Can someone provide me with tips on using the manual shift mode
on an automatic transmission. I assume it's electronically
controlled so it's idiot proof right?

If I leave it at 1st gear manual shift mode and attempt to
accelerate to 70MPH, what will happen?

If I want to quickly change lane during slow moving traffic,
I would switch to manual shift mode. Whould it matter if
I step on the gas pedal and shift down or shift down then
step on the pedal?

Will there be more wear on the transmission if using the
manual shift mode often?

 

Try it and see what happens...

Seriously though, the short answer is "the car won't let you do anything you're not supposed to." It won't allow you to shift down if the rpms are too high, it will (eventually) shift to a higher gear automatically for you (so no, you won't be able to do 70 in first ), and whether or not you like the extra control of switching manually before passing, that's your thing.

I've found that it's usually good if you want to have the power readily available... so you're in high rpm 3rd or even 4th while cruising rather than low-rpm 5th.

Keep in mind that if you ARE in 5th gear and you put your foot down without shifting, it's gonna feel like you're driving a 3 bedroom house down the highway. And also that the hand on the stick is one less hand on the wheel, and sometimes the car might surprise you (there's a lot of power in that car, and 3rd gear at 5k rpm is nothing to sneeze at).

Play with it and see how you like it... my guess is that if you have to downshift and thread between two slow cars at 80mph -- at night in the rain -- you push the stick to the left and put both hands on the wheel, but that's just me...

 

yea, it will eventually shift itself.. don't get scared while it hangs on to a gear, cause it does rev all the way to almost redline before it shifts..

at 80mph, you can downshift all the way to 3rd for a quick boost from 80 on past 110. so if anyone pulls up to you on the freeway do that for awsome performance. don't try to pull on someone on 5th gear..

put it on 1st and step on it, and hang the fu** on!

 

Hehehe... I just checked and this plate is available...

 

Now that is funny.... What a wicked plate..... Great idea...
I've always wanted dbldn11 (double down 11 - blackjack).
Taylor

 

Trade the slushbox for a 6 speed