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Do you prefer push or pull to downshift?

5K views 34 replies 23 participants last post by  dirtyG8 
#1 ·
#2 ·
To tell you the truth, either way it requires a bit of thought for me, as my other car is a manual 5 speed, with an H pattern of shifting where upshifting and downshifting alternately push and pull. So whenever I drive the G8 GT, I have to give myself a mental reminder to alter my shifting pattern.
 
#3 ·
The manual mode on the G8 is the worst I have ever seen

The only thing that works is using manual to downshift coming through a corner and the putting back into normal mode before it bounces off the rev limiter because it shifts so slow in manual mode
 
#7 ·
I believe it's just a switch so it should be possible to reverse the wiring.
 
#11 ·
I thought this as well but found a post on here from someone who took their console apart to look, and it wasn't that simple unfortunately.

I've gotten used to it how it is, but I would prefer it the other way if I had the choice. Real sequential transmissions are pull to shift up, push to shift down.
 
#9 ·
I prefer it the way it is. I'm used to pulling back on the console mounted shifter to downshift with automatics anyways.

Think of it as pulling back the reins when reining in a horse to go slower or giving it's head to go faster.:dunno:
 
#10 ·
Think of it as pulling back the reins when reining in a horse to go slower or giving it's head to go faster.:dunno:
I think about it the way that my body is moving... when under acceleration I'm pushed back into the seat (easier to pull on things)... when decelerating into a corner I'm thrown forward (easier to push on things).

The manual mode on the G8 is the worst I have ever seen

The only thing that works is using manual to downshift coming through a corner and the putting back into normal mode before it bounces off the rev limiter because it shifts so slow in manual mode
Maybe it's because I have a tune (which has decreased TCM for Manual mode), but I don't find it slow shifting. Yes, if you are in 1st gear and floor it you will hit the rev limiter quickly (especially if you wait too long to shift into 2nd). Also, if you down shift too many gears going into a corner you will over rev when you apply throttle on the way out of the turn (I only down shift to the gear I want to be on the way out of the corner, typically from 4th to 3rd... or rarely 2nd).

I find Manual mode is great when driving around twisty and hilly roads in a spirited manner. It does a great job with the down shifts into corners, and keeps things in the correct gear (if I put it in the correct one) for the exits. It also keeps the correct gear for going up hills (the car, even tuned, loves to go into the higher gears regardless of the topography)... and when going down hill you can keep the car in 4th to have some trans-breaking when off-throttle (rather than coasting in 5th or 6th like Norman/Sport like to do).

-Todd...
 
#12 · (Edited)
Here's the post:

That has been discussed here before. No one has come up with a solution.

I looked at the wiring diagram to see if I could figure something out. It is not just a simple switch. This is not your grandpa's wiring. It is all serial communications. It could probably be done by modifying the ECU. Good luck with that.

I wish there was a choice. If I remember correctly it is only BMW and mazda that get it right.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19667&highlight=manual+shift

Reading the rest of the thread, looks like someone DID try switching the wires. I don't see a post from him saying whether it worked or not though.
 
#14 ·
I would prefer it the other way around but as you guys know I "baby" my car so I only have to push forward to accelerate up through third and then go to normal after there. Never have to downshift in manual because of the way I drive. Still would love to pull back on the lever to upshift.
 
#16 ·
It's the same way it was on my '70 GTO, and practically every car save for a couple of european models; back = lower gears. On the *race cars that are equipped with sequential boxes, they've reversed it. Chang it now and most ordinary folk would object.

*All of My motorcycles are reversed from most competition bikes too. Racers have different requirements than ordinary folks.
 
#17 ·
g8board members aren't ordinary folk?
 
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#23 ·
Since I associate the "up"shift to moving the number "up" on the DIC.. then I think it is best the way it is.

It is moving to a higher gear which is a higher number, thus located in the higher position on the shift.

In life if I want to go to a higher floor- I choose a higher number , and the elevator goes up. Higher is associated with up in most every instance that is similar.

But really it is a 50/50. Some people like it the other way some like it this way...
 
#25 ·
Haha, video games are the main reason I want my car the other way. I'm used to sim racing where I have to pull the shifter for up and push for down in sequential cars. My right arm is already programmed that way so when I first got the G8 I kept doing it wrong.
 
#26 ·
I have the opportunity each year to drive Van Diemen (Star Mazda series) open wheel cars on a 12 turn road course. These car and I believe most purpose-built race cars with manumatic clutchless trannies (and possibly Porsches) are designed with sequential shifters where upshifting is pulling back and downshifting is pushing forward, based on the momentum inside the car. If you are braking under high G's; you don't want to be pulling back on anything. I would prefer the G8 was upshift back, downshift forward.

Hopefully I won't blow-up a motor by accidentially downshifting out of habit at 8 grand in the Van Diemen while under hard acceleration!!!

After driving the G8 for more than 30K miles, I think the sport shift mode is better than the manual mode anyway.
 
#27 ·
Down to up-shift definitely. What the engineers were thinking with the G8 tiptronic I have no idea.
 
#28 ·
I have one of the Aussie shifters seating on my garage right now.

The difference is the Safety Shift Lock; Holdens does not have them. and is located on the Opposite side.

Have not started the process to swap the shifters due to weather and work (no time to do anything). Also you need to crawl under the car to take 4 Nuts from the bottom so the Shifter Assembly can be removed.


The swap seems pretty straight forward for what I see.

Another reason that I want it is the Shifter swings towards the driver side and is closer to the steering wheel.
 
#29 ·
I always think to pull back to upshift.
Why, because I am being pushed backwards into my seat. It only seems normal to pull back with the momentum of the car.
I have always thought having to push the handle forward while being propelled backwards seemed, well backwards.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I love it the way it is, even in the old column shifters, you were telling the trans to downshift pulling the lever down, lol, why does it seems people want the opposite ?
Say you want to use motor and hand brake to slow the crap out the car, pull the handle and oull the shifter, why would you want to to push it to get a downshift ? not that we're doing rally shiat with this cars, but i cannot think pushing the shifter to save my life in a hard turn manouver where i need a downshift in manual mode. Perhaps more nanufacturers use that style in most auto trans now days ? This is my first auto car, always had manual trans before, so i think of the 2 or 4 downshift with the manual h patthern, and automatically my hand would pull the shifter down to downshift. I had a little Mazda 3 rental a couple of months back, and i hated the bugger because it will upshift pulling the shifter, and downshift pushing the shifter. Confused the crap out of me for 3 days, and i couldnt get used to it, back in my G8 3 days later, life was good again :)
 
#31 ·
It does make perfect sense. As far I know all Slap Shifters is by pulling and not by pushing to Up Shift.

The way I feel it is that I am pulling up like the way you pull from a rope and to push back is a natural instinct to back off.

My G8 is my 1st car with a shifter like this and is not intuitive to me to have it in the way it came for the US Market.

If anybody watch any videos of Rally cars or V8 Supercars the shifter is always Pull for + and Push for -
 
#32 ·
Doesn't matter if it was GM,Ford,Chrysler. ALL auto trans "slap shift" From the sixties on was slap forward to up shift. Decades of B&M shifters were made that you slam forward to up shift. It wasn't until the aftermarket started to make reverse pattern valve bodies for them. I know a lot of members here have never driven, let alone owned vehicles from that era. The excuse for the vehicle momentum during shifting, :bs:. If you have your seat correctly positioned ,shifting , steering, and braking are un-affected.
Neither is right or wrong. It is just what you are used to. I have watched
Supercars races and other rally races. Sure the manuals have sequential shifters. Drag racing Lencos are all pull to up shift. (they never need to down shift, just pull the 'chute.) Those are all manuals.
 
#33 ·
interesting, Richard, you ever pop that shifter on from down under?
 
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