I asked a question about a week ago re: auto vs. standard and how people liked their auto. I am definetly leaning towards the auto but wondered if anyone ever drove their autos like a standard, shifting from low to drive. If so did they get better performance then letting it shift itself, just curious. And for those who may reply if I want to shift just buy the standard, I love shifting but don't want to have to deal with it during heavy traffic, plus I like the car starter that comes with the auto. Thanks

 

I personally shift my auto like a manual, most of the time.
Shifting manual, using the tach, I can get that little more rpm's and it's a fact that a auto will shift 90% of the time faster than a dummy shifting gears can.
I used to race[a lot] and my last two cars were auto's[still have a pumped up 96 Impala SS/auto]and if you shift them manually, you'd almost think it were a manual. I still down shift manually ,to use the drag off the engine, on hills, instead of using so much brake. Makes pads last longer.
The HHR-SS auto is geared to where you can downshift into third at anything under eighty, and get the boost happening faster, then shift at redline.
Start shifting it manually, and you will like it.....a lot.
anyhow, thats my story and I'm sticking to it. "Moon"

 

I felt the same way about getting another manual: tired of shifting in traffic, and I wanted the remote start. Plus, after problems with my Civic's tranny, I'm tired of worn gears.

After a week and a half of ownership, I find that I don't manually shift it much. For cruising/commuting, I leave it in 'D'. A big stomp on the go pedal dispatchs me down the highway in a hurry when the "need" arises. I use 'I' (intermediate for you 5-speeders) for my local mountain twisty. Theoretically I might be able to cut a second here or there by shifting it myself, but I would notice the extra work more than the ET. Plus, the shifter is awkwardly located far back in the console; especially noticeable with the armrest down.

YRMV, but I prefer both hands on the wheel and 'right foot shifting'. Get the auto and enjoy yourself. This car's a barrel of fun.

 

I would have preferred it if they had made is a D321 instead of DIL. Just another measure of control.

 

I have a couple of cars with five speed manuals. I just have gotten tired of shifting in stop and go traffic. Initially I looked at manual HHRs, but the one that was on the lot, which I purchased, had the auto. It makes it an easier drive not having to shift.

 

I wouldn't bother trying to shift it manually; this auto is not set up for it. You can however put it in I and set the T/C for competition mode if you are doing more aggressive driving... it does change the shifting a bit and mostly shut off the traction control/ESC.

 

(L)ow gear - self shifts to 2nd at a fairly high rpm...if you manually upshift to I and back to L it will hold 2nd gear till it blows( or hits rev limiter)you cannot hold it in 1st gear, but then why would you, its like granny gear and tachs redline too fast.
I - will self shift all the way to 3rd gear and allow TC lockup at steady cruise..shifts at a high rpm if foot on the floor..
D - yall know what that does- engages overdrive (or 4th gear)
Anything other then D has firmer shifts and a higher shift rpm
So no, you do not have the option of controlling every gear per say, but you do have control if you think about it, you just can't use the old select the gear you want ..

Typical drag race... start in L and let shift to 2nd on its own( unles you want to short shift) after 2nd engaged manually shift to I and then right back to L until desired rpm reached, then if you still have room at the end of the track shift back to I for 3rd gear.....collect time slip and post/brag about it here.
Downshifting is allowed about 60 to 2nd gear...but you have to pull it back to L to get it, 1st gear will downshift by itself if you leave it in L.. I works the same as D for auto downshifting.

 

You can do it, but I don't personally see the point. 4 gears aren't as much fun, gas mileage is marginally worse. If your foot gets tired from shifting in traffic, use the synchros instead of the clutch... Not to hijack, but does anyone with a manual find the clutch pedal quite hard in these things? I bought mine used, and I'm wondering if someone did the clutch already. I'm used to driving 80s MTs so it might be me...

 

Not at all.... My SS has a relatively light clutch, in my opinion.... My Jeep has a much heavier clutch, but that's what you'd expect.

The SS's clutch is on par with my old Nissan pickup, which I thought was light for a truck.

 

I use "I" for brake assist when coming down steep mountain grades but other than that I'm with the rest of the "geezers" here and just put it in "D" and go!