Question for the peeps with 5AT

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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 07:15 PM
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Question for the peeps with 5AT

First off 5AT FTW!

I was wondering when you guys are driving your 5AT do you just put it in drive or do any of you guys use the sport shifter??

I know Im always using the shifter. I like having at least some pseudo control of my gear changes.

Let me know.
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 07:18 PM
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I usually leave it in drive unless I want to pass someone quick, then ill downshift.
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 07:38 PM
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i do it when i want to have a good kick on a drive home or something. just got my stage 2 yesterday so ive been using the sport shift all day. love my exhaust sound now!
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 08:00 PM
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I use the sport shift for downshifting mainly.
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 08:29 PM
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Just in "D"...although last night I did shift into 5th around 40mph to see what my rpm's would be...lol
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Dave_W
I use the sport shift for downshifting mainly.
Me 2... I drive aggressive, but never "over" load the Tranny with severe down shifts,, Although I've d-shifted from 4th to 2nd to quickly sometimes. I'm like shit tap that bitch up to 3rd real quick

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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 09:16 PM
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I play with it sometimes but I really just leave it in drive most of the time. Sometimes I downshift at lights but that's about it
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 09:20 PM
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Why leave it in drive? Wouldnt you guys like at least some control over your gears?
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 10:30 PM
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If I wanted control over my gears I would have bought a 6MT.
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by ggesq
If I wanted control over my gears I would have bought a 6MT.
+1 but yet I do use the "tiptronic" quite a bit I love the sound of deceleration while slowing down
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 10:50 PM
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I keep it in 'Drive' 95% of the time. Sometimes on the way home I like to go around the block with VSA off and to the sport shifting.

I sometimes use it to check what gear I'm in but that's about it. Just those 2 things.
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 11:13 PM
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i use the automatic most of the time and when im on the highway i use the shifter
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Old Jun 10, 2010 | 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ggesq
If I wanted control over my gears I would have bought a 6MT.
I have control over my gears-- I just use the throttle on the 5AT.

Seriously, I just use "D" because the 5AT is pretty responsive to my driving. I'll go back to a manual trans only with a coupe or sports car that feels better with a manual than an auto.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 06:32 AM
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I leave it in Drive. If I need to accelerate quickly I'll just dump the throttle and let the trans do the shifting.

On our '08 knock around car, I will use the shifter when decelerating, e.g. decending a long hill coming to a stop sign that is near our home. Don't need to do it in the TL as it handles the downshifting automatically.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 06:43 AM
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Mainly leave it on D. Use it when the car decides not to shift up (3rd gear to 4th) so I then manually shift it up. I wonder if this has something to do with the 3rd and 4th gear pressure switch...?
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:00 AM
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I leave it in drive all the time unless I need a little something extra to make a quick pass- in which case I'll downshift. I got a 5AT because I didn't want to have to bother shifting gears on long commutes in rush hour traffic. If I ever get another manual it will be on a real sports car where I can have some fun with it... I don't feel it's necessary for me on a luxery-sport sedan. I got the car for it's comfort and convenience.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:19 AM
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I only use tiptronic when I need to keep a car in gear, prevent it from hunting..or If I'm doing spirited driving on long curvy roads, I'm not a fan of a brake pedal too much.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:47 AM
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Like some, I only use it to keep or start the car off in a certain gear. I hate the constant shifts in stop and go traffic, so I just keep it in 2nd for as long as possible. But the car does a great job at shifting itself, so i let it do its thing. Just mash the pedal and away we go....oh, and downshifting all the time to slow is silly. The brakes are cheaper and do a much better job at that.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 09:45 AM
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I leave it in D.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 10:40 AM
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Lately I've been using the tiptronic. I don't know why but now I've been using it a lot. haha. It came with the car so why not use it if you want to. But in traffic it goes back to "D".

PEACE!
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 11:15 AM
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d
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 11:30 AM
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I use the tiptronic mostly. I'll leave it in D if I remember to put it back into D
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by hapa dc5
i leave it in d.
+1
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 11:44 AM
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90% in auto..

10% in SS mode.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 12:24 PM
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i feel like i get beter gas milage using the tip tronic than in just auto. anyone know something about this?
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted by ionojimbo
i feel like i get beter gas milage using the tip tronic than in just auto. anyone know something about this?
I get worse.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 02:23 PM
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Around the city, I leave it in drive. On the highway I use the ss.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by blkaspec
oh, and downshifting all the time to slow is silly. The brakes are cheaper and do a much better job at that.
Honestly, the auto downshifts rather well on my 08 type S... all in all this tranny is pretty astute and shifts are firm. I definitely get much worse MPG when using the taps, but they are being used for one purpose at that time!
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 04:03 PM
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in my situation i would love to leave it in D most of the time as i find that to be possible with any other car i drive but my TL just likes to keep the gears high and for that matter feels very sluggish. It feels like it switches to 4th gear very quickly so the peppiness is never there. With the TL at least in my case you cant go vrom vrom with the Car as you would for example with my dads passat. then again something might not be right with my car.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 04:41 PM
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I use the tiptronic quite a bit. I like the feel of the manual trans with out actually having the manual. I drive like an idiot though when in tt mode.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 07:42 PM
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In response to one of the above posts, it's harder on your trans to floor it at 40mph in 5th than to downshift to 2nd. Running in too high of a gear builds lots of heat.

I use it when decending long grades and at the track. For 99% of my driving I leave it in D. The one exception is when going to LA there's a series of merges that you have to do quickly and I need it in 2nd for instant power, no time for downshifts.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 07:59 PM
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I have yet to try out my "Sport Shift" mode.

I might try it out later.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by guitarplayer16
I have yet to try out my "Sport Shift" mode.

I might try it out later.
stop joking
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:42 PM
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when im chillen i leave it in D. but when im feeling frisky..i throw it into manual.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by I hate cars
In response to one of the above posts, it's harder on your trans to floor it at 40mph in 5th than to downshift to 2nd. Running in too high of a gear builds lots of heat.

I use it when decending long grades and at the track. For 99% of my driving I leave it in D. The one exception is when going to LA there's a series of merges that you have to do quickly and I need it in 2nd for instant power, no time for downshifts.
IHC ... have you tried that new thermostat yet....
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by BukvaMan
IHC ... have you tried that new thermostat yet....
Not yet. It's usually too hot this time of year but so far temps have been very low. Still waiting for the 100 degree weather to try it. I guess I could do it now and see how it does when the summer heat hits but I wanted to be able to feel a night and day difference.
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Old Jun 11, 2010 | 11:07 PM
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how much is it maybe ill give it a try... for so long i i have visited this forum in hopes that somebody would come up with a solution to that problem. I did that ultimate cooling mode and it seems like it helps to a certain point which proves it even more that it is a heat related issue. while my Tl suffers from dbw hesitation and just doesn't feel peppy while cruising even when the engine is not as hot, things get very bad when heat rises...
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Old Jun 12, 2010 | 12:34 AM
  #38  
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as a gen2 owner I suggest you see our threads on trans failure and the weakness of the 2nd and 3rd gear clutch packs

downshifting at high rpm into those gears puts excess heat and wear to a critical part
and you dont have a court ordered extended warranty~ past 50 and out of luck or cpo cars -100

Use the brakes to slow down... and the trans to speed up
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Old Jun 12, 2010 | 01:34 AM
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isn't sport shirt only on the type s (on the steering wheel)....or does it have it somewhere else on base?
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Old Jun 12, 2010 | 01:54 AM
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Originally Posted by ALAMO695
isn't sport shirt only on the type s (on the steering wheel)....or does it have it somewhere else on base?
Every 5AT TL.

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