Some help driving an automatic.

[john-mandy]

I do hope this question makes sense to perhaps the automatic fraternity on this forum.

My problem, 32 years driving a manual car, now an audi 3.0 quattro automatic.

1/ driving to and from work, i like most others hit the daily stop start routine, anything from 10 secs to a 1 minute. Do i put the car in nuetral or is it safe to leave in drive and hold the creep on the footbrake, i think basically the question is am i doing any damage to the engine or gearbox whilst leaving in drive.

2/ Will it be safe to move the gearbox lever from drive to sport mode +/- if doing perhaps 50 to 60 miles an hour.


Just 1 general point, my cars in the past which include morris 1100, austin allegro, mini metro, renault 25, rover 400 and audi a4 1.8 2000 reg to name but a few are not what you would consider fast and responsive cars, so the shock of the awsome power and refinement of the quattro leaves me lost for words.

john

[SJF]

Hi John,
I used to drive a 3.0 quattro auto before it got written off and I switched to a 3.0 quattro manual model.

1. I was normally too lazy to move it into Neutral when stopped at the lights etc and I never had any problems in the 1.5 years that I had it - but thats not to say that its not doing damage, perhaps someone else who knows better can answer that!

2. With regards to moving into & out of sports mode (or the +/- bit) whilst moving (at any speed) should be no problem as I did it all the time. e.g. cruising in 'D' but then needed to push on a bit so switched to Sport mode and then after a while back to 'D'.

Hope the above is some use. Enjoy the car, I certainly enjoy driving mine!

Simon

[john-mandy]

Thanks SJF, i'm finding the car such a joy to use, the most fun i've had driving for years.

john

[fourringsrus]

Hi John, I have had many auto's over the years and creeping in drive has been the standard method with no ill effect,only going into neutral or park if sat still for a while.
As for shifting from D to sport mode or from D into manual /tiptronic mode the road speed is not an issue so long as you are not tapping/changing down into too low a gear at too high a road speed ,as I'm sure you understand.
I recently sold my 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro Sport Tiptronic and that is how I used the box, god I'm missing the power and smoothness.
Enjoy

Stuart

[john-mandy]

Hi John, I have had many auto's over the years and creeping in drive has been the standard method with no ill effect,only going into neutral or park if sat still for a while.
As for shifting from D to sport mode or from D into manual /tiptronic mode the road speed is not an issue so long as you are not tapping/changing down into too low a gear at too high a road speed ,as I'm sure you understand.
I recently sold my 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro Sport Tiptronic and that is how I used the box, god I'm missing the power and smoothness.
Enjoy

Stuart

fourringsrus,

Thanks very much for the reply, i think i've sussed the gearbox, tried the different techniques, drive, sport and tip, very very impressed.

Can't think why i didn't buy a car like this years ago, though i did once own a 1.8 petrol audi a4 without a turbo, not exactly the same, in fact not even close.
Thanks again.

john

[fourringsrus]

My pleasure, enjoy

Stuart

[Road Rocket]

Hi John,

I have the same model (3.0TDI quattro) . You can shift to sport from D without any problem whilst on the move. Personally mine is never out of sport, but then I enjoy the quick changes.

Regarding whether to put it into neutral or not is a matter of debate in autos. I usually don't bother for very short stops but for anything that is likely to be more than that I often put it into neutral, I believe it saves wear on the brakes and clutch.

If you think the car is awesome now have it remapped and you'll be amazed. Mine was done by Ben at Shark Performance in Mansfield, Notts, and it is simply a brilliant car to car drive not only in power but in refinement - although it always was! I bet you enjoy the way it just purrs at high motorway speeds at around 2000rpm.

[john-mandy]

Hi John,

I have the same model (3.0TDI quattro) . You can shift to sport from D without any problem whilst on the move. Personally mine is never out of sport, but then I enjoy the quick changes.

Regarding whether to put it into neutral or not is a matter of debate in autos. I usually don't bother for very short stops but for anything that is likely to be more than that I often put it into neutral, I believe it saves wear on the brakes and clutch.

If you think the car is awesome now have it remapped and you'll be amazed. Mine was done by Ben at Shark Performance in Mansfield, Notts, and it is simply a brilliant car to car drive not only in power but in refinement - although it always was! I bet you enjoy the way it just purrs at high motorway speeds at around 2000rpm.

Thanks road rocket,

Took my 21 year old son out for a spin last night, he was totally amazed, he owns a 1 year old focus zetec sport and couldn't get over the sheer luxuary and refinement the car has.

Popped it into to sport mode for him and on a 4 mile stretch of uphill dual carraigeway near my home, i showed him what it was capable of, the expression on his face said it all,

Trouble is he blagged on me to the wife, though i can inform the forum that i didn,t and would never break the speed limit honest.....

[Road Rocket]

Where powerful cars are concerned wives are always the problem!

[john-mandy]

Where powerful cars are concerned wives are always the problem!

Your certainly right Road Rocket,

but we do spend some time arguing which one of us will drive if going out together, i just remind her its my early retirement present, and she can easily be removed from the insurance policy;)