Wish I got the automatic...

[petraman]

My last three cars before this have been manuals... Before this car, I loved driving stick. They'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands to force me into an automatic. But that was before I learned what a dual mass flywheel is.. Which I'm pretty sure has failed in my car.

Frankly, when the car is acting up, it drives like crap... Definitely not a supposedly premium car. It feels like someone had been riding the clutch its entire lifetime. The shuddering vibrates the entire car. I'd rather drive my old Fiesta than put up with this.

I have a car on loan that's basically identical to mine, but an auto, and you know what? It's not bad. The 8 speed is a great transmission. Amazingly quick shifting for a slush box. Kinda defeated my preconceptions of automatics.

Thanks, Audi, for making me hate something I used to love. And sorry to AZ for the rant but hopefully something productive will come out of it...

[Jacon]

So, what exactly is the problem with your car? Your clutch shutters?

You bought the car used from someone who didn't know how to drive a clutch?

[petraman]

I don't think that's the case because it's very intermittent... It could go a month without having an issue.... But it'll come back randomly and stick around for a couple of weeks. I haven't been able to repeat it, but it seems to happen pretty consistently after a long trip on the highway

But yeah, it basically feels like a very, very warped flywheel. It causes a very heavy shudder right before it fully hooks up

Don't get me wrong, I still love this car, and the manual has a really nice feel when it works right. This issue is just extremely frustrating and it's something I've been dealing with ever since I bought the car.

[themadscientist]

Check or have the engine and trans mounts checked. They seem to wear out pretty quick on B8s. If they develop slop or play, it can cause the condition you're describing.

[Marko S]

I don't think that's the case because it's very intermittent... It could go a month without having an issue.... But it'll come back randomly and stick around for a couple of weeks. I haven't been able to repeat it, but it seems to happen pretty consistently after a long trip on the highway

But yeah, it basically feels like a very, very warped flywheel. It causes a very heavy shudder right before it fully hooks up

Don't get me wrong, I still love this car, and the manual has a really nice feel when it works right. This issue is just extremely frustrating and it's something I've been dealing with ever since I bought the car.

Ive only felt this kind of shuttering when shifting to a high gear when the car is moving too slow for the gear.

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[pierreb]

Could be a thousand things. Propshaft, differential, etc.

Anyone that likes the 8spd auto is already suspicious in my 6spd auto eyes, but you liking it better than a 6mt is just crazy talk.

[petraman]

If it worked like it should, I'd go right back to loving the 6MT, but right now, this issue makes it way too annoying to live with.

I haven't driven the 6-speed yet so I can't really make a comparison. Compared to the last automatic I've driven, it's light-years better.

As far as my mounts go, they're dry as a bone.

[mr_milo]

Anyone that likes the 8spd auto is already suspicious in my 6spd auto eyes, but you liking it better than a 6mt is just crazy talk.

^ This!

[adamazing]

Anyone that likes the 8spd auto is already suspicious in my 6spd auto eyes

I'll take my full tank of E85 and play elsewhere.

[jmeenach]

I'll take my full tank of E85 and play elsewhere.

Hahahaha SAVAGE

[petraman]

I very much regret this thread now, haha...

This wasn't so much a 6MT vs AT thread, just me bitching about the problems I'm having return my car... haha. I highly doubt I'll be buying an automatic if I replace my A4, but it's nice to know that they're not so slushy anymore.

[mr_milo]

Thankfully it looks like Audi will give you another opportunity.... Until just a few weeks ago it seemed pretty clear that Audi was doing away with A4 manuals and then I saw this press release! It states "on sale fall 2016" however the build website still doesn't have the manual as an option.

For a while there I thought my current Audi would be my last Audi. When I bought my A4 I was ready to buy an A6 or Allroad but they lost those sales due to lack of a MT.

[spoolin4jesus]

My 6MT B8 A4 is shifting smoothly so I can't relate to the issues you're having, but sometimes I wish I got the auto since it's my daily driver and I'm a wimp. Ultimately, I went with the manual because we had no choice of a DSG (at least over here in the US) for the B8 and I thought I would enjoy it more - which I do...most of the time?

My other car (Honda s2000) also has a 6MT, and being purely a sports car with no refinement, I find it much more enjoyable to row through the gears in the s2000 than in the A4.

I think most of my gripe with the 6MT of the A4 comes from the heavy flywheel, which causes me to up-shift more slowly than I am used to, as it takes longer for the revs to drop in order to get a smooth shift. In the s2000, gear shifts seem so quick and fluid. But in the A4, I have to let off the clutch more slowly for a smooth transition between gears.

I'm sure the A4 would lose refinement in terms of noise, vibration, and harshness if going to a lighter flywheel. And at the end of the day the A4 is more of a luxury car than a sports car.

[petraman]

Just got an update from the dealer... Don't want to jinx things, but this thread might be irrelevant in a few days :-D

[mr_milo]

Just got an update from the dealer... Don't want to jinx things, but this thread might be irrelevant in a few days :-D

What could it be??? Are they letting you keep the auto? J/K

Make sure to let us know the outcome.

[petraman]

Haha god I hope not... They're finally looking into the drivetrain so we'll see what happens

[nycaudi]

Dsg and s tronic over manual any day. Manual trans is like a blackberry....people still use it but there are way better options.

[elscotto80]

Dsg and s tronic over manual any day. Manual trans is like a blackberry....people still use it but there are way better options.

[nycaudi]

automated manual gearboxes shift faster and more appropriately than almost any driver can accomplish with a manual gearbox. It rev matches on downshifts and always seems to be in the appropriate gear. Plus, since the automation for the gearbox includes a level of intelligence thats been fine tuned and programmed through thousands of hours of testing on a race track.....can you really provide a better argument than: i like controlling my own gears?

[o1turbo30v]

automated manual gearboxes shift faster and more appropriately than almost any driver can accomplish with a manual gearbox. It rev matches on downshifts and always seems to be in the appropriate gear. Plus, since the automation for the gearbox includes a level of intelligence thats been fine tuned and programmed through thousands of hours of testing on a race track.....can you really provide a better argument than: i like controlling my own gears?

I don't give two shits about any of that crap, for me, a manual transmission is more FUN to drive, end of discussion, I could car less about how many tenths of a second an auto trans will take off my 0-60 times or any other type of immeasurable to me time savings.

[jorte014]

Looking at just how great this setup looks when I go to start the car let's me know I made the right choice.




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[petraman]

If you don't live your life a quarter mile at a time and enjoy driving, you can't go wrong with three pedals. The only time I actually wish for an auto (contrary to the threads title, which was mostly clickbait lol) is during bumper to bumper traffic... But thanks to Audi's 'creep' programming, even that isn't such a big deal.

Also, I take back what I said about this transmission...I always end up just putting it in manual mode. Normal mode bogs down the engine and is reluctant to shift, and sport mode is way too aggressive. Manual mode itself isn't perfect, though, as shift pressure varies wildly.

I want my car back. I just hope it's fixed this time...

[petraman]

Also, having the computer rev-match for you is so boring... One of the most satisfying things about owning a manual is getting that perfectly rev-matched downshift.

[nycaudi]

I don't give two shits about any of that crap, for me, a manual transmission is more FUN to drive, end of discussion, I could car less about how many tenths of a second an auto trans will take off my 0-60 times or any other type of immeasurable to me time savings.

Thats funny' cause i dont give 1 fuck about what your opinion is. Not a 1.




You can rev match witd dsg...lol you just gotta know when your computer shifts. Once you get the timing down, youre good.

Yeah traffic is a real bitch with a manual. I tend to stay on the island and rip it open on the parkways in both the jap and german

[Marko S]

I don't give two shits about any of that crap, for me, a manual transmission is more FUN to drive, end of discussion, I could car less about how many tenths of a second an auto trans will take off my 0-60 times or any other type of immeasurable to me time savings.

100% agree. Any argument against this..you just dont get it and probably never will.

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[SukhShanti]

back in the day I had a 99 Prelude (tiptronic) 4AT and it was much slower than its 5MT counterpart, over a full second on the 0-60 time. Now that AT transmissions are the same if not faster than MT, I don't have any objection to buying AT over MT. Albeit, I do miss the "connection" you have with your car, only MT owners would understand.

[kwstantinosk89]

MT its the best! AT its more for old peoble!


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[pierreb]

Engaging = manual. Fast shifting auto/dsg is cool and good on the track but lack driver engagement. Some of us prefer that.

However, on the topic of the current 8 SPD auto in the A4/q5, it is a heap of garbage. It is never in the right gear. It's downright obnoxious to go from my 6spd auto in my A4 to the 8spd auto in my q5.

P.s. I drove someone's 6mt A4 today and it was awesome.

[944thomas]

+1 pierre. Always owned MT cars but decided to go to 8sp tip because I'm in traffic daily. This trans is driving me nuts. Takes a second to figure out I'm hitting the gas and then it'll downshift 3 gears and jerk the car forward. Can't get used to it. Manual mode is my best bet for traffic which is ironic.

[mr_milo]

automated manual gearboxes shift faster and more appropriately than almost any driver can accomplish with a manual gearbox. It rev matches on downshifts and always seems to be in the appropriate gear. Plus, since the automation for the gearbox includes a level of intelligence thats been fine tuned and programmed through thousands of hours of testing on a race track.....can you really provide a better argument than: i like controlling my own gears?

This is often the "logic" I hear from people that simply don't know how to drive a stick. I'm not saying that you are one of them, I'm just saying that it seems to be the logic of drivers incapable of driving sticks. Are the points you made true, some of them yes! All of them, No! Are you really telling me that a standard AT shift "more appropriately than almost any driver can accomplish with a manual gearbox"? I.e. that an A4's AT in standard mode (the one that bogs the car to death) is really doing a better job than people driving sticks? If so, you could also say that the "level of intelligence thats been fine tuned and programmed through thousands of hours of testing on a race track" would make you crazy to want to "destroy" all of that by having your car tuned. I'm sure you'd have a different response to that logic.

I don't give two shits about any of that crap, for me, a manual transmission is more FUN to drive, end of discussion, I could car less about how many tenths of a second an auto trans will take off my 0-60 times or any other type of immeasurable to me time savings.

Couldn't have said it better! Definitely more fun and more control for those situations you can't "program in".

I also like the free "security system" the manual provides since it seems more and more than thieves & carjackers don't know what to do with a stick.

[Townending]

Engaging = manual. Fast shifting auto/dsg is cool and good on the track but lack driver engagement. Some of us prefer that.

However, on the topic of the current 8 SPD auto in the A4/q5, it is a heap of garbage. It is never in the right gear. It's downright obnoxious to go from my 6spd auto in my A4 to the 8spd auto in my q5.

P.s. I drove someone's 6mt A4 today and it was awesome.

I'm the opposite, I feel the 6speed is atrocious compared to the 8speed. Feels quite a bit lazier for half throttle inputs.

Now that I'm tuned, I do wish the 8speed was a 7speed with the gearing spread out a bit more.

[pierreb]

That's a fair point. I have a stg 2 and drive select. I drive in dynamic all the time. Maybe it's not a fair comparison with the 8spd abomination.

[petraman]

After a couple days with this car, I see what you guys are talking about... The car simply won't stay out of the highest gear possible. Sometimes even going down to 1100 rpm! Yes, it shifts quickly in manual mode, but that can also have detrimental effects at half-throttle, where it's straight-up jerky at lower speeds. My drive home felt a lot more mundane, too... It's amazing how much a transmission can affect the driving experience of a car that's otherwise exactly the same (except this one doesn't have the sport package... which I've also found to be a must-have). I know "engaging" is such a buzz-word when talking about manual transmissions, but it really is... No matter how intelligent an automatic can be, it can never replace your own intelligence when driving manual. It may get better Nurburgring times, but driving on public back roads is much more fun with a manual

As far as the subject of the thread goes, my car, still no word from the dealer... I guess that's better than "we can't figure it out, give us our damn car back/

[00SantorinS4]

116k miles on my 2010 6MT and still shifts smooth as butter! It was nearly impossible to find an A4 in my area / price range that had this transmission and I'm super happy to have found one! Literally ALL were the tips.

Though I did just order an ECS Transmission Insert to eliminate some slop

[adamazing]

Now that I'm tuned, I do wish the 8speed was a 7speed with the gearing spread out a bit more.

This is spot on. Practically all of my time spent driving is exclusively in manual mode, and 100% of the time I never utilize 8th gear. Even on the freeway at 75mph it's basically lugging the engine. 7th gear is my max.

[nycaudi]

This is often the "logic" I hear from people that simply don't know how to drive a stick. I'm not saying that you are one of them, I'm just saying that it seems to be the logic of drivers incapable of driving sticks. Are the points you made true, some of them yes! All of them, No! Are you really telling me that a standard AT shift "more appropriately than almost any driver can accomplish with a manual gearbox"? I.e. that an A4's AT in standard mode (the one that bogs the car to death) is really doing a better job than people driving sticks? If so, you could also say that the "level of intelligence thats been fine tuned and programmed through thousands of hours of testing on a race track" would make you crazy to want to "destroy" all of that by having your car tuned. I'm sure you'd have a different response to that logic.



Couldn't have said it better! Definitely more fun and more control for those situations you can't "program in".

I also like the free "security system" the manual provides since it seems more and more than thieves & carjackers don't know what to do with a stick.

The stupidest shit ive read in this thread thus far, has come from you so ill take the time to answer you' you special person you.

Since im old, and i just bought a 4k hdr set a 4k hdr receiver. all for the ps4 pro...to game. Since i cant drive stick even though i drive my friends rs4 every other week through glen cove and westbury...lmfao.

Who am i to argue with a bunch of idiots that think manual is better than semi automatic gearboxes with paddle shifters? I mean the r35 gtr was made in manual because you guys are all right. Semi automatics and dsgs and ppk and whatever other version are not the fastest shifting trans available.

Lmfao!!
If the gtr actually came in manual, who do you think would win a race? The semi auto or the manual?

Answer:
Your glorious stick would be spanked by paddle shifters over and over again.

My 6 speed dual clutch german and 9 speed dual clutch jap are a joy to drive and dont show any jerkiness or signs of wrong gearing. Perhaps you guys need to have your trannies checked out for issues

[petraman]

Dude, enhance your calm... it's just the internet, don't let it get you so worked up.

The whole point everyone's trying to make is that it doesn't matter if you get "spanked." If I wanted to "spank" someone, I certainly wouldn't have gotten an A4 and probably would have gotten a Camaro or something. It's all about the experience, and the extra engagement a manual transmission gives you. Since you're obviously a gamer of sorts, think about it like going from novice mode to advanced mode. Normally, that mode has more enemies (i.e. more engagement), requires more skill and usually means you go through the game slower. Some people like the additional involvement, others just want to get through the game. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here.

This loaner I have is brand new and it bucks like a bronco at certain shifts... Maybe it's because I don't know how to drive automatic? I dunno.

[b6Hate4]

My 6MT shifts smooooooth as butter at 110k miles.

If there was no manual trans option, then I wouldn't be driving this car. Period. I'll forever love the satisfaction of shifting a manual gearbox.

[petraman]

Well, I hope at 110k miles, I'll be saying the same thing! :) Although I've got quite a ways to go...

We'll see what happens in a few days...

BTW, at stage 2 and 110k miles, are you on your original clutch?

[nycaudi]

Dude, enhance your calm... it's just the internet, don't let it get you so worked up.

The whole point everyone's trying to make is that it doesn't matter if you get "spanked." If I wanted to "spank" someone, I certainly wouldn't have gotten an A4 and probably would have gotten a Camaro or something. It's all about the experience, and the extra engagement a manual transmission gives you. Since you're obviously a gamer of sorts, think about it like going from novice mode to advanced mode. Normally, that mode has more enemies (i.e. more engagement), requires more skill and usually means you go through the game slower. Some people like the additional involvement, others just want to get through the game. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here.

This loaner I have is brand new and it bucks like a bronco at certain shifts... Maybe it's because I don't know how to drive automatic? I dunno.

Dude im as cold as a nyc winter. I would never get heated at shit like this. I actually laugh while reading this nonsense when im on the shitter. My life doesnt revolve around audizine, i dont have 1 million posts....

All im saying is this thread is retarded. Now you come qlong and say you like to be engaged in the driving experience? Lmfao idk about you but im from nyc and the last thing i wanna fo is be stuck ahifting every couple of seconds. Theres plenty of more time worthy things i can do with my right hand while getting from point a to point b....and they revolve around tge opposite sex, sitting shotgun. That alone should give you plenty of ideas.

Then the memory is fucked and the turd before you' drove like an ass.. Get yourself a vagcom. Reset throttle adaptation and trans adapyation. Then drive it like you stole it. Problem fixed

Gamer/techie, out.