Quote:
|
Originally Posted by catback
Manually shifting a factory spec automatic is usually a waste in my opinion. It'll make you feel fast but you won't be that much faster. If you need a tach to shift you don't know your car, tach shifting is only useful if you have a dyno sheet to go by otherwise you don't really know the best rpm to shift at. Most drivers shift by feel/sound.
|
In a drag race, manually shifting an auto won't make you faster, but it certainly will in every other situation. Most autos upshift far too easily, which always puts you in the wrong gear for a turn, and removes any throttle response the car might have. Also, you don't want the transmission to downshift in the middle of a hard turn. I can't stand driving any autos (except for a few new ones from MB) in "D." But I don't mind them at all otherwise. A lot of people seem to criticize automatics incessantly without ever learning how to use them.
Also, shifting at redline is optimal in most cases. You'd shift by feel or sound during normal (or somewhat fast) driving, but I don't believe anyone can reliably shift near redline just from sound (unless you enjoy bouncing off your rev limiter on a regular basis).