I've always wondered this...what is the purpose of the "1, 2 and 3" gears in the Automatic transmission? I've had a few different stories but I'm still not entirely sure what they're there for. Does anyone know?
It's mainly for adverse weather conditions such as snow where otherwise in drive it would constently be shifting due to you skidding, so if you put it in 2, or 2nd gear, it'll stay in 2nd and won't shift. I've noticed that driving in rain, a shift can break the wheels loose(which is something I very much enjoy doing), so on snow, it would really break the wheels loose, so by keeping it in a single gear, you have more control.
Even if you put the car in first it will still shift if you redline it so you don't screw your engine. And its made for towing or grades not weather conditions. When I'm towing my dirt bikes with all the gear up north I need to drop it in third or second to get up some of the hills.
I was driving my Dad's 328i the other day, and was ****ing around with the car just keeping it in '2', and sort of forgot until it just stayed at 65-6600rpm, and didn't shift or accelerate at all. I was like, "Uhh, oops."
In most automatics that i've ridden in 1..is low gear..which it's use is obvious...2nd is like Josh said....3rd is usually performance driving....and D...is D'
Joe, Mazda transmissions, atleast the older ones, will NOT shift while in first, they will just rev all the way up. I don't know about other cars though.
On the Blazer it shifts so you don't kill the tranny. I was pulling my bikes and I was getting on the freeway in 1st gear, sorta forgot i was in it. It shifted at about 5700rpm with a little beepin noise. I guess its different for all companies though.
automatics are nice for turbo-charged cars. No turbo lag ,but there are problems with automatics when it comes to tight corners. but no turbo lag sounds good to me .
Sorta, but not as effectively as a stick. In automatics, you always have some engine power driving the car. You know, you let off the brakes from a stop and you'll go forward(unless it's up a fairly big hill). So while engine braking does help automatics some, it's not that much. And, you shouldn't be shifting the automatic while you are going at speeds where you need engine braking.
Engine breaking is useful in the moutians so your car doesn't run away. When I was up in Canada over the Summer I used 1st and 2nd gear on the declines to make sure I didn't get going to fast and my brakes didn't over heat.
i didn't read all the posts..but the gears give you more power...have you ever tried going up a hill in a civic or a corolla in drive, and feel that you have no power..then you shift to 2 and then all of a sudden you feel like a 6 cylinder..it's because when you're in drive..you're one gear ahead so you dont over rev...like when you're car is idle..you're in 2nd gear..and it shifts to 3rd..1st gear or L in some toyotas are more for towing and uphill struggle..and oh yeah..corolla's do not shift if you have it in gears..they stay in that gear no matter what, it only shifts for you in drive
Originally posted by ShobThaBob They dont really 'give' you more power, they just help you stay in the powerband needed to get your car up said hills and such.
well you know what i mean..cause horsepower USUALLY increases as the rpm's increase..so if you're in drive gear, and it shifts at 3500 rpms..and lets just say you had 70hps's at that certain rpm..then after you shift, the rpms drop down to bout 2500 rpms cause you're in a higher gear..and obviously..at 3500 rpms, you make more power than at 2500 rpms..so when you're in gear..you stay in that gear..so you can get higher rpms and "get" more power..cause you're not shifting and the rpm's dont drop as fast as if you're in drive gear..you should try that, drive about 30mph in drive gear, then let off the accelerator, and your rpms would most likey drop to a little bit higher than idle, but if you're in like 2 or low gear, accelerate to 30 mphs, and let off the accelerator..your rpms dont drop as much..so you're not "losing" power..ok..i have no idea what i just said..
,but there are problems with automatics when it comes to tight corners. but no turbo lag sounds good to me
Just kidding. But it does help to shift an auto when you are racing. 
