Not sure if im putting this under the right forum but i feel it didnt fit under tech. Feel free to move it i wont be offended.

Disclaimer: I know how to drive manual its just rather inconvenient for me due to the amount of traffic i sit in on my commutes so i chose automatic for my Z.

Heres my question: For best speed, starting from a complete stop is it quicker to stay in automatic and just mash the pedal allowing the car to get to say, 4th gear then slapping it over into tiptronic and downshifting to allow for higher RPMs then shifting back up (I feel like i get an acceleration boost when i do this but i could be fooled by the sound) OR starting in tiptronic mode and just shifting like i would a 5 speed. Personally i feel faster not touching the shifter until i reach a higher gear, but i have no way of timing myself.

Before you flame, i've done my research and i cant find a similar post on any forum anywhere that gives me a clear cut answer for what im looking for so i figured i'd ask the experts. Thanks in advance, sorry for the long read.

 

without flaming........

dont use it, just hit the pedal

tiptronics are terrible, there is always a delay. Maybe a $100k+ car might have a good one but ive yet to see one that works good

 

Appreciate it, i didnt think anyone would answer so i also put this up on Yahoo Answers and got a guy telling me only use tiptronic. So now im even more confused and i've been youtubing like a **** but thats not helping me either. Im not looking for facts, im looking for more personal experience. I personally feel like not using tiptronic from a stop is faster. I need to get out on a track somewhere and get timed

 

They're good for keeping it in certain gears, so you have the power ready to go and you don't get the AT downshift lag. You can wind the gears out more during spirited driving. But if you're just mashing it, should probably just keep it in regular AT.

Tiptronic might be more useful if u are tuned and had your rev raised, or maybe if you have a valvebody upgrade. I would also think tiptronic might be good for Tracking your car through twisties. But in a straight line man, just mashing regular AT mode will probably do better than you shifting it.

 

yahoo answers will get you nowhere

def better off asking car enthusiasts with personal experience at least

only way to know for sure is to get timed but its not gonna be enough to matter so ur better off doing what you LIKE better. If tenths of a second in speed mattered that much to you then you wouldnt of cared about having stick in traffic

 

I like that. Im just trying to have fun and the Z is a learning experience for me. I've learned more about cars in the past month of owning it then i have in my entire life. I regretted getting an auto for about the first 3 days but after all the reading ive done it doesnt seem so bad anymore if i could learn how to drive it.

So how about this: Does mashing it in AT then switching over to tiptronic and downshifting a gear make you faster? The guy i bought it from was telling me it does and i've been trying to test it but i dont have a lot of open road around here.

 

I'm trying to think about this logically, my logic could be failing, but.....if you're mashing it....the computer is going to be close to redlining gear to gear, but then you want to switch over to TIP and downshift while still mashing? I don't see the benefit, if anything it would slow you down wouldn't it? These aren't F1 cars, the shifting is lagged.

From what i understand, from a racing perspective, the upside of an AT is the perfect shifts you'll get 100% of the time, so while you're fiddling around with the AT - TIP and downshifting, you could just stay in AT and keep on truckin.

Like i said i think the best aspect of tiptronic is for on the track taking turns, and holding out gears..

 

I'll put mine in manual when it gets to third gear when drivi...oops, I mean steering through the subdivision at low speed. I just leave it in D the other 99.9% of the time.

I've yet to have any regrets at all about getting the 5AT.

 

OP, get a set of rear end gears and youll "feel" plenty faster.
DO a valve body upgrade.. then get yourself a tuner software install.. even on a stock engine. There is benefit to be had.
Then as you buy your bolt on parts ( if you go that route) you can adjust the ecu to make them actually do something... id say 97% of owners do it in reverse.. and thier car suffers in the meantime.
AT is great for turbo cars too btw, especially if youre gna drag race it at a local track.. since i assume youre not mashin it to 100mph in traffic. Mods dont like talk of these things.. zero tol policy on here etc for anything on the street.. just a tip.
anyways good luck w your learning process, read lots of threads and research before purchase.

 

Just keep the barbie car in drive, thats all you have to do.

I have heavy traffic daily, i didn't turn in my man card.

 

Its actually more fun to try and not stall on an incline while being stuck in traffic.

 

Its all a matter of choice, the roads in Pennsylvania are designed for flooding. Theyre rough and uneasy and most roads are under construction every highway i take, so the majority of my drive is dodging potholes and chunks of missing road its just not enjoyable to drive a manual for me anymore. It was exciting when i was learning to drive a car (first car 5 speed 91 Geo Storm ) The answers have been quite helpful, i just want to get the most out of what i got. Thanks again guys.

 

^ Agree with the above about Pennsylvania roads. I'm in Philly, and everytime I hit up University City I'm dodging uneasy roads and pothole after pothole. Half the roads here are crappy to the point where I'd sometimes go the longer route to enjoy a better drive :]

 

There are already a ton of threads on this topic, but you will need to search for "Manual Mode"

Tiptronic is not a term to associate with any Nissan vehicle.

 

what I find is that if you keep it in D then the car will go to 5th gear itself. then when you slap it over to manual the car down shifts to 4th. thats why you have a lil bit better acceleration.
I use manual most of the time cause I like to down shift it myself when coming to a stop. i like hearing the exhaust pop.

 

i have a 5at and use the auto-manual more than the regular AT. it feels faster to me, but who knows...

 

I had an 03 Z a few years ago and it was an auto. Always felt faster when I just let the car do the shifting itself and felt better in manual mode while having fun on mountain roads.

My 05 Z is a 6 spd and I will never look back.

 

6spd vs Auto ummmm 6spd ftw auto

 

I keep mine in Manual Mode 99% of the time. Feels faster to me
and for some weird reason "Lighter" ahha. There is a slight lag
when shifting but a Valve Body upgrade will fix that.
I like to downshift the car myself. In drive, seems like the car is stuck on 4th and just feels heavy.

 

noob