Quote:
Originally Posted by bl52krz
You can use it almost like a manual, but why then have an automatic? If you engage ‘2’ the car will only go from ‘1’ into second gear ‘2’. If you engage ‘3’, you will only have 1-2 and third gear. If you engage ‘4’ you will only have 1-2-3 and fourth gear. Get yourself a manual then you can play with the gears until your heart is content. .
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......... and you dont get to choose when to change up, although you can extend these shifts, or speed them up (shortshifting) by selecting, snow and sport mode.
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By selecting sport mode, the car does not go faster (it is psychosomatic, as when selecting sport, you are more likely to mash the acc. pedal). It will hold the gear for longer, which WILL increase acceleration slightly, as you are mashing the pedal lol.
Sport mode also prevents the gearbox selecting lock up. Which if cruising on a motorway, will use more fuel, for no benefit (when cruising).
I would 'flick' it into sport mode when merging on motorways etc, as this will hold the gear making it easier to accelerate without the gearbox considering what to do before dropping a cog (try it, and then try the same thing, but in normal driving mode, but mashing the pedal into the kickdown switch - make sure there is no traffic, as it could prove dangerous!).
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I wouldnt recommend dropping the lever more than one position at a time whilst driving. Imagine driving in 5th with lock up, and dropping it to 2.
It is an adaptive gearbox (and quite common among other manufacturers), you can reset the 'box, either by removing its fuse, or disconnecting the battery for about 20-30 minutes (make sure you have any relevant radio codes and sat nav disc has stopped spinning, if fitted). Once reset the 'box, it will adapt to your driving style. If you drive gently, it will 'learn' this and change gears at relatively low revs. If you continually drive hard, it will change at slightly higher revs (from my 'playing around' there can be as much as 500 rpm of difference!). The other modes will adapt accordingly/proportionately.
I am not sure if it is psychosomatic, or not, but I feel it has more engine braking when it is in snow mode.
Make sure your handbrake is kept in good working order, and when stopped at lights etc, you will be able to keep it in D. Using your footbrake is unfair to others behind (I only do that until the car behind has come to a stop). If at a level crossing, or a particularly long set of lights, I will put it to neutral.
If you stop, and shift to neutral, allow the car to select the gear before pressing hard on the accelerator. The gearbox will select the gear quite harshly. Ditto if you come to a stop, and immediately move off (stop at lights, they turn green the moment you have stopped).
if you want to 'race' from the lights, hold with the footbrake using your left foot, right foot on accelerator so the revs begin to reach about 1000rpm, then mash the accelerator when they have turned green. I do not recommend doing this, it will be detrimental to the gearbox over time.
As far as engine braking goes, it does have some, but it is difficult I find to control. Touching the brake once coasting, and you will feel the engine braking. If you dont touch the brake, you will not feel the engine braking until the car has already lost a lot of speed. Try it at 40 mph on a level road, release the accelerator, the revs will drop to tickover, and you will not feel anything until the speed drops to around 30-35mph, (still not touching the accelerator) at which point the revs will kick up again, as it drops a cog. Going downhill whilst doing this will result in the car accelerating due to gravity! Touch the brake it will try to use engine braking.
Some manufacturers state the gearbox is supposed to be sealed for life (I think this includes MGR too), but it is not, and can be refilled/flushed. I would suggest flushing be used only as a last resort for some issues, but a drain and refill at around 90,000 miles is recommended.
A common issue with them, is a 'thump' when selecting drive, and changing gears. This is normally a faulty 2/4 solenoid. This is fixable in the car, and took me about 3 hours from start to finish (involves draining fluid, and removing surrounding components, but it is not difficult).
Another relatively common issue is a failure to select reverse, and ultimately all gears - although this is generally limited to pre 2002 models, if I recall.
Experiment with the different modes, and see what they do. Try driving hard and also gentle, to familiarise yourself with its reactions - eg trying to accelerate harder once lock up is on. Once you get used to it, you can predict its behaviour, and use the various modes for situations that you may require.