Automatic FRS

[EZx2]

No lock up @1st!
That's 4sure

[Grim-Reaper]

Thx for that!
Sounds right not to engage in first to enjoy the smoothness of the torque converter. Also glad to hear it works in D mode.

[Wheelsoffracing]

I've been thinking lately that here we have a car that comes standard with air conditioning, electric windows (that lower to make the door closing more palatable), power door locks, power steering, power assisted brakes, a radio that features Bluetooth and plays a CD, and much, much more. Still an automatic transmission that functions very well in a semi-automatic mode seems to be an issue. I've driven manual transmissions for the past 50 years and when faced with the choice at purchase (and the choice was there!) I went with the auto. I was very impressed with both gearboxes but found that the automatic shifted smoother and quicker than I ever could with the manual and with not that much of a performance variable.
I suppose we could always go back to side curtains and non-synchro gearboxes.

[Jason@DSG]

You AT guys need to get the SSP mods on your car, especially the Stage II valvebody. Game changer

[kavanagh]

Originally Posted by Jason@DSG

You AT guys need to get the SSP mods on your car, especially the Stage II valvebody. Game changer

I'd love to see some footage of 'normal' driving with it. I've seen people do pulls, and some semi-aggressive driving (and it looks great!), but I don't want to loose the daily driveability. If I were going strictly track I would more seriously consider it, but we use the car for commuting every day too.


Do you know of anyone who has footage or opinion on just plain-old driving around, not trying to break the tires loose on every shift?

[Jason@DSG]

Originally Posted by kavanagh

I'd love to see some footage of 'normal' driving with it. I've seen people do pulls, and some semi-aggressive driving (and it looks great!), but I don't want to loose the daily driveability. If I were going strictly track I would more seriously consider it, but we use the car for commuting every day too.


Do you know of anyone who has footage or opinion on just plain-old driving around, not trying to break the tires loose on every shift?

Have you ever driven a DCT (EvoX MR, GTR, Golf R, etc.)? It's very much like that, under lower loads it's not as sever even the Stage II. It just shifts without any slop and goes into gear, like a DCT would.

Then when you hammer it, it still shifts very direct without slipping. I like the Stage II because all gears are shifting properly. There will be a Stage III coming out soon from SSP though which will be track only and pretty out of hand but it's still in development.

[JonAvalon]

Originally Posted by Jason@DSG

There will be a Stage III coming out soon from SSP though which will be track only and pretty out of hand but it's still in development.

[Jason@DSG]

Originally Posted by JonAvalon

Definitely going to need the cooler with this one haha!!

[kavanagh]

Originally Posted by Jason@DSG

Have you ever driven a DCT (EvoX MR, GTR, Golf R, etc.)? It's very much like that, under lower loads it's not as sever even the Stage II. It just shifts without any slop and goes into gear, like a DCT would.

Then when you hammer it, it still shifts very direct without slipping. I like the Stage II because all gears are shifting properly. There will be a Stage III coming out soon from SSP though which will be track only and pretty out of hand but it's still in development.

Yes, I've driven my buddy's 2013 M3 (amaaaaazing) and it had 6 or 7 different tranny settings for sharpness. It was adjustable anywhere from take-your-grandma-shopping to break-your-neck-right-now.


I'm guessing that with the torque converter you can base the shift firmness on throttle position and rpm/load or whatever. The stage 2 may have to go on my next-year upgrade list. New house, tow vehicle and trailer are already on the this-year upgrade list.

[Jason@DSG]

Originally Posted by kavanagh

Yes, I've driven my buddy's 2013 M3 (amaaaaazing) and it had 6 or 7 different tranny settings for sharpness. It was adjustable anywhere from take-your-grandma-shopping to break-your-neck-right-now.


I'm guessing that with the torque converter you can base the shift firmness on throttle position and rpm/load or whatever. The stage 2 may have to go on my next-year upgrade list. New house, tow vehicle and trailer are already on the this-year upgrade list.

Good man! I'll help you out whenever you're ready, it's definitely a very worthwhile upgrade IMO

[MVJ1975]

Originally Posted by Jason@DSG

You AT guys need to get the SSP mods on your car, especially the Stage II valvebody. Game changer

One of these days, I'll get there!

[sofrsnsokleen]

I'm a fellow auto owner.

I've never driven a manual, always wanted to learn and sat in a manual fr-s before I signed on the line.

It felt like constantly clutching would get annoying to me and I didn't want to wait to drive this car, so I went with the auto.

I'll admit there are times when trying to beat another car to an exit or lane it does get frustrating getting pulled on by a neon srt-4 or other faster car, but it keeps me happy with its mpg.

There's 2 types of car people in this world.

The ones that only care about horsepower and dismiss underpowered cars.

And the ones that actually respect all well designed cars.

This car is NOT the car to even think about 0-60 times, let alone racing.

[awhatzable]

Originally Posted by Masago88

This was my first Manual Car, purchased last month, 2014 WRB LTD 6 Speed Manual.
My very first stint in a manual was years ago in an old highschool friends' 98' Integra (Before it got stolen and was found stripped bare a few cities away), I didn't even know you had to clutch in before starting the car, was an awkward but memorable 5 minutes for the both of us.

Since then I've had on and off stints with years in between driving roommates' manual tranny cars when the opportunity arose - I stalled each and every one over and over.

When I picked up the BRZ, I stalled it twice just getting it out of the dealership.
The day after, I took it to an empty highschool at night to practice going from stop to first to 2nd in the parking lot - and I was feeling an intense buyer's remorse because I was getting a lot of rattling noises and jerking just from cruising in low RPM in 2nd.

By day 3 everything just clicked and I've been hooning it out ever since, shifting feels normal, been stuck in grid lock traffic several times on the 401 QEW in Canada which is arguably the worst traffic on the entire continent, and it actually felt engaging. Think I'm almost ready to give Heel-Toe a try.

Anyways, I was torn on wether to get an Auto/Manual for a while too, and I justified the purchase by this - in the not too distant future I think Manual transmission cars will be more or less gone, or at the very least in a very niche market. So, for my age (mid 20's no kids or wife etc), this was the last chance to take reigns on my inner childhood wants of driving a fast(ish) cool looking car. I was always a little jealous of the rich kids in highschool who had brand new WRX's, used Supras, G35's, MR2's, etc. Ironically nearly all of those guys I keep in touch with from back when, grew out of driving manuals and now all opt for your typical reliable economy cars. TBH I wouldn't have even bothered doing the research and eventually buying this if it weren't for the price. For a good chunk of my adult life I've actually been really against cars - I fell in with the wrong crowd in college (fucking hippies) and rode a fixed gear bike and held the belief that cars were evil and polluted the environment and all that garbage.

Haha sorry for the Tirade.

"Anyways, I was torn on wether to get an Auto/Manual for a while too, and I justified the purchase by this - in the not too distant future I think Manual transmission cars will be more or less gone, or at the very least in a very niche market. So, for my age (mid 20's no kids or wife etc), this was the last chance to take reigns on my inner childhood wants of driving a fast(ish) cool looking car."

Wow..That's exactly what I thought to myself aswell. Getting close to my mid 20's

[evomike]

Originally Posted by Tomcat07

Dude, I was a stones throw away from getting an AT. The speed difference is really negligible, this car is a turning beast.

If people give you shit about your AT just throw these back at them:
"the GT-R is a paddle shift AT"
"if you do an NASA event in the beginner class, only paddle shift drivers are allowed to shift in the turns to the optimal gear they need." (this helped my buddy with a modded golf GTI mk5 take out porches at Roebling Road, GA)
"the AT will probably have better resale value in the future as MT drivers are a dying breed, and the way an MT was driven can really hurt its tranny/clutch etc..."
"you don't have to deal with stop and go traffic"
"or roads that are basically speed bump mountain ranges"

the GT-R and GTI are not automatic they are a manual gearbox, the frs is an automatic with a tourqe converter. yes it has paddles like the other cars but that is where the similarities end.