Here are some things that I have observed when driving in manual mode. As you are aware there is a delay when the car rev matches. I have tried some different driving techniques and I have found one that in most driving situations completely eliminates the delay on downshift.

-When you want to downshift into 1st or 2nd gear and intend to accelerate:
- first engage the gas pedal then use the selector to downshift. This eliminates the delay- the car will simply engage in gear, rev up and go.
The delay occurs when you lift throttle and downshift.

As long as you engage the gad pedal before selecting the gear, the car will engage immediately into the desired gear.

If you do not intend to accelerate then just let the car do it's thing.

I have not experienced the delay at all when downshifting into 3rd gear. I think that it is mainly a 3-2 and 2-1 issue.

Another thing I have found via experimentation:
If you are in D mode you can still manually control the gears if you have paddle shifters. Just press up or down on the padles and the car will shift according to your command even though it is in D mode. After about 5 seconds it will automatically go back into D mode.

 

Thanks for the info.

A couple things I've noticed when using manual is that there isn't a lot of power in 2nd gear. As soon as I go from 1st to 2nd, the RPMs stays relatively high I would have to shift up to 3rd only a few seconds later.

Another thing is when I'm cruising its hard to tell whether I'm in 4th or 5th gear and when I downshift I wouldn't know if i'm gonna go to 3rd or 4th. Any tips or do I just need to get used to the feel of the car.

 

if you hold either paddle down for about a second or so, it'll revert back to D.

 

cool didn't know that one...

thanks

 

I always have to take a quick glance at the gear indicator screen. The car is so quitet that you can really tell by the sound. Normally I can tell by how the car reponds to initial pedal input.

 

i've noticed that going from D to DS, while at speed, will always drop you one gear. so let's say you're on the freeway at 75. if you swap over to DS, you're now in fourth. if you pull back, now you're in third at about 5500 -6000 RPM for max torque.

here's what i do if i'm on the freeway and want to drop two gears or just on a surface street and want to drop two gears:

when you have your hand on the shifter, ready to apply a leftward motion, apply a backward pressure to it as well. what this will do is, as soon as it's over in DS, it'll downshift one gear. if this is down fluidly enough, you'll go from cruising in 5th, to screaming in 3rd and ready to nail it.

 

The 5AT is an wonderful tranny. It gave me no reason to even consider the thought of buying the 6MT. D,DS,MM, doesnt matter the car ALWAYS responds. That's why mine is going to be a 5AT.

 

Agreed, I couldnt be any happier with the 5AT....I would love a 6AT but im over that....Personally i prefer the SD mode for spirited driving....MM for random fun pulls & to make noise.

 

What mph are you auto guys topping out in 2nd gear? Are you guys having to shift three times before 60? I just noticed yesterday (playing around) that I was able to top out 2nd gear at 65mph. That's insane, eliminating the third shift before 60 allows for better 0-60 performance. just curious.

 

Im wondering the same thing, but You're asking on a 5AT thread which may not be a good idea since the gear ratios and max speed in each gear may be different for them, right?

 

Not really, I am asking them to tell me what their max speed in 2nd gear is in the G37S Auto.

 

i hit around 65ish at 7800 in second. really amazing.

 

yep @ 63-65ish...

 

wow, we are about even in low-end, that is crazy. I guess 0-60 performance is a drivers race being that both drivers can shift (or for you guys, paddle faster) lol.

 

Doing this can't be too good for the car...