I just got back from test driving the G8 GT for the first time. I like the car for the most part, but I was completely unimpressed with the 6-speed auto. In fact, it's making me question whether or not I should even buy a G8 GT. I absolutely hated how the car hesitates and takes a BIG deep breath when you stab the throttle to WOT or close to WOT. Once you were at WOT, shifts seemed just fine but man...ridiculous deep breath before the downshift when going from part throttle to WOT.

I don't know much about this trans and although I've had my current and previous cars tuned before, they were all manual transmissions. What can a tuner do about this deep breath/hesitation before downshifting? I just hated it.

I would appreciate any comments from tuners (Vector?) as well as anyone who had a performance tune loaded on a car they owned that had an automatic transmission.

Thanks!

I agree with you BMan...one of my biggest turn-offs to this point was the downshift from 6 to 4/3. I'll let Kirk or Chris speak to Vector's capabilities, but I can tell you that I didn't really have them do much, only because I had only owned the car for about 18 hours when I saw them. I really didn't have much time to figure out what I did and didn't like about the shifting. I am going to hook back up with them later in April and see what they can do.

I hope you stick with the G8.

Mike

We can do anything you want, the cool thing is unlike commercially available software which simply has on/off switches for various torque management modes we can actually adjust them individually to lessen the hit but not completely remove it. That and we can setup Tapshift or sport to use different pressure patterns and clutch control modes. I'd hazard a guess we have the most advanced A6 tuning around right now :)

If you can dream it up, we can probably do it for you!

I agree - the trans shifting blows. While driving it home today from the lot - all I could think about is how HPTuners will work with it.

I have it already for the Goat and that A4 sings.

Steve

I agree - the trans shifting blows. While driving it home today from the lot - all I could think about is how HPTuners will work with it.

I have it already for the Goat and that A4 sings.

Steve

Hi Steve - me again! How did the tune on your A4 goat change the initial downshift like I described above? To me, it would have to be a pretty dramatic improvement for me to actually like the transmission.

Vector - what specifically can you do to address this "deep breath hesitation before downshifting"? I guess what I'm asking is if this is a mechanical issue or something in the shift logic that makes it hesitate so much before downshifting?

Thanks for all the replies - if I can feel confident that there is a fix for this in the aftermarket, I'd be far more likely to go with the G8. There's just something very appealing about not having to give up my V8 but still being able to get my two kids in the back of my car comfortably!

Are you talking about "normal" mode in Drive, or Sport mode? The normal mode downshifts can be expected to be slow because the ECM is trying to maintain low engine RPM to conserve fuel. If you drive in sport mode, it is simple enough to grab the shifter and pull a lower gear very quickly. I haven't driven the car yet, but there does seem to be some major differences between normal and sport modes and manual mode.

Heck, I haven't owned a slushbox since my '70 GTX, so grabbing the stick is second nature. I'm going to have a dummy pedal installed so I don't wear out the carpet beside the brake pedal. ;)

Vector - what specifically can you do to address this "deep breath hesitation before downshifting"? I guess what I'm asking is if this is a mechanical issue or something in the shift logic that makes it hesitate so much before downshifting?


Thats a combination of shift time, torque management and clutch mode we can tailor that to however you'd like in any mode IE normal/sport/TUTD. We've done this for the 08+ CTS crowd, you think your G8 shifts slowly/softly wait till you see one of those :)

Are you talking about "normal" mode in Drive, or Sport mode? The normal mode downshifts can be expected to be slow because the ECM is trying to maintain low engine RPM to conserve fuel. If you drive in sport mode, it is simple enough to grab the shifter and pull a lower gear very quickly. I haven't driven the car yet, but there does seem to be some major differences between normal and sport modes and manual mode.

Heck, I haven't owned a slushbox since my '70 GTX, so grabbing the stick is second nature. I'm going to have a dummy pedal installed so I don't wear out the carpet beside the brake pedal. ;)

The initial downshift when you go from part to 3/4 or WOT is super slow in both normal mode and sport mode - I tried both and expected it to be much quicker in sport but in fact there was nothing different about it at all. The revs seemed to hang on a little longer in sport mode and perhaps the upshifts were a little quicker, but I didn't really notice much else that was different between sport and normal mode.

True, I could just downshift manually but even that was fairly slow to react. And I was just downshifting 1 gear - I can't imagine it would be anything but slower going from 6th to 3rd or 4th using the manual mode but I honestly didn't test that so I can't say for sure.

Thats a combination of shift time, torque management and clutch mode we can tailor that to however you'd like in any mode IE normal/sport/TUTD. We've done this for the 08+ CTS crowd, you think your G8 shifts slowly/softly wait till you see one of those :)

Good to know - thanks for responding. So, is it safe to say a good tuner can easily address the specific issue I'm having and dramatically improve the lag on the initial downshift?

Thats a combination of shift time, torque management and clutch mode we can tailor that to however you'd like in any mode IE normal/sport/TUTD. We've done this for the 08+ CTS crowd, you think your G8 shifts slowly/softly wait till you see one of those :)Vector, how would you tailor it if we are unable to bring the car to you (ie, just send the computer) if we live too far away?

Good to know - thanks for responding. So, is it safe to say a good tuner can easily address the specific issue I'm having and dramatically improve the lag on the initial downshift?

Currently AFAIK we are the only ones with this level of transmission support for the A6 so I'm not really sure.

As far as tailoring it, honestly if you give us an idea of what you'd like i'm sure we can figure something out for you ;)

Efilive has very good 6 speed auto support.

Can the transmission be tuned to leave the normal shifts alone? Then when you put it to sport, tune it here to get rid of the kickdown delay. And to also alow it to skip gears when down shifting? So when it is done in normal mode it is 100% stock and in sport mode it is shifting hard and fast.

It sure can :)

All I had on my 04 GTO A4 was a semi-custom DiabloSport tune and it was night and day better. Less than half throttle it would shift quick and more than half throttle would get rubber hitting second; under full throttle it would even get a tiny chirp hitting third. By comparison, my 2004 GTO felt significantly quicker than a 2005 LS2 A4 GTO I drove. Torque Management is a bad, bad thing.

Where is torque management in a G8? The ECM or TCM?

Vector, how would you tailor it if we are unable to bring the car to you (ie, just send the computer) if we live too far away?

I didnt see an answer for this... Im currently up in the air at the moment as far as auto vs manual just because of time. I really want this car now.

I didnt see an answer for this... Im currently up in the air at the moment as far as auto vs manual just because of time. I really want this car now.

If you click on the link to the Vector Motorsports website, they have a detailed page with information on this subject. The short answer is, yes you can send in your computer and have them tune it. Sounds like a good deal, too. If I get a GT with an A6 I'll definitely be giving them a call. :boink:

And to also alow it to skip gears when down shifting?

When downshifting in manual it will skip gears. I havent figured out exactly what the circumstances are for all of the gears but i know that hitting the gas and pulling it down will go from 6th to 4th. When downshifting to brake it will go from 6th to 4th as well but again i cant say at what speed/rpm it will do it.

I am sure that can all be tuned to perform the way you want it to act.

We can do anything you want, the cool thing is unlike commercially available software which simply has on/off switches for various torque management modes we can actually adjust them individually to lessen the hit but not completely remove it. That and we can setup Tapshift or sport to use different pressure patterns and clutch control modes. I'd hazard a guess we have the most advanced A6 tuning around right now :)

If you can dream it up, we can probably do it for you! Damn my first stop if i pick on up

My biggest complaint is from 1 to 2 in the sport or manual mode. This thing won't shift when you shift it and say if you shift at 4500, it might not shift til 5200 and sometimes it just acts like you put on the brakes between shifts. It needs to be firm and fast. What is the cost of progamming to fix the tranny? #092 of 888
locrzn

Does this mean you can tune sport/manual & non sport manual as well as sport/auto & non sport auto. In essence 4 different tunes ?

Can the transmission be tuned to leave the normal shifts alone? Then when you put it to sport, tune it here to get rid of the kickdown delay. And to also alow it to skip gears when down shifting? So when it is done in normal mode it is 100% stock and in sport mode it is shifting hard and fast.

It sure can :)

It's my understanding (probably wrong) that the TCM in the transmission must be programmed for these type of improvements. Since the TCM in located inside the transmission (is that correct?) then how would one remove the TCM to send to you for reprogramming? I'm not sure I want to tear apart a new transmission just yet.

Unless your a ASE certified wrench monkey with a speicality in autos ..I wouldnt touch it..that tranny is HIGh tech.... Vector said in another thread there working on something for people that are not able to get to there shop for the tranny programming....vector correct me if im wrong but you said hopefully by mid april?

i've only driven the g8 for a matter of minutes. the dealer didn't want me to take it out of "d" so i'm having a hard time understanding the three modes. "d", "sport" and "manual". it appears that if you pull down to d and move to the right you are now in "manual" mode in which you can tap up and down - is "sport" a fully automatic - but more agressive mode? how does one enable sport mode?

in manual mode will the car actually hold the gear you want? if you are in 3rd at 2k rpm and go WOT will it still downshift or do you actually have control over what gear the car uses?

thank you!

When you pull down to D and move over to the right, you're in sport mode (S). Manual mode doesn't activate until you push up or down once you're in S.

I've left it in M1 a few times by accident, and it held tight until I hit the rev limiter. Then I shifted manually. It wasn't like my 01 GTP where if I got too high, it just shifted on its own.

Same goes for going back down (sort of). The tranny won't let you get in certain gears at certain speeds. So, I can't put it in M6 if I'm not moving. In fact, I don't think I can get it above 2nd. But, I can start in 2nd which is really nice because it's VERY smooth. I think GTPPrix said something about 1st being clutchless or something, so it tends to be a little jerky.

I'll try tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure if I'm in M3 and I go WOT, I stay in 3rd.

When you pull down to D and move over to the right, you're in sport mode (S). Manual mode doesn't activate until you push up or down once you're in S.

I've left it in M1 a few times by accident, and it held tight until I hit the rev limiter. Then I shifted manually. It wasn't like my 01 GTP where if I got too high, it just shifted on its own.

Same goes for going back down (sort of). The tranny won't let you get in certain gears at certain speeds. So, I can't put it in M6 if I'm not moving. In fact, I don't think I can get it above 2nd. But, I can start in 2nd which is really nice because it's VERY smooth. I think GTPPrix said something about 1st being clutchless or something, so it tends to be a little jerky.

I'll try tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure if I'm in M3 and I go WOT, I stay in 3rd.

cool - thanks. does the car rev match downshift?

i am currently driving a 2006 2L turbo GTI w/ a 6 speed DSG - what a marvelous transmission - it is my first "automatic". i am hoping if i "downgrade" to a traditional automatic such as the one mated to the l76 in the g8 gt - i won't have to make too many sacrifices...

cool - thanks. does the car rev match downshift?

i am currently driving a 2006 2L turbo GTI w/ a 6 speed DSG - what a marvelous transmission - it is my first "automatic". i am hoping if i "downgrade" to a traditional automatic such as the one mated to the l76 in the g8 gt - i won't have to make too many sacrifices...

Yes, it does rev match downshift.

Unfortuneately, you won't find the G8 GT's automatic anywhere near as good as your VW's DSG. I've driven a Jetta GLI a fair amount with the DSG (my brother's last car) and own a G8 GT now. The DSG was one of the best auto-manual transmissions I've ever driven. And that's the difference - it's an automanual with a dual clutch - not a traditional automatic with a torq. convertor.

The best true traditional automatic I've driven would have to be the 335i's steptronic. Pretty quick reflexes and very smart logic.

Yes, it does rev match downshift.

Unfortuneately, you won't find the G8 GT's automatic anywhere near as good as your VW's DSG. I've driven a Jetta GLI a fair amount with the DSG (my brother's last car) and own a G8 GT now. The DSG was one of the best auto-manual transmissions I've ever driven. And that's the difference - it's an automanual with a dual clutch - not a traditional automatic with a torq. convertor.

The best true traditional automatic I've driven would have to be the 335i's steptronic. Pretty quick reflexes and very smart logic.

its funny you say that - the 135 and 335 have also both been on my list - i have a list of rants about both however that keep me from justifying the cost of either.

yes - the dsg is amazing - it has spoiled me rotten - and also made me lazy - not sure i could go back to driving stick unless it was a second car. actually the whole car has me spoiled - the equipment list is a mile long and the car used only cost me 17k.

We can do anything you want, the cool thing is unlike commercially available software which simply has on/off switches for various torque management modes we can actually adjust them individually to lessen the hit but not completely remove it. That and we can setup Tapshift or sport to use different pressure patterns and clutch control modes. I'd hazard a guess we have the most advanced A6 tuning around right now :)

If you can dream it up, we can probably do it for you!

what is it that you guys are using to tune?

We have our own software and dont have the pitfalls of other suites with nearly no in depth/hardcore A6 support.

do you sell your software suite for personal use? like hpt or efi?

No sorry, we do however have an upcoming program (1-2weeks max) that will allow you to flash your own vehicle using a less complicated version of our loader system then ship the interface back to us. This will be the best bet as we can make specific tweaks if needbe at that time.

Currently we offer ~140 Transmission tables & parameters alone & will be doubling this over the next couple of weeks barring any unforeseen circumstances so while the adjust ability is nearly endless now it will only get better over the next couple of weeks for our users individual & tunershop alike.

-Bill

So many tune options... I just don't know if I want to go so long without being able to drive my car (since I'll have to mail my ECM).
I'm really liking the idea of chaning only sport mode too. Leave normal auto where it is and when I don't want it to be lazy, kick it into S.

Well I know absolutely zero about tuning and ECM and I live in central MS/AL so it looks like I will just be SOL when it comes to getting my car tuned.

My guess is it will be a while before someone comes up with a reliable generic program to flash my computer with. I hope I am wrong, but with it being a new car it looks likely, plus I am not too crazy about voiding out my warranty.

Back in the day, B&M used to make a little switch you spliced into two wires on your ECM harness and it had 3 settings for shift firmness. Stock, firm, and bark the gears. It would be neat to see something similar made for this trans.

Well I know absolutely zero about tuning and ECM and I live in central MS/AL so it looks like I will just be SOL when it comes to getting my car tuned.

My guess is it will be a while before someone comes up with a reliable generic program to flash my computer with. I hope I am wrong, but with it being a new car it looks likely, plus I am not too crazy about voiding out my warranty.

Back in the day, B&M used to make a little switch you spliced into two wires on your ECM harness and it had 3 settings for shift firmness. Stock, firm, and bark the gears. It would be neat to see something similar made for this trans.

You can go to VMS's site and get a new ECM or do an ECM swap. It keeps you VIN # so nothing looks suspicious at the dealer. That way you don't have to do the tuning they do it for you. They can also take care of your TCM. :)