This may seem like a stupid question, but what is the proper way to manually shift an auto? In an auto do you lift your foot out of the gas before changing to another gear? I would assume yes, but then again there is no clutch to engage like in a manual tranny.

 

people here will tell you to leave it in drive, but i like to mess with the gears every now n then, theres no reason to lift ur foot, just smash it to the ground n move the shifter forward.

 

It's just like driving in "D". Just that you tell when to change the gears, it's a way to accelerate faster.

 

leave it in D, you will have less problems

 

You can shift manually but its not something you want to do all of the time. I would only suggest doing it while racing or to kick it into a lower gear faster. I wouldn't drive like that all the time though. No need to lift your foot off the gas... the torque converter will take it.

 

Why will you have less problems?????????? Show us your evidence for making this statement

 

So what exactly could get messed up by shifting an auto manually?

 

Its not that you ARE going to cause harm, it's just that it is a lot more wear and tear. Downshifting is probably the biggest issue... its simply working the torque converter harder, plus if you are caught in the moment and forget to shift you end up bouncing off of the rev limiter. I don't have any "hard evidence" to give you, just my oppinion. More stress on the torque converter, more POTENTIAL problems later on.

 

i wouldn't do it. i mean i do for daily driving coming to a red light or to hear it rumble. racing and shifting it is plain stupid because once you shift it watch or feel the car still take awhile to shift. the computer knows when best to shift and it shifts faster that way. take it to the track and race it in drive and then shift it manually. i gaurantee you'll be atleast a .5 slower.

 

Yeah... your reflexes are not perfect all the time. Here's a solution: Buy a stick! haha