Manual shifting of an automatic

[FIAT]

Does anyone use the manual shifting option for driving? How does it work and preform? I have never tried it. Would like some input from those that have used it.

Thanks,
Fiat

 

[Pahaska]

I use it mostly for slowing down for corners or stop lights/signs. I also use it to synchronize my speed with slow or stopped traffic ahead.

It drops into first on a stop. I have to remember to bat it back to automatic after I use it or I end up doing a real noisy jackrabbit start.

 

[Rey]

I find the manual shift mode most useful when passing on two lane highways in heavy traffic. Before I pass I downshift into the meat of the torque curve, above 3000 rpm; and then hammer around the slower vehicle. This avoids the delay in auto downshifting, and shortens passing distance a bit.

 

[Dimitry]

I find the manual shift mode most useful when passing on two lane highways in heavy traffic. Before I pass I downshift into the meat of the torque curve, above 3000 rpm; and then hammer around the slower vehicle. This avoids the delay in auto downshifting, and shortens passing distance a bit.

And it's pretty fun too!

If a light is coming up/turning, I neutral it

 

[scottdk]

Maybe I'll be the only one to say that I'm not a huge fan of the manuel mode. It just shifts way to slow. I know the Genesis is not an F1 car, but damn it shifts slow. The tranny downshifts in manual mode super snail like, and it is quicker to just leave the car in auto mode. Although it is fun to drop it into lower gears when slowing down and hearing my exhaust rumble

 

[mikec]

I do pretty much what Rey describes: slap into manual and downshift typically two gears if I know I'm going to need a burst of acceleration soon. The tranny is too reluctant to downshift on its own unless you really bury the throttle... and I don't need THAT much acceleration (V8 Sedan) most of the time.

I've tried driving full-time manual mode and it just "doesn't do it for me." My other cars have all been stick-shifts and I much prefer a real clutch setup. Also, with a regular stick-shift, I know what gear the tranny is in just from the shift lever position... not so with the manu-matic style +/- shifters. I've been toying with slapping together "paddle shifters" on the steering column as an experiment since the shift lever just operates regular switches in manu-matic mode. It would be easy to wire a couple paddles in parallel to the shift lever.

I don't find the downshift (in manual mode) to be particularly slow; it's the downshift in full automatic mode that I wish were more aggressive. The "slow downshift" might just be torque reduction from the engine control computer: many modern powertrains automatically reduce engine power whenever the tranny is shifting to help the tranny & driveline survive longer. I remember reading a Lexus report many years ago on the LS400... this torque reduction increased the 0-60 time by nearly half a second I think.

mike c.

 

[ctrcbob]

Although I seldom use my manual shift mode, I find it works as designed.

Like others here, I do downshift when going down hills and want to keep my speed down, and once in a while, when on a road where I see curves coming up, I will sift into manual mode, so I can be in the gear I want once in those curves.

Once in a great while, I will use it from a standstill, but that is very rare.

Some of you in "Snow Country" may not know this, but when on snow or ice, and you must start off from a stoplight or a stop sign, you can put it in manual mode, and while still stopped, upshift it from 1st to 2nd. Will not go any higher than 2nd while stopped. Starting off in 2nd, with easy throttle, will give you more "traction" and less slip. I did this a few times while in Roswell last December, when there was ice on the ground.

 

[flyboy2]

And it's pretty fun too!

If a light is coming up/turning, I neutral it

Putting a car in neutral at any time is very dangerous and should be avoided at all costs unless you're in the car wash. Talk to any professional drivers or someone that rides a motorcycle. In turns you should be accelerating both for safety and stability issues.

I use the Manual side 75% of the times. Besides being fun, it gives one more stability, safety and saves on brakes. 1st gear is too high a ratio for me and rarely use it.

This car's manual side is 100% better than the one on my SC 430.

 

[FIAT]

Thanks you all for the input I'm going to give it a try. I bet other users that have never tried my try it also.

Fiat

 

[Dimitry]

Putting a car in neutral at any time is very dangerous and should be avoided at all costs unless you're in the car wash. Talk to any professional drivers or someone that rides a motorcycle. In turns you should be accelerating both for safety and stability issues.

I use the Manual side 75% of the times. Besides being fun, it gives one more stability, safety and saves on brakes. 1st gear is too high a ratio for me and rarely use it.

This car's manual side is 100% better than the one on my SC 430.

When the light is red or turning red (not actual neutral while turning turning), I generally brake far ahead so by the time it turns green, I can start from a gentle 3rd gear.

I find starting in second to be more fun in manual mode

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[kaberle]

To each there own I guess........... I have driven a five speed manual on many vehicles including sporty vehicles and also on beaters and on average cars as well........ I find the shiftronic on any vehicle...... or for that matter anything with paddle shifters to be totally useless for a shifting enthusiast...... Without a clutch one cannot control the shifts in a manner which is satisfying and does what you want it to do........ I find it to be a gimmick more than anything.... I rarely use it ...... it just doesn't do a thing for me........ Give me a 5 or 6 speed manual with a clutch instead......... not in this car however... I prefer the Genesis to have an automatic........ That's my two cents

 

[scottdk]

I find it to be a gimmick more than anything.... I rarely use it ...I prefer the Genesis to have an automatic.

Completely agree, and this feature seems like it is in many cars these days. Also, I want the manual mode to shift in one thousandth of a second like a Lambo does (paddle shifters)

Obviously, this is a luxury car and is not possible, but there have been too many times when I would use the manual mode and it is impossible to race anyone else and win, unless you are already in the correct gear, since most cars are auto's and they hit the gas, the car downshifts, and goes. I found it much quicker to just hit the gas and let the tranny downshift vs. the manuel mode.

 

[davparlr]

In addition to the standard, and recommended, practices of down shifting going down hill, I specifically like it when anticipating passing, which eliminates any doubt as to when good acceleration is available, and also when merging with higher speed traffic, which allow instant zero merging speed (with this very powerful car and I have the V6).

 

[Sayantsi]

The best thing about it is being able to put the car into a specific gear for downhill coasting and an prepping for an upcoming two-lane pass imo. It saves you that second of downshift the auto has and lets you go right to the peak of the power curve, but it is in now way a fast shifting unit. Part and parcel of the shifting logic I guess.

 

[HeavyG]

Completely agree, and this feature seems like it is in many cars these days. Also, I want the manual mode to shift in one thousandth of a second like a Lambo does (paddle shifters)

Obviously, this is a luxury car and is not possible, but there have been too many times when I would use the manual mode and it is impossible to race anyone else and win, unless you are already in the correct gear, since most cars are auto's and they hit the gas, the car downshifts, and goes. I found it much quicker to just hit the gas and let the tranny downshift vs. the manuel mode.

Agreed - even if you're in the manumatic mode, the transmission will automatically downshift when RPMs drop down low. I've only use the manual mode driving in snow.

 

[scottdk]

I've only use the manual mode driving in snow.

Exactly....I really like the manual mode when I bought the car last January using the gearbox to start the car in 2nd gear in snow. I like gearbox even more now that the Genesis is stored in my garage for the winter

 

[Disaster]

Putting a car in neutral at any time is very dangerous and should be avoided at all costs unless you're in the car wash. Talk to any professional drivers or someone that rides a motorcycle. In turns you should be accelerating both for safety and stability issues.

I drive a motorcycle and occasionally race. Accelerating in a turn is not the safest. The safest is not accelerating or decelerating. Either requires more of the tires which are being used to steer the car. If you accelerate or brake too much, or if you are too close to the traction limit, you could over or understeer, depending on the dynamics of the car.

 

[G80000000]

I drive a motorcycle and occasionally race. Accelerating in a turn is not the safest. The safest is not accelerating or decelerating. Either requires more of the tires which are being used to steer the car. If you accelerate or brake too much, or if you are too close to the traction limit, you could over or understeer, depending on the dynamics of the car.

Somebody has been to track day and knows the basics of traction. You have three components, acceleration, deceleration, and turning. You can have any combination of the three of three but only up to 100% of available traction. 100.1% and you're sliding.

 

[PauleyDucati]

Does anyone use the manual shifting option for driving? How does it work and preform? I have never tried it. Would like some input from those that have used it.

Thanks,
Fiat

I was a little worried about using it at first, I wasn't sure if it would affect the trans if you used it all the time. So far so good after a few years.

I noticed my 2012 Genesis has a weird quirk that I think others have mentioned on here before. If you go to take off from a stop, like out of a driveway to a main road and the wheels are turned a bit, the car will choke itself out and go super slow... I guess so you don't accidentally hole shot out of the driveway and spin the car out through time and space??? Either way, when I first discovered this I almost got SMOKED by cross traffic because the car barely moved. When it's in manual shift mode however, this does not happen so I use manual mode almost exclusively now and have for a couple of years so I know for a fact I can count on the car to do what I want it to do, exactly when I need it to do it.

My last vehicle was a 2008 Astra XR with manual trans and I REALLLLLY love driving with manual trans. When I was looking for a new vehicle, the only way I would buy an automatic is if the car had a V8. I totally forgot the Genesis had V8 options so when I found my beautiful girl with the 4.6 I decided it was worth it to deal with the automatic. I like at least being able to select my gears, even if it is inefficient and slower. I also have a cat-back exhaust on the car and listening to it grumble as it decelerates makes me very happy

 

[TooFastTerrell]

Can you switch from drive to the manual mode and vice versa while driving or do you have to be stopped?