Pros and Cons of Manual vs Automatic Shifting?

[rfernatt]

Nearly 100% manual for me, in my environment, for my style of driving. I've averaged about 46 mpg over the last 10 tanks, so I can't complain with the economy of manual. Of course, when you spend most of your time in 5th, it doesn't matter if it's running in auto or manual. I prefer the control and really smooth shifts of manual mode.

[tvengineer]

This may be true... and I do think that it shifts to 5th too early..
but we can't let our "years" of driving factor into it..
The Misu engine in our smarts was designed for low end torque..
with the variable valve train...
so it is really like no other engine we have experience with.

Originally Posted by Ron F

I use manual almost all of the time. I refuse to believe that shifting into 5th gear automatically at such a low RPM is good for the engine. You can hear the engine lugging and that can't be good for it. This is Smarts way of getting better MPG. It might get you better mileage but I'd rather give up a few MPG and have the engine last longer. I've been driving for 58 years and have never had an automatic transmission that shifted into the higher gears at such a low RPM. I won't shift into 5th gear until a least 48 to 50 MPH and am convinced that this puts less strain on the engine.

[Suze]

Are you guys all forgetting about the "punch it option"? If you pounce on the accelerator, you can get smartie to down shift one or two gears super quick. Using this method, I think you can drive in Auto and make it shift when you want. At least I can. It will even down shift from 5th to 3rd almost all at once, on a hill with a firm foot. Same thing with up-shifting - just step on it hard - it Goes!

It is an amazing little car.

[EdwardDennis]

Originally Posted by Ron F

I use manual almost all of the time. I refuse to believe that shifting into 5th gear automatically at such a low RPM is good for the engine. You can hear the engine lugging and that can't be good for it. This is Smarts way of getting better MPG. It might get you better mileage but I'd rather give up a few MPG and have the engine last longer. I've been driving for 58 years and have never had an automatic transmission that shifted into the higher gears at such a low RPM. I won't shift into 5th gear until a least 48 to 50 MPH and am convinced that this puts less strain on the engine.

Valid points. Perhaps it should be operated more like a 1L motorcycle.

Some smart cars that I've seen over the past 14 or 15 months are "overloaded": two stout passengers, a good payload, a bike rack or trailer, etc.

Manual transmission shifting is certainly prudent in these conditions: kinda like towing a boat or camping trailer up and down long grades: lock-out the overdrive. My humble opinion, of course...

[tvengineer]

Originally Posted by Suze

Are you guys all forgetting about the "punch it option"? If you pounce on the accelerator, you can get smartie to down shift one or two gears super quick. Using this method, I think you can drive in Auto and make it shift when you want. At least I can. It will even down shift from 5th to 3rd almost all at once, on a hill with a firm foot. Same thing with up-shifting - just step on it hard - it Goes!

It is an amazing little car.

NO.. I know about the downshift by punching the accelerator..

I guess it's because I have always driven manual tranny cars..
to each his own.

[forestacademy]

Well even in manual mode, if you punch it down It might down shift on you.

I havent tried this since the 2.0 upgrade, But once I was trying to see what would happen if I floored it while going from 4th to 5th. Well the car decided I was wrong and went to 3rd.

[jwight]

I'm going to drag out this dead horse one more time - the smart does not "lug" the engine in "D." Period. In auto mode the computer controls the shift points; if it feels the car needs more rpm, it will downshift to provide them. If it hasn't downshifted, the increased rpm aren't needed. No matter what we think we know, or feel, this isn't 50 year old technology, the car doesn't have an "automatic transmission" and what we believe isn't as important as how the car really functions.

Yes, the kickdown option is always there but with the 2.0 upgrade a couple of flicks on the "-" paddle gets the same result and faster, IMHO. YMMV, of course.

[stressed member]

I ,too, felt it was bogging. But it's not jerking around on its mounts, and with a 2.83 bore and 3.22 stroke it's certainly built for torque. I have not seen an engine that undersquare in a long time. Very John Deer. I never bother with manual shifting.

[Terry Stibal]

If it weren't for the low frequency rattling that accompanies the bottom end of the RPM range, everything would be just fine. Although what happens moves the car around just fine, it's not very smooth in its operation.

[chobocobo]

I go into manual mode if like I'm in congested stop and go traffic jam traffic.