Driving A8 in M
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 823
From: Wilmington Ma
Driving A8 in M
As a former stick guy I drive my vette in M 98% of the time. When driving at highway speeds I rarely use 8th gear. I find even at 70 MPH in 8th gear the exhaust drones and the car is not very responsive and seems lugging. BTW I didn't buy a vette for its fuel economy. Anyone else do this?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
I drive mine in auto most of the time to maximize the performance regarding gas mileage and because I'm lazy once in awhile. I leave my exhaust in track and notice no drone in 8th gear. If the roads are rough, I put it in touring and it's really decent. I drive in sport most of the time particularly on the highway because when I want to dance with someone, the engine and trans are more responsive. The A8 seems to select the right gear instantly upon standing on the throttle. I find the trans lazy in manual mode compared to a real DCT like in the BMW or Porsche. When I'm dancing with car, the trans seems to know it pretty good and stays in the proper gear most of the time. If I just want to hear it burble in 1st and second around town, I use the manual mode.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 823
From: Wilmington Ma
I drive mine in auto most of the time to maximize the performance regarding gas mileage and because I'm lazy once in awhile. I leave my exhaust in track and notice no drone in 8th gear. If the roads are rough, I put it in touring and it's really decent. I drive in sport most of the time particularly on the highway because when I want to dance with someone, the engine and trans are more responsive. The A8 seems to select the right gear instantly upon standing on the throttle. I find the trans lazy in manual mode compared to a real DCT like in the BMW or Porsche. When I'm dancing with car, the trans seems to know it pretty good and stays in the proper gear most of the time. If I just want to hear it burble in 1st and second around town, I use the manual mode.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 933
From: Just outside a swamp in Florida
While I agree with you on the performance characteristics of the A8, especially when it goes in to performance shifting.
You my not want to leave it in auto too long, it might just eat up the Torque Converter, Unless you’re running something to disable the AFM. just saying
You my not want to leave it in auto too long, it might just eat up the Torque Converter, Unless you’re running something to disable the AFM. just saying
Last edited by L8ter; Jul 31, 2018 at 03:08 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
While I agree with you on the performance characteristics of the A8, especially when it goes in to performance shifting.
You my not want to leave it in auto too long, it might just eat up the Torque Converter, Unless you’re running something to disable the AFM. just saying
You my not want to leave it in auto too long, it might just eat up the Torque Converter, Unless you’re running something to disable the AFM. just saying
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 933
From: Just outside a swamp in Florida
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,397
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From: Frisco TX
You are 100% wrong.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
As a former stick guy I drive my vette in M 98% of the time. When driving at highway speeds I rarely use 8th gear. I find even at 70 MPH in 8th gear the exhaust drones and the car is not very responsive and seems lugging. BTW I didn't buy a vette for its fuel economy.
I didn't buy a Vette for MPG either, but if I can use the technology that it comes with to save fuel, I see no harm in that. I still love to go full throttle as often as I can, but honestly, who can drive at full throttle on the street more than maybe 1 or 2% of the time at best?
FWIW, these engines aren't lugging when they are below 2000rpm. I've never even felt like it was lugging if it's in 8th gear at 1200rpm, it'll still pull up a slight hill without even needing to downshift.
Last edited by Patman; Jul 31, 2018 at 04:11 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
The nice thing is we all have choices. I drive mostly on city boulevards with 40, 45, 55 mph speed limits. Always in M and always keep the rpm about 2000-2500. Yes it costs me gas (my long term average is 13.6 mpg) but the car is very responsive at that rpm and I don't really need to downshift if I want to get going. Also the downshift with the baffles open several gears you get by pulling and holding back the left paddle is simply too neat as you coast to a stop at a light or stop sign.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 31,802
Likes: 2,423
From: DFW/Long Island
I don't have a set rule on when I"m in M or A, but I am in M a lot and now that I've gotten used to the personality of the car using the paddles and M, it's just a ton of fun to drive with the paddles. I've been a manual sports car guy my entire life, this is my first auto with a manual mode and paddles and I'm liking it a lot. I can shift faster, I have about the same amount of control that I had with a traditional manual, and I get the added benefit of auto when I'm sitting in traffic on my commute.
All of that being said, to each their own, do what makes you happy
All of that being said, to each their own, do what makes you happy
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 31,802
Likes: 2,423
From: DFW/Long Island
That being said, use your car as you like, yours is the name on the registration, and it's your money that paid for it.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 632
Likes: 173
I don't have a set rule on when I"m in M or A, but I am in M a lot and now that I've gotten used to the personality of the car using the paddles and M, it's just a ton of fun to drive with the paddles. I've been a manual sports car guy my entire life, this is my first auto with a manual mode and paddles and I'm liking it a lot. I can shift faster, I have about the same amount of control that I had with a traditional manual, and I get the added benefit of auto when I'm sitting in traffic on my commute.
All of that being said, to each their own, do what makes you happy
All of that being said, to each their own, do what makes you happy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
actually, you're claim that it's hurting the transmission is not an opinion, it's either true or it isn't, that's how facts are, and in this case, being in manual 100% of the time does no damage whatsoever to the transmission. And that's not an opinion, it's pretty much a fact.
That being said, use your car as you like, yours is the name on the registration, and it's your money that paid for it.
That being said, use your car as you like, yours is the name on the registration, and it's your money that paid for it.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 31,802
Likes: 2,423
From: DFW/Long Island
This is fun. I did say is was my opinion and what I believed which is also my opinion as I stated later there is no empirical evidence to prove one way or the other To say that an automatic transmission will wear faster in auto just doesn't pass the common sense test for me. That's my opinion. There is no way to prove for a fact one way or the other. You are right about one thing, it's my car and I'll drive it the way I want and try not to endanger anyone along the way by being stupid.
There actually is a way to prove a fact one way or another, it's inherent to the definition of "fact", and yes, there is empirical evidence - there are no reports of transmission failures occurring because they've been driven 100% in Manual mode. So not sure why you believe what you believe, maybe if you explain the logic it will become more clear.
Last edited by Thunder22; Jul 31, 2018 at 05:07 PM.