MOST should be changed to FEW, I looked it up.

 

you're talking cars like porsches, ferrari's, lambo's, etc. they do not make up the majority.

look at corolla's, civics, jetta's, etc. (normal cars), they all have manual transmissions that get better gas mileage than their automatic transmission counterparts.

it's ok to admit you're wrong sometimes. it happens.

 

Exactly
TSX manual 20/28 vs auto 21/30
DB9 manual 11/17 vs auto 13/20
S5 manual 14/22 vs auto 16/24
Cayenne GTS manual 11/17 vs auto 13/18
tC manual 20/27 vs auto 21/29
Corolla manual and auto 22/30 (SAME)
Civic manual 26/34 vs auto 25/36
Accord manual 17/25 vs auto 19/28
Jetta manual 21/31 vs auto 24/32
etc etc


exactly

 

Yes, living in the present with comparable EPA ratings as of 12/13/09, today's cars.

 

so now the thread shifted from
250 vs. 350
to
Manual vs. Auto

 

Maybe, because the 100 hp difference and the manual availability could be considered as 2 most significant differences.

 

I came from having a manual 335i coupe for a few months to an '09 IS 350 (switched due to HFPF issues and me needing a vastly more reliable car, especially for 7+ years of ownership) and I only miss the manual in one very specific instance - it's an instance that I'm honestly surprised more IS 350 owners don't complain about -

If I'm at a T intersection looking to take a ~90 degree turn onto some sort of 60MPH+ freeway, VERY often when gently hit the accelerator to get onto the freeway and orient myself correctly (I need to ease on the accelerator because there's a small bump that separates the freeway and the | road of the T) the car will put me into 2nd gear WAY too fast for my liking and then STAYS in 2nd gear throughout from 10 MPH to 70+

I don't want it to switch into 2nd gear that fast, I want to ease onto the freeway in 1st gear, I want it to STAY in 1st gear and I want the car to exploit the powerful 1st gear through 36 MPH or whatever the cut off is.

Cases where I can avoid this and accelerate using the 1st gear - if I have the option to "orient myself" more towards the freeway I'm trying to merge onto ahead of time (such that it's more like a 45 degree turn rather than a full on 90) then I can ease onto the accelerator light enough and make it onto the freeway quick enough such that I can immediately step on the gas then and run through 1st gear.

Also, if the | of the T and the -- (freeway) is separated by a DIP rather than a bump, then I can simply let go of the brake and ease onto the freeway VERY slowly by using gravity essentially. The downside to this is that I orient myself onto the freeway a little bit slower than if I "assist" by pressing on the accelerator.


FORTUNATELY to be brutally honest, this "getting into 2nd gear too fast" isn't actually a concern for me because the acceleration from ~0 even starting in 2nd gear is plenty powerful, thank god.


When this ISN'T an issue and I'm able to power through a turn (even ~90 degree) through 1st gear is if the | and the -- (freeway) are separated by pure FLAT ground and there is no "bump" or dip. It's even better if I can orient myself prematurely towards the -- (freeway) beforehand so it's more like a 45 degree turn (AND flat), those are the best.


Does anybody get what I'm talking about?

 

no sorry, from what you're describing why don't you just go into sport mode and leave it in 1st gear...then it won't jump to 2nd gear until you want it to since the limiter won't let you...

 

A valid and somewhat obvious suggestion, I will actually try that tomorrow lol.

 

christ I actually forgot we had gear limiting capabilities in this car.

 

^^

I was gonna say the same thing. Since it only happens when entering the freeway, just use sport mode. Just the 1 second lag from changing gears ...

 

Well I suppose the idea is to start powering through first and IMMEDIATELY paddle "gear limit" up and set the "limiting" gear to 6 as FAST as possible once you start accelerating hard.

If you do that, then theoretically there should be no lag.

 

I really dont understand whats going on in this thread... its pretty stupid... anyone with a 350 that likes to bash on 250's, post up a pic of your car and i will post up pics of some of hawaiis 250's and we'll judge, i'll even make it easy and post up pics of GIRLS cars... a picture is worth a thousand words.

hehe im talking about 'show' now

 

^^^^ there is nothing in this thread talking bout show cars????
the is350 and 250 have the SAME body anyone can make there car a show car so yea...

the argument is WHY ppl chose 250s' over 350s and vice versa

and now the thread has transformed to AUTO vs STICK

 

ohhhh auto vs stick... hmm well its easy... you wanna drag race? you get a auto, you wanna autocross you get a stick, ALTHOUGH F1 cars *the ultimate form of autocross* use very advanced automatics.

We're not rehashing the 'gear limiter' are we?

Isnt the 250's stick from a tacoma?