Mike_TX

I flipped the PWR button the other day for the first time in my car's short 2,500-mile lifetime, just to see what difference it made.

One reason I hadn't done it earlier is that I remember from my IS350 days that it made the transmission behave badly. By that I mean it hung onto gears too long and made me look like a worse driver than I was. I was kinda showing off for a friend once and he asked if I'd missed a shift or something, because the engine was revving up a storm after an upshift. I reminded him it was an automatic.

But the main reason I don't use it is that the 380 hp is frankly enough for me, and I find it whips that big ol' heavy car around right smartly even without the PWR switch being on.

So, does anyone really keep it on a lot?

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PatsSoxfan

Mike, I tried it one or twice and one can certainly detect a difference in power, but I see no need to really use it. As you state, there is more than enough power without activating the PWR button.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i don't see the real need for it, so nop, never

Rocman

I leave mine on at all times. It does not give the car more power, it just changes the shifting patterns. I prefer the shifting with the PWR mode. It's funny, I never drive the car, and when I do, I notice the car is not shifting the way I like, so I look down and it is switched off.

Johnny

I use it sparingly as the shift points are adequate in the Normal position. Even for fast acceleration, the transmission fares quite well. However, if I want to "put -it-to-the-floor" as it were, the taller shifts available in Power mode take full advantage of the abundant torque available to it, and it delivers. Combine it with the stability control turned off, and you've got a bat out hell with all the smoke and noise to go with it. Try it sometime... Do that regularly, and those all-seasons will smoke themselves into summer tires.

luxury1

I haven't used it either for the same reasons as some of you. Not that it matters but what would the difference in fuel consumption be with it on all the time?

alsilverbullet

I use it every now and then especially when I need to whisk around slow drivers on the highway. Otherwise for city driving it is usually off. I will say with the PWR on the car is really peppy

vanlex

+1 for highway passing.

jlawr

I came to the LS from a GS and I always leave the PWR button on. It does not cause the car to use more gas unless you're driving the car "hard." I hate the hesitation in the "normal" mode.

If you drive the car "gently," I think the "PWR" setting is transparent to the user. BUT the power is there when you need it in an emergency situation. This gives you that margin of saftey, IMO, to avoid an accident.

Lastly, I drive often in the "S" mode -- especially in traffic -- and I like the instant response I get with the "PWR" button on. If your are a trained driver, and know the correct gear to be in, you don't use up more gas and you save a lot of wear on your brakes. Besides, the "S" mode brings back the fun of driving for me.

Saudi

i'm using it and it's great and realy i can feel with the difference.

luxury1

A few of us should try to use power and regular mode during a trip of the same distance (to and from a place for instance) and monitor the fuel consumption just for an experiment.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

if you are just driving normally, the gas mileage won't be any difference. the mode only changes the shift point, so unless you are driving aggressively, where it will hold the shift point higher, etc... otherwise the gas consumption difference should be minimal

jlawr

Been there done that -- listen to Henry -- he's correct

Luxofreak

I do use the pwr option sometimes up hill. It's nice to have the engine in 4th gear on the sweet spot rpmwise uphill instead of having it in 8th gear at 500rpm - lots of torque on the sweet spot range.