I recently brought a tiptronic automatic. I think they are great! There are two modes of driving - automatic or manual. So I can have automatic gear changes when I want them and manual gear changes when I want them - it's the best of both worlds.
The best bit is there is no clutch pedal - so no rolling back on hills, no stalling, ease of stopping and starting especially in traffic. It seems that most automatics are tiptronic these days. On top of that my car also has sport and snow modes.
Anyone else think tiptronic cars are good?
|
I've driven a couple of tiptronics (merc & bmw), and find them pretty pointless really. Changing gear with a tiptronic is like changing gear on a playstation racing game. no feel or feedback. Ended up just keeping them in auto (as I suspect 90% of other tiptronic owners do).
--
let me be the last to let you down....
|
|
Anyone driven a VW Group DSG? Would be interested to hear if they're better than the normal tiptronic type.
|
|
|
There is not just on type of tiptronic, there are many. Some are obviously better then others. They can be torque converter, CVT, automated manual, DSG etc. So you could drive one and dislike it, whereas you could try another and love it. So it depends on which one you try.
I have not driven a DSG, but the gear changes would feel a lot more like a manual. The gear changes are so fast and smooth. I think it takes something like 3 hundredths of a second to shift. So that would be the best type of tiptronic in my opinion.
|
Own an Audi A3 DSG and driven an A4 Tiptronic. To be honest not much between them (Tiptronic has 7 'gears' as opposed to DSG 6). Tiptronic has changes more attune to an auto whereas the DSG has definate cog changes (although 0.02 secs to change means they are hardly felt). Tiptronic I drove didn't have paddles so manual changes were more difficult and really not worth doing.
Wierd thing about tiptronic is on full throttle it reaches about 3,000 revs (diesel) then remains at 3,000 until it gets in to 7th - feels really strange when you drive it. The DSG drops about 500 revs between changes - like a manual does.
All in all I have been really pleased with the DSG (almost 20,000 miles covered) and wouldn't like to think my next car will be manual - I'm not aware of any problems reported with the DSG boxes as yet. Reading that the higher output 2.0TDi is now available in the A3 means my next car will probably be a direct replacement for what I have now, but with 170PS instead of 140 (and quattro if that's available too!!).
|
"Wierd thing about tiptronic is on full throttle it reaches about 3,000 revs (diesel) then remains at 3,000 until it gets in to 7th - feels really strange when you drive it. "
It's CVT; that's why it accerlates on a crest of torque.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
|
|
|
|
Ended up just keeping them in auto (as I suspect 90% of other tiptronic owners do).
Coo-eee. I'm one of the 10% who don't just leave it in auto ;o)
|
I have a VW Passat 1.9 S TDi AUTO (Tiptronic)
I regularly use the Tiptronic, it is only SWMBO who doesn't !
|
|
I don't have tiptronic, but have an autobox that and shifter that makes it easy to change down/up using the shifter, when needed. I use it when driving in hilly areas, when extra engine braking is preferable.
|
|
I use mine too. I think it gives the best of both worlds. If I want to drive a bit more 'enthusuastically' I use tiptronic, if I'm in town or just wanting a more relaxed drive I leave it in auto. I don't worry about things 'if they could go wrong' if that was the case we'd never drive anything!
|
|
My next car will definitely be tiptronic. Changing gears yourself is sooo 19th century!!!
|
|
My Mitsubishi Galant Estate VR-4 has a 'sports mode' auto trans which is pretty much the same as the tiptronic ones above, though I understand one manufacturer 'owns' the name as a trademark. The INVECS-II is a five speed, and like most other drivers, I leave it in auto most of the time. It has sensors that detect your driving style and modify the gearbox characteristics to match. It can detect when you are going up a hill and will hold gears longer. It changes down a gear when you are going down a hill on closed throttle, to provide engine braking. I've really only used the manual facility on long winding hills to give a feeling of certainty about the engine RPM. I'm not sure whether the gearbox would have done a better job.
|
Having finally driven an automatic, many of my prejudices have been dispelled and I reckon a tiptronic must be a good compromise.
I rather blew it on my recent Lexus driving day. Did n't realise until afterwards that the SC430 had a 6 speed sequential automatic. Could have been even more fun!
_______
IanS
|
And the gear indicator is a 1-2-3-4-5-6 strip right in front of your eyes with the gear you're in picked out in red. HJ
Just like the DSG when in manual then! In auto the strip says D or S, but the gear you are in is also shown - very useful and a feature not on the first Audi A3 DSGs.
|
|
Also like my Vectra. LED display on the dash indicating which gear you're in when in tiptronic mode.
|
|
|
