How do you drive your auto?

[Guest Big Mick]

I use adaptive mode must of the time as I'm seeing a bit of peak hour traffic at the moment. I will put it performance mode (but still in auto mode) when going through 60kmh speed areas and when going down steep hills to keep the speed under control.

The manual performance mode is used when I'm having fun. Don't know (or care) much about the fuel usage difference, but I would say that I definately use more fuel in manual performance mode as the accelerator is always closer to the floor.

[P.S.I]

I would use the "manual" option about 95% of the time.

I think its biggest benefit is being able to utilise compression braking. BTW I love the sound of the burble when you bang it back thru the gears.

Just off the topic how many of you auto guys/girls would opt for a manual next time ??

From the poll it looks like all us AUTO boys/girls use the "manual" option anyway

Cheers

PSI

[Blown BA]

Just off the topic how many of you auto guys/girls would opt for a manual next time ??

From the poll it looks like all us AUTO boys/girls use the "manual" option anyway

Cheers

PSI

Oh NO here we go again

[Guest GEEZER]

50/50 with me, when I'm bored I use the tiptronic otherwise city driving isn't that much fun with it so keep it in drive for most of the time. On a freeway entrance holding it in second then putting the foot down is always a rush then shifting into 3rd always keeps me smiling. :lol:

From what I was told by the dealer if you keep it in Drive it stays in economy mode which saves you petrol, once you change to the shifter it uses up more fuel.

You guys have trouble shifting if you have a Macca's cup in the cup holder or any bottle there? It does sometimes get annoying trying to shift with that cup there

[aniken]

You guys have trouble shifting if you have a Macca's cup in the cup holder or any bottle there? It does sometimes get annoying trying to shift with that cup there

Yep, it is annoying. If it is a Maccas type cup, I put the cup on the side nearest me, and reach around it to shift.

If it is a bottle like a coke bottle, and I have no passengers, then I jam the bottle in the gap between the centre console and the passenger seat. It is just wide enough to take a 600ml bottle, yet small enough to hold it firmly in place.

[Cam]

thanks guys. keep the comments coming.

Do you find that when in performance mode the shifter is a bit clunky being off to the left? I thought it would have been good if the triptronic shifting could be done while the T was in the centre...

Do you guys who shift all the time find that it uses more fuel?

I have the Ford car phone presenter - and it gets right in the way when shifting the auto manually. I found it really annoying to start with but I dont even notice any more.

I went through a phase of leavin git in auto and it used less petrol. I had a consistant avarage of high 14's when driving in auto and mid 15's when changing manually. I think its primarily because I leave the car in third at suburban speeds whilst the auto drops to 4th.

[Honest Gaza]

Auto mode 98% of the time. Tried using "manual" mode for about a week but kept forgetting I was in "manual" mode and wondered why the car was reving so high after leaving the lights.

What would really make me use the "manual" mode is if the gear selection was in the same format as a standard manual gearstick but without having to use a clutch. I find that I have to think too hard as to which direction to move the selector to change gear.

I picked an auto because I do a lot of driving amongst heavy traffic and I have now done 15,000km's in 4 months. It's good to know I can flick over to "manual" mode, but I don't do it often.

Honest Gaza

Edited 26/03/04 03:40 AM by Honest Gaza

[Zeke]

Auto mode 98% of the time. Tried using "manual" mode for about a week but kept forgetting I was in "manual" mode and wondered why the car was reving so high after leaving the lights.

Exactly my experience! I think, for me , it's either manual or automatic - not something in between.

I was swayed by the motoring journos' unanimous praise for the sss and condemnation of the T5. If the auto had been a so so unit and the manual a good'un, I'd be driving a manual. It is a performance car, after all.

My daily driver for about 5 years in the 90's was a little old laser TX3. Thoroughly enjoyed driving that car, but it would've been painful in an automatic.

Often, when I want to go down a gear to accelerate, the auto (like most auto's) goes down an extra gear when it's not called for. Same situation in a manual - no problem. With perf mode, yes you can select the right gear, but I have to admit, I haven't gotten to the stage where the "tiptronic" style gear selection is intuitive - so I use it less - so it becomes less familiar....etc (viscious cycle)

Please Mr Ford, a really nice manual option for F6 and BA11!! Number of ratios less important than shift quality, strength etc - five is ample with the torque spread of the T. (But 6 would be OK if the quality's there)

Cheers

zeke

[Lord Cyric]

I prolly do "half and half". Auto is great for standard city driving or freeway stuff, but whenever I feel like getting serious on some twisty bits it's time to push that gearstick over to the left!

The best thing about having SSS is that you have the choice!

[OwnaXR6T]

When in 60 zones I usually always have it in performance mode, when on the highway its in D, unless I want to overtake then in goes back into perf mode. But if I want to have a little fun its in manual mode.