The Return of the Newbie Question

[Zephyr]

wuts a sequential shifter?

[Super_Geo]

I think it's an auto that can shift in one step increments (you know, the one with the + and - gates that are offset from drive gear).

[l/l/rX]

yea that thing that comes with the bimmers and benz. you can just drive automatic and chill. or else you can drop it down into that feature and shift. left is down shift right is up shift. its kinda cool. and you cant stall, if you start going really low in rpm's it corrects it self and shifts for you.

[4wheeldrift]

It doesn't HAVE to be an automatic to have a sequential shifter. The sequentials used in most race cars are manuals with computer controlled clutches, exact same setup as a normal manual transmission except the tranny computer takes care of using the clutch for you except to get the car rolling. All it is is a transmission that is set up to use a straight pattern, instead of an offset one. You push a lever or pull a paddle once to upshift or downshift.

[Zephyr]

is this any better than a manual shifter? or its just more convient with more options than an auto?

[4wheeldrift]

It depends on how they are set up. The race derived ones that use a clutch and lack a torque converter aren't any different from a regular stick shift in terms of how they operate generally, aside from not having to use the clutch. Some of the automatic derived ones are better than others. It's six of one, half a dozen of the other really.

[Skyline_Addict]

ya, in commonplace a sequential shift is great for someone who wants to have the same control over the engine as a manual, without the "hassle". a sporty automatic if u will.

[hjr]

Its not really better in any street sence, but in racing it makes a vast difference. Being able to cycle through the gears, up and down, rather than manually selecting the gear helps.

[Zephyr]

so its kinda like a tip tronic thing?

[Redlyne_mr2]

There are aftermarket kits available now so that you can add a ss to your car. I believe the Toyota MR2 spyder is also available with a sequential shifter

[hjr]

ya kinda, and also kinda not. it all depends on the car and the technology they are using to create this feature.

[Kamen]

Don't they have these in most of not all Mercs now?
I remember using one when I was testing an M-Class last year.

[hjr]

howstuffworks.com is soooo great i tell you what.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/sequential-gearbox1.htm

think of a motor cycle. Bike have sequential gearboxes. i down 4 or 5 up (in general).

[Zephyr]

oh, so is it like that new pontiac grand am with the + and - buttons on the steering wheel? dont laugh, im a newb.

[FiveFreshFish]

Zeph, a couple of links that describe the sequential gearbox in the E46 M3:

http://www.bmwclub.org.hk/smg2.htm

http://www.bmwworld.com/models/config/m3_smg.htm

[GTS Jeff]

the automatic sequential shifters foundin almost ever new car nowadays is nothing but a big scam.

its still slow, still has a torque convertor, still doesnt rev match, and basically is of no use.

[benyl]

I think that you need to clear the terms of this thread. Sequential should be the type of transmission, not the type of shifter.

The difference between a sequential transmission and a regular one is that you have to cycle through the gears.

If you are in 4th and want to be in 2nd, you have to go through 3rd. Also, there is no neutral available between gears.

Motorcycles, Indy cars, and Rally cars have sequential transmissions.

Anything in an Automatic (tiptronic, steptronic, manumatic and any other *tic)is not a true sequential transmission.

[ZorroAMG]

I thought the term Sequential meant that all the gears were in a straight line. Pull towards the driver to upshift and push away to down shift, as opposed to the row patterns of a standard manual gearbox.