Dams, Wales and Audi’s Holiday snaps

[urquattr085]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

dropped back into ‘D’ then gone onto the paddles which sets manual for several seconds and then banged it up using the shifter.... which is still in ‘D’ so takes ‘N’ neutral instead.

Oh yeah!!!!
Done that one a few times too.
Hope yours has the 4000 Rpm limit in neutral like mine did.

Makes you feel as dim-witted as the box

[urquattr085]

Also, and I'm not sure if I am imagining this (as it's 18 months since I sold mine and the old grey matter ain't what it used to be) :

You're in D, use the paddles for temporary Manual mode, pull and hold the upshift paddle to go back to D without having to wait for the box to do it for you.

I stand waiting to be corrected

[Isimmo]

Originally Posted by urquattr085

Oh yeah!!!!
Done that one a few times too.
Hope yours has the 4000 Rpm limit in neutral like mine did.

Makes you feel as dim-witted as the box

Yes, thank gawd it does... And agree, completely spannered it in Abergavenny after 2 hours of Welsh B and A road manual work, then popped into D for a long standing tailback through the high street. Got ‘flashed’ by a bus to pass a parked van, paddled to manual, accelerated, twisting the steering so (from previous cock ups in manual whilst wheel twirling) banged it up using the stick..... Mistake..... Neutral....

[SwallownAmazon]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

There’s some great drivers roads to the east up towards Nant-y-moch reservoir.

Absolument - mon Brave!

The road from Tal-y-bont over Nant-y-moch dam and down to Ponterwyd is being used as Stage 2 & 6 on the Rali Bae Ceredigion next month; first all closed roads stage rally in Wales. I am doing the "card collect" PC after those stages with a couple of friends to help out our mates at Teify Valley Motor Club who run the Myherin stage on WRGB. My club has done the stage finish control on WRGB with TVMC for the last 15 years at least.

[Isimmo]

Originally Posted by SwallownAmazon

Absolument - mon Brave!

The road from Tal-y-bont over Nant-y-moch dam and down to Ponterwyd is being used as Stage 2 & 6 on the Rali Bae Ceredigion next month; first all closed roads stage rally in Wales. I am doing the "card collect" PC after those stages with a couple of friends to help out our mates at Teify Valley Motor Club who run the Myherin stage on WRGB. My club has done the stage finish control on WRGB with TVMC for the last 15 years at least.

Wow, that sounds fantastic. Mind, there is some serious drops off the side if they get it wrong and it’s a hoop-de-doo road with many undulations. I bet you’ll collect less cards than were issued at the start.



This section near Bwlch Glas mine isn’t somewhere you’d want to drop off the edge. Whilst not sheer, you’d roll many many times before the bottom...

[slacky]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

Oooo, now you’re making mischief... Fancy a road test report? it nearly was the S2. Last year it did the Cotswolds holiday with ease. You clearly remember the photos, but the temptation of taking the 265bhp “new kid on the block” with functional air conditioning (rather than broke) and a semi automatic stronic Gearbox won the day.

Incidentally, and interestingly for those who have never driven an stronic Gearbox here’s a quick review.

It’s a complex character.... excellent but also overly complex.

Competent but sometimes dim witted.

Put simply, you cannot let it get on with it.

In “D” it’s great for bumbling about in stop go traffic or bugger all effort motorway stuff, in town it’s okay in D but sometimes needs a quick intervention of manual with the paddles. This is great but locks it in “M” for several seconds. So, in “D” flip down on paddles and accelerate to merge then ease off (in a manual, where you’d boot it out of a junction in 1st and 2nd and probably go straight to 4th in a 40 limit) ... the stronic thinks it is at Brands Hatch and holds 2nd either until you manually change up or it gets bored with your incompetence.

Sport mode is the same but worse. A turgid seam of hanging revs and gestimated next step road conditions.

So, I’ve spent a fortnight in “M” ...

And it is utter bliss. A fantastic Gearbox, once you work out the throttle position for seamless changes and preselection it just serves up hours of twisting A and B road delight.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still thinking for you in manual, floor it and it’ll still kick down, which is annoying, as it can’t see why you’re flooring it. (e.g. high gear approaching a short steep rising gradient- of which there’s many in Wales).

It is complex and I’d guess most owners just put it in “D” and live with its occasional dim-wittedness, but I’d like to think I’ve learned to “play” the stronic box a bit better than that after 1500 miles of playing.

Is it as good as a manual box... nah, it cannot see what you see so cannot adapt... But, in today’s world of congestion, long motorway slogs and stop start town driving, it’s fine. Full bore, brain and licence in a cell overnight driving its also fine... But mixed traffic, hills and “interactive driving “ there’s only one position. Manual.

But if we were in the S2 the long tailbacks and heavy traffic around the A/M27 A34 and M4 around Newport would have been miserable with the S2’s man size clutch and Victorian signal box gear selection.

It really is horses for courses.

One day, I’d love to do the Elan Valley and the mountain road in the Ur or the rally car... One day....

Sorry , that was rude , a very COMPREHENSIVE report indeed , now where did you put the s2?

[sinbin5t]

Originally Posted by slacky

Sorry , that was rude , a very COMPREHENSIVE report indeed , now where did you put the s2?

Naughty but very funny too !

[Isimmo]

Originally Posted by sinbin5t

Naughty but very funny too !

Here am I, slaving away typing up this dross in the vain hope it keeps you entertained in the shires and all you can do is take the pi$$ .

As one great luminary that used to be on the quattroforum used to say... Why do I bother?

[slacky]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

Here am I, slaving away typing up this dross in the vain hope it keeps you entertained in the shires and all you can do is take the pi$$ .

As one great luminary that used to be on the quattroforum used to say... Why do I bother?

Because you love us

[sinbin5t]

Originally Posted by slacky

Because you love us

Course he does

He knows we like what he puts on here !