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[VXL V6]

Try tapping the S button just before a bend for a bit of engine braking!

To be honest 99.9% of the time i'm a lazy arse driver! 

[Ian_D]

Try tapping the S button just before a bend for a bit of engine braking!

To be honest 99.9% of the time i'm a lazy arse driver! 

Must admit, I do that quite often on the motorways.

I call it the 'S'low button then! 

[i260]

Hi,
I have driven auto now for about 40 yrs, and never messed with manual changes except for down steep hills, or narrow winding roads where gearbox was constantly changing.

I don't think you will do any harm if what you want is a trip back in time.

Only thing that would concern me, is the addittional wear you will be causing to the sliding electrical contacts on the gear selector, [size=20]which would not have been allowed for in the design.[/size][/b]
HTH
Roger

Er, I think that may have allowed for that in the extensive testing at some point, after all , that is the point of testing - to see if they can break it!

Basically, if you start using the gears to slow down (up?) to a junction you will see worse fuel comsumption, but have a bigger grin. If you back off the gas a little earlier, ease off on the breaks and just coast to the junction in D then you will see the best mpg you can.

[cleggy]

Driven autos for years, leave it in drive and go! why complicate the issue? sport for fun, and manual when needed for steep inclines etc.

[Chris_H]

I go to great lengths not to use the brakes if at all possible.  Mostly achieve that by reading the road ahead and backing-off early.  You can have great fun when stopping on a hill, to see if you can judge bringing it to rest behind the car in front without touching the brakes.

I use the Sport button a lot for losing little bits of speed and keeping it to 30mph on gentle down-hill stretches.

Use lever on steep gradients and in stop-start queues.

[Andy B]

I go to great lengths not to use the brakes if at all possible.  Mostly achieve that by reading the road ahead and backing-off early.  You can have great fun when stopping on a hill, to see if you can judge bringing it to rest behind the car in front without touching the brakes.

I use the Sport button a lot for losing little bits of speed and keeping it to 30mph on gentle down-hill stretches.

Use lever on steep gradients and in stop-start queues.

 :-?  :-?  :-? I hope I don't end up behind you on the road!  It's bad enough when you're behind a diesel who brakes with the gearbox, engine brake doesn't put brake lights on!

[tunnie]

i shift mother tunnies auto when driving in a 'got to get someware' way 

I find it gives better control, also just driving normally i tend to shift manually as i like to hold the gears a little longer than what the box thinks is best

[Jimbob]

S button for a bit of engine braking, again ease off very early, they go for ages like that.

when family with me, sport mode is enough

some lever playing for real fun though, keeping those revs over 4k 

[V6Rich]

I frequently use the 'box manually on automatics, mainly to hold a gear for roundabouts and bends when I don't want any unexpected downchanges in the middle of a turn.  I also do so occasionally for overtaking manoeuvres so that the car is already in the required gear before I begin an overtake, rather than having to kick it down once I have pulled out.

[Agemo]

 "engine brake doesn't put brake lights on!"

I used to drive trucks, with engine retarders that applied the brake lights, not good to follow in traffic as the brake lights were constantly flashing. Now that IS annoying.
There are times when you should override an auto's decisions, but it is usually better to let it do it's job automatically.
Brakes are  lot cheaper to replace than gearboxes.