Does anyone use the sports shift much?
I've used it a few times, just mucking around with it, but the auto seems the best option most of the time?

During spirited driving, it's the only way to do it. Lets you keep the revs up around corners and have better throttle control.

Normal driving? Wank factor

I use it on twisty mountain roads (eg. Black Spur), aside from being more fun it prevents gear hunting, lets you stay in the power band and allows a bit of engine braking. Not as 'sports' as a manual but I like that you can flip the lever over to full auto in peak hour.

During spirited driving, it's the only way to do it. Lets you keep the revs up around corners and have better throttle control.

Normal driving? Wank factor
Agreed entirely.

It's great on twisty roads as you can keep it in the power band (2,500-4,000rpm or so) for powering out of the corners and the like. It's no fun powering out of a corner when the auto decides that top gear at 60km/h is best.

Apart from that I rarely use it.

it's pretty common for me to use it while slowing down but i also use it on the highway (which is most of my driving) around hills and while driving with spirit.

I use it when the engine isn't up to operating temperature so I don't rev it (usually shift when it allows me, so I use about 1,500-1,800 rpm).
Also when I drove on hills I used the sports shift so it wouldn't constantly upshift and downshift (used 3rd mostly)

I used it a few times in peak traffic conditions to stay in 2nd instead of 1-2-1 or 1-2-3-1 behavior with the associated shocks.
What about towing, any benefits there?

And does holding revs higher than auto would cause more wear and tear? I notice the user manual has very high speed limits for each gear, but can it cause issues?

I've had 3 cars with it, 2 being 5 speed. Anyone in Vic(who goes to cruises) knows how I drive. Which isn't overly soft and I've never had a problem. You can feel the box getting warm, slower shifts and the like, but if you back off and let it cool it's alright.

Towing I guess it would help for up hill and down hill to control the speed. Same for traffic.

Using my 4 speed tippy keeps me right up Sean's behind on cruises. The ability to downshift before corners is extremely useful. But unfortunately because of the long gears and the fact that it is An auto. He is able to escape after sharper corners. And yes. Just to confirm. The auto does get hot. And gear changes tend to flare and take a very long time after extremely hard driving. But that's giving it a beating. I doubt you would do what I did.

He has a manual now btw.

Yep all the time :) if im doing speed of 60ks to 80k i shift from 1-4 no 5

Even with my old TH Executive I used to use the selector to slow down D -3 -2 Not 1 - Now with the new(er) TJ sportswagon I still use it for slow downs - but also when on cruise control I occasionally use it to kick back a gear to keep the revs up earlier than the computers could have done, Have driven the car in full tiptronic mode - ah.. that's why man invented the auto....

^^^ nice wagon btw mate

Changing down is definitely helpful in hills, especially when on a long downslope. Quite often I see people riding the brakes for a couple of minutes, whereas I don't have to break at all. Mind you, that's in the 4 spd and running it in '3'. There are times when using the sports (or downshifting), even in an auto, is useful in any car, yet most people don't do it.

I use my 5 speed tiptronic regularly, though usually only for braking/control purposes. I do this even in normal driving, not only for big hills, though I am very conservative. ie I only downshift when below 1500rpm.
I rarely use it for 'spirited' driving though occasionally use it at lower speeds when my speed is changing frequently due to traffic or speed bumps or winding roads etc.

I guess the adaptive learning would have to be disabled when in sports mode, otherwise it would learn some weird shift points.

Quite handy when you want to drop down a gear on the open road but don't want to press too hard on the go pedal because you just know the box will drop down 2 gears and rev it's head off! lol But I can do that on my TJ anyway, don't need the tippy function my TL has.

I use it on slopes all the time to avoid riding the brake, but as mentioned it's also obviously good for hills and chopping Commodores, not that I've ever done that of course. It also comes in handy for overtakes so you don't get that lag when you put your foot in it. And obviously as mentioned several times, it's good for spirited driving in the hills so you don't get caught out between gears.

So tried it on a couple of downward slopes and it is a lot easier than braking for control.
Also liked the suggestion of keeping RPM lower when cold by going up a gear or two. AWD has plenty of traction to keep happily going along under those conditions.

bit off topic but its related i guess:
went up Eungella range and went along a very windy (no exaggeration) road on the weekend following a few mates in 4x4's and manual sedans. leaving the car in auto was dreadful so i used the tippy, i could feel the gearbox wasn't happy (got hot) with me trying to keep up with the others so i backed off and let them go ahead, made it up the range and then began the windy road which i tippyed the whole way and then a gravel track to the camping grounds which the car didnt particularly like so i took it slow. got there eventually and let the car run for 5-10 minutes in idle.
car was brilliant on the way back, kept it in 1st and 2nd the whole way down the range, 2nd gear is way too tall btw.
defiantly thinking of getting a tranny cooler

It also comes in handy for overtakes so you don't get that lag when you put your foot in it.

Fully h3kt1k turbo lag?



But nah I know what youre saying. Mine isnt tippy (i wish it was), but i find coming out of hairpins that i often dont get going slow enough to kick it back into 1st. And then 2nd gear is massssssive. However, Ive learnt how to drive it now and what the gearbox likes.

Fully h3kt1k turbo lag?

got dat phat transmishun doseeeee

Yes. Like most here for hilly roads (up/down), engine braking and getting out of somewhere in a hurry... Actually taking traction control off and launching from 1st in the wet is rather amusing torque steer lulz. Still can't get over the throttle response from the 6G74.

I use full tippy all the time and in all traffic conditions. That is also how I drive the wife's Outlander.

I use full tippy all the time and in all traffic conditions. That is also how I drive the wife's Outlander.

how is your fuel economy? i would do that but i fear it will increase my fuel economy.
on a side note sometime i forget i left it in tippy at the lights and go to take off and freak out when the car doesn't change gears

Fuel economy is better as I shift early and shift to 5th at just over 40km/hr with the engine only reving to 2000rpm per gear. It does worsen if you drive it hard and hold gears but the same happens if you leave it in auto and the smart logics learn your driving behaviour.

I actually have the opposite mistake. leaving it in D and then shifting to N on the first shift.