Hello. I took delivery of my new Vantage V8 Roadster recently with the sport shift manual automatic transmission, and I have to say, it is very disappointing. I read review after review of how this transmission is terrible and almost laughable when used in automatic mode. The dealer I visited had only the standard manual transmission which was a blast to drive, but it was a coupe and I wanted the roadster. Searching the national network of dealerships, there were VERY few manual roadsters, and none with colors I liked. So my dealer acquired a roadster with the sport shift automatic for me.
He convinced me that the sport shift would be a blast when using the paddles (it is) and was nowhere nearly as bad as described by critics when in "automatic mode" (but it was).

Not driving the sport shift ahead of time was a HUGE mistake.

Long story short, I find it absolutely unbearable when in "automatic mode". And using the paddles instead, while a much better driving experience, just doesn't doesn't provide the same natural feeling that a stick shift offers. Unless

Any insight on what I might do, or how people with the same transmission have managed to live with it? We are only 25 miles in to driving it and my wife and I both absolutely hate it. Can AM do anything to tune it? Anyone have any experience with the RSC live tune?

Thanks.
Gavin

 

Just pretend the D button does not exist and never, ever drive it in automatic. Aston's biggest mistake was to make that button available in the first place.

 

Yes, forget D or C - they are for hands-off drivers. I assume that like me, you bought it for the fun rather than for mundane travel or mechanical daily driving.

You need to drive something worse, with paddles, and then you'll see how good the V8V actually is. I had a 2003 Vanquish that I never managed to love because the paddles were at odds with the car.

Now, with a 3 day-old 2008 Vantage roadster I'm loving the whole paddle experience. It is a different beast with the lighter and smaller body.

However that's not helping you with your fully automatic needs, but I found with the Vanq in D that I could mostly anticipate the gear change when it happened, and lift my foot accordingly. The smoother change made the difference, but I soon discovered that automatic in a car like the Vanquish was not how it was designed - paddles made it far more fun and I got used to them.

Like you I did some research before I bought my V8V and found that quite a few drivers new to SS take a while to acclimatize to the paddles. Even now (after 3 days) I have to consciously think whenever I'm taking a corner and making sure it's prepped in the right gear, because turning and paddling are not intuitive!

Maybe you need to live with it for a month, and then like me you could find you'll be more at ease which will make the experience more rewarding.

I drove manuals in other brands for a few years in my early driving days when there were no automatics, but today I can't imagine why manual is still popular. It takes one hand away from the wheel multiple times, involves muscles in your legs which can make you tired, especially in heavy traffic, and if you forget what gear you're in it takes your attention away from the road to see. All bad things for safe driving.

Compare that to a paddle which is always in the right gear - or just a blip away.

Hope you get a solution to your problem!

 

OP what year is the car? We are all presuming it is ASM1 (not the later ASM2)
As others have said avoid D!
It works better if you remember it is a robotic manual rather than a true Auto/slush box
Once your head is round that there are a few things you can do to "really get it"
1) do regular clutch learns
2) avoid creep mode as much as possible
3) avoid reverse (especially up hill and/or round corners)
4) lift the throttle slightly as it changes gear

Try these and see how you get on

 

Hey mikey, does creep mode wear the clutch that much? I thought it was too good to be true...

 

It can if you don't do the learns and work with it when it cuts in
What it does is moves to clutch between the bite and kiss point to "creep" along in 1st & reverse
IME its a PITA as you need to have the clutch learns right and trust it enough no to put any throttle on.
I never could and found myself adding throttle which it didn't like, I even managed to stall it once
I soon resolved to avoid getting in to a situation where it would cut in = neutral when stopped and decent amount of throttle when moving off

 

Sorry for not mentioning it in the original post. My V8V is a new 2014.

Anyone try the RSC Live Tune or know anyone who has?

Thanks for the replies.

 

Well that's a different can of worms
My S was one of the first out there with that gearbox (ASM2) 3 years ago
The point about understanding it is a robotic manual still stands
As does the clutch learn (even if it is new!) On ASM2 it does them automatically on start up, you can tell it has finished when the N button stops flashing. I always make a point of having ANY electronics (radio, air con, roof, windows etc) off when it is doing this. Doing a few in a row seems to get better results as well.
I rarely use mine in D, NEVER around town and NEVER in Sport mode
ASM2 doesn't need the lift on changing but it does benefit a little.

IME You need to spend some time with it learning how it works best

 

I love the way my Vanq shifts on the paddles; it is perfectly fine. Don't really understand why people complain so much. D is only for the moment on the hiway when sipping coffee! ASM3 must be better than ASM1, so I can't understand the complaints, unless you were expecting torque converter smoothness while in D.

 

He has ASM2 in the V8V, ASM3 is in the V12VS
Both very similar and both robotic manuals, so as you say never going to be like a torque converter box

 

I might just sell the car back and buy a V8V stick shift I see for sale at another dealership across the country. I will give it another week of driving I guess before I make that move.

 

G'Day,

I have the V8V MY09 with paddles and love it. OK it took me maybe a month to really get used to it but compared to a manual with stick it's far superior. An the real fun starts on the racetrack like Formula 1 Red Bull Ring. Shifting in a corner from third to fourth gear under full throttle was just a breeze, to fast for the car to make any undue movements, try this with a stick - nope better don't.
BTW what D button are you talking about? :-) I forgot it exists.
ONLY use slow START to relearn the clutch!!!!!!!!!

Cheers Christian

 

Have my 09 SS since April. I hate the transmission, it has left me stranded twice, it shifts horribly slow, is useless as an automated system, destroys the clutch...

Pity as it spoils what would otherwise be a wonderful car.

I dealt with it by not driving the car anymore. I lease a fiat 500e which I choose every day over the Aston, which now just sits in the garage with a battery tender.

My advice would be, return the car if you can. It won't get any better.

 

I also had the manual before I had the sport shift and as long as you lift up on the gas between shifts it's very enjoyable and involving - I would not go back to a manual again!

 

Can anyone confirm what an ASM1

transmission is doing when you come to a stop in 1st and just sit there on the break?

Is the clutch engaged at this point or not? I'm trying to determine if shifting to N every single time I come to a stop is advised vs just holding the break (I've read both approaches are "recoomended")