Want a laugh?? Hekp this dummy!!!!!

[leatherneck]

Ok. since all you car jocks are just sitting on your duff killing time and typing posts till we all get our great camaros. I thought id give you guys a real laugh at my expemse. Im gonna ask an unbelievably stupid question that will have you guys rolling on the ground for days!!!! Start on the premise i know nothing about cars!!! Ok here goes-i have never ever in my 59 years of life (this is laugh number 1) driven a manual transmission--ok ok stopp laughing!!--My question is. although im getting the automatic v8-im at a loss on how ill drive it!! (laugh number 2)--I know a manual saves wear an tear on your engine . improves hp and mileage. My problem is the 6 speeds. (laugh number 3) ill get tap shift --i dont even know if ill have auto shifting on the council to. But when i tap shift off the sterring wheel--what position do i start in????--noo i know i start in park!!!!! Haha very funny (laugh number 4) i mean do i start in drive 1??? then to tap shift for higher speeds how quickly do i run through the gears?????? where can i down shift ect?????-- Now if you can stop laughing for a minute would one of you please explain this too me.

[TheClassicCarKid]

Umm, I would say put it in D, and then never use tapshift ever...

I mean, if you have some desire to shift manually, go to a parking lot and play around with it until you get comfortable with it.

[FenwickHockey65]

Hey, don't worry about it. I've never driven a manual either, my dad's Saturn SW2 kicked the bucket before I could learn. Heh, I may end up learning in my friend's '07 Mustang...

Basically, you'll want to upshift when you hear the engine tighten up. Most people use a combination of listening and the tachometer. You don't want your tachometer to hit the redline (unless you're having some fun...), so you should upshift before that. I'm not too sure about downshifting, but obviously you'll want to do it when approaching a stop. I think the tachometer plays some role in that as well.

If you're getting the automatic, you won't have to worry about this too much unless you just want to have some fun with it.

[TheClassicCarKid]

Oh, right, the revs,
You'll pretty much know when to upshift, but to give you a rough idea I'd say shift at like 3000 rpm for regular driving and 5500-6500 rpm if you're going for acceleration. I would downshift while you're slowing down and the revs fall below 2000. The computer won't let you do any damage to the engine so don't worry about it.

[kanys]

Thanks for the laugh, and congratulations on walking into uncharted territory for you with respect to your SS auto purchase. As for tapshift, use the right button for upshift and left button for downshift. You want to upshift before (preferrably well before) the tachometer needle hits redline. For downshifting, I am not sure if the car has a built in computer that automatically handles the downshifts for you and/or will not let you downshift if doing so would result in the rpm's going over redline (anyone care to chime in on this?). But yeah going out in a big empty parking lot and messing around with it will be great practice for tapshift. As for going into tapshift, you want to place the shifter in the "M" position, then use the paddles/buttons.

[leatherneck]

i dont think i made myself clear --that an the fct i have no idea what im talking about------I have nooo desire what so ever to drive a manual. I hate clutches and the constant shifting---i ordered a automatic!!!Now doesnt the automatic come with sterring wheel tap shift?????--An if it does if im in drive how long do i need to wait to shift thru each gear???--if im way off base an the automatic doesnt come with steering wheel tap shift but only a council shift --well again how long do i wait before shifting to the next gear and can i downshift from any gear??

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by leatherneck

i dont think i made myself clear --that an the fct i have no idea what im talking about------I have nooo desire what so ever to drive a manual. I hate clutches and the constant shifting---i ordered a automatic!!!Now doesnt the automatic come with sterring wheel tap shift?????--An if it does if im in drive how long do i need to wait to shift thru each gear???--if im way off base an the automatic doesnt come with steering wheel tap shift but only a council shift --well again how long do i wait before shifting to the next gear and can i downshift from any gear??

Hmm. I think I see what you're trying to ask.

The automatic tranny will work like an everyday automatic if you keep the shifter in D. Once you shift into M, you're in manual mode. As long as it's in D, you won't have to worry about shifting at all.

[TheClassicCarKid]

Originally Posted by leatherneck

i dont think i made myself clear --that an the fct i have no idea what im talking about------I have nooo desire what so ever to drive a manual. I hate clutches and the constant shifting---i ordered a automatic!!!Now doesnt the automatic come with sterring wheel tap shift?????--An if it does if im in drive how long do i need to wait to shift thru each gear???--if im way off base an the automatic doesnt come with steering wheel tap shift but only a council shift --well again how long do i wait before shifting to the next gear and can i downshift from any gear??

Oh, if you don't want to shift just leave it in regular automatic mode and it will behave like an automatic in any other car so you'll be fine

The tapshift isn't always on...you have to engage it. So as long as you don't do that you won't ever have to shift. Just stomp and the gas when you want to have fun and hit the brake when you want to slow down, just like any automatic.

[leatherneck]

the smartest car people are on this site!! its unbelieve the knowledge you guys have. I understand that the tap shift i could use but dont have too righT?? ill have a council shift but if i do use tap shift--the left button is downshift the right is upshift------also shift around 3000 rpms always shift before redlinning an if im trying to really get some excelleratiom between 5-6000 rpms -----am i gettin it--lolol

[ucla1ove3]

Basically When you buy the automatic for the Camaro, you get a normal automatic. But there is this thing added in called Tap-Shift, which is basically these two buttons on the steering wheel that when you push them allow you to down shift or up shift... BUT the only time you actually are able to use these is when you are in drive mode "M" or "manual" because the automatic comes with a pattern of P R N D M
P=park
R=reverse
N=Neutral
D=Drive(normal automatic.. push the gas and GOOOOOO)
M=Manual mode(which is when you can use the tap shift buttons to semily control the car)

[leatherneck]

ohh cool the tap shift has to be engaged --otherwise its just like any other automatic only with 6 speeds?

[ucla1ove3]

Exactly haha

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by leatherneck

ohh cool the tap shift has to be engaged --otherwise its just like any other automatic only with 6 speeds?

Yup. As long as you keep the shifter in D, you won't have to mess around with the TapShift.

[TheClassicCarKid]

Originally Posted by leatherneck

ohh cool the tap shift has to be engaged --otherwise its just like any other automatic only with 6 speeds?

Exactly