# Re:6 Speed Auto stick. Do You use gears shifter manual mode?



## Cool Dub (Aug 25, 2010)

*Re:6 Speed Auto stick. Do You use gears shifter manual mode?*

_I like the shfter idea _and if I lived in an area that had snow I'm sure it would come in handy but I forget it's there and never use it.opcorn:
*How about you?.*


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## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

I use manual shifting sometimes. Especially when uphill is not very steep and transmission is not shifting to 5th gear by itself and van is loosing speed. I don't want to push pedal all the way to the floor to force it that way. I tried it once and it shifted to 4th gear and engine went almost 4500 RPM.


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## troop94 (Jul 13, 2009)

Whenever I take a trip through the mountains, I manually shift down to fourth when on a long downward grade. It's to save the brakes, but the manual shifting (both up and down) is fun enough to do for its own sake whenever on rolling terrain.


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## luckeydoug1 (Feb 11, 2001)

I sure do! However, I have owned the vehicle less than a month and still instinctively reach for the paddles on the steering wheel or shifter on the floor, which is where they are on my R32. :laugh:


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

MozartMan said:


> I use manual shifting sometimes. Especially when uphill is not very steep and transmission is not shifting to 5th gear by itself and van is loosing speed. I don't want to push pedal all the way to the floor to force it that way. I tried it once and it shifted to 4th gear and engine went almost 4500 RPM.


I do that too, it keeps momentum nice and smooth. Also, I always tow in 5th gear so it has to be in manual mode.


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## routan (Aug 2, 2010)

I actually use it a lot in the Northern AZ Hills. Both down-shifting and up-shifting. Give that darn tranny a run for its money.


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## OkieRoutan (Nov 5, 2010)

I've driven manual transmission vehicles all my life... but trying to use the dash mounted shifter just isn't a natural feel for me. I use it to start off in 2nd, when the roads get slick, but that's all. I don't have a tow package, and don't even have a trailer hitch, so I do have to use it for pulling anything.


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## Cool Dub (Aug 25, 2010)

Cool Dub said:


> _I like the shfter idea _and if I lived in an area that had snow I'm sure it would come in handy but I forget it's there and never use it.opcorn:
> *How about you?.*


http://www.vwvortex.com/gallery/gal.../Routan/Mk 1&pic=026.jpg&start=&dispsize=1024 Photo of dash


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## liquidmachine (Oct 30, 2010)

I also use it on hills. Can't really use it on the streets of San Francisco because where the shifter is on the dash. Just doesn't feel natural. I'm always reaching for a phantom shift knob on my right.


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## paf (Dec 6, 2010)

So after few months of ownership I truly made friend with the (at first useless) upshift/downshift function.

I can't agree more about the strange feeling when reaching for the dashboard to change gears "in flight". But once the feeling passes, the ability to keep the car in a certain gear at a given time helps. This is very handy when traveling "heavy" or accelerating or moving at a set pace up hill.

Since where I live there aren't many hills, I tend to use it on the highway on-ramps, now almost every time. Depending on the length of the ramp, somewhere in the beginning I will gently tap the gear lever to switch to manual control and keep the car in the gear until I either push the RPMs high or am done merging. It gives the car bit of better power to merge at a short distance or slow down if needed.

This feature turned out to be a gem I got to appreciate as I got to know the car better. :thumbup:


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*YES*

I do use the shifter and like it a lot. It falls naturally to hand, and is very easy to use. It comes in handy when traversing the very hilly landscape here in Florida (overpasses). That said, I probably use it too much. Not sure if it is a good idea, though, considering Chryslers transmission problems of the past. I'll keep my fingers crossed.


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