[neomonkey]

How smooth will it be? Will there be any lag? Has anyone driven the sportshift or have read a review about it. I understand the auto is 4 speeds only, which isn't too exciting but it is still pretty good. Getting a sportshift at this price range is great. I just want to know if it will be a quality one or not.

 

[Butters]

How smooth will it be? Will there be any lag? Has anyone driven the sportshift or have read a review about it. I understand the auto is 4 speeds only, which isn't too exciting but it is still pretty good. Getting a sportshift at this price range is great. I just want to know if it will be a quality one or not.

Well I test drove a Protege5 with the Sport AT, which I'm guessing it's the same as the one on the 3, the tranny felt really good, verry smooth, I didn't percieve much lag if any... offcourse you can't compare it to a manual, but compared to regular ATs it's light years ahead.

Plus, the 3 has a lot more power than the P5, so it should be even more agile.

 

[neomonkey]

How smooth will it be? Will there be any lag? Has anyone driven the sportshift or have read a review about it. I understand the auto is 4 speeds only, which isn't too exciting but it is still pretty good. Getting a sportshift at this price range is great. I just want to know if it will be a quality one or not.

Well I test drove a Protege5 with the Sport AT, which I'm guessing it's the same as the one on the 3, the tranny felt really good, verry smooth, I didn't percieve much lag if any... offcourse you can't compare it to a manual, but compared to regular ATs it's light years ahead.

Plus, the 3 has a lot more power than the P5, so it should be even more agile.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

TONS of lag. Expect this of an auto! It shifts when it can... the sport shift can't change that. The sport shift gives you mor econtrol, but you still need to shift 500-1000 RPM early.

 

[gruss]

How smooth will it be? Will there be any lag? Has anyone driven the sportshift or have read a review about it. I understand the auto is 4 speeds only, which isn't too exciting but it is still pretty good. Getting a sportshift at this price range is great. I just want to know if it will be a quality one or not.

Well I test drove a Protege5 with the Sport AT, which I'm guessing it's the same as the one on the 3, the tranny felt really good, verry smooth, I didn't percieve much lag if any... offcourse you can't compare it to a manual, but compared to regular ATs it's light years ahead.

Plus, the 3 has a lot more power than the P5, so it should be even more agile.

The current protege's tranny is not the same as the tranny they have mated up to the 2.3 in the 6.
HOnestly, I never drove a portege w/ the activematic thing, but the ones I have driven seem to be much more responsive than the 6s auto I test drove (which is also different than the 6i) They also have a problem when adding power beyond the ratings of the stock motor, so its doubtful it will be hooked up to a 2.3...hopefully whatever tranny is in the 3 is programmed like the protege/focus tranny! Only way to tell will be to take it for a spin, I dont think history will help much here.

 

[Butters]

hopefully whatever tranny is in the 3 is programmed like the protege/focus tranny! Only way to tell will be to take it for a spin, I dont think history will help much here.

Well I'm happy to confirm that the SportAT tranny on the 3 is programmed like the protege, and not like the 6i... it felt verry lively and agile on my test drive.

 

[Haris]

TONS of lag. Expect this of an auto! It shifts when it can... the sport shift can't change that. The sport shift gives you mor econtrol, but you still need to shift 500-1000 RPM early.

No sport shifting and just automatic shifting is totally different. I mean for example, an auto may shift at 3K rpm if you accelerate very slowly, but if you have sport shift you can still just get it to redline or wherever the limiter is and it'll probably shift itself. So it's still a bit better than regular autos that you have totally no control of upshifting and downshifting.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

TONS of lag. Expect this of an auto! It shifts when it can... the sport shift can't change that. The sport shift gives you mor econtrol, but you still need to shift 500-1000 RPM early.

No sport shifting and just automatic shifting is totally different. I mean for example, an auto may shift at 3K rpm if you accelerate very slowly, but if you have sport shift you can still just get it to redline or wherever the limiter is and it'll probably shift itself. So it's still a bit better than regular autos that you have totally no control of upshifting and downshifting.

Um... I didn't disagree with any of that. By "sport shift can't change that" I meant that it will not shift exactly when you tell it to (and it won't) it shifts when the transmission is able... even under tiptronic/sport shift. This generally takes 500-1000 RPM's from when you tell it to shift to when it does shift. It isn't instantaneous like an MTX would be.

Although, while we're on the subject... I find sport shift to be almost completely useless... pedal manipulation gets it to change just as well. I used to use my sport shift, but it's been a while since I have now.

 

[gruss]

So it's still a bit better than regular autos that you have totally no control of upshifting and downshifting.

and thats where I would really disagree...I'll take the current Protege/Focus tranny over the 6's auto anyday...sport shift or not. you hit the pedal and it downshifts now! not in 3 seconds or 500 rpms but as soon as it starts to bog. thats how it should be. Thats why I got a manual, i didnt like the auto offered and didnt want to live with it until a chip came out. Sounds like the 3 is following in the protege style shifting and thats a VERY good thing. And contrary to popular belief you can shift an auto even if its not labeled "sport"
Might not be as user friendly but still not extremely difficult either

 

[Haris]

So it's still a bit better than regular autos that you have totally no control of upshifting and downshifting.

and thats where I would really disagree...I'll take the current Protege/Focus tranny over the 6's auto anyday...sport shift or not. you hit the pedal and it downshifts now! not in 3 seconds or 500 rpms but as soon as it starts to bog. thats how it should be. Thats why I got a manual, i didnt like the auto offered and didnt want to live with it until a chip came out. Sounds like the 3 is following in the protege style shifting and thats a VERY good thing. And contrary to popular belief you can shift an auto even if its not labeled "sport"
Might not be as user friendly but still not extremely difficult either

I'd take tiptronic/sport shift transmission over regular autos, cause in regular autos your pretty much limited to just hitting gas and brake petals. Even thought tiptronic transmissions shift slow, at least you can shift when you want to. It might not be at exact second, but still, in regular autos it shifts absolutely when it decides to.

 

[Kazbaeden]

I've heard talk from people who put a tip chip in their Audis. It reduces the shift time dramatically, and they say they love it. Perhaps we'd see the same for the 6 and the 3?

 

[gruss]

A chip should help alot..
Harris: what do you think those other numbers on the shifter are for? you know hte ones below the D? Usually you have some control. Yes the tiptronic thing is handy, but if you are truley going to shift it yourself all the time and not leave it in drive, save a few hundred bucks and get manual.