do all the AT steering wheels come with those racing gear shifters? the UP and DOWN buttons?

 

yes

 

yup

 

dont get a AT im getting rid of mine this week and crossing over to the m/t side

 

Or if you are planning on getting one--just wait until they mate a 5 or 6spd auto to the 6-port engine.

 

i doubt itll happen just get the mt very easy to use... its very hard to make a torque converter that can rev up to 9k

 

An SMG unit would probably be the best option for this engine instead of a conventional automatic tranny.

 

it would be a huge cost issue think of it a car like the m3 which has a very sophisticated SMG system adds a extra 3500 dollar CAD option. Id rather get the manual and save that 3500. My cousin has one and he has claimed they are also harder to modify.

 

if you like the at go ahead and get it, I've had mine over a year and love it, I've also ridden in the 6 spd and they're awesome, but if you don't want it don't buy it, neither one is better than the other, it's all about preference.

 

Well remember--toyota has a unit in the MR2 spyder--if done for the RX8 (like it is rumoured) it would probably be a $1,500 to $2,000 option. Me personally--I'll wait a few more years and probably trade my auto in on a used 6spd or wait till I'm finished with dental school.

 

Personally, I love the AT, and love the paddle shifters.

 

to my knowledge... the automatic system in the MRS is no way as complexed as the SMG that BMW has or the automatic transmissions audi or ferrari has. The MRS i6 a regular automatic transmission, but just has 6 gears

i would not recommend getting an AUTO 8 cuz you'll just end up regretting it when you feel like doing engine mods

 

Initially, I hated the paddles, just thought they were extra weight, added complexity, and impossible to shift in a turn. I also drive an MT for ten years and found shifting with my right hand to be very natural. Then I found the paddles to be more convenient while accelerating in a straight line. WIth my right hand in a pinching position, I can down or upshift without thinking. But I still like the feeling of downshifting with the autostick before entering a turn.

 

The MRS is not a conventional automatic --it is in fact an SMG unit SMT as Toyota brands it--but u are correct in the sense that it doesn't have 15 or so programs of shifting like BMW units.

 

I rarely use the paddles
I uste to all the time but I got over it

 

word


im just trying to replace the whole thing now

 

The MR-S SMT is actually a 5 speed stick shift that has the transmission and clutch controlled by a computer using servo motors (either hidraulic or electric, not sure right now) the "stick" in the cockpit is mererly an electric switch that tells the computer when to upshift or downshift. SCC did a comparison article (technobable) between it, the new audi SMT, the traditional autostick (mitsubishi I think) and some of the other more exotic SMTs out there a couple months ago.

Some of the criticisms they came up for the Toyota SMT with were:

1. The transmission has only 1 shift mode and it is a little too leisurely for anything other than regular driving

2. No full auto mode even though all the hardware is there, all they needed was to program it into the computer that controls the shifting mechanisms

3. No paddles even though they would be really easy to have seeing as the shifter itself is just a glorified electrical switch