Consumer Reports Review - RZ34 Discussion

DevonK

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For those inclined to discount CR when it comes to sports car reviews, don't overlook this - the 3 guys in the podcast drive a lot on track, one is an instructor. The TL:DW summary: car is great, but don't buy the auto, it is terribly matched to the car, and only belongs in the Titan it came from.
 
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For those inclined to discount CR when it comes to sports car reviews, don't overlook this - the 3 guys in the podcast drive a lot on track, one is an instructor. The TL:DW summary: car is great, but don't buy the auto, it is terribly matched to the car, and only belongs in the old ass Mercedes* it came from.
Fixed*

I think the 7spd auto from the Qs would have been a better auto than the Mercedes sourced 9spd. It's not like it was the MCT variant used in AMGs - instead it's the basic 9spd used your average C and E Class sedans.

In any event - ever the more reason to get the manual 🤠
 

Denver the Last Dinosaur

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ever the more reason to get the manual
There was never any doubt. :)

There's an old saying that goes something like:
"Automatics are for posers, while real drivers have manuals".
Basically those who buy an automatic sports car simply wants to be seen in a "flash car", but are too lazy or simply don't know how to drive properly. Same can be said (and at least one video review did say it) for those using rev-matching and no-lift gear changing in the manual.
 

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On the flip side, the gear selection is quicker automatically than any human in a Porsche 911 GT3. I'd guess most performance automatic trannys are similar.
 

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Basically those who buy an automatic sports car simply wants to be seen in a "flash car", but are too lazy or simply don't know how to drive properly. Same can be said (and at least one video review did say it) for those using rev-matching and no-lift gear changing in the manual.​
Thats kind of a blanket statement.

There is no doubt a manual, analog car will always be more engaging n fulfilling to drive over an auto, and thus for those looking to just enjoy the drive and connect with their car it’s the obvious choice.

But there are also those who find thrill in extracting the absolute best performance out of their car, and despite how reluctant some drivers are to admit, computers will always be better at performing routine/precision tasks; Thus ATs & electronic-assist systems are the way to access that performance.
 

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the gear selection is quicker automatically than any human
Quicker, yes, but not always correct.

If all you want to do is shove your foot to the floor and get to 60 in the fastest time, then an automatic shifting only upwards through the gears would be great.

If you actually want to drive a car, go around corners, downshift, etc, then a manual is usually the better option.
 

bboypuertoroc

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Quicker, yes, but not always correct.

If all you want to do is shove your foot to the floor and get to 60 in the fastest time, then an automatic shifting only upwards through the gears would be great.

If you actually want to drive a car, go around corners, downshift, etc, then a manual is usually the better option.
Unless you're trying to be the fastest around corners and downshifting.
 

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Unless you're trying to be the fastest around corners and downshifting.
Exactly, if you want to take the time to figure out the exact moment your RPM and torque parameters are in relation to what you're trying to do on that exact position on the track, go ahead.

Unfortunately, there's not a trophy for everyone.
 

Denver the Last Dinosaur

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Unless you're trying to be the fastest around corners and downshifting.
If that was true, then all race car drivers in Formula 1, rallying, etc. would be using automatics ... but they don't. :p

The reality is that all automatics are basically crap. The only way to get real driver control is via a real manual gearbox ... and preferably not a silly flappy paddle one or semi-faked automatic "manual" mode. You change gears up and down when you want to, not when the car thinks it should. That's why all real drivers, including race drivers, use a manual and almost every review you'll see by anyone who remotely know what they're talking about says the manual of any car is the better choice (reviews of the new Supra when it was first released often complained there was no manual version and lots of people wanted Toyota to make one).
 

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Don't F1 cars have a "flappy paddle"?
I said "preferably" not flappy-paddle manuals. :p

Formula 1 does have flappy-paddles so the driver can keep their hands on the wheel and due to the extremely limited space inside the driving cockpit. Formula 1 these days also does actually use "semi-automatic" systems, but the driver is always in control.

Why don't F1 cars use automatic transmission to shift gears quickly?
I think you should do some home work and read about transmissions, manual, automatic and F1. Then you will know automatic is not suited for sporty driving. If you want to go fast, you go manual.
As I said, automatics are faster at physically changing gears, but they don't and can't always get it right. That makes them good for straight line 0-60 times, but not good in any real world driving situation. For example, an automatic may decide to keep changing gears up and down, while a human knows that the road ahead means it is driven better by staying in a particular gear.
 

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F1 transmissions are semi auto. Rally cars aren't your typical manual transmissions. The fastest drag cars are auto. Most of your typical Le Mans cars (and the like) are DCT/PDK/etc. Just because they're autos doesn't mean the driver is letting the car decide when to shift.

I fucking HATE when sports cars are only offered with some type of auto, but let's be real - they're superior when it comes to racing. I will, however, ALWAYS choose a manual if it's available.
 
 





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