Questions for A8 peeps.
11-29-2014, 01:05 PM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Questions for A8 peeps.
I see where the 8 speed shift really fast and is well like by most of those who have it. I do have a few specific questions if you will...
1. When cruising in "d" does it stay locked up when you start up an incline? ( I guess how sensitive compared to other automatics when its locked up.) (how much pedal)
2.in the same vein how easy in "d" does it down shift into a lower gear from say 8 to 7 etc....(how much pedal) How many gears can it go down...ie 8 to 5th and skipping gears in between?)
3. Can you be in "d" and select a gear and the transmission will not short beyond that gear. (say I input 6 and it won't go into 7)
4. If number 3 answer is yea does 4 cylinder mode work in that mode or no.
5. when coasting dos the converter stay locked or does it disengage and coast the car? (say when going down a hill cruising at 55 in 8th. (you let off the gas and coast and when you pick throttle up does in re-engage or did it stay in gear and locked.
I am a manual guy but I love the 8 speed auto in my truck. (it has completely changed my opinion of the automatic. I could drive one in the Corvette but I hate to have them take it out of the showroom just for a test drive. (then I feel obligated lol)
Thanks for your help...
Hawk
1. When cruising in "d" does it stay locked up when you start up an incline? ( I guess how sensitive compared to other automatics when its locked up.) (how much pedal)
2.in the same vein how easy in "d" does it down shift into a lower gear from say 8 to 7 etc....(how much pedal) How many gears can it go down...ie 8 to 5th and skipping gears in between?)
3. Can you be in "d" and select a gear and the transmission will not short beyond that gear. (say I input 6 and it won't go into 7)
4. If number 3 answer is yea does 4 cylinder mode work in that mode or no.
5. when coasting dos the converter stay locked or does it disengage and coast the car? (say when going down a hill cruising at 55 in 8th. (you let off the gas and coast and when you pick throttle up does in re-engage or did it stay in gear and locked.
I am a manual guy but I love the 8 speed auto in my truck. (it has completely changed my opinion of the automatic. I could drive one in the Corvette but I hate to have them take it out of the showroom just for a test drive. (then I feel obligated lol)
Thanks for your help...
Hawk
Last edited by hawkgfr; 11-29-2014 at 01:07 PM.
11-29-2014, 03:31 PM
#3
Race Director
Thread Starter
I just chose not to do it have what happened to me when I cranked one up...
11-30-2014, 06:13 AM
#5
Melting Slicks
I dont really drive in hilly areas so my input is probably not exactly what you are looking for, but I'll give it a shot.
1) When cruising up an incline the A8 doesnt hunt for gears, the torque in the LT1 is phenomenal and the transmission basically finds the perfect gear for whatever incline you are one to maintain your desired speed/acceleration. If you are asking how the throttle responds in uphill scenarios, it feels like what a manual would, it will always be in V8 mode and feels very direct. The drive mode you have selected also changes the way the shifts feel.
2) Down shifts are very abrupt affairs when in normal auto mode, but the transition from cruising in V4 to full throttle in V8 mode does have some hesitation and is one of the things I hate because I cant just defeat the V4 mode. If you are in V8 mode the car will pick the perfect gear for what it thinks you want and can shift from 8th to 3rd if thats what the computers are telling it. In manual mode if you hold the upshift paddle and stomp on the gas it will auto shift to the best gear for the best acceleration, same with the down shift paddle.
3) In "D" if you use a paddle to select a gear it will keep that gear for a short time before defaulting back into regular auto mode. In manual mode it will hold a gear until you tell it to shift.
4) V4 mode only comes on when maintaining a constant speed or when accelerating very slowly in some gears. Otherwise you are in V8 mode any time you shift, even in Eco.
5) When coasting down hill there is definitely some engine braking going on it doesnt fully disengage but its not locked up like the tansmission will if you are in Performance shift mode.
1) When cruising up an incline the A8 doesnt hunt for gears, the torque in the LT1 is phenomenal and the transmission basically finds the perfect gear for whatever incline you are one to maintain your desired speed/acceleration. If you are asking how the throttle responds in uphill scenarios, it feels like what a manual would, it will always be in V8 mode and feels very direct. The drive mode you have selected also changes the way the shifts feel.
2) Down shifts are very abrupt affairs when in normal auto mode, but the transition from cruising in V4 to full throttle in V8 mode does have some hesitation and is one of the things I hate because I cant just defeat the V4 mode. If you are in V8 mode the car will pick the perfect gear for what it thinks you want and can shift from 8th to 3rd if thats what the computers are telling it. In manual mode if you hold the upshift paddle and stomp on the gas it will auto shift to the best gear for the best acceleration, same with the down shift paddle.
3) In "D" if you use a paddle to select a gear it will keep that gear for a short time before defaulting back into regular auto mode. In manual mode it will hold a gear until you tell it to shift.
4) V4 mode only comes on when maintaining a constant speed or when accelerating very slowly in some gears. Otherwise you are in V8 mode any time you shift, even in Eco.
5) When coasting down hill there is definitely some engine braking going on it doesnt fully disengage but its not locked up like the tansmission will if you are in Performance shift mode.
11-30-2014, 09:59 AM
#6
Race Director
Thread Starter
I dont really drive in hilly areas so my input is probably not exactly what you are looking for, but I'll give it a shot.
1) When cruising up an incline the A8 doesnt hunt for gears, the torque in the LT1 is phenomenal and the transmission basically finds the perfect gear for whatever incline you are one to maintain your desired speed/acceleration. If you are asking how the throttle responds in uphill scenarios, it feels like what a manual would, it will always be in V8 mode and feels very direct. The drive mode you have selected also changes the way the shifts feel.
2) Down shifts are very abrupt affairs when in normal auto mode, but the transition from cruising in V4 to full throttle in V8 mode does have some hesitation and is one of the things I hate because I cant just defeat the V4 mode. If you are in V8 mode the car will pick the perfect gear for what it thinks you want and can shift from 8th to 3rd if thats what the computers are telling it. In manual mode if you hold the upshift paddle and stomp on the gas it will auto shift to the best gear for the best acceleration, same with the down shift paddle.
3) In "D" if you use a paddle to select a gear it will keep that gear for a short time before defaulting back into regular auto mode. In manual mode it will hold a gear until you tell it to shift.
4) V4 mode only comes on when maintaining a constant speed or when accelerating very slowly in some gears. Otherwise you are in V8 mode any time you shift, even in Eco.
5) When coasting down hill there is definitely some engine braking going on it doesnt fully disengage but its not locked up like the tansmission will if you are in Performance shift mode.
1) When cruising up an incline the A8 doesnt hunt for gears, the torque in the LT1 is phenomenal and the transmission basically finds the perfect gear for whatever incline you are one to maintain your desired speed/acceleration. If you are asking how the throttle responds in uphill scenarios, it feels like what a manual would, it will always be in V8 mode and feels very direct. The drive mode you have selected also changes the way the shifts feel.
2) Down shifts are very abrupt affairs when in normal auto mode, but the transition from cruising in V4 to full throttle in V8 mode does have some hesitation and is one of the things I hate because I cant just defeat the V4 mode. If you are in V8 mode the car will pick the perfect gear for what it thinks you want and can shift from 8th to 3rd if thats what the computers are telling it. In manual mode if you hold the upshift paddle and stomp on the gas it will auto shift to the best gear for the best acceleration, same with the down shift paddle.
3) In "D" if you use a paddle to select a gear it will keep that gear for a short time before defaulting back into regular auto mode. In manual mode it will hold a gear until you tell it to shift.
4) V4 mode only comes on when maintaining a constant speed or when accelerating very slowly in some gears. Otherwise you are in V8 mode any time you shift, even in Eco.
5) When coasting down hill there is definitely some engine braking going on it doesnt fully disengage but its not locked up like the tansmission will if you are in Performance shift mode.
Thank you very much...that is what I was asking only you said it better..
With my truck you can pick a gear for it not to exceed, even 8th and it will stay in 8 cylinder all the time and work juts like in regular "d" so that looks like it is missing with the Corvette.
That "connected" feeling is the one thing I need and one of the reasons I usually choose a manual. That and the speed control. I find myself driving faster and faster on the road with the automatic because of the "coast" factor and the less than sharp "connectivity".
I do want to go up and down grades at speed limit and maintain that speed and it stay engaged and locked in 8th. My truck with any pedal going up grades un locks or moved down a gear rather easily. it has plenty of power but is a 5000 pound brick so I see why it does it bit still don't like it lol..
Thanks for the review..
Hawk.
Last edited by hawkgfr; 11-30-2014 at 10:03 AM.
11-30-2014, 11:59 AM
#7
1. When cruising in "d" does it stay locked up when you start up an incline? ( I guess how sensitive compared to other automatics when its locked up.) (how much pedal)
I have found it likes to stay in taller gears even going uphill. I have a long (about 1.5 miles), somewhat steep, straight incline on my daily drive. At speeds between 65-85 it stays in 8th, rpms are quite low. I would never choose that gear going up a relatively steep incline, but low end torque is so good, and it doesn't have any trouble. It will quickly downshift with more throttle, as it should, but then I am going faster than I like for that stretch of road.
I feel it is kinder for the longevity of the transmission not to lug it, so I put it in manual mode and go into 6th. In full auto mode if i downshift it only holds it for a moment before going back into 8. Probably I am worrying too much.
I have found it likes to stay in taller gears even going uphill. I have a long (about 1.5 miles), somewhat steep, straight incline on my daily drive. At speeds between 65-85 it stays in 8th, rpms are quite low. I would never choose that gear going up a relatively steep incline, but low end torque is so good, and it doesn't have any trouble. It will quickly downshift with more throttle, as it should, but then I am going faster than I like for that stretch of road.
I feel it is kinder for the longevity of the transmission not to lug it, so I put it in manual mode and go into 6th. In full auto mode if i downshift it only holds it for a moment before going back into 8. Probably I am worrying too much.
11-30-2014, 02:54 PM
#8
Race Director
Thread Starter
1. When cruising in "d" does it stay locked up when you start up an incline? ( I guess how sensitive compared to other automatics when its locked up.) (how much pedal)
I have found it likes to stay in taller gears even going uphill. I have a long (about 1.5 miles), somewhat steep, straight incline on my daily drive. At speeds between 65-85 it stays in 8th, rpms are quite low. I would never choose that gear going up a relatively steep incline, but low end torque is so good, and it doesn't have any trouble. It will quickly downshift with more throttle, as it should, but then I am going faster than I like for that stretch of road.
I feel it is kinder for the longevity of the transmission not to lug it, so I put it in manual mode and go into 6th. In full auto mode if i downshift it only holds it for a moment before going back into 8. Probably I am worrying too much.
I have found it likes to stay in taller gears even going uphill. I have a long (about 1.5 miles), somewhat steep, straight incline on my daily drive. At speeds between 65-85 it stays in 8th, rpms are quite low. I would never choose that gear going up a relatively steep incline, but low end torque is so good, and it doesn't have any trouble. It will quickly downshift with more throttle, as it should, but then I am going faster than I like for that stretch of road.
I feel it is kinder for the longevity of the transmission not to lug it, so I put it in manual mode and go into 6th. In full auto mode if i downshift it only holds it for a moment before going back into 8. Probably I am worrying too much.
That's good to know. In my c6 stick cruising I tend to use 1200 rpms as the rpm to downshift to 5th from 6th I guess Corvettes pull any hill in 5th without lugging and good to know the automatic doesn't disengage the converter at the drop of a feather...