Excuse this dumb question -- how do I find a Prestige model?
02-26-2019, 05:48 PM
#71
AudiWorld Member
I have autohold on my 2010 CC and I like the feature. It helped a lot in San Francisco stop and go traffic back when I lived in Bay Area. Additionally, when the auto hold is on, car disengages the parking break when the seatbelt is on and I hit the gas pedal. It also automatically engages the parking break when I unbuckle my seatbelt before exiting the car.
02-26-2019, 05:56 PM
#72
AudiWorld Member
What's interesting about this is that the norm with torque converter transmissions is that, if the car is in gear, it will creep forward and you need to use the brakes to prevent movement. Everybody in North America who learned to drive on a torque converter automatic (i.e. almost everyone) would have understood that basic rule in the first two minutes of their first in-car driving lesson. (Indeed, every modern car has an interlock preventing you from shifting out of park without depressing the brake... so... yeah...)
But there are two things I find interesting:
1. Audi engineered their dual clutch transmission to exhibit exactly the same behaviour as the torque converter transmissions in this regard, at least for the North American markets.
2. I don't know much about driving manual transmissions (and hope never to learn...), but I gather that this behaviour comes as a huge surprise to experienced manual drivers who are used to vehicles not moving on level ground. From what I understand, in Europe there has finally been a big shift away from manual transmissions in the past couple of years, and I wonder if automakers would want to include these kinds of hold features there to make things more familiar to manual drivers...
But there are two things I find interesting:
1. Audi engineered their dual clutch transmission to exhibit exactly the same behaviour as the torque converter transmissions in this regard, at least for the North American markets.
2. I don't know much about driving manual transmissions (and hope never to learn...), but I gather that this behaviour comes as a huge surprise to experienced manual drivers who are used to vehicles not moving on level ground. From what I understand, in Europe there has finally been a big shift away from manual transmissions in the past couple of years, and I wonder if automakers would want to include these kinds of hold features there to make things more familiar to manual drivers...
Driving a manual transmission is a very handy skill. For me, it makes driving way more fun, too. I made darned sure my daughter learned how to drive a manual. The trick is finding someone with the requisite time and patience (and who is also willing to sacrifice a few thousand miles off the life of their clutch) to teach you...
Last edited by MDAudi; 02-26-2019 at 05:58 PM.
02-26-2019, 06:28 PM
#73
AudiWorld Super User
I’ve actually never had experience with Hold before my X3 (none of the other cars I’ve owned had it). I, like you, never thought it was a useful thing till I experienced it on my X3 (that too, only after 2 years of owning it). Since then, I’ve used it regularly. Like you said, it definitely isn’t a big deal or a deal breaker. It’s just a useful feature is all. One that Audi could have included here since they have it on their cars sold outside of the NAR.And regarding manual transmissions. I learnt to drive on a manual transmission car. I drove manual transmission cars for almost 18 years before my first ever automatic. That is because manual transmission was common everywhere back then (except America). We even needed to take our driving test in a car with a manual transmission (automatic wasn’t allowed). Definitely a very useful skill. My wife and sister also know how to drive stick since we all took our tests outside America.
02-26-2019, 06:54 PM
#74
AudiWorld Senior Member
02-26-2019, 07:14 PM
#75
AudiWorld Senior Member
I don't know anyone who can drive a manual transmission, even a die-hard manual gearbox fan like myself, who hasn't also spent a lot of time in a car with an automatic transmission (we do have to rent cars, occasionally...). So the "creep" you can get with an automatic is not something that is a surprise to those who drive a stick. But since it is actually quite rare that you are on an absolutely level surface in your car, I have always kept my foot on the brake when stopped. Always. Keeping control of the vehicle is what I was taught to do when I learned to drive--and that includes making sure it stays stopped when you want it to stay stopped (i.e., keep your foot on the #*@%$^& brake!).
Driving a manual transmission is a very handy skill. For me, it makes driving way more fun, too. I made darned sure my daughter learned how to drive a manual. The trick is finding someone with the requisite time and patience (and who is also willing to sacrifice a few thousand miles off the life of their clutch) to teach you...
Driving a manual transmission is a very handy skill. For me, it makes driving way more fun, too. I made darned sure my daughter learned how to drive a manual. The trick is finding someone with the requisite time and patience (and who is also willing to sacrifice a few thousand miles off the life of their clutch) to teach you...
(and now this discussion has me digging into owner's manuals at renault.fr to try and find a description of how their dual clutch transmissions behave... well, I haven't found the answer so far... although they do say the start-stop system is engaged by holding the brake pedal down 'sufficiently strongly', so I would presume that they expect you to have the brake pedal down to hold the car at every stop. The other thing I find interesting is that they explicitly tell you to lightly press the brake if you don't want the engine stopping, which is something I feel like we had to discover ourselves on our A4s...)
For some reason, though, I feel like I read something about how bizarre creeping behaviour was one reason Ford's dual clutch transmissions were so poorly received in North America...
02-26-2019, 07:21 PM
#76
AudiWorld Member
Just so you know. I reread some of my messages and it does sound like I was being rude. I’m sorry if you thought that way. Trust me. I was smiling when I was typing it
I’ve actually never had experience with Hold before my X3 (none of the other cars I’ve owned had it). I, like you, never thought it was a useful thing till I experienced it on my X3 (that too, only after 2 years of owning it). Since then, I’ve used it regularly. Like you said, it definitely isn’t a big deal or a deal breaker. It’s just a useful feature is all. One that Audi could have included here since they have it on their cars sold outside of the NAR.And regarding manual transmissions. I learnt to drive on a manual transmission car. I drove manual transmission cars for almost 18 years before my first ever automatic. That is because manual transmission was common everywhere back then (except America). We even needed to take our driving test in a car with a manual transmission (automatic wasn’t allowed). Definitely a very useful skill. My wife and sister also know how to drive stick since we all took our tests outside America.
It certainly seems like manual transmissions are dying off. It's sad that Audi seems to be giving up on them, but given how their popularity has declined I find it hard to blame them. It has become sort of like being a part of a secret society or something. Or knowing a dead language. The wonderful "traffic jam assist" on our Allroad **almost** makes an automatic transmission tempting to have--but still not enough for me to give up my stick shift (my wife drives the Allroad).
02-27-2019, 07:00 AM
#77
AudiWorld Super User
I absolutely agree. As much as I miss manuals, I remember being stuck in traffic and wishing my car had an auto transmission. But now, it’s the opposite. I miss driving a manual car since I live in a small town with hardly any traffic. Audi didn’t have the A4 in manual when I bought it. Else there was a good chance mine would have one.
02-27-2019, 02:21 PM
#78
AudiWorld Senior Member
Since the term "hill hold - or some variation was used here", my previous car had a manual tranny with a 'hill holder' clutch that prevented the car from rolling back when you released the brake while facing uphill. The brakes released as you let out the clutch and the car moved forward.
I've mentioned on other forums that I got tired of waiting for the A4 manual and S4 to launch and ordered an A4 DSG in Sep 2016. My wife knows how to drive a manual but loves my A4 w/DSG enough that we recently ordered a Q5 for her.
I've mentioned on other forums that I got tired of waiting for the A4 manual and S4 to launch and ordered an A4 DSG in Sep 2016. My wife knows how to drive a manual but loves my A4 w/DSG enough that we recently ordered a Q5 for her.
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