How do you drive your auto?

[Guest Scootre]

I use Drive mode when I'm feeling lazy, round town and the like, but there's nothing better than a manual flick through the gears on a spirited run. I often just leave it in Performance mode too. A lot more responsive than Drive!

What he said.

If you change your tacho thingy over to show instantaneous fuel consumption you can see that the higher gears use a lot more fuel. And as has been said, in Drive mode the car opts for fourth as soon as it can. Compare the high gears against forcing it to stay in fourth and you'll see a big diff in fuel consumption.

But... these cars are all about the experience. The difference between spirited driving and boring all-auto driving, in fuel, ain't that many dollars at the bowser.

[Buf-Phoon]

I manually shift the gears 100% of the time and have only once put it in Drive-don't know about the fuel because I just don't care

What he said , plus its more fun as well

[NT TURBO]

I think I use all three fairly regularly, sometimes I plot round, other times I'm in a hurry or a real hurry :lol:

[stang]

when shifting the auto in manual mode do you keep the accelerator pressed or do you back off shift and then press the accelerator.

Also is it ok to switch between modes when crusing as nothing is really statred as when you can use the tree modes whether standing or moving.

I know it sounds dumb but better to ask the question than to damage the auto.

Regards Stang

[Venom XR6]

I'm sure most of you are aware but for the people who don't know the auto mode is adaptive in that it adjusts to the way you are driving. If you are giving it a caning it will run to the redline before it shifts up, it will hold on to gears longer and it will kick down earlier and when you are cruising it will shift up and down gears early. I think there are 6 or 7 levels in the adaptive shift program.

As for me I just use drive around town but flick it over to performance mode when I'm hammering it and only use manual mode just for the fun of it or when I need some extra engine braking.

[OwnaXR6T]

when shifting the auto in manual mode do you keep the accelerator pressed or do you back off shift and then press the accelerator.

Also is it ok to switch between modes when crusing as nothing is really statred as when you can use the tree modes whether standing or moving.

I know it sounds dumb but better to ask the question than to damage the auto.

Regards Stang

Stay flat to the foor mate!! that's what I do. Why would you back off.

I beleive it is fine to switch between modes at any time.

I was told its not good to flog your car when in D it should be in Perf mode..

I also think its not good to use the gears to slow down either. auto boxes don't like it much

If im wrong can somebody correct me!

I believe your owners manual should have some helpful information for you..

[Turbo6man]

I agree with what Zeke said - I don't have a sss, but I find it is back to front in its operation when in manual mode. I just don't feel comfortable using it as I am always having to "think" about which way to push/pull the lever.

My opinion is that the shift should be straight line with each gear having a dedicated position. This would be so easy to achieve just use the "old" D, 3, 2, 1 positions and have a switch like the old econ/power switch on the console to cahnge between manual and auto adaptive shift modes.

If in the auto mode you have the usual auto features of operation and, because it is adaptive shift anyway, I don't believe you need performance or normal modes - just one auto mode is enough. When you switch to manual you then have direct selection of the gear according to the position of the lever - this is much more positive than the "tiptronic" style of shifting.

[Guest Big Mick]

I agree with what Zeke said - I don't have a sss, but I find it is back to front in its operation when in manual mode. I just don't feel comfortable using it as I am always having to "think" about which way to push/pull the lever.

You reckon that you would need to think about which way to push/pull the lever?? You want to try owning a T with SSS and having a second car where the tiptronic is in the opposite direction.

I also own a Pajero which has a 5 speed auto with tiptronic, great gearbox, only problem is the tiptronic lever direction is opposite to the SSS in my T. Back to go down a gear and forward to go up a gear, the way the SSS should've been IMO.

[ZAP]

I think Ford got the SSS up/down shift correct. If you think about the G forces when going up the gears would mean pulling back and the opposite for down the gears.

Good onya ford, Mitsubishi have NFI when it comes to things like that. I read somewhere that BMW had it the Mitsu way, but due to heaps of complaints they changed it to the right way.

F1 cars are the Ford way

[Guest Big Mick]

I've never had the good fortune to drive an F1 car (not that I would ever fit in one!) or for that matter a BMW with Tiptronic.

With the exception of an XA GT, all the performance cars I've ever owned have been auto (probably because I could never coordinate manually changing gears quickly while I'm sucking on a VB and answering my mobile phone :lol: ). Seriously though, all these cars I have always pushed the lever forward to go up a gear, even with the B&M star shifter I had for drag racing you would bang the lever forward to go up a gear.

Maybe I just haven't driven enough manuals, or maybe I'm just getting old.

Also I thought F1 drivers had paddles on the steering wheel to change gears??