow down close to 35, but as I go through town I will creep back up to 40+ if I don't ride the brakes OR downshift. So I move the shifter to the manual gate, choose 3rd gear (it's a 6-speed auto) and coast along at 35mph until I exit town and get back to 55mph. But I will admit that I forget what I've done sometimes and there's a 4-way stop in town. If I don't shift back into drive, the car automatically puts itself in 1st and doesn't upshift until I catch it.
Various automotive media sites have tested automatics being shifted manually vs. just letting them shift on their own....and 99% of the time, leaving it in Drive nets the quickest results! If you want to shift gears yourself, get a car with a proper manual transmission (clutch and all).
That's the kind of manual shifting I think I'd use it for. If the manual shift mode worked as smoothly as manual transmission then I could imagine it as auto for average daily driving, especially in stop and go city traffic. Then if on hilly or mountainous regions you could use it for forced down shifts as needed. However, where I live is almost perfectly flat.
My van has it, I use it when the engine starts to get loaded (climbing a grade) because the computer is a lethargic shiftier and I'd rather keep the engine in the power band. Similarly, when coming down a steep grade, I'll downshift to try and keep the engine doing most of the braking. Habits from days gone by when you could Easily smoke brakes going down long grades.
Most automatics are not very engaging to shift. I rented a Camry that had a shiftable automatic. It has a detent off to the side for the gearshift lever and you nudge it up or down. When you do, it feels like it's summoning a committee to explore the possibility of shifting for you. It will do it eventually, but you don't feel like it added to your involvement.
I have that same type in my car. I rarely use it. It's great driving in the mountains and I want to actually want to keep my RPMs up from corner to corner but for general driving I just do automatic. Sounds like my car will do the "manual" shifts quicker than yours but it's still not very fast. Plus downshifting can be rough. With my dad's car I can gently take the clutch out. With this? Nope, prepare for a sudden slow down.
Looks like all the serious road racers are jumping on the double clutch automatics for the quickest lap times.
Maybe not as fun but low laps times are the goal.
The Mustang GT350R is going to offer a double clutch option in the near future.
Oh i agree. If one is looking for quick lap times in a dual clutch automatic, then using the paddles makes sense. For me on daily drives, I'm not looking for lap times or an engaging drive. I had a manual Passat for 10 years prior to this Passat and 99% of the time, I was just driving.
I do know of one person who has be "rowing his own automatic" for about 15 years. I didn't get the appeal.
I own a manual but drive the wife's automatic and rentals and such on occasion. I do find myself manually shifting them pretty often when I just get frustrated with how stupid it is being. Not 0-60 situations. More like when wanting to maintain speed on a hill without riding the brakes. Preselecting a gear for an overtake. Selecting proper gear to accelerate out of a turn. That sort of stuff.
Don't need a fancy flappy paddle equipped auto to do it either. Can accomplish the same thing with a plain ol D-4-3-2-L selector.
Why would anyone want to shift an automatic? Play race car driver?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiffer E38
I modded the Ford AOD 4 speed auto in my V8 RX7 for instant shifts up and down (would bark the tires into every gear, including overdrive when the throttle was used aggressively). Made the car much faster than a manual trans example would be on the track and just as fun on the street. It also made the V8 swap much simpler as there was no worry about fabbing up a clutch system.
I also modded the 2004R 4 speed auto I installed in my kid's '79 Chevy pickup for crisper shifts, and the ability to slapshift when performance driving, so now it has a manual mode as well.
My BMW 740i Sport has the steptronic trans with a higher stall converter and manual shift mode, and yes, in manual mode, it shifts faster and firmer up or down to make passing and playing on twisty backroads more immediate, while having a smooth shifting automatic for cruising and commuting with. Best of both worlds, and the car would not be better served with a pure manual trans. In manual mode you can choose what gear you want to be in to anticipate cornering and the like that in automatic mode it can't do.
The point of a manual mode is to retain the automatic mode that you don't get with a pure manual, while still getting the option of, when you want to, choosing what gear you are in yourself, in anticipation of different conditions that the automatic can't anticipate for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M
My van has it, I use it when the engine starts to get loaded (climbing a grade) because the computer is a lethargic shiftier and I'd rather keep the engine in the power band. Similarly, when coming down a steep grade, I'll downshift to try and keep the engine doing most of the braking. Habits from days gone by when you could Easily smoke brakes going down long grades.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beer belly
I use it in my truck when driving in snowy weather....IMO have better control especially on down hill slopes
read these responses froglipz
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