I didn't like the AT and I'm trying to understand why

[RYU]

Originally Posted by Jedi1

The ring and pinion set in the actual rear end is the "final drive". I have seen up to a 4:30 ratio offered. Haven't found exact info on our cars to know what came in the car from the factory. I think we have a 4:10 in the car now. The switch to the 4:30 set will effectively shorten all of gear ratios and in turn make the car accelerate quicker. There are trade offs in cruising rpm being higher and probably a little mpg hit.

Anything between 4:23-4:44 would be great. My only one big concern are potentials issues with the ECU and/or traction control/abs. In other cars i've had, changing wheel sizes in which any ratio between the front and rear tire sizes are "off" would put the Traction Control System into a hissy fit. Presumably changing the FD would still preserve both front and rear ratios but if say the speed sensor was in the trans and in both front tires then it's all screwed up. I *hope* i'm overthinking this but with modern cars these days you never know...

[Jedi1]

You aren't overthinking it at all. Those are valid concerns and I am hoping the companies working on our ECU can come up with ways to tune out any issues this might bring up. Our TC/abs and stability controls in this car are pretty sophisticated for the cars price point and changing the gear may very well cause issues. A 4:30 would wake the automatic up in a big way though! : )

[jacktman]

When you put the lever into manual mode, you don't have to use the paddles to shift up or down. You can just snick the lever forward to go up one gear, or pull the shift lever back to downshift. I learned this from a diagram in the manual. It really works!

[Whitigir]

Jedi1 has a good insight. Paddle shifter is replacing manual on the race track, actual professional race track.

The Paddle shift is more of newer technology than MT. People will deny it in the beginning, but submit to it later.

Remember first cell phone ? Then first Internet connection ? Then first iphone ? Yeah, it is the same.

Personally, you use what you like best, IMO, driven different MT vehicle before for years. I love the Paddle shift.

[HotLava]

People forget that you can ALWAYS (no matter which mode) use the paddle or floor shifter in the AT at any time. If (even in sport mode) you're going up hill in 5th gear (say on a highway), you can always downshift with the paddle shifters to fourth to pass someone. You don't 'give it more gas' to get the computer to downshift one gear. You have 100% override in either manual mode (obviously) or automatic mode (sport or normal mode).

So this car should not be "boring" during a normal commute.

[Whitigir]

Originally Posted by HotLava

People forget that you can ALWAYS (no matter which mode) use the paddle or floor shifter in the AT at any time. If (even in sport mode) you're going up hill in 5th gear (say on a highway), you can always downshift with the paddle shifters to fourth to pass someone. You don't 'give it more gas' to get the computer to downshift one gear. You have 100% override in either manual mode (obviously) or automatic mode (sport or normal mode).

So this car should not be "boring" during a normal commute.

Pardon the people. Newer Technology needs time to Adapt . It is a good thing that Younger Generation Adapt to it so Quickly.

[thill]

My advice is to drive both the manual and automatic and pick the one you like the best. I prefer manual, but the auto in these cars is one of the better ones I have driven. You may be a more limited on choice with the auto. My dealer told me 70% of their allotment so far have been manuals and the autos seem to be sitting on the lot a little longer.

[jflogerzi]

I kinda wished I tried the AT before buying my MT. I did get one small test drive in the AT at an auto show and the paddles were pretty damn fun!

[eddieEndo]

I own an automatic and find myself sometimes wishing I had gotten the manual but overall I still find it to be a very fun and engaging car

[Ganthrithor]

Originally Posted by Shizuma

I hate how MT people seem to be obsessed with saying this, does ABS take away from the driving experience because you no longer have to pump the brakes like you used to?

Yes. Only, you never had to pump the brakes...

(Not to rag on your post too much, but yes, ABS does dumb down the car a bit and detract from the driving experience. Threshold braking is fun! Luckily, you're just a fuse-pull away from practicing proper braking at the track / DE. The same can't be said for the paddles :\)

[Steve]

1:08 onward

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI1fRwlLI_c"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI1fRwlLI_c[/ame]

[Tromatic]

I learned to drive in a three-in-the-tree Rambler and a Ford tractor, so everything else was up from there. Every other car I have ever had has been a manual, so I do miss that a bit. However, I think the FR-S AT is pretty damn good. In "Sport", the gear selection and shift points are usually spot on. You can also shift it manually while in "D" if you need to, and the downshift rev-match does a better job than I ever could. Having to not set down the bong or my Gin while driving is a bennie, too.

[SUB-FT86]

The clutch is in the top ten things I hate in LIFE!!!!(No Joke). The only 2 things I love about a manual transmission is the free revving feel to redline VS the automatics lazy feel in D mode, and upshifting/downshifting through the gears. I'm pretty sure in M mode with paddles the FRs/BRZ's auto can accomplish the 2 things I love about the manual.

[daiheadjai]

A bit off topic (didn't read through all 5 pages), but what do you guys think is the optimum layout for paddle shifters?

The twins have Left/up, Right/down, but if your wheel is turning all over the place, wouldn't the best arrangement be Pull back/upshift and Push forward/downshift? (arguably, you shouldn't be shifting when your wheels are turned that much anyway)

I believe some cars do have this arrangement so that regardless of which paddle you reach (left or right), you can still do both.