Auto Transmission Driver: what driving mode ?
 

My automatic transmission 86 just recently passed the 1000 miles mark and I've started to experiment with driving with Sports mode.

Is it just me or when you put the car in sports mode, the gas pedal becomes more sensitive- ie. Gives you more power when you slowly press the pedal?

also from my understanding Sports mode doesn't affect traction control but my car's rear slided the first time ever unintentionally and it was when under sports mode. If it does affect traction, I'll need to be extra careful at narrow bends so I won't scratch other cars.

I'm not sure about the gas pedal being more sensitive when in sports mode but I haven't read anything about the gas pedal changing sensitivity when switched. I have read that when you put it into sports mode it delays the affect of traction control without fully turning it off. There's a video floating around on the forums showing all three modes and how it affects your vehicle. Might be on youtube also. Hope this helps.

Unless you are talking about VSC Sport mode, "Sport" mode essentially keeps engine revving higher and staying in a lower gear longer to stay in the power band and will kick down a gear sooner than normal mode. If you are talking about VSC Sport mode, then the car will allow a little more slip (oversteer).
Personally, I started with both Sport mode and VSC Sport mode on in the beginning. Now, short of doing the pedal dance, I drive with Traction Control and Stability Control off and shift almost exclusively with the paddles or the shifter. I felt that the car would intervene too early and too much. The only time I switch back is during really horrible weather.

VSC sports mode lets you slip a bit more.

Sports mode just lets you rev higher while in auto. Seems pointless if you're shifting yourself.

Sport mode: Wanna have a little fun with higher revs/etc. without using the pedal shifter.

VSC Sport mode: Allows a little more slippage in the rear before TCS kicks in. Still pretty relaxed.

I think a lot of people will just drive in Sport mode if they don't wanna use the paddle shifters, then switch VSC Sport on if they're in paddle shifter mode for max fun, yo.

i don't have the owner's manual with me right now, but i don't think you can turn on VSC Sport without having TSC turned off? If that's the case, will TCS still kick in?

Pressing VSC Sport will light the TCS light, but it will still kick in - just after a little more slippage. It is there to indicate that "hey, TCS is not operating at full capabilities." If you'd like proof, find a parking lot and turn the wheel all the way to the left or right and hit the gas with VSC Sport on. Then stop and hold the traction control until it turns the stuff off and do the same thing. You should be spinning a lot more now :D

Putting it in Sport mode and then putting it in manual equates to faster shift speeds.

That's what I had understood but this thread seems to contradict that.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69279

Interesting. I will have to read that a bit more in depth and see for myself. To me its felt crisper but I have never done them back to back to back with all the variations.