What do you think about geartronic driving??

[skibo]

I'd much prefer a more conventional 'no higher than' system - where you can limit the tranny to not exceed 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st gear, but it shifts normally below that threshold.

I use that feature all the time in my daily driver - limit it to 3rd around town and let it use all 4 gears on the highway - much better throttle response in medium speed, stop and go driving.

I don't see much value to the gear-tronic.
- It won't save fuel, as the penalty for an auto tranny come from losses in the torque converter, I believe.
- I can't imagine choosing a higher gear than the system would choose for itself
- A few times, I've downshifted in town, forgot I was in GT mode, and at the next light, the car remained in 1st as I took off - causing me to think there was a problem for an instant.

[webo]

i use the manual shift when driving speed are below 40miles, the transmission shifts between 4-5 gear constantly on low speed, lockup problems, with manual gearing its fine.

[Ragman]

I would go farther and leave it in neutral, no e-brake with the car aimed towards the side of the mountain road, preferrably on an downward incline, facing forward and DOWN!

Then people would think I screwed up.

[goldxc70]

- A few times, I've downshifted in town, forgot I was in GT mode, and at the next light, the car remained in 1st as I took off - causing me to think there was a problem for an instant.

I have to admit I've done that on a few occasions as well

[JRL]

I did that all the time with my 1st Geartronic in my 01 XC.
It wakes you up real quick when the motor is screaming at 5500 RPM!

[WeenerDog]

I'd much prefer a more conventional 'no higher than' system - where you can limit the tranny to not exceed 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st gear, but it shifts normally below that threshold.

I guess I need to read my manual again; mine seems to still have the 'kickdown' feature in GT mode... I doubt they'd let you bog the engine too much. So, as far as I can tell it is like the conventional 'no higher than' system...

[wgriswold]

Mine will kick down, but not up. So, like a lot of us, I have set the geartronic at 3 and then forgotten and stopped at a stop light and then taken off and it will not shift up. At that point is no higher than 1. The howling engine wakes me up and I shift to D and all is well.

[Brave855]

Most of you will perhaps not drive with a fully loaded travel trailer of 1600 kgs (3520 lbs) (in Europe commonly refered to as a caravan) + 2 adults + 3 teenagers/twens in the car, I can assure you that when you drive in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Norway or Spain and cross the Alps, Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada or other higher mountainous areas, a geartronic is extremely convenient both up -and downwards. Upwards you have much better controllable pulling power and downwards you have better braking power utilising the engine in combination with the brakes. I have traveled most mountainous areas in Europe with my travel trailer and the geartronic in my then V70 2.4T worked perfectly. Also in Taiwan where we live currently, I apply the geartronic in my XC70 frequently while driving in the mountains.

[goldxc70]

It wakes you up real quick when the motor is screaming at 5500 RPM!

It sure does! First thought, what in the hell is wrong? Second, d'oh! Followed by relief that nothing is wrong and quickly shift back to Auto

[atbspinner]

My brake dust issues went completely away when I switch to Napa's premium pads all the way around. Hard to believe, but no dust.

Do you have any noise from these pads? Also, are you running oem rotors?

I have run mintex semi-metallic on my old S70 and cut the dust by about 50%and the color of the dust was more greyish instead of black so it was not as noticable.