Just a comment that I feel my prior car, BMW 323i, had a much smoother tranny then my TL. Here are a couple of things I've noticed.

1.) When applying the break going down a hill you can really tell when the car downshifts.
Never noticed that in my 323i.

2.) Shifting between 1st and 2nd is much more noticeable in my TL then my 323i. Can't remember every really noticing it on my 323i.

Maybe is just the way the tranny works with a 270hp engine compared to a 170 hp engine but I would have to say BMW has a much nicer tranny then Acura at this point in time.

 

323i is a sissy car thats why

 

When the AT is driven moderate to hard, it feels right as the shifts feel positive and solid. Easy driving is a little harsh in the lower gears but can be overcome by using the SS mode. I recommend starting in 2nd and manually shifting into 3rd at around 2200 rpm, then switching back to auto mode or continuing up shifts at 2000 rpm.

 

BMW uses GMs auto trannies. So your comparison is really with GM, not BMW.

 

Maybe it is just in Colorado? Occasionally I feel hard upshifts, but for the most part they are smooth, and this is accelerating fast or slow. They are just more noticable going fast, but nothing jaw shattering. I did notice some harsh downshifts though, both and hills and in SS. When you are in SS mode coming to a stop, try shifting from third gear into second at about 25, i get this jerkiness.....I think what you may be talking about with the BMW is that the enigine just seems smoother - the power is more linear, that's how it was in my Mercedes too

 

This is the "Grade logic" system programmed into the transmission. When you brake going downhill, the transmission holds a lower gear as you travel downhill so you don't accelerate as much as you would otherwise. This is a normal feature and is occasionally quite useful.

Hope this helps!

 

They use ZF auto trannies and Getrag manual trannies. The only BMW that I can think of off of the top of my head that uses a GM tranny is the X5 3.0.

 

Thanks for all the feeback. The rough gear changing isn't a big deal but just something I have noticed. Once my car is broken in then I can drive FASTER and maybe that will fix it.

 

What you're describing during a 3-2 downshift is because your revs are up too high. The problem is that you can't blip the throttle with the auto to match revs as you can in a manual because you don't have a clutch. You need to slow down more and let the revs drop if you insist on downshifting when stopping. However, all you're doing is putting undue stress on the tranny and engine by engine braking. Brake pads are cheap...use 'em.

 

Mindcrime, what color do you have? Maybe I have seen you....I have seen 2 or 3 Anthracite, 2 or 3 of SSM, 2 or 3 of NBP including mine. AM has been one by 36 and 287 in the morning and one in Cherry Creek in afternoon. NBP has been downtown and up north near Boulder, same with SSM. You can tell mine because I am the only NBP you will probably ever see with Limo tint and tinted windshield. You will be able to see the car, just not me!

 

Uhh...disregard my previous post. Revs are definitely not too high at 25. That's what I get for reading too damn quick!

What the hell is with the time limited edits??

 

I like feeling the shifts. /shrug

 

I have a WDP. I live on the south side of town so probably have not crossed paths yet.
I park at the Mineral station for light rail and work downtown.

 

I've never heard of "grade logic" but I find the downshift to 3rd at 40 mph (with the attendant "head-snap" forward) when I'm coasting downhill with my foot off the accelerator to be one of the more annoying characteristics of the shift-logic in the TL.

And I agree, the pause in the 1st to 2nd shift at less than brisk acceleration, which similarly causes your head to involuntarily lurch forward is also annoying.

Honda, check out the i-shift logic in Toyata/Lexus auto-trannys.

 

I fully agree with your post, these are the same things that are happening to me.

 

I know the early E46 3-series (328i, 1999, at least) used a GM 5 speed automatic - made in France. That doesn't mean it was a bad thing. GM auto. trannys are generally "bulletproof" - it's one thing GM can do right, and they have more experience with them than anyone, so that makes sense. Acura would have done a lot better by selecting a GM unit in the previous generation TL's than designing their own.

 

when my tranny is cold in the morning it shifts hard. I don't like it. 5 minutes later I am in love again.

 

Remember that ours is also a "learning" tranny. It will adjust shift speeds and shift points over an average of every 7 days. So if you pussyfoot it, it will shift slower, and lower, providing less sporty feel. If you floor it 24/7, it will shift much higher in the rpm band, and shift faster. It will re-average this weekly based on driver input.

I for one also like the 3rd-2nd downshift when going down hill or to a stop at too high of a speed, it adds a lot of engine braking, thus reducing brake wear and reducing your speed nicely. And the TL is not the first to do it.. I think BMW and MB also have a system where if it thinks you need full power braking, it can and will apply more braking power than you are dictating with your foot on the pedal.

The grade logic, as stated, is also what helps it not try to go into 4th and 5th up a hill unless you're at those appropriate speeds, until you level out again, thus helping you maintain some horsepower unstead of bogging the engine and warming up the tranny.

 

The aggressive downshifting is awesome. The 3 series beamers are crap.

 

You are correct. I did not read that it was a 323i. Now they are only using GM trannies in the Xi cars. ZF in the rest of the 3 series line since 01.

 

hahaha