I have an automatic tC (yea, flame away) due to living in a very face paced area with lots of bumper to bumper traffic so it was just easier. Manual is fun and all and thats why im asking this. I know many new cars are equipped with Shiftronic, tectonic, theres many names. Its the little thing where you can switch to a setting and it allows you to upshift and downshift. At times, id like to be able to control my shift points and have a little fun when cruising, etc. Would it be possible to get one of these systems installed and does anyone have a rough estimate of how much this may cost? I did find this, http://www.levelten.com/store/import...shiftronic.htm which is a push button shift. Does anyone have any feedback on this device as well. Thanks

 

That price seems high. :? I would not be sure about something like this, thats just me though. Also be nice to see a picture of how you change gears with it. Steering wheel controls maybe?

 

Shift-tronic is the same thing as moving your auto shifter from L-2-D(OD off)-D(OD on), except you get a fancy +/- shifter or buttons. Sometimes they will incorporate throttle blipping for downshifts(you can do this with your foot) or safety measures that prevent you from over-revving by shifting into a gear that is too low(ECT has this anyway and won't let you do it).

The only real manumatics are the SMG/hydrolic ones that are REALLY manual transmissions operated by hydrolics. YOu can only find them on Ferrari's, Maserati's, BMW's, and a handful of very expensive, select cars.

The only "cheap" car that has it is the MR2 Spyder. . . and it is worthless, as the system is very slow.

 

ya know what it would actually work like a super advanced ect. i've used one b4 and it worked pretty good. it's not too slow. faster than most autos and more fun. price isnt too bad.

 

My Rx-8 had paddle shifters, it was cool looking But hardley ever used them.... I would save your money

 

You probably should have gotten a Mazda3 if you want shift-tronic. It's just as nice and around the same price. I actualy wanted one over the tC but I lost my interest because the dealers in my area were just insanely bad.

 

My grandma has Shift-tronic in her 2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE. She never uses it either I would though to have the fun of driving in auto and manual sort of like Semi-Auto

 

hmm.. I was told that the L gear is not first, but that it was actually like a gear only to be used for certain situations. I was also told that by going through those gears, it wears your tranny down faster :/ . So basically, theres no way to get a shiftronic or manumatic installed? (The +/- type)

 

Automatic trannies work like this

When you have it in D(OD on), that means the ECT is free to choose from all gears available.
When you have OD off, it means that ECT cannot engage the overdrive gear (that just means your highest gear for cruising). You do this when the tranny keeps shifting and it gets annoying.
WHen you put it into 2, that means that the ECT can only choose between the lowest gear and 2nd gear.
When you put it into first, tha means ECT can only use 1st(the lowest) gear.

The reason you want to avoid L is that you may accidentally over-rev your engine. . . and in most circumstances, you will not need to shift into L if you are already moving. If you've driven manual, you would know that you rarely downshift into 1st, unless you are talking about extreme autocrossing or drifting.

In the past, cars did this on their own, as they had no ECT. The lever would move a mechanical piece that would physically lock out the gears.

Bottom line: if you want to hold a gear in a turn, move the gear shifter to the gear desired. Some people argue this hurts the engine. . . although I havn't found any substantial evidence that this is true(it shifts in the exact same way as the ECT programmed shifts, unless you over-rev). Keep in mind that if plan to shift it manually to improve acceleration, it will only slow you down. Numerous car magazines have found that using the automatics that have manual controls (not true SMG's) will actually decrease your 0-60 and 1/4mi times.

 

so low is basically the equivelent to 1st on a manual? Also by D (overdrive on), your taking about putting it on the 3 correct?

 

Yup. . . L is 1st. It IS first gear.

Oh yeah. . . and sorry about the OD stuff. . . still thinkin non-shift gated Toyota's. . . Yeah, D is using all available gears, 3 means 3 and lower, 2 means. . . . etc

A lot of people used to leave their OD off saying some smack about "overdrive" is bad for the engine! It means you are pushing the engine over what is normal. . . damned idiots never read the manual. Same with Honda's D3 and D4. . . all the same stuff.

The best idea is to leave it in D. . . if you want to downshift and hold a gear lower than what you are in, just slide it over. Just make sure to not over rev the engine. My 90 Lexus LS400 also had ECT (not super or -i) but it wouldn't let me shift to L/1st sometimes, due to high revs. . . so you may have the same dummy gaurds.