Does anyone track there 5AT? If so what do you do about down shifts into corners? I have been considering racing in some local events here but I have always driven MT before and the AT in my 03 coupe won't down shift past like 3,000 RPM when decelerating in the low gears like 1st 2nd 3rd so its tough to really keep it in the powerband. Any tips or advice?

 

Under braking start tapping the stick down hoping it would downshift.

 

Why did you get a 5AT instead of 6MT if you planned on racing it?

 

I dont track my car but i have found a way to "fool" the car when driving hard. You have to brake with your left foot, and keep your right on the gas just a touch. By doing this I have found that the car will downshift when it normally wouldnt if i were not on the gas.

 

Ill have to give that a try. In response to the guy that asked "why I didn't just buy a 6mt" I was not really aware that the gear box in the auto was so conservative. I came from a BMW and the gear box allows you to rev much more freely. It was fun to track my BMW. I also like the convenience of an auto. Anyone else track there 5AT? Is there anything you can do to the ECu or tranny to make it down shift and rev more freely?

 

So let's get one thing straight. Automatic transmissions are not what they used to be, and you don't buy a new car to race it (unless you're filthy stinking rich). My '07 G35 Journey is a daily driver and I drive about 25k miles a year for work. That said, I just recently got into HPDE myself and I found the computer "learned" what I was doing by the end of the second 30 minute run. The best description would be it was fighting my desire to rev (and generally act like an idiot as it interpreted things). Since a 6MT would have you rowing gears anyway I put the 5AT into manual sport and shifted when I wanted to. This let me keep the RPM above 3500 coming into corners, but made throttle response VERY touchy coming out because the torque for this engine is plentiful above 3500 and "off closed throttle" response is notorious on the '07s. I've gotten used to it but it still gets my wife every time. I hope this helps.

 

There is nothing wrong with an AT for racing. And, as a matter of fact, it can sometimes be an advantage. For instance, no missed shifts, having both hands on the wheel at all time when learning a track, concentrating more on your line, etc.

I say all this because I tried both methods with my 5AT. At the autoX, I've found manual mode is necessary. And, really, you aren't shifting anyway. After the first 1-2 shift, the rest of the course is done in 2nd gear. Its the same with stick or auto. At the HPDE I attended last month, I spent the first 2 sessions in manual mode. It took some extra thought process that took away from concentrating on the proper line. On the 3rd run, where we were allowed to go all out, I decided to throw it in auto and work on my line. To make a long story short, the instructor who was driving that run couldn't even keep up with me (which was far from the case on the first 2 runs).

I was hitting the line quite well and the tranny was up to the task of downshifting in time since I was able to get on the gas much sooner in the corners.

Granted, I think it should go without saying that once I become very familiar with a track and know "ok. corner 1 I want 2nd gear, corner 2 3rd gear, etc" then I would prefer manual so I can be in the proper gear BEFORE getting on the gas. But up to that time, I gotta say I think I'm pretty happy to have an auto. It allows me to go out and enjoy the track right off the bat. If you only go to 2 or 3 a year, this can be a benefit, IMHO.

And I did buy this car with plans for racing it. Not a career, mind you, but a daily driver that I can occassionally take to the track. It is an auto so my wife can drive it when necessary, too.

 

keep it in drive! but if you regulate in manual mode...you're going to be in 2nd -3rd gear most of the time and your car might start overheating or that might just be an arizona thing..

i've tried both when I went time attacking at FIR over here in az, i guess you just gotta get a feel for it idk...