Test driving an AT in 2 hours, any tips?

[Boosted2.0]

Originally Posted by GMU-BRZ

If you are in manual mode using the paddle shifters, be careful when you are turning. You can lose the paddle when the wheel turns and rev the car way too high (over 5k for me, 17 miles on the car).

LOL - the car will be fine dude. The manual says you can rev higher than 4 in emergencies, and I've heard SOME Ne'er-do-wells have taken their cars to redline on a regular basis even right off the dealer lot with no negative reprocussions.

[GMU-BRZ]

Originally Posted by Boosted2.0

LOL - the car will be fine dude. The manual says you can rev higher than 4 in emergencies, and I've heard SOME Ne'er-do-wells have taken their cars to redline on a regular basis even right off the dealer lot with no negative reprocussions.

Haha I’m not really worried about it, in that it wasn’t my car

[MmmHamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Kimsey47

There is another pedal on the left but I'm not sure what it is for...

I've done the research. That one is the anti-gas.

[MVJ1975]

Originally Posted by MmmHamSandwich

I've done the research. That one is the anti-gas.

From experience with DC area drivers, everyone knows what that one does. Nobody has a clue what the one one the right does, though.

[niharG]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I just got back, and it's been hard to stop looking like this ->

In all seriousness, it really was a great idea to run through all the different combinations of D, M and sport on/off. I did in fact come across the issue of "losing the paddles" when turning from a red light, and took it up to about 5K. Otherwise I kept it pretty much in break-in spec.
The dealer took me to a small industrial area with some curves and I let it loose a bit. I was utterly shocked with how little roll there was in the chassis even at 60mph through a turn under power. The steering also felt extremely balanced, to the point where I *didn't* notice the wheel as I was driving. The word I would use to describe it is natural.

The FR-S was easily the most fun car I've ever driven (which isn't saying too much). Needless to say I'm super excited about this car, and if my BRZ pre-order doesn't come in by my deadline I will have no problem switching to the FR-S. As fun as that was, I also do think I would enjoy the additional control that comes with driving a manual.

[MVJ1975]

As a note, if you're having problems with the paddle shifters getting lost in turns, you can also bump the shifter forward (up) and back (down) to force shifts as well in manual mode.

[rikdrt1]

Hey, i see the 4 types... but i havent tried manual with or without sport ... what exactly is the difference ? i didnt think it mattered since in manual u are forced to shift anyways... ??

Originally Posted by Boosted2.0

Put it in manual mode and turn sport mode on. (Not NSC sport - thats a different function)

but try all 4 modes:

Drive
Manual mode
Drive with sport mode on
Manual mode with sport mode on

its 4 different personalities.

[ssteer]

Glad you enjoyed your test drive. I drove an FR-S 6MT last week, but was astonished at the sheer amount of engine noise. Thrashy loud metallic noise and a lot of booming. Quite disharmonious. Put me right off the car, which after 6 months of anticipation kinda blew the big one.

Gonna give it a few more months and try again to see whether it's an anomally or really true.

[smbrm]

I don't think sport mode in manual/paddle shift did anything in particular when I tried. For the AT I found the paddle shifters to be the most engaging mode, both for upshifting and downshifting. What is interesting though is being able to switch modes. So you can cruise on the highway in D and let the brain take care of highway shifts for hills & valleys and then switch over to paddles when you get to ramps and places where you want more control of shifting. Having been a manual driver since forever though it is still tough to get my head around switching. Rowing six gears with MT in the same space that I am used to five, and the lower FE of the manual just feels like a conundrum that doesn't quite add up.

[niharG]

Originally Posted by rikdrt1

Hey, i see the 4 types... but i havent tried manual with or without sport ... what exactly is the difference ? i didnt think it mattered since in manual u are forced to shift anyways... ??

If you don't see the orange "SPORT" indicator on the instrument cluster then sport mode is off. From what I could gather the car seemed to shift quicker (and as a result SLIGHTLY less smoothly) when in sport mode, but I never took the car up to high RPMS, so I can't be sure of its behavior when performance driving.

Thrashy loud metallic noise and a lot of booming. Quite disharmonious. Put me right off the car, which after 6 months of anticipation kinda blew the big one.

This boxer definitely isn't the smoothest sounding motor around, but to me the words thrashy and booming don't come to mind. Perhaps listen to some aftermarket exhausts, they might tune the note to something more desirable.

[Shin]

Hmm, did you happen to try putting it into neutral while in manual mode? I forgot to try it. I think putting both the + and - paddle shifters at the same time do that or am I wrong?

[niharG]

Originally Posted by Shin

Hmm, did you happen to try putting it into neutral while in manual mode? I forgot to try it. I think putting both the + and - paddle shifters at the same time do that or am I wrong?

Didn't try both paddles, but I can tell you for sure that hitting (-) in first gear does NOT do it, contrary to what video games have taught me

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by ssteer

Glad you enjoyed your test drive. I drove an FR-S 6MT last week, but was astonished at the sheer amount of engine noise. Thrashy loud metallic noise and a lot of booming. Quite disharmonious. Put me right off the car, which after 6 months of anticipation kinda blew the big one.

Gonna give it a few more months and try again to see whether it's an anomaly or really true.

There is a interior cabin resonator that takes induction air and noises to the inside via a tube.
The acoustic engineeres actually tuned this device well with a valve so you only hear the nice throaty sounds at high throttle loads by a valve system. This is used so that muffler noise or induction noise OUTSIDE the car wouldn't be too annoying for most neighbors in tight communities like urban areas of most countries.

This device CAN be disabled by removing the pipe that extends to the inside or taking the hose off the valve to keep it permanently closed. And you will not hear the intake sounds so much in the cabin.
If you are removing it, do take care to plug up the holes and vacuum lines.

To me its actually a nice classic noise of a old sports car and I like it, but it's not for everyone I suppose.

[xravexboix]

Originally Posted by Double4Free

Drive it like you stole it.

EDIT: Beat me to it :[

The comments like "Drive it like you stole it" usually give dealers a reason to be cheap with test drives. Someone will eventually buy that car-- how would you feel if someone drove your car like they stole it?