SPORTSHIFT feature

[Riggs]

For those of you that have the SPORTSHIFT option:

1. How often do you find yourself using it - always, sometimes, never?
2. If you do use it, under what circumstances do you find it most useful?
3. What are your overall impressions of it?

[tigerclaws]

My impression is that its a good feature "to have" but if they offered a discount of $1500 for it, I would take the money . I guess when you are climbing mountains, it must be really helpful

[ported]

I always use the Sportshift in town for the jack rabbit city driving.
The 08 transmission slides rather than shifts into gear. It reminds of driving a standard with the clutch slipping.
It does downshift reasonably quick in normal mode, so I keep it out of Sportshift on the highway.
At my first service I'm going to put in synthetic to try and get a bit more "shift" between gears. Our 2000 Outback had Royal Purple synthetic used after a flush and it seemed to crisp things up.

[tbar]

I use sport mode most of the time. Around town. Certainly whenever I am driving in hills, which is frequent where I live.
Around town I usually do not "manually" shift, but I will drop it into a lower gear for passing or big hills. I use the shifter a lot on curvy mountain roads.
I have not detected a significant difference in gas mileage between normal and sport automatic modes.
I think it is a great feature.

[cosgti]

I use the sportshift primarily for mountain driving and/or passing on the highway. Does anyone else with 08 experience the sportshift shifting for you?
My Legacy will let me rev all the way to the Governor and then it will just stutter until I shift up. The Outback, however, will shift up for me if I get close to the Governor/ Redline. Does anyone else experience this?
I want to take it to the dealer, but am just wondering if it's normal.

[Riggs]

Originally posted by cosgti

My Legacy will let me rev all the way to the Governor and then it will just stutter until I shift up. The Outback, however, will shift up for me if I get close to the Governor/ Redline. Does anyone else experience this?
I want to take it to the dealer, but am just wondering if it's normal.

cosgti

I can't speak for the Legacy but in the OB the SPORTSHIFT will allow you to rev until the redline and will then automatically upshift for you just after hitting the redline. It's basically like having a fail safe. In a manual car there would be the limiter cut-off.

And vice versa on the down shifts. You can't stall the car in SPORTSHIFT like you would a manual. It just down shifts automatically for you when revs get too low.

[yellow1]

on my OB, i have a manual. so that doesn't count.

but my wife's IS has the sportshift feature. i rarely use it, and even when i do... it's only while coming off the freeway, or at times when i don't feel like easing onto the brakes. most of the time i forget it's there...

[tigerclaws]

Originally posted by ported
I always use the Sportshift in town for the jack rabbit city driving.
The 08 transmission slides rather than shifts into gear. It reminds of driving a standard with the clutch slipping.
It does downshift reasonably quick in normal mode, so I keep it out of Sportshift on the highway.
At my first service I'm going to put in synthetic to try and get a bit more "shift" between gears. Our 2000 Outback had Royal Purple synthetic used after a flush and it seemed to crisp things up.

I am not sure if you are refering to transmission fluid. If yes, Subaru ATF is the only recommended fluid by most people since other ATF's have supposedly given problems on subie auto transmissions.

[sixfifty]

i like the sportshift and use it about 20~25% of the time. particularly in bad conditions or on twisty roads.

i'd rather drive a stick shift, but my left ankle is spotty and dealing with a clutch is a pain in traffic.

[ported]

Tigerclaws

I haven't heard any negative as yet with synthetic in the tranny.
Most of the problems seem to come from lack of proper maintenance, proper flushing and filter changes and having no trans. cooler. Touch wood, no problems with the trans.at 230,000km. I drive mountain roads, it's where I live, I tow a boat (I'll post a picture when she's hooked up) and I use my car as a truck. Since about 89-90 I've been using synthetic oils and no issues with engine or transmissions. 1 Dodge, 4 GM, 1 Ford, 1 Nissan and 2 Subaru's since 89. My 08 Outback hasn't had its first oil change yet but all oils with the exception of the brake fluid (next year) are going to be changed to synthetic. The dealer changed all the oils in my 06 Impreza to synthetic at my request with no warranty issues. The manual 5 speed in the Impreza... synthetic made shifting smoother.
I'll be interested to see how it effects the Sportshift.