This may seem like a dumb question...

[J86]

How the hell do you drive a tiptronic shift, or even an automatic that you can tap the shifter to go up or down?  I ran into this problem the other day.  Do you stay on the gas when it shifts, let your foot off, or partially in between?  I had occasion to drive a nice automatic car the other day that had this feature and it confused me.   Damnit I'll stay with stickshifts...

[Submariner]

I just keep on the gas and nudge it when the RPM's get up there. 

I guess you can take your foot off the gas, but you dont have too.

[TheIntrepid]

I leave my foot on the gas and shift. When I drive my cousin's 2001 Passat 1.8T, he insists I let off the gas. In all honesty I have never checked the owner's manuals so I have no idea how it's meant to be done.

[MX793]

You can just leave your foot on the gas.  It's still an automatic gearbox and it's designed to be shifted while under power.  Regular automatics (or tiptronics in full auto mode) don't require that you let off the gas to shift and the computer doesn't cut the power for you during shifts.  The transmission simply shifts.

[J86]

Thanks!  I'm easily confused

[the Teuton]

Maybe it's the fact that I had never driven it before, but when I drove a 530i a few months ago, the Steptronic was jammed or wouldn't let me shift it into the manny mode.

[cawimmer430]

Keep your foot on the gas pedal and just shift up or down. Simple as that.

[TurboDan]

J86:  I was going to post that EXACT same question today!  The Passat came with it and I was kinda afraid to try it out without knowing what to do.  And real men don't read the owner's manual, they ask on car forums, so....   

[Raghavan]

You can just leave your foot on the gas.  It's still an automatic gearbox and it's designed to be shifted while under power.  Regular automatics (or tiptronics in full auto mode) don't require that you let off the gas to shift and the computer doesn't cut the power for you during shifts.  The transmission simply shifts.

I have to in t3h accord, or else the tranny shifts so hard the whole car jerks.

[Raza]

How the hell do you drive a tiptronic shift, or even an automatic that you can tap the shifter to go up or down?  I ran into this problem the other day.  Do you stay on the gas when it shifts, let your foot off, or partially in between?  I had occasion to drive a nice automatic car the other day that had this feature and it confused me.   Damnit I'll stay with stickshifts...

You can keep your foot on the gas when you shift, but timing is important.  Depending the transmission, if you get into it too late, you'll bounce off the limiter or jump two gears.

Downshifting in most of them (other than the new XK's gearbox) is best down with a slight blip of the throttle.

[Submariner]

You can keep your foot on the gas when you shift, but timing is important. Depending the transmission, if you get into it too late, you'll bounce off the limiter or jump two gears.

Downshifting in most of them (other than the new XK's gearbox) is best down with a slight blip of the throttle.

Meh.  I don't think I've ever used that silly manual function in my car, but I have in my parents.  I've never had a problem with that. 

[850CSi]

I don't even know the point of it. It's useful for downshifting, but it's no fun for normal driving.

[J86]

J86:? I was going to post that EXACT same question today!? The Passat came with it and I was kinda afraid to try it out without knowing what to do.? And real men don't read the owner's manual, they ask on car forums, so....? ?

I must say, I agree with Faris.  If you want a manual, buy one!  Otherwise, enjoy the ease of use that the automatic provides.  The manual shift thing, in my very limited experience, seems more gimmicky than anything, and is only frustrating in that it reminds you that the car really isn't a stick.

[Pancor]

So I'm not the only that finds driving newer automatic cars harder than stickshifts!

[mazda6er]

As someone that drives a car like that every day, I can honestly say...they're kinda shitty.  At least mine is. The fact that it's only 4 speeds and thinks it's smarter than I am doesn't help. Surprisingly enough, you can make it lurch, just like an actual manual if you don't shift at the right rpms. My car used to catch very frequently on upshifts from 2nd to 3rd, but I guess I've got the sweet spot down now because it doesn't do that anymore. Foot on the gas, foot of the gas, it works either way. I usually keep it planted.

It's a pain in the ass though when you think you've downshifted and you stomp on it, then realize it hasn't downshifted, and tap it again, only to find that it was just taking its sweet time, and all the sudden you're in 1st gear going 25. 

[850CSi]

As someone that drives a car like that every day, I can honestly say...they're kinda shitty.?

I've tried it out in my sister's 6 (which has a 6-Speed auto) and it's still not really any fun.

[850CSi]

I must say, I agree with Faris.? If you want a manual, buy one!? Otherwise, enjoy the ease of use that the automatic provides.? The manual shift thing, in my very limited experience, seems more gimmicky than anything, and is only frustrating in that it reminds you that the car really isn't a stick.

It also depends on the car, some tiptronics are worse than others. The STEPTRONIC in my dad's X3 is just terrible, it takes too long to shift. Some of them will just shift for you if you don't do it when the trans wants you to.

It is very gimmicky IMO.

[TurboDan]

Now the SMG - that's different than a regular tiptronic, right?

[J86]

So I'm not the only that finds driving newer automatic cars harder than stickshifts!

Join the club!

[J86]

Now the SMG - that's different than a regular tiptronic, right?

I think so, but I couldn't tell you how!  Hopefully someone mechanically inclined can enlighten us...

[Raghavan]

Now the SMG - that's different than a regular tiptronic, right?

Yeah, that's an automated manual, supposed to be faster or something.

[r0tor]

my parents 6 actually shifts when you want it to shift if you get off the throttle like you would a manual... otherwise it will shift when it feels like shifting


SMG is a regular manual tranny with the clutch controlled by a computer.  Tiptronic is just an automatic tranny with a manual shift mode.

[SVT_Power]

The manumatic function on my aunt's X5 was terrible last time I tried it

[Raza]

Like I've said hundreds of times before, I use the manual shift function exclusively.

[J86]

Like I've said hundreds of times before, I use the manual shift function exclusively.

Once you've actually lived with the stick on a day to day basis, you'll realize how not worth it that is.

[ro51092]

Automatic sucks, period. Manumatic can kiss my ass.

[TheIntrepid]

Automatic sucks, period. Manumatic can kiss my ass.

I agree with you. Unfortunately domestic full-size barges don't come with sticks.

[AutobahnSHO]

I agree with you. Unfortunately domestic full-size barges don't come with sticks.

Not anymore anyways...

(Insert SHO troll phrase here...)

I could NOT STAND the SMG (ForFour) I drove in Germany.  A 1.1L engine w/ 6 speeds= whiplash.

[the Teuton]

I think cars should come with either autos or sticks.  I think that the manumatic was just created to serve the "I'm cool because I still can shift my car" niche of people who never have even learned how to drive stick, but still want to be seen as cool.  There is something cool and fun about driving stick, and while I don't in my own personal car (yet), I've driven an E36 M3 that was a stick and I know how. 

Manumatics are illusions of grandeur for people who don't have enough self-confidence to either be stuck with an automatic or skill to drive a stick, IMHO.

[Raza]

I think cars should come with either autos or sticks.  I think that the manumatic was just created to serve the "I'm cool because I still can shift my car" niche of people who never have even learned how to drive stick, but still want to be seen as cool.  There is something cool and fun about driving stick, and while I don't in my own personal car (yet), I've driven an E36 M3 that was a stick and I know how. 

Manumatics are illusions of grandeur for people who don't have enough self-confidence to either be stuck with an automatic or skill to drive a stick, IMHO.

I know how to drive a stick just fine, however both of my cars have been manumatic.