Thinking out loud about the manual shift mode on the 5 speed auto transmission.

I've driven manual transmission all my life but decided to get the 5AT for the 2005 coupe. I have to say that the manual mode is actually quite good. However, nothing beats a sweet 6MT.

Some suggestions to improve it:

-have the shift action "mimic" the gearbox for a true 6MT:
1st to 2nd, pull back (-)
2nd to 3rd, push forward (+) if RPMs are increasing or accelerating
3rd to 4th, pull back (-) if RPMs increasing or accelerating
4th to 5th, push forward (+) if RPMs increasing or accelerating

5th to 4th, pull back (-)
5th to 3rd, push forward (+)

4th to 3rd, push forward (+) if RPMs decreasing or braking
4th to 2nd, pull back (-) if RPMs decreasing or braking

3rd to 2nd, pull back (-) if RPMs decreasing or braking
3rd to 1st, push forward (-) if RPMs decreasing or braking

etc...

-basically, instead of pushing forward (+) to upshift and pulling back (-) to downshift, have things change depending on what gear you are in and what the RPMs are

-it would take a lot more sophistication for the computer

-for those of us who are used to manual transmissions, it would be more natural and would "feel" right

-is this stupid and not possible (i haven't thought thru all the combos)

-feel free to flame...

 

There is too much ambiguity for the actions to determine dec/acceleration and/or braking and RPM. The average driver getting an automatic (even though this is a sports car) would be too confused by this scheme. I really don't think the sophistication for the computer is too much- as long as the auto's computer is patched into the bus with this data. I think this is more of a problem that the intent of the manual mode is to allow some control over the manual, not mimic a true 6sp. Because of this, I would happy if all up-shifts were done by pusing up and downshifts were moving it down (towards me). This would follow momentum better. Everyone who has driven my car wants to play with the manual shift mode and every one (even the girls) have tried to downshift by pulling back. Oh well...I'll put this nuance in the same group as the hard shift to 1st from 2nd and the weird behavior of the climate control/AC system...

Good suggestions though G35-MD.

 

Ehhh... why not just get an manual if you want it that way? =) But hey, it's a good idea if the user came from manual driving...

 

I kinda wish the MM was like that for real. I do find it anoying when im in my girls bmw and the ****s backwards, i always mess up the first few minutes.

 

either way... you have an auto... why pretend like you have a stick... =) jpjp but i think that forward back thing would be confusing as ****...

y not just make the car like a CHEAP smg... keep it MM, but have it with a stick that goes 1-2-3-4-5-6? shouldnt be too hard? and since it shift slower it wont be as expensive as the REAL SMG...

 

I dunno, I think on the whole, the 5AT is dogsh*t. I'm basing my crude comment on the last 2 weeks I spent driving a G35x Sedan loaner car while my coupe was getting a new 6MT installed (oh the irony)

Putting in a complicated pattern like that will just confuse the average driver. If they really want to improve the 5AT, they'll increase the shift speed and responsiveness. There were several times where I clicked for the next gear and had to wait. Ridiculous.

Plus the directions for gear changes just felt wrong. I've driven other cars with similar systems that go one way or the other (VW Jetta is like the G, Mazda 6 is the other way around) and in the 'heat of the moment' I consistently shifted in the wrong direction. That never happend when I was driving the crap out of the rental Mazda 6 I had last year. Pulling back to shift up just seems more natural when I'm shifting from reflex and not really thinking about it.

Oh...and the shift pattern logic needs to be fixed. Big time. Who the hell at Nissan decided that the 5AT should downshift 2 gears at 50% throttle? Especially since the VQ35 pulls so nicely from down low. Ugg. Made me car sick. I'm so glad I got my coupe back last night. Too bad the wife took it out of town today for business and made me drive her dumpy Lancer to work.

Maybe the '05 5ATs are better.

 

mrmcderm,

i completely agree with you regarding the direction of the shift being backwards. pulling back should be upshifting and pushing forward should be for downshifting.

i wonder if it would be possible to change this without a major rehaul (probably not). does anybody who really knows the mechanics of the manumatic system have a thought?

in terms of the 2005 5AT, i think it is better and smoother (based on comparisons from test driving a 2004 over a year ago).

 

If you want to speed up the shifting on the 5AT install a ground wire kit, my prefrence is STILLEN GROUND WIRES. I have them installed on my 04 Coupe and it made a big differance.

 

Not a bad idea, but I'd rather they simply ship the car with 2 $5 switches on the steering wheel for changing gears. It can't be that hard for them to do it, and the AT shifter is just a big electric switch anyways.

I almost never use the manumatic mode. I would use it if there were buttons on the steering wheel, though. IIRC, the Japanese model of some version of Skyline does have this. It works fine on gaming wheels, so why not in the real car?

As it is, I get frustrated with the manumatic as sometimes I will hit it, then nothing happens, and I have to hit it again. Sometimes I end up doing 'anticipatory shifting' which results in shifting one times too many, and then ... wrong gear, ARGH!

 

It is that way in a BMW. Pulling back is upshift and pushing forward is downshift.

Much more natural this way!

 

btw... who makes the best grounding kit??

 

Arrgg! We've had these conversations before. I just hope it doesn't turn ugly, again, with the 5AT members and the 6MT members. "Flame" might be OK, but please, no wars!!!

But hey G35-MD,
It's fun though, huh? Best of both worlds.

2003-G35C-5AT Laser Red/Black/Prem/XM/Tint/Chrome 17's/Black Badged

 

I'm going to hijack a bit here because the search engine isn't returning what I want.

When installing a grounding kit, where are all of the mounting points? I ask because I'm not about to buy a kit when I can make my own, I just can't find any references about where to actually mount the wires, or how many wires I need.