erick3

erick3

just out of curiosity - does anyone rev match w/ the SS? i find it to be "quicker" and quite a bit smoother: takes a while to get it right though

v1ck69

Definitely mashing the gas down is not the same to downshifting to 3rd gear. I'm not relying on the computer to think i need 3rd gear when i got some guy approaching fast before i pass the slow driver in front of me. SS=highway D=city for me.

TL|GTX

It's really hard to rev match with SS. And how would u do it any way?

lldknyll26

wait, so with paddle shifter, when you want to slow down, dont you have to step on brake and lower the gear using the paddle shifter (-)? How does this work? When you want to rev higher, you press the paddleshifter (+) and when you want to slow down you use the brake then lower the gear. For example if you're going 50 miles on gear 3 and you want to slow down, you step on the brake (which will slow the car down to lets say 20 miles) then you have to press the paddleshifter (-) to gear 2. Perhaps i'm wrong

BigJustin

Yeah exactly how would you rev match when you cant rev it like how you would when you depress a clutch or in neutral like when driving stick?
Explain?

BigJustin

Like do you mean with your foot still on the gas then downshift?

lights

iTrader: (1)

I only use it when I'm angry.
you don't want to see me angry......

ahrajani

I actually use SS mode exclusively. I don't think it's "better" than using "D" and it is certainly not the equivalent to driving a real stick, but I find the shifter useful to combat my TL's Advanced Grade Logic Control System and Shift Hold Control.

These are two features that annoy me and are the main reason I stopped using "D." The problem for me is that when I am in "D" and slowing down to stop at a signal (I drive a lot locally), the transmission automatically downshifts -- but does so too quickly. This is a form of automated engine-braking that, technically, will help you slow down faster and make sure that there is enough power available when you hit the gas.

But unfortunately, as a result, these automatic downshifts (especially to 3rd and to 2nd) are really noticeable and make it difficult to just coast in traffic without the car suddenly slowing down by itself. This forces me to just feather the gas the whole time, which forces me to hit the brakes even harder when I come to a stop.

What I like about the SS mode is that it after a few days of using it, my car doesn't downshift as readily in stop and go traffic. So when I'm slowing down, I just keep it in 4th or 3rd (depending on the speed) and have it automatically drop down to 1st when I come to a complete stop. From start to finish, everything feels smooth without any abrupt lurches or sudden slowdowns.

The irony is that some earlier posts claim that SS mode is bad for your car because downshifting is bad for your transmission -- but you can use SS mode to prevent the car from downshifting so much when it is in "D".

The other time SS mode is helpful for me is when I pass someone. And I don't mean flying by someone because -- as people earlier have said -- you could just do that by stomping on the gas and forcing the car to automatically downshift because it knows you want more power. Instead, I'm talking more about a less aggressive pass on the highway. A simple downshift works quite well without having to stomp on the gas.

With all that said, there are four huge pet peeves I have with SS modes (I've used SS modes in my TL, in an Infinity FX35, a Mazda6, and a Mazda RX-8):

(1) no way turn the computer off partially or fully: I don't like how you can't force the computer to simply not make any gear changes for you at all while in SS mode. It is quite intrusive, especially when in a parking lot, to slowly cruise around a corner in 2nd, and in the middle of the turn, the car just suddenly shifts to 1st. It's horrible. If you were driving a real manual, there is no reason you would ever drop down to 1st gear while making a simple turn in a parking lot. Some of you might argue that a "full" manual SS mode is really a bad idea because the computer knows when downshifting is not a good idea, so it is really just a feature there to protect me. But you know what, the same goes for traction control, but Acura was nice enough to give you a small button to shut it off when you want to. Why not a simple button next to it that lets you toggle what mode of SS you want: "auto downshift mode" and "full manual"?

(2) no way to re-map the direction of the shifter: In the Infiniti FX35, Mazda6 and Mazda RX-8 I drove, all required you to push the shifter forward to downshift (5 to 4 to 3 . . .) and pull it backward to upshift (1 to 2 to 3 . . .), but in the Acura, it is just the opposite. You would think that the companies could either standardize the way to do it or just give you the option of choosing which you prefer.

(3) no gear number display while in "D": this was a great feature of the RX-8 and the later model Mazda6's. Even while in "D", it would still tell you what gear your automatic transmission was using. This was pretty useful to see how your car reacts in normal situations. What's amazing is that most of my friends just assumed that a car in "D" didn't really upshift or downshift at all (and that it was just in "D")! Anyway, it would be nice to have the option to keep the Gear number visible at all times.

(4) paddle shifters attached to the steering wheel: The problem with mounting the buttons/paddles on the steering wheel is that if you're turning the wheel, you lose contact with the damn buttons! This was always a huge problem in the RX-8 I drove, so I just stuck to the shifter on the console instead of the paddles. But on the other hand, the FX35 had paddles mounted to the steering wheel column (like the stalk for your wipers/turn signals), which means that no matter how you are turning the wheel, you always know where to reach to change gear. I don't have a TL with paddle shifters, so I'm not sure if they are mounted on the steering wheel or on the steering column. Anybody know?

Apologies for the long post.

xen-cuts

hey ahrajani...great post!

TL|GTX

I find it actually faster when u floor in while in D b/c the transmission automatically downshits 2 gears down. But in SS i can only shift it 1 down, when im at a certain speed. But when 0-60 SS is faster, hold gear extra 300rpm.

BukvaMan

its all about having more control.

FreedomEagle50

hahahha

chairguru22

any tips on how to use the sportshift? like what speed/rpm to upshift/downshift?

WRXtranceformed

It helps if you shift a few hundred RPMs before redline. I dont know exactly where off the top of my head but you get a feel for it. Otherwise you'll be banging off the rev limiter because the SS has fairly sluggish shifts after you press the paddle.

TL|GTX

Thats, very true wrx. I shift right before the rev limiter and it bangs off it for 1sec. Shows how sluggish the response is.

ahrajani

Almost forgot, I had included a similar discussion of SS mode a few months ago here.

TL GTX: you're right on about not being able to shift two gears in one fell swoop.

chairguru22: I think for general use, what's most helpful is to drive around and pay attention to how your car normally changes its gears in "D" (you'll find that in normal driving, shifts are nowhere near the redline -- usually around 3-4k RPMs). I would try to match this in SS mode first, and work from that as a default. You can build from there and try to be more aggressive by either shifting later, stepping on the gas harder, or a combination of the two.

VillaWX3

I mean its cool to have the option and all but my last car was a stick and sport shift is really no comparison to a real M/T...Im all about my TL though...kinda obsessed...i know most of us on the AZ are too...hehehe

Kracker

You cant remap it, but you can rewire it.

I use SS when I come home from work.. Traffic is forced to merge (asshats merge from a turn only lane into my lane) and I do everything in my power to prevent them from getting in front of me. SS into second so it wont down shift and spin the tires..

NedShneebly

werd. When I 1st got my 5AT I thought: "hey, with the SS auto trany, it's the best of both worlds..."

I quickly learned that even though the SS says your holding gear in 2nd, when you stomp on it, the Torque Converter still has to load up and guess what? You're still driving an auto.

But I use SS often because it's fun and I do like telling it what gear I want to be in.

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

thats exactly why you should use the auto mode if your trying for max speed, otherwise you will bang it off the rev limiter ever gear

wkbdpremier135

iTrader: (6)

I use SS mode almost every time I drive my car and now i wish i had a frikinnnn 6 m/t.

Blazing GT

purchase the 6M/T instead :shrugs:

tinley.geo

I use the SS pretty much all the time. For the parking lot issue...when the car is at a stop or in first gear you can upshift to 2nd gear and it will stay in second and not drop back into 1st. It will remain in 2nd as long as you dont shift to 3rd. However, my TL is an '04 and it shifts from 1st to 2nd whether I upshift or not..this is the one feature about SS that I dont like, I know that the '07 and '08 dont do this.

I have gotten so used to SS that a few times when the car was in "D" I would accidentally throw it into neutral. opps

NedShneebly

[QUOTE=tinley.geo;10147745]...However, my TL is an '04 and it shifts from 1st to 2nd whether I upshift or not..this is the one feature about SS that I dont like, I know that the '07 and '08 dont do this.[QUOTE]

Ya know, I thought the auto shift to 2nd was kinda intrusive at first but, during WOT launches it's cool not to have to look down and hawk the shift point that comes up pretty quickly in 1st. Especially useful when flooring around a curve or sweeper.

But I'd much rather have a M/T!

BlacuraTLTYPES27

i dont use it much, ive done rolling pulls against my friends and it comes in handy to start from a lower gear. plus i can get all the way to the end of the gear, or atleast to just before the rev limiter... but 9.9 times out of 10, automatic