Is it me, or does the DCT in the C8 have significantly more "drag" when it downshifts to first gear than conventional torque converter automatic transmissions? In my C8, when it downshifts to 1st, it almost feels like the regenerative braking in a Tesla...

 

Are you shifting manually or leaving it in auto? Mine won't select 1st on its own until I'm only going like 6 mph. I'm just idling pulling into the driveway when it selects it, barely walking speed.

 

Yes, there's no torque converter. More like a manual transmission. Effect will vary depending on what driver mode you are in.

 

Yes because 1st gear is huge and has clutches not a TC.

 

I never manually shift into 1st gear, I wouldn’t do that in my manual cars either. But I actually quite enjoy how “raw” the car feels in 1st gear from a standstill.

The DCT behaves better than I imagined. Very impressed.

 

It's not you. And to be honest, the "drag" on deceleration is one of the things that annoys me about the DCT. You have these smooth, quick up shifts on acceleration and these grabby, drag like downshifts.

My 2019 Blazer has the nine speed TC auto and it shifts every bit as smooth and quick under acceleration as the DCT in the Corvette without all the "Dragging" and "grabbing" on deceleration.

Everyone gloats about how great the DCT is in the C8, but for me it's my least favorite part of the car.

 

I notice the effective, and expected engine braking that happens after the downshifts - with the engine/shift setting in Sport or Track mode. Its doing very close to exactly what I expect, especially when I tap the brake lightly to enter a curve, or to maintain speed down a hill. My Ford F150 with the 10 speed torque converter trans will do the same thing in the Sport mode it has. It is not so noticeable in C8 Tour mode, for me. If I manually downshift, I find that it acts just as a manual would as far as engine braking. I have tried manual downshifting, when coming to a stop. Its not so smooth at very low speeds on the downshift, and I don't do that any more. In fact, if I am in manual mode, I rely on the automatic downshifts that still occur if I am approaching a full stop. That remains smooth (as smooth as I would get doing it in a conventional manual).

 

I drive in manual mode and I also let the transmission do its thing with the auto downshifts into the lower gears , just one of the things I love about the DCT.

 

I love the way the DCT downshifts vs an automatic with a torque converter. I use my paddles a lot without putting it in manual mode because it senses that you aren’t using them and the computer takes over pretty quickly. I never use my paddles to downshift into 1st or 2nd. I’m very happy with this transmission.

 

To make sure I understand completely.....
in manual mode, you must upshift or it will just hit the Rev limiter, right? Just like a manual trans...
But slowing down it downshifts automatically?
This will be my first automatic trans car of any style transmission....hard to break over 40 yeras of habits, so this is a pretty big deal for me to go without a third pedal...

 

Yes, even in manual mode, if you are slowing it will downshift at an appropriate RPM.

 

I don't do it, but I think it downshifts when the RPM gets so low that you are lugging the engine, which can damage it. The transmission tries to keep you from damaging the engine. It won't left you downshift at a speed that will overspeed the engine after the shift. So a cross between a manual and an automatic. More control while limiting how stupid you can be.

 

Not my experience....

Just like the computer won't let you downshift and over-rev the engine, it also won't let the engine "lug" either. It shifts into the appropriate gear when it senses that the DCT should be in that gear.

 

Yep 1st gear has a 14:1 Torque multiplication. For comparison a manual C7 Z06 was only 9:1! That's why my Z51 C8 hits redline at ~34 mph! Yep pull the downshift paddle and you'll feel the engine braking!

 

Yep I only had standard shifts as a DD for 60 years. Started with a "3 on the floor" in my '41 Ford coupe, then "3 on the tree" in my '50 Ford and could not wait to get my "4 on the floor" in my 1st new car in 1967! Was also concerned so listened to a fellow I met who was similar and mostly drove sticks but had a new Ferrari. They have been using essentially only DCT's since ~2013. He said he always drove in Manual Mode. That is what I did for the 1st month.

But had a major issue when I left the stop sign at the end of my street to merge into often heavy traffic going ~70 mph on a 4 lane divided highway. With the wheel turned as I accelerated it reached redline in the blink of an eye at ~34 mph. Upshift paddle was not in position to pull when making that right turn! Hitting the rev limiter with traffic coming up fast behind is no fun! Then a poster showed why he drives in Z mode Powertrain set to Track! Now where I often drive. Advantage over driving in Track Mode is you can set Ride to Touring if you'd like. Shifts the C8 about where I was manually and in our rural area how I drove my tto C7 M7s! Advantage is it shifts just before redline by itself! It's like driving a different more aggressive car. Even downshifts aggressively IF you brake hard as it rev matches downshifting through the gears! Very civilized IF you use a light right foot!

BTW it does downshift by itself in Manual Mode and in Z Mode, where I have mine set it downshifts at a higher rpm than in say Touring.

May want to watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9M...annel=jrock702