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Characteristics of the transmission, it takes some getting used to.
Gears 1-4 are set up low for quicker starts off the line 0-60 performance. Gears 5-6 are set much higher for better gas mileage. The transmission naturally wants to get to 5th as soon as possible.
As for the down shift, it is set to rev match, so whatever the rev is set to in Normal Automatic will trigger a down shift. Let's say you are in 6th gear traveling at 2,000 rpm, then you hit the gas and hit 3,000 rpm, it will down shift to give you more power.
The transmission is computer controlled, it is attempting to predict what the driver wants based on what you do, if you hit the gas, it assumes you want to accelerate quickly, so it chooses a lower gear.
I have also been working on slowing down without hitting the brake. For example, when you let off the gas, once the car begins to decelerate naturally it will perform a rev match down shift which results in a considerable slow down of the car especially in lower gears. I have gotten pretty good at this, almost to the point where I can drive in city traffic without ever hitting the brake, or hitting it very seldom. The down side is that when I hit the gas again there is a slight jerk from the surge of power. Remember the turbo is already spooled up, so it makes for a less smooth ride, but it's better on the transmission.
I have also gotten into the habit of putting the car in neutral when I pull up to a long red light, which also helps save on wear/tear of the clutches. Any time you push the break the clutch automatically disengages the gear. Stops at a red light are basically like sitting at a red light in a manual transmission with the shifter engaged in 1st and the clutch and brake pushed in, or more accurately perhaps like sitting at a light, in gear, with the brake off, and the clutch slightly engaged.
Any time you push on the brake, it is akin to pushing in on both brake and clutch with a manual transmission.
It's funny because I am spending as much time thinking about my driving technique and how the transmission will reacts as I did back when I was driving a stick. lol I adjust my driving style when the family is with me, using the brake more when rolling up to a light or slowing down. Ideally, I want to come to a full stop at the light and roll out from first, it makes acceleration smoother for the family.
My advice, focus on the characteristics of the transmission, think about what you are "asking" it to do with the understanding that it is trying to "predict" what you are doing, or what you want to do. Pay close attention to how it accelerates and decelerates, gear shifts, power jerks, etc. Once you spend some time looking at it from that perspective, it should begin to sense.
Just my 2 cents.
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Last edited by sith_killer_99; Apr 25, 2009 at 10:06 AM.
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No advice yet, it's a work in progress. The best bet might be lightly braking then letting off once it has completed the down shift. I will be out and about tomorrow, I'll try some different techniques and post in this thread.
