how are you AT Fr-s enjoying the car =)
 

was peaking around and was wondering how you guys are enjoying the car.

Loving it. Obviously, it's still in the break-in period so I can't hoon on it yet, but I have tossed it around a few corners (quickly enough to kick the flashing VSC light on) at decent speed. Curves that felt sharp in my tC seem to make the FR-S say "was that all? Take that faster next time"!

I always put it in Sport mode. Haven't turned any of the nannies off yet, and I haven't used full Manual yet either. Saving that for when I get a chance to take it out on an empty country road.

I have only been driving it in "D". I switched on the Sport for a straight away once or twice. But need to definitely try it out more often. And I hear that Sport + Manual mode w/ the paddle shifters combined is orgasmic. :thumbsup:

Had mine for a week still getting used to it. I'm still not clear on the whole "sport" or "vsc sport" settings. Right now I'm leaning towards using just the "vsc sport" setting.

Loving IT. Day2 put about 45miles up a windy road with alot od 25-35MPH turns and straightaways. by the time i got to this road, i had 2 stragglers behind me checking me out (240SX Nissan, RSX).. all of us were flying around the corners and being this is my first sports car and im 40+ yrs young.. i was able to get a few turn-after-turns where i left those crazy guys way behind me - but never got over 3500rpm..so it is so crazy.. everytime i saw 25MPH, i looked down and hit each of the turns at twice the speed very easily - this car is so much fun... i think the other guys following me had as much fun watching this fRS just carve it up with a rookie guy like me behind the wheeel.
i was tryign to get used to the paddle shifting but the combo of that and the Auto is just magical . i am so glad i got it this way and not in full Manual -- LOVE it...

I was driving manual for the last 10 years, so this is a big change for me. I have to say the auto is very fun to drive. Once the break in period is over, sport mode is the way to go. It is so much quicker and responsive. Plus I like how it downshifts for you.

The other day I merged from one freeway to another on this long turn and kept the car right at 75mph. The front digs in and you really feel the traction. It's like you don't really feel the cars potential until you push it beyond the norm. That was a 45mph turn, but the FRS seems to just hunker down and stick to the road. It's very confidence inspiring. So far I am very happy that I chose AT.

Ok ive got some hooning in, max rpm as of today 5900 RPMs by next fill up I should be broken in let me break down the modes for you
1 trac off : tires will spin on some surfaces from a stop, turns back on at 33 mph, also will turn on if you activate stability control by getting the tail out
2 sport : keeps you in a gear smaller even during cruising, holds gears longer when you start pushing the car, also this is a D mode only setting, sport will turn off evenually if in M Mode
3 vsc sport, lets about 5% slip angle before it starts stepping in, great for learning the vehicles dynamics and limits
4 funnest mode when hooning sport mode and vsc sport in D selected, great for back roads( sport and vsc sport act seperatly and aren't the same remember!)
5 all nannies off after about 15-20 % slip angle car starts to rotate more quickly, great for dirft roads

Also drove a dirt road today, so much mechanical grip!

Also sport mode will notice spirited driving styles, from my understanding the mode becomes more aggressive, dropping down to even lower gears and holding them as you drive harder, I love that feature!

This car puts a smile on my face every time. Even with a auto. I always turn the nannies off and put it in sport mode. Even in d. Unless it was raining. Back end was slipping out.

Still on the fence with this one...MT or AT....where in SD did you try this?? I'm wondering how this will fare on Wildcat Canyon Road up and down Barona:party0030:

I only took it for a test drive on the freeway. The reason I switched from a manual to an auto is because I commute a lot in traffic every day, and the manual was just too tiring. I commute over 60 miles round trip every day, and sitting in traffic with a manual was not pleasant. So I reluctantly made the transition to auto. If I had a commute of say 12 miles or less, then I would definitely go manual. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing that replaces the precision of being able to shift at any moment. The auto may be smart, but nothing beats the control of a manual transmission. Maybe I'm just getting old. :)

How am I liking it so far ???

I went up and down the county today on the I-15 and put its first 90miles on the freeway.. the onboard computer says 45MPG going an easy 65Mph the whole way.... (that was NO typo !! ) and taking real easy with the RPMs. Boy, THAT put a smile on my face ! Way way better than the rated 34mpg on the sticker. 6spAT , BTW !!!!

Stereo playing off the iPOD is ok, i have been looking at that SCION option from OPTOMIZE SCION..... 1000 dollars for alot of stuff - still looking at that !!!

Headed out Telegraph Canyon Road EAST towards Campo ... those roads are way better and alot less traffic .. real scenic too - loved it.

ill be up towards Barona soon i am sure.. but those dont have any hairpin turns and tight 15Mph turns like towards Campo/Jamul.....

its Orgasmic ... like one guy said !

The MT is one of the best I have ever driven, real crisp tight shifts. But pretty much the rpm/speed range as my current car. Just 6 gears in the same space as 5. But I am actually thinking about the AT after 40 years of MT rowing, just for something different? Would love to hear more about your likes and dislikes for the AT? All modes? I have only tried the paddle shifters in M. Interested in learning more about how it pulls in 5th & 6th on highway uphills or if you have to downshift a cog or two?

That was a good explanation of all the different modes you can turn off, and I am still confused. Lol. Still having a blast anyways........if god were a car he would be an FRS.

I'm in the same boat as you....my worse fear of having an AT is uphill highway/freeway or any uphills....I get used to pull and go....

Here's my thoughts on it based on completing a road trip through the NC mountains. I can tell you, you won't be in 6th gear if climbing for any significant distance in the AT. It drops pretty quickly back to 5th and even 4th. 6th is definitely a "cruising gear". No real work gets done there.

Also, there is always a perceived lag between you wanting more pulling power (more torque) and the AT committing to it. I say "perceived" because that's exactly what it is. When you commit the throttle to it, the AT adjusts quickly, much better than any other AT I've driven, but it seems like a lag because you've already committed your mind to it before the car takes action. In a MT you think and do at the same instant so the car feels like its "reading your mind".

With now around 1500 miles on my AT, what I have adjusted to doing is using the paddle shifters as part of that process. If I know I'm going to pass, I now think and "shift" at the same time. Since the paddles always work, it puts those two action back together and the response is much more satisfying for me.

When I am finally ready to buy one it'll be an Auto. I'm currently driving a VW DSG and it shifts like a dream. Have any of you ever driven a DSG that you can compare the FRS Auto with as far as gear changes? there is all kinds of info saying some of the components are from the ISF but some dispute this. Thanks.

My current car is a DSG GTI. The FRS automatic I drove at a Scion first-drive event had quick shifts (better than other traditional automatics I've driven), but the DSG is slightly quicker and, as you already know, DSG shifts feel seamless when hard on the throttle.

The one thing I didn't like about the FRS automatic was it felt like the torque converter took a while to lock up in 1st gear, whereas in the GTI, the clutch fully engages before 1500 rpm. But that probably has more to do with the GTI's low end torque than anything.

The automatic in the FRS a nice transmission overall and probably smoother in everyday driving, but not quite as good as the DSG in my opinion.

Hi, what is the RPM cruising 80mph with the automatic?

Good info! Thank you so much.

Its a little under 3K on mine. I didn't capture 80, but here is 55, 60 and 70.

The RPM is impressively low for a 2.0L engine.
The engine wear will be less on the AT. Suitable for long road trips for less noise and gas mileage.

Great comments Dadhawk

Dadhawk Quote:Here's my thoughts on it based on completing a road trip through the NC mountains. I can tell you, you won't be in 6th gear if climbing for any significant distance in the AT. It drops pretty quickly back to 5th and even 4th. 6th is definitely a "cruising gear". No real work gets done there.

That 6th is a cruising gear would make perfect sense when you look a chart of rpm/speed for the various ratios. MT means lots of shifting in city driving, AT means more shifting on the highway than might seem familiar.

Dadhawk Quote: Also, there is always a perceived lag between you wanting more pulling power (more torque) and the AT committing to it. I say "perceived" because that's exactly what it is. When you commit the throttle to it, the AT adjusts quickly, much better than any other AT I've driven, but it seems like a lag because you've already committed your mind to it before the car takes action. In a MT you think and do at the same instant so the car feels like its "reading your mind".

That sounds to me like what might be the primary difference between AT and MT, in terms of feel: that you do not/cannot get the same sense of connection/throttle response. Sounds like you are saying the AT is better at the sense of connection/ throttle response than a conventional automatic? Is it a lot better or just a little better.

When it shifts in "D" to a new gear, you still get a perceived lull? I am thinking the question is does it drop out of torque converter clutch lockup every time it shifts or once locked the torque converter stays locked in gears 2-6? I think I read somewhere that only 1rst does not have torque converter lock up.

This is one thing I have read about the IS-F 8 speed:

"...A new torque-converter lock-up control was developed that allows for a direct, crisp gear change through the constant lock-up of the torque converter in the second through eighth gears...."

Edmonds Inside line had this to say about the IS-F:

"....If the IS-F's engine seems complicated, get a load of its one transmission offering. This eight-speed automatic is adapted from the tranny in the LS luxo barge.

Leave the shifter in fully automatic mode and you can never quite shake the impression that there are three too many gears in the box. It seems to always be lounging around in 7th on the highway and dithering among its many gears around town. Downshifts are slow to come. When it finally finds a nice low gear, the engine is spinning wildly, the engine note has turned angry and you've got more power than you asked for, plus it arrives later than you wanted it. Use the automatic mode only for traffic jams.

It's better to leave the transmission in manual mode and use the steering-column-mounted shift paddles to choose from the myriad gears. In all but 1st gear, this transmission uses a lock-up clutch to connect the engine and transmission, something like a conventional manual powertrain. When you combine the crisp feeling of engine response that results with tremendously quick upshifts and downshifts (with automatic throttle blips), the complex transmission becomes one of the most entertaining sequential-shift automatics...."

Appreciating that the FRS automatic is a development, has two fewer gears (hopefully leaving out two of the extraneous extras) and probably other improvements, does anything said about feel/perception sound familiar?


Dadhawk Quote: With now around 1500 miles on my AT, what I have adjusted to doing is using the paddle shifters as part of that process. If I know I'm going to pass, I now think and "shift" at the same time. Since the paddles always work, it puts those two action back together and the response is much more satisfying for me.

I noticed the responsiveness with the paddle shifters as a good thing! Did you feel you could get on or just stay on the throttle for a more seemless response when paddle shifting?

Thanks.

Actually, I don't know that it was more. Any AT (or MT for that matter) with an OD gear is going to have to shift if you are doing much more than cruising. Not a lot of roll-on power in the top gear of most cars.

To me it is a lot better than other AT I have driven, but with the exception of a 1982 Z28 this is the first performance car I've owned with an AT. My point was that just its a different experience and if you depend completely on the AT there is not the same immediacy of action with a MT. I don't think the performance is any different, but like you say there is a bit of a lack connection on that piece. In the AT (without the paddles) you Think/Accelerate/Gear Change, in a MT you Think/Gear Change/Accelerate.

Someone more familar with the mechanics would have to answer that question for certain, but no I don't believe it drops out of lockup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smbrm (Post 243142) This is one thing I have read about the IS-F 8 speed: "...A new torque-converter lock-up control was developed that allows for a direct, crisp gear change through the constant lock-up of the torque converter in the second through eighth gears...." [...]Edmonds Inside line had this to say about the IS-F

Sounds about right to me from a non-mechanical standpoint. I do believe they have corrected some of the issues pointed out in the excerpt concerning the fully auto mode though. I have not observed the same "bad" behavior as much.

Definitely. In any of the modes (Full Auto, Sport or Manual) the paddle shifters provide precise and quick response. In full manual mode it acts just like a MT except for protecting you at the top end and the low end.

I think the key is that when you hit the paddle it does what you want when you want it, not when the computer wants it. For the most part, none of us drive like an standard AT is programmed so it always seems to lag.

When using the paddles, except in the extremes (when shifting will over-rev or under-rev) the auto does exactly what you tell it the instant you tell it.

Standard AT when manually shifted goes:

Manual Shift->Computer holds a committee meeting->Decides Yea, well OK->Slow deliberate shift.

FR-S AT goes:

Manual Shift->Shift. It doesn't have to think because it knows when the shift up/down will not break "the rules "at any given time because it constantly evaluates the situation. You can tell this because of the shift lights which will light up in either direction depending on what is valid.

Clutch actuation is a pariticative action based time lag, while in the AT we may feel there is waiting because we don't pariticipate in the same way.

"...I have not observed the same "bad" behavior as much...." sounds like an improvement, but still some.

You articulate perceptions quite well! Thanks for you insight.

FYI: The auto does not lock up in first, second through 6th only. Thats why it felt like it took longer than in the GTI

Question? If i was interested in having the gears change quicker, would upgrading the torque converter solved that?, As well as get me prepped for when I add the tb/or/sc?

Thanks in advance for any advice, first time posting :}

Being able to paddle shift while in D, really helps make this feel more like a MT. Being able to shift when you know you are going to need it, makes it feel more responsive just like driving an MT.

I also preferred driving the AT in manual mode on a curvy road. The shifts were very responsive and I was able to keep two hands on the wheel. I felt I had more control and was able to push it more than I probably would have if I was manually shifting gears.

It isn't all perfect and many will push towards manual but the AT has a lot more going for it than most cars. I made the switch to AT so that my SO can drive the car if needed plus as I get older, if/when I hurt a foot or arm, I can still enjoy a sweet ride.

I very much disliked the AT. I test drove an frs AT at the LA auto show and HATED IT to the point were I almost lost all interest in the car because it felt so boring and lifeless. Luckily I drove a MT and fell in love.

A valvebody upgrade from someone like ssp performance would help for faster gear changes. An upgraded torque converter with a higher stall would help for launching an AT car. 4.55 gears+ in the rear end (cusco, weir, mfactory all have products) will also help with the willingness of the car to feel more alive through the rev range.

It's not the nicest/best car I've ever had, but I never had more fun in a car. ETA: The MT/AT debate is always funny. In AT manual mode, I tell it when to shift, and that involves the same level of mythical "driver involvement" MT drivers are always talking about, but all I need to do is use a paddle, no need to set my martini down.

Way too many complaints about being caught in the wrong gear, as well, from both sides. Much of the fun of this thing comes from having to stay ahead of it mentally in order to go quickly, by design. I suspect more than half the people who want "more POWAH" have only one tool in the box, the gas pedal.

Luv my AT....luv the paddle shifting...at first I thought I should've bought a M/T...then when I drive home in traffic I remember why....Hahaha! ;)

Love the fuck out of my AT!

I take my car to the track and up into the mountains and its a blast! I dont drive in AT mode that much. I am almost always in Manual mode and use either the paddles or the up down of the shifter to shift.

I live in LA where the traffic is real. I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE traffic. Its one of the only things in this world that really makes me rage. So when I am stuck in it, which happens alot. AT all the way and just try and not think about how much I hate it.

But for all other driving, Manual mode all the way. :D



A big misconception for those with the MT is that they believe anyone who drives the AT drives in full auto the entire time. A lot dont even realize you can up and down shift through all gears. They just assume its push gas and thats it.

Both the auto and manual are pretty bad on this car. however, this is an auto thread, please don't jack!

Not only that, but many of the ignorant MT users don't realize how engaging modern autos are. They just drove their moms Camry once and assumed all autos are slushboxes LMFAOOOO

My 2008 Scion tC had the best auto tranny I've ever used, loved it. Better than even the frs. Interesting

I was attempting to answer someone's question about which one is better and being that I've driven both I thought it I could answer it but I must have deleted the quote so chilllll. Ya'll can talk about how nice it is not to break your nails since you don't have to shift ;) haha I kid I kid. Once again I was just answering someone's question. Oh and the manual is great.

I'm not a fan of autos in small cars but I test drove an FR-S with the auto twice and drove it in manual mode and it was actually a lot of fun. I liked having both hands on the wheel while shifting and the downshifts feel really nice with the auto rev matching.

Thank's LoneWolf!

I love this car in Automatic form. I would not have purchased I in the manual option. I should have premised this that I don't take this too the track as I lack the funding for potential mishaps..I have had it for nearly two years and 21k miles. Only mods are weds wheels SA15R 16x7 with 225/50/16 Continental Extreme Contact DW. I lost approximately 20lbs with this setup. Minus the spare tire and a half tank of gas and I am a little but noticeable different car. Still I am impreesed with how well this handles. Its a great car in automatic for CERTAIN drivers. : ) I am also not a "racer" so I am not the most skilled driver. It is a different dynamic..not neccesarly better for all purchasers but was for me at least for now. Don't get me wrong I have driven the manual and it was FUN..! However an autmataic for me with no regrets at all