when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

[agp423]

Question 1:
I've never driven a manual car before, but my automatic car has a sports-manual option. Pretty much what it is, for those who don't know, is an equivalent of Audi's Tiptronic. It's manual without the clutch pedal (or whatever it's called). What I don't know is at what RPM should I shift? Should I wait until it's in the red zone, or should I shift around 4-5 thousand?

Question 2:
Does having the AC on actually decrease gas mileage?

[MyFirstES300]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

1. Personally, I would never let that needle come close to the red zone.

2. Yes. Slightly.

[Eddie6th]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Hi,the air con. decreases fuel economy.It's belt driven.

You don't want to be changing at red line.This is not economical either.Also big V8's are better kept low to medium revs for normal driving.

I drive both manual and automatics.

If you're driving on straight highways,its best left in 'D'.I only use the sport setting(flappy paddles)for going up hills.This is where it is very handy,because in 'D',it's always trying to keep the revs low(to save fuel),and the engine is labouring in a higher gear.So I always drop it a gear and try and keep my revs at about 2500rpm(1.3L) engine.

I really only use 'S' for overtaking and hills.

[Alex C.]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Shift by feel.

[fe91]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

It all depends

If you want more power, you're going to shift later
but if not, you shift earlier

Average would be around 3,000

[Maserati Mario]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Read your owners manual
It has all the answers.

[Eddie6th]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Read your owners manual
It has all the answers.

And that's not all.........!

[roushstage2]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

My sister's VW has this as well. The few times I have driven it and switched to this mode, I end up putting it back to drive or "sport" mode a couple of minutes later. Not my cup of tea. Got to be full manual for me.

[Eddie6th]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

My sister's VW has this as well. The few times I have driven it and switched to this mode, I end up putting it back to drive or "sport" mode a couple of minutes later. Not my cup of tea. Got to be full manual for me.

Me neither,but sometimes I like lazy mode

[agp423]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

My sister's VW has this as well. The few times I have driven it and switched to this mode, I end up putting it back to drive or "sport" mode a couple of minutes later. Not my cup of tea. Got to be full manual for me.

Yeaup, the tiptronic is just a dumbed down version of manual. Manual seems really fun to me, but I can never imagine me having to use my right hand for anything other than steering, changing songs on my iPod, and changing the thermostat

[Mr Mustang]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

well, if you're going for fuel economy, shift when you start hearing the engine whine up, 2500rpm or so. If you want to see what she's got, shift just about 250rpm before redline. I absolutely love driving a manual, and to me I prefer it. I honestly believe it makes you a better driver, because you're not going to try to do about 10 different things while driving, because you cant. I just can't really imagine using a tiptronic system, I prefer the clutch pedal.

[Eddie6th]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

The trouble with trip tronic flappy paddles is they are too slow,unlike in motorsport.

Better with manual...more feeling

[roushstage2]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Yeaup, the tiptronic is just a dumbed down version of manual. Manual seems really fun to me, but I can never imagine me having to use my right hand for anything other than steering, changing songs on my iPod, and changing the thermostat

I always end up holding the auto shifter with my right hand, lol. Just a habit I suppose.

[xantonin]

Re: when do you shift in manual/sport-auto?

Depends on your car.

The engine in my car (same one used in the Lotus Elise) is designed to run at extremely high RPMs for a long period of time. So hitting redline is nothing except gas consuming for me.

When I drive economically I shift as low as 2,000 RPMs but I use an extremely light right foot and accelerate slowly. I get GREAT miles though.

If you're going to drive for economy though use the automatic mode. Manual modes in automatic cars is really only used for spirited driving...