V6 sequential shifting - anyone use it?

[niceguy]

I have been using the automatic all the time. Last weekend I tried to use the sequential shifting, and I found each time when I put the shifter into sequential mode, I felt the car shifts down a gear. ie. I was in 5th gear, and it will drop to 4th gear when I shift to manual driving. Is that normal?

Will sequential shifting save some gas like the true manual car does? Any one use sequential shifting in daily use?

[TRAV1]

I have used it for daily driving before and did get slightly better gas mileage in the city, but not very noticeable.

You will really appreciate the V6 and sequential shift on the interstate when you can stay in gear longer and let the car rev higher. The acceleration is fantastic! HUGE difference. (Manual says car can reach 124 in 4th gear!)

[Tobeit]

Originally Posted by niceguy

I have been using the automatic all the time. Last weekend I tried to use the sequential shifting, and I found each time when I put the shifter into sequential mode, I felt the car shifts down a gear. ie. I was in 5th gear, and it will drop to 4th gear when I shift to manual driving. Is that normal?

Will sequential shifting save some gas like the true manual car does? Any one use sequential shifting in daily use?

I use it from time to time. I think you can decide to either use it to drive more aggressively or to be more cautious, depending at what RPM you decide to shift compared to the A/T shifting points. I think the downshift you feel only happens if the next lower gear is well in the RPM range and delivers more torque - that avoids the other way around where you suddenly are left with no torque after the flip. In my opinion, most people use the sequential shifter to be able to run at higher RPM in a lower gear to get more torque and not to save gas. But I might be wrong.

[Black08SEV6]

Its not really a "sequential shifter" rather a "limiter. What ever gear displays on the cluster is the HIGHEST the car will shift to. Keep it on "4" and it wont go to "5". However, it will downshift 1-3. So no, you wont truely get better mileage because you cant force the car to shift early. You cant be doing 25, and bump the lever over and select "6." It wont go to 6.

I use to for acceleration, and I will keep it in "1" on low speeds so I can hear my new exhaust rumble and burble. Other than that, I keep it in auto mode.

[geoff5093]

^ Said it best, it just lets you choose the highest gear that you want the car to go in.

I did notice though that generally no matter what speed I'm driving, the car will go to 4th gear if I change it to sequential shift mode.

What I don't like though is the long delay in between shifts, for instance if I'm accelerating and I have it in 2nd, it takes a second or so to shift it into 3rd after I made the gear change.

[wireless]

I'm fairly certain that normal operation is it will default to 4th when beyond like 30 mph or something. A search will find the thread where this was discussed in great detail Like how our system is very unlike the Tiptronic found in VW/Audi vehicles that is more realistic in terms of manual control of the transmission. Our system doesn't really do much for you. The car takes over if you try and do anything to far from 'ordinary' shift habits like high rpm's or major engine braking.

The only time I use mine is to engine brake on the highway. I never use it accelerating.

[Black08SEV6]

If you run to redline the car hits off the rev limiter, even if you try to hit it in time. And you can be sitting still and it'll go to 4th. Its just a default. It basically kills the "double over-drive."

The one thing I hate about auto is it shifts 500 before redline. and for some reason, the gearing just seems a tad too tall. The 2-3 shift it feels like it falls just below the torque sweet spot.

[JSM1284]

And no, it wont increase MPG, If anything it will probably decrease. The reason manual cars get better MPG is because they dont have a torque converter that is constantly slipping, unless the car is in an overdrive gear on the highway, and the torque converter clutch is engaged.

[Black08SEV6]

...that and the fact in a manual car you can shift early, pass in top gear, etc.

If only the SE V6 came in a 6 spd manual...that car would be hell on wheels.

[Old Dood]

I use it for downshifting on icy/slippery roads.

Works great for that.

I have used it to jump from 4th gear in the city to 6th gear just to drop the RPMs.

[Black08SEV6]

It wont upshift...if it says "6" on the display, thats just the gear you are limiting to. Doing 14 mph in the city and selecting 6 wont put you in 6th. If you leave it in "6" you might as well keep it in auto mode. "5" would remove the extra gear, "4" would cut the overdrive function. Sorry to burst your bubble, but putting it in "6" in the city, does nothing extra/ above and beyond "D."

[fdexclpl]

Originally Posted by Old Dood

I use it for downshifting on icy/slippery roads.

Works great for that.

I used it for downshifting many times this past winter.

[Black08SEV6]

Itd be nice to be able to upshift to 2nd gear for starting on snow. I havent had my car long enough (took official delivery on 4/22) so I havent dealt with anything but rain.

[Tobeit]

Originally Posted by Black08SEV6

It wont upshift...if it says "6" on the display, thats just the gear you are limiting to. Doing 14 mph in the city and selecting 6 wont put you in 6th. If you leave it in "6" you might as well keep it in auto mode. "5" would remove the extra gear, "4" would cut the overdrive function. Sorry to burst your bubble, but putting it in "6" in the city, does nothing extra/ above and beyond "D."

?? Last time I checked I was able to up and downshift at my request? Not?

[Black08SEV6]

You can when you accel. and run to redline. But if you are at low speeds, and you want to go to 6th gear, it will only go to where it wont bog. It doesn't work like a true triptronic system.