How are the manumatic shifts?

[TerraHopper]

I'm gonna "test drive" the 3 at the MazdaRevItUp competition before I buy one. How are the manumatic shifts? Do they take a second or so to move up to the next gear or is it almost like a manual?

Also, when in manumatic mode, does the transmission downshift when slowing down? or would I need to hit the shift lever? (hump)

Or, would you say it's better to leave it in automatic mode and let the 3 do all the shifting?

Thanks, guys, hope to join the 3 zoom-zoom crowd soon!

 

[Fat Mike]

Well still waiting for mine to arrive but I was impressed wiht the test drive. Its alot more up to the user then the other cars I have driven wiht this feature. My dad has a 2004 Maxima and it hesitates to s*** into the next gear and will s*** for you very quickly if you dont. I found the Mazda 3 to be quite fun. As soon as you hit the shifetr it is in the next gear no hesitation what so ever. Also I was impressed that you can start off from a stop in second gear witch on other cars I have tried it will not let you. Also it doesnt downshift for you right away you have the oppurtunity to slow the car down wiht the gears. Over all It was a really nice expierence and defintly made me a little more excited very fun to use.

 

[RonH]

Mine doesn't bang the shifts, but does it smoothly. Maybe it'll change after I get it broke in so I can put it through the paces.

 

[Maz3sportGT]

Hi!

I found that the Mazda 3 responded instantly to my shift command in the manual mode on the automatic. It down shifts from 4th to 3rd if you dont but only when it is almost at a complete stop. It is alot of fun to play around with the manual mode!

Hope this helps,

 

[canada3]

Whatever gear your are in if you mash the gas it drops to the next lower (3rd -2nd...etc)

But at first I was not interested but for the wife I bite hte bullet.....but now its fun and when you want to just cruise put it on auto and enjoy the ride......

Also whne you come to a stop no matter what gear your in it drops ya down to 1st but I do find that there is a slight jerk if you are say in 3rd and then come to a stop....so I try to keep it in 2nd when I come to a stop

 

[3Zoom3]

Bass ackwards

IMHO, the manumatic is bass ackwards in its shift pattern. My little brain tells me that clicking the stick forward should shift up (go forward, go faster, whatever), clicking backward should downshift. I'm sure i could remedy it by swapping the (assumed) micro switches that are under the cover somewhere, but the symbols would be backwards. I enjoy clicking down sometimes in corners, but overall use the manumatic verrryyyy little. I could lose it and never miss it.
Jeff, Ohio

 

[Fat Mike]

Thats odd I like pulling towards me to shift up and pushing foward to shift down i hate the other way! That why I like it alot because it was only one of the cars that had it this way lol

 

[MidnightDreamer]

Just my 2c on why they have the shift patter like that...
I think people assciate downshifting with a reduction in speed, like say when you're entering a corner, some people downshift to slow down right? When you slow down your body weight shifts fowards, and thus its natural to associate that motion with the stick shift motion as well. With this set up, there would be less accidental shifts, well except the ones made by people who're used to UP for upshift and DOWN for downshift... I can totally understand that too, but I think the way they have it set up is just perfect.

 

[uclap5]

in some rally videos i watched to shift up its a pull and to downshift its a push... must be something to that.

 

[wongpres]

From a racing perspective (e.g. Champcars), Mazda's design is correct. It's all the other manufactureres that have it reversed - in fact, BMW used to have it reversed too but changed it about 3 years ago. Thus, only BMW and Mazda have this correct.

 

[marashka]

just think of it this way, when you make a turn with manual, what gear do shift in? you downshift in the second, so if you ever drove a manual b4 you start driving a manumatic on the new3 you gonna have to relearn do donwshift up....to me makes no sence.....

 

[Maz3sportGT]

Yeah I agree that it is weird having it backwards like that. It doesnt seem to bother me at all but I can see why it might bother others that are used to upshifting by pressing up and downshifting by pressing down. I can ask the car dealer where I got my mazda 3 from and then see what they say.

 

[lj123023]

Tried it out extensively today...
The tranny does jerk a bit when you come to a stop from a higher gear (somewhat disconcerting, thought it only does it when it was cold). Seems better if you downshift back to 1st before the car does it for you. Pickup does improve somewhat, since you can hold the car in the meat part of the torque curve.
Would have been nice to have a 5th gear, though not gonna use it if it's gonna be rough like that (so I can eat my fast food and talk on the cell phone).

 

[goldwing2000]

just think of it this way, when you make a turn with manual, what gear do shift in? you downshift in the second, so if you ever drove a manual b4 you start driving a manumatic on the new3 you gonna have to relearn do donwshift up....to me makes no sence.....

Depends on how fast you take the corner.

 

[MidnightDreamer]

Someone tell me, am I gonna kill my auto tranny by downshifting to 2nd when taking corners? I do that from time to time, and no i don't have the tiptronic, just the O/D switch auto...

 

[marashka]

Someone tell me, am I gonna kill my auto tranny by downshifting to 2nd when taking corners? I do that from time to time, and no i don't have the tiptronic, just the O/D switch auto...

dont man.....not good for auto

 

[MidnightDreamer]

s***... that sucks... fcuk! I hate auto!!!


Just curious, what makes the tiptronic able to downshift safely while I can't do the same on my regular auto? When I do downshift, the shift I feel is pretty smooth, just as smooth as it is when I'm in 4th and shift into 3rd using the O/D button...

 

[PJStyles]

You guys shouldn't be allowing the manumatic to downshift to 1st for you, the reason is that if you're in 4th or 3rd gear and come to a complete stop, it'll skip the 2nd gear on the downshift and hop right into 1st hence why you get the slight jerk. That can't be good for the tranny...

My recommendation would be to not be so lazy and downshift to 2nd and then let the manumatic take over from there... I highly recommend this process to anyone who lets the manumatic downshift for you... only allow that to happen from 2nd gear to 1st...

PJStyles

 

[docwebb]

Basic question.
Sorry, but manual not clear on this. Can you shift from automatic to manumatic or vice versa at any driving speed?

 

[Sethlan]

Basic question.
Sorry, but manual not clear on this. Can you shift from automatic to manumatic or vice versa at any driving speed?

I have been without any problems... Downshift from 3rd to 2nd without any problems. However if I downshift from 2nd to 1st it really stops fast (can't be very good for it)

I have taken it from manual to automatic in all of the gears, without problem.