# Auto-stick = kinda fun



## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

I have not used mine because I ready somewhere not to use it during break-in. I am over 1k miles so I am sure it is fine to start using it, I will probably use it the most on downshifts coming up to lights.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

The Manumatic helps me increase the mpg around town where the average speed limit is 30 mph . been doing this for almost 3 years now .. cool , I like how we can take off from 2 nd gear from a stop .


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## Boog8302 (Sep 6, 2013)

DieselMan33 said:


> I have not used mine because I ready somewhere not to use it during break-in. I am over 1k miles so I am sure it is fine to start using it, I will probably use it the most on downshifts coming up to lights.


I waited a little while before I started using mine. It is fun but I wanted to make sure I had some miles on it before I tried it.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Boog8302 said:


> I have about 5500 miles on my Cruze now and I have been getting a good feel for it. Recently I started "playing" with the auto-stick. I have to say that I enjoy driving the Cruze with auto-stick. It seems to be very responsive and I feel confident that the transmission can handle it. The handling of the Cruze is great. I live in backwoods Ohio and around some very curvy areas. Driving with the auto-stick is great fun. The car rolls in and out of the curves very nice and I love having the gear changing up to me. I don't know how others feel about the auto-stick, but I am having a lot of fun with it.


In my other car it's fun, I had limited interaction with it in my loaner Cruze. You don't have to wait till after you break in to use it unless you intend in running it to redline every single time you use it. Some use it to shift before the trans normally shifts for better fuel economy. If you are going to fast or slow for the gear change, you will get "Shift Denied" message. 


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Manual mode is more than kinda fun its actually useful. going into a corner I can have it in 3rd or 4th for more power, in D it would be in 5th or 6th gear still(depending on my speed into the corner). 

With the amount of hills around here there are sections of road I just leave the car in 5th gear to have a bit more power, 6th is ok on most hills & above 65mph, but not at slower speeds on steep grades.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

spacedout said:


> Manual mode is more than kinda fun its actually useful. going into a corner I can have it in 3rd or 4th for more power, in D it would be in 5th or 6th gear still(depending on my speed into the corner).
> 
> With the amount of hills around here there are sections of road I just leave the car in 5th gear to have a bit more power, 6th is ok on most hills & above 65mph, but not at slower speeds on steep grades.


Keeping it from constantly hunting gears on hills/traffic is a great use for manual mode too. 


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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

Still no substitute for 3 pedals


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Holding gears should have been an option w/o having to manually shift. My other cars had the option when you put the shifter in manual mode and do not shift it runs sport mode shift schedules. Lift into a turn and the rpms stay where they are in the same gear. In a turbo car you lose that boost when the rpms fall like that. Last gen regals had this option and it was hidden unless you had a tuner and a window switch. Taking apart a few regal/century gauges you could find the led for it. 


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

jblackburn said:


> Keeping it from constantly hunting gears on hills/traffic is a great use for manual mode too.


So true, but manual mode still downshifts automatically at set speeds. in stop and go traffic it still will hunt unless you choose a lower gear than what you really want. 10-15 mph campground road I wanted 3rd the car wanted 2nd. 

However coming into a corner fast, braking hard in manual mode is kinda awesome, even if you were to be in the wrong gear(to high) once you speed drops below the set perimeters it will automatically down shift and have you in a more proper gear for the corner. 

An example, I use this in city driving allot, I stay in 5th gear(M5) most of the time, cruising at 35mph, I need to brake to make a turn and the car automatically puts me in 4th gear at 28mph or 3rd gear if I let me speed drop to 18mph. a few second blip of gas I'm back in 5th at 35mph.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

I was curious...I did a full throttle run to about 60 for the first time this past week and found, in auto mode, it doesn't get close to red line before it shifts...maybe getting to 44-4500 rpm. Many cars benefit from an early shift because it keeps the car in it's optimum torque range. However, shifting manually at red line on the Cruze may improve acceleration times. Anyone have experience with this question?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I like using it especially right in the lower end of the torque band of the engine. It is very fun to have it pull hard at the 2000 RPM range without downshifting.


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## Boog8302 (Sep 6, 2013)

Last night was the first good snow of the year. I used the manumatic and I have to say that it really helped in the stopping process. It also helped getting power when I needed it.


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## Evofire (Oct 3, 2013)

ParisTNDude said:


> I was curious...I did a full throttle run to about 60 for the first time this past week and found, in auto mode, it doesn't get close to red line before it shifts...maybe getting to 44-4500 rpm. Many cars benefit from an early shift because it keeps the car in it's optimum torque range. However, shifting manually at red line on the Cruze may improve acceleration times. Anyone have experience with this question?



I thought the same thing. While pulling hard it would shift at about 5500. And while normal driving, it would shift at about 2800. My ECM went bad, and has been warranty replaced. Now the car pulls hard to redline in everygear if im on it, and shift at about 34-3500 if i am not.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

ParisTNDude said:


> I was curious...I did a full throttle run to about 60 for the first time this past week and found, in auto mode, it doesn't get close to red line before it shifts...maybe getting to 44-4500 rpm. Many cars benefit from an early shift because it keeps the car in it's optimum torque range. However, shifting manually at red line on the Cruze may improve acceleration times. Anyone have experience with this question?


Ha I just now saw this post. I have tried playing with manual shifts to redline and I did not notice any drop off in power up to 5000 RPM. If you can get the timing right, I think a sub 8 second 0-60 might very well be possible.


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## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

I am sure you can get to 60mph in under 8 seconds if you do a boosted launch. 


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Boog8302 said:


> Last night was the first good snow of the year. I used the manumatic and I have to say that it really helped in the stopping process. It also helped getting power when I needed it.


Using manual mode to engine brake? Haven't tried this in auto trans car with stabilitrac/Tc but in the 6m, stabilitrac/abs comes on if you start slipping. 

As for power, yes it does. Auto trans if you give it just enough gas to control spin it upshifts and bogs you down. 

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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Manual mode will be perfect for towing


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Manual mode will be perfect for towing


Only if it had the tow button, I just figured out on the newer trucks you can hold tow button down and it deactivates grade braking.


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## Sperry (Aug 3, 2013)

Just playing tonight on the way home and found that you can start in 3rd gear in manual mode.. That's going to be handy in the snow.


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