Learning to use paddles better than an automatic

[ermax]

Originally Posted by shiumai

Well - in some cases. Obviously not in ours.

We do have cruise control buttons though.

[shiumai]

Originally Posted by ermax

We do have cruise control buttons though.

...and I still haven't learned to use mine. I've never had my BRZ on cruise control, lol.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by shiumai

Well - in some cases. Obviously not in ours.

Who knows. Every year our cars are adding more and more controls. Cruise control, radio, HVAC. I wouldn't mind a drink button myself.

[Hoahao]

I echo the 'Learn by feel" comment. You can also use the paddles in sport mode if you want. Take your time.

[ermax]

Just curious. On the auto lets say you come out of a 2nd gear turn and then run through 2nd and part of 3rd and then come up to a braking zone, when you first lift does the tranny instantly upshift to 4th until you get on the brakes or when you lift will it hold 3rd and start engine braking? I guess if your in manual mode it would hold the gear and if your on track you're always going to be in manual mode. Sometimes on the streets when in auto mode you can run into scenarios where you want engine braking rather than an upshift upshift. For example you try to overtake someone on the interstate so you downshift while popping into the other lane but then find out the traffic is slowing in the other lane so you lift. I wouldn't want it to upshift when I lift, I would want it to hold the gear and start engine braking while I am moving my foot to the brake. How does the AT handle this when in auto mode? For me this is where AT has typically annoyed me the most. That sensation of lifting but the car just wanting to keep going forward gives it a disconnected feeling.

[m.box.design]

Originally Posted by ermax

Just curious. On the auto lets say you come out of a 2nd gear turn and then run through 2nd and part of 3rd and then come up to a braking zone, when you first lift does the tranny instantly upshift to 4th until you get on the brakes or when you lift will it hold 3rd and start engine braking? I guess if your in manual mode it would hold the gear and if your on track you're always going to be in manual mode. Sometimes on the streets when in auto mode you can run into scenarios where you want engine braking rather than an upshift upshift. For example you try to overtake someone on the interstate so you downshift while popping into the other lane but then find out the traffic is slowing in the other lane so you lift. I wouldn't want it to upshift when I lift, I would want it to hold the gear and start engine braking while I am moving my foot to the brake. How does the AT handle this when in auto mode? For me this is where AT has typically annoyed me the most. That sensation of lifting but the car just wanting to keep going forward gives it a disconnected feeling.

When in Auto mode, the paddle shifters can be used to input up and down shifts. It will hold this override for an extended period of time.. somewhere between 10 and 20 seconds. The D indicator on the dash will change to gear number during this duration.

When in sport mode, the auto will try to hold the lowest gear it can without redlining.

So yes it will engine brake in between corners (in sportmode) as long as speed doesn't go above or below threshold of the gear.

Even for being an AT, the behavior was quite brilliantly programmed by Toyota.

[PetrolioBenzina]

Originally Posted by ermax

Ignore any driver involvement remarks? Hahaha. So pushing buttons is just as involved as at a given speed and then pushing a clutch, blipping the throttle, shifting a gear, letting a clutch out? Keep telling yourself that.

You do know that "deciding what gear to downshift to" applies to the AT in manual as well, correct?

You never drove the AT, did you. It was very well done.

[PetrolioBenzina]

Originally Posted by m.box.design

When in Auto mode, the paddle shifters can be used to input up and down shifts. It will hold this override for an extended period of time.. somewhere between 10 and 20 seconds. The D indicato.

Odd, my AT never decided to change gear on its own in manual, other than to downshift at low speed to aboid lugging. It would stay in whatever gear I selected until I shifted.

[PetrolioBenzina]

Originally Posted by HKz

technically one of "you" guys started it

I just mentioned it, the butthurt came form someone else. LOL at the clowns who sneer at and seem threatened by someone else who dares to have the same fun in an AT. I've driven and owned both, and I miss the AT for what it was. Odd that you never hear the AT crowd denigrate the MT crowd. Seems some MT drivers have something to prove!

Let the butthurt flow.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by ermax

Just curious. On the auto lets say you come out of a 2nd gear turn and then run through 2nd and part of 3rd and then come up to a braking zone, when you first lift does the tranny instantly upshift to 4th until you get on the brakes or when you lift will it hold 3rd and start engine braking? I guess if your in manual mode it would hold the gear and if your on track you're always going to be in manual mode. Sometimes on the streets when in auto mode you can run into scenarios where you want engine braking rather than an upshift upshift. For example you try to overtake someone on the interstate so you downshift while popping into the other lane but then find out the traffic is slowing in the other lane so you lift. I wouldn't want it to upshift when I lift, I would want it to hold the gear and start engine braking while I am moving my foot to the brake. How does the AT handle this when in auto mode? For me this is where AT has typically annoyed me the most. That sensation of lifting but the car just wanting to keep going forward gives it a disconnected feeling.

When in AT it will shift when determined by the TCU. So it might shift in the scenario or it might not. In SPORT mode it will hold gears (mostly) but even SPORT while in AT mode is not great for performance driving, mountain runs, etc. I usually use it on freeway trips where there are inclines and such to not put too much load on the engine if I feel lazy.

In MT mode it will engine brake since you control it. It only downshifts to avoid bogging in MT mode.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by ermax

Just curious. On the auto lets say you come out of a 2nd gear turn and then run through 2nd and part of 3rd and then come up to a braking zone, when you first lift does the tranny instantly upshift to 4th until you get on the brakes or when you lift will it hold 3rd and start engine braking? I guess if your in manual mode it would hold the gear and if your on track you're always going to be in manual mode. Sometimes on the streets when in auto mode you can run into scenarios where you want engine braking rather than an upshift upshift. For example you try to overtake someone on the interstate so you downshift while popping into the other lane but then find out the traffic is slowing in the other lane so you lift. I wouldn't want it to upshift when I lift, I would want it to hold the gear and start engine braking while I am moving my foot to the brake. How does the AT handle this when in auto mode? For me this is where AT has typically annoyed me the most. That sensation of lifting but the car just wanting to keep going forward gives it a disconnected feeling.

Drive one and tell us your thoughts.

[Sasquachulator]

Nowadays modern AT's are smart enough to hold gears as required during high G situations, most of them are programmed to 'learn' how the driver drives and adjust the gear changes accordingly. In the proper drive mode they hold gears...im not sure how long cuz I think it may think it needs to change after a certain amount of time though.

The ISF's 8 speed tranny i think was the first typical automatic transmission to succeed with such a characteristic. And being a Toyota product it eventually trickled down to the rest of the Toyota family (where applicable)

In any case the auto tranny in the twins is programmed really well. The most important thing IMO is actually the response time, not the shift time or the gear holding, and it really succeeds in this regard. I remember test driving an AT and flicking the paddles results in near instant response to gear changes. The car did need to be pushed to exhibit this as slower/cruising driving slowed the response and there would be a delay.

My X1 is the same way, the ZF 8 speed is pretty responsive. The only problem I have with it is that 8 speeds is too many for paddles. I actually don't find it all that much fun when I have to flick the paddle like 4 times to get into a gear I want...and even then I might get confused at what gear im in lol.

[Brink]

Originally Posted by PetrolioBenzina

Odd, my AT never decided to change gear on its own in manual, other than to downshift at low speed to aboid lugging. It would stay in whatever gear I selected until I shifted.

The temporary override he was referring to is when using the paddles in D, not in manual. Using the paddles to shift while in D will shift on demand but only stay in that driver-selected gear for a short time before resuming normal automatic shifting.

[PetrolioBenzina]

Originally Posted by Brink

The temporary override he was referring to is when using the paddles in D, not in manual. Using the paddles to shift while in D will shift on demand but only stay in that driver-selected gear for a short time before resuming normal automatic shifting.

Ahh, thanks. Missed the "D" part.