Although the TL-S I will be getting is for my wife (her anniversary present for bearing me a child a few weeks ago), I'm pretty excited about the car too. My wife has always driven stick (and has embarrassed her share of challengers while driving my cars), but decided she would like to try an automatic for a change. I'm a dedicated rower, so I really like the idea of the sequential sportshift in the TL-S. I was wondering how many people make use of this, and if so, how do you like it? I know it's not the same as a dedicated manual, but seems like a reasonable trade off for the convenience of auto.

 

i use during da day and on the higway

 

I like it, but to me it is more marketing than useful. In D5 on the highway when you really want to blast past someone or around someone, shifting to D3 really does the trick. Personally I never use the left side SS mode. You may like it, but I think of it as more of a transmission killer than anything else. The 3.2 is bullitproof.

 

After driving the sport shift, I am a little disappointed. Unless we can reprogram the shift point and timing, it's still way too slow for me. Particularly, I drive a stick CRX during the day and the TL at night. I prefer stick over unless it's the SMG type of sportshift. However, the TL is not really for hardcore racing, so I say it's a bargain with this price tag to have this feature.

 

I never drive my TL any other way. The SS is da bomb! If there was a manual available in '99 when I bought it though.....

Jay

 

If I'm out with my girl or going golfing with the guys, I leave it in D5 and go...
If I'm by myself, I almost always use s/s...I just like playing around and 85% of my driving is done under 75mph. Just being able to hover in 2nd and 3rd makes passing and instant acceleration wonderful. I agree with KJ32 in that the shifting points are a bit off, but to me, I'd rather just have more control of 1st than anything else. I can stress enough to you guys the acceleration differences with the headers installed in the top end of 2nd and 3rd in the vtec range...Driving in s/s with headers would completely change your mind...

 

I use the SS mostly off the line and when passing on the highway... other than that, it is straight auto...

I think it does work well though...

 

The SS is slow and the 1-2 shift is still automatic even in SS.

I only use SS when going over 65mph. That 5th gear has no power and its easier to knock it down to 4th with the SS than by pushing the gas down.

 

I use it in my A4 more than my TLS because the auto tranny in the TLS seems to respond fairly well in D.

The A4 is underpowered (relatively) and doesn't kick down as quickly so I often flip into tip mode and downshift.

That being said I do still use it on and off in the TLS when I'm trying to manage gears through twisty roads. In a straight line it is more or less unnecessary IMO.

 

If this was a manual car I would have already fried my clutch by now. TWICE!

Not that I can't drive stick but it's just to tempting to rag it with a manual. I use SS a lot because I have a 99 TL and it doesn't do the 1-2 shift automatically. In stop and go traffic I often accelerate in first and leave it there if there are cars in front of me. I just take my foot off the gas and it slows down nicely without my brakes squeeking away.

 

I think tranny's will eventually go to the paddle shifter type like BMW, Audi, Ferrari, etc. are using now. You can drive them full auto, or shift them like F1 cars w/o the manual clutch. They are getting a big following. I'm still loving the 6 speed in my M3, but it will be nice to have a family car that has some real ball$.

 

tl has no manual only autragic