[modru2004]

Originally Posted by crosive

I'm a little leary of this feature. Everywhere I've read says it will automatically downshift, down to 3rd. everytime I've tried it, I've almost redlined the car in 1st to slow down to pull into a gas station, looking like a retard. It never just stopped at 3rd, it kept a-going.

not sure where you got the 3rd thing. the manual states it picks the lowest gear possible for the speed you are traveling. it won't let you over rev though. there isn't any danger there with the auto.

[crosive]

I'll try to find it again. I specifically remember reading it in several places, but I could be mistaken.

[aka Reckless]

Impossible to use this feature at my power level. Red line comes way too fast in the lower gears. But mine is also quite laggy using the paddles or manual shifting mode.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by torqueaddict

The more common automatics with a TC and valve body usually have a slight delay when shifting manually. I think part if it is for smoothness. Although I'm a manual guy all the way, a DSG in a Camaro would be killer - 11s wil be a piece of cake.

Part of that delay is a matter of perception.

When you tap a paddle (or a floor-shifter +/- or the shifter itself) and the signal is sent to cause a shift, your part is over and done with before the transmission even gets started. Which leaves you sitting there waiting for at least a fraction of a second at least for the hydraulics to do their thing. With a MT, the shift doesn't get finished until you finish your part and the clutch is fully engaged, meaning that you aren't having to wait on anything that's slower than you are.


Norm

[torqueaddict]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Part of that delay is a matter of perception.

When you tap a paddle (or a floor-shifter +/- or the shifter itself) and the signal is sent to cause a shift, your part is over and done with before the transmission even gets started. Which leaves you sitting there waiting for at least a fraction of a second at least for the hydraulics to do their thing. With a MT, the shift doesn't get finished until you finish your part and the clutch is fully engaged, meaning that you aren't having to wait on anything that's slower than you are.


Norm

In terms of shifting speed, the DSG type transmissions are a lot faster than the regular auto. Shifts are almost instantaneous.The delay you speak of is virtually non-existent in a DSG.


Of course a human can't shift a manual as fast, but at the same time, an automatic will never have the same precise control over the shift points and quality. That's why if you want to shift like a manual - get a manual.

[whiteboyblues2001]

Originally Posted by torqueaddict

In terms of shifting speed, the DSG type transmissions are a lot faster than the regular auto. Shifts are almost instantaneous.The delay you speak of is virtually non-existent in a DSG.


Of course a human can't shift a manual as fast, but at the same time, an automatic will never have the same precise control over the shift points and quality. That's why if you want to shift like a manual - get a manual.

As you have described, there is a big difference between a slushbox and a dual clutch transmission (like a PDK). I agree completely.

BUT, as I noted above, there is also a BIG difference between manually shifting the Camaro's A8 while tooling around town vs. on the track. Under certain circumstances, on the street, the manual shifting has a big delay. But under track conditions, the shifts are very quick. Not quite as quick as a PDK, but close, and you do have very precise control of the shifting.

And from what I understand, it also depends on what mode you are in on the mode selector.

And on another note, the Owner's Manual states that to take the car on the track with the A8, you have to take the car into the dealer and have them set the transmission fluid to the "track specific oil level". I had that done on my car (I wanted to make sure I followed the manual exactly, so if something happens, GM will honor my warranty), and the shifts seem to be a bit quicker and have more thump to them when it up-shifts.

[Bigdog9586]

Originally Posted by protovack

Yea its disappointing to say the least.

Then why are the automatic. SS’s faster than the manual and have been for a couple years?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=66kcZYTncMg

[JT58]

Originally Posted by Johnwon

I've noticed the same and I keep my car in Sport mode. I don't use the paddles, but in stop and go traffic, I'll toss it into manual many times so that I can slow the car down with the engine without riding the brakes and covering my wheels with brake dust. My goal in the next couple months is to change the pads to eliminate all the dust. Not that it matters much, but I notice my millage drop significantly when I manually shift vs. allowing the auto to do it.

I tried manually shifting a couple of times too and I also noticed that the gas consumption goes up considerably also. I just let the auto do it now- it knows when to shift and lets the engine wind out nicely.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Bigdog9586

Then why are the automatic. SS’s faster than the manual and have been for a couple years?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=66kcZYTncMg

For a number of reasons, and this is nothing new. I could have told you to expect it to work out that way - AT cars being faster than their MT counterparts . . . oh, about 50 years ago.

Disappointment with one or more of the ways an AT feels is not as directly related to the performance as you'd like to think it might be. It's also why the cars in my sig have this one thing in common, the various disappointments meaning more to me as 'negatives' than the measured performance does as a positive. But that hasn't kept me from putting a little time into trying to understand automatics or the associated subjective matters.


Norm

[Johnwon]

Originally Posted by whiteboyblues2001

The transmission programming will downshift to engine brake for you when left in auto mode. Especially when going down a hill. Not sure you will get the same response in stop and go traffic, but give it a try. The programming is pretty smart, and I get a ton of engine braking in my normal driving in automatic mode. But, I live in a very hilly valley.

On our flat roads in Jax, the car rolls very well. It would never slow enough on it's own. I have tried letting it manually slow itself in rush hour traffic between the traffic lights and it doesn't cut it... you are continually tapping your brakes where dropping it to 2nd gear at 35 and 1st at 20 slows it much faster. I also enjoy listening to the NPP

[whiteboyblues2001]

Originally Posted by Johnwon

On our flat roads in Jax, the car rolls very well. It would never slow enough on it's own. I have tried letting it manually slow itself in rush hour traffic between the traffic lights and it doesn't cut it... you are continually tapping your brakes where dropping it to 2nd gear at 35 and 1st at 20 slows it much faster. I also enjoy listening to the NPP

It's too bad the transmission isn't programmed to engine brake a bit more when slowing down on a flat surface. It works very well on the hills. As you come to a steep part, and tap the brakes, the car immediately downshifts and you no longer have to brake to maintain speed. And if you brake again, it will downshift again and help slow the car down going down the hill. It's quite nice for the hilly area I live in, and helps save my brakes.

[Sp00ner]

Originally Posted by ARCTIC

So I've tried on several different occasions to use the shift paddles and the shifter to manually row through the gears and either I am not doing it correctly or that option is kinda worthless. It feels lazy shifting. I had hoped for an instant gear bump when hitting the shift paddle but it seems to have a very disconnected feel and it almost just shifts when it wants to. Do I need to be right up to the redline to get a quick instant shift? What's the proper technique?

The 1-2 shift is pretty lazy, outside of that i don't really feel that it's lazy. Particularly if I compare it to the duration it would take me to make that same shift in a true manual. The biggest difference is it took me a fraction of a second to tap the shifter and now i'm impatient.

On track I only use full auto mode unless it's raining and I cant get it into performance shift mode without flying off track... Full auto on track is just a much more precise version of me shifting, I just dont see a reason to row the gears myself at that point.

[Kise]

Originally Posted by Sp00ner

The 1-2 shift is pretty lazy, outside of that i don't really feel that it's lazy. Particularly if I compare it to the duration it would take me to make that same shift in a true manual. The biggest difference is it took me a fraction of a second to tap the shifter and now i'm impatient.

On track I only use full auto mode unless it's raining and I cant get it into performance shift mode without flying off track... Full auto on track is just a much more precise version of me shifting, I just dont see a reason to row the gears myself at that point.

maybe I am misinterpreting but you know you can double tap traction control to enable the performance shift mode?

[Sp00ner]

Originally Posted by Kise

maybe I am misinterpreting but you know you can double tap traction control to enable the performance shift mode?

Not Competition Mode, but the Performance Shifting mode the A8 goes into under full throttle.