Coming from a manual tranny - will the 8 sp make me happier than the 6 sp?
07-25-16, 05:42 PM
#16
Debatable. The spread of ratios in what you call it "top 5 gears" is 2.13 and each gear is nicely
separated from its adjacent gear by about 15-20%. However I agree that it makes little sense to keep
increasing number of gears - there are already some transmissions with 10 gears. But this particular 8-spd
is a marvel of engineering - it has fewer moving parts than the 8-spd ZF and GM transmissions, fewer gears,
fewer clutches, etc..
We owe this very cool piece of engineering to 2 Frenchmen and one Japanese inventor. They took a 6 spd design
and without adding anything more figured a way to get 2 more gears out of the design.
separated from its adjacent gear by about 15-20%. However I agree that it makes little sense to keep
increasing number of gears - there are already some transmissions with 10 gears. But this particular 8-spd
is a marvel of engineering - it has fewer moving parts than the 8-spd ZF and GM transmissions, fewer gears,
fewer clutches, etc..
We owe this very cool piece of engineering to 2 Frenchmen and one Japanese inventor. They took a 6 spd design
and without adding anything more figured a way to get 2 more gears out of the design.
Last edited by Olasek; 07-25-16 at 05:47 PM.
07-25-16, 05:55 PM
#17
Rookie
Thread Starter
I appreciate all of the info. But I'm a little confused - does the 6 speed shift as fast as the 8 speed? I'm not talking about how long it stays in a particular gear but how long it takes to shift from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd, etc. Also, is the manual mode functionally equivalent for the 2 trannys?
07-26-16, 10:18 AM
#18
And I am confused because you are confused 
Why would there be any difference between both transmissions in this regard?
Both represent fairly identical state of the art in gear switching technology.
Similar clutches, solenoids, etc.
This sort of minute technical data must be next to impossible to be obtained.
But still there are some great white papers published on AISIN transmissions which
cover typical data sought by inquisitive amateurs.
WeberAuto Youtube channel is also a very good source for data.
Why would there be any difference between both transmissions in this regard?
Both represent fairly identical state of the art in gear switching technology.
Similar clutches, solenoids, etc.
This sort of minute technical data must be next to impossible to be obtained.
But still there are some great white papers published on AISIN transmissions which
cover typical data sought by inquisitive amateurs.
WeberAuto Youtube channel is also a very good source for data.
Last edited by Olasek; 07-26-16 at 10:27 AM.
07-26-16, 03:16 PM
#19
Rookie
Thread Starter
And I am confused because you are confused
Why would there be any difference between both transmissions in this regard?
Both represent fairly identical state of the art in gear switching technology.
Similar clutches, solenoids, etc.
This sort of minute technical data must be next to impossible to be obtained.
But still there are some great white papers published on AISIN transmissions which
cover typical data sought by inquisitive amateurs.
WeberAuto Youtube channel is also a very good source for data.
Why would there be any difference between both transmissions in this regard?
Both represent fairly identical state of the art in gear switching technology.
Similar clutches, solenoids, etc.
This sort of minute technical data must be next to impossible to be obtained.
But still there are some great white papers published on AISIN transmissions which
cover typical data sought by inquisitive amateurs.
WeberAuto Youtube channel is also a very good source for data.
"The 6-speed box is decent, but paddle shifts don't feel especially quick or direct. The 8-speed version is a far superior transmission that addresses both these problems and is rather fun to use. As far as conventional automatics go, it's hard to imagine many gearboxes better than this."
My real question for me is deciding between an AWD and RWD certified pre-owned IS 350. Since I'm in the northeast there is nothing but AWD cars so I can't easily drive the two to compare. I am going to have to go out of state to get a RWD car. I've driven RWD BMWs for 20 years in the snow and have no problem buying a RWD IS 350 - so deciding based on weather is not a factor for me. I am looking for which is the most fun/best performance. From reading, it seems like the biggest difference is in the transmission hence my question on which transmission is the most fun. If the difference in transmission is only the addition of 2 gears for better gas mileage then I don't think the RWD is worth the extra hassle of buying out of state.
Last edited by Misterjim; 07-26-16 at 03:20 PM.
07-26-16, 06:04 PM
#20
I had no problem obtaining both AWD and RWD IS350s for my test driving here in CA. Frankly other than the number of gears I did not see any difference
between both transmissions. Always take everything you read with a grain of salt - this can be someone's own perception that is not shared by other reviewers.
Of course nothing beats your own experience - this is tough if you can't find a RWD car nearby but I would travel even 200+ miles for that - buying a car that
expensive I would try to assure myself that I am getting what I want. In fact I see a few RWD IS350 on cars.com (not necessarily brand new) that should
be within your reach to test drive. Once you know that you want a RWD you can always order the car you want - this is what I did here in CA since I had no
chance of actually buying a ready IS350 off dealer's lot with luxury package.
Thanks for explaining better your predicament, now I have a better sense where you were coming from.
between both transmissions. Always take everything you read with a grain of salt - this can be someone's own perception that is not shared by other reviewers.
Of course nothing beats your own experience - this is tough if you can't find a RWD car nearby but I would travel even 200+ miles for that - buying a car that
expensive I would try to assure myself that I am getting what I want. In fact I see a few RWD IS350 on cars.com (not necessarily brand new) that should
be within your reach to test drive. Once you know that you want a RWD you can always order the car you want - this is what I did here in CA since I had no
chance of actually buying a ready IS350 off dealer's lot with luxury package.
Thanks for explaining better your predicament, now I have a better sense where you were coming from.
07-26-16, 06:20 PM
#21
Rookie
Thread Starter
I had no problem obtaining both AWD and RWD IS350s for my test driving here in CA. Frankly other than the number of gears I did not see any difference
between both transmissions. Always take everything you read with a grain of salt - this can be someone's own perception that is not shared by other reviewers.
Of course nothing beats your own experience - this is tough if you can't find a RWD car nearby but I would travel even 200+ miles for that - buying a car that
expensive I would try to assure myself that I am getting what I want. In fact I see a few RWD IS350 on cars.com (not necessarily brand new) that should
be within your reach to test drive. Once you know that you want a RWD you can always order the car you want - this is what I did here in CA since I had no
chance of actually buying a ready IS350 off dealer's lot with luxury package.
Thanks for explaining better your predicament, now I have a better sense where you were coming from.
between both transmissions. Always take everything you read with a grain of salt - this can be someone's own perception that is not shared by other reviewers.
Of course nothing beats your own experience - this is tough if you can't find a RWD car nearby but I would travel even 200+ miles for that - buying a car that
expensive I would try to assure myself that I am getting what I want. In fact I see a few RWD IS350 on cars.com (not necessarily brand new) that should
be within your reach to test drive. Once you know that you want a RWD you can always order the car you want - this is what I did here in CA since I had no
chance of actually buying a ready IS350 off dealer's lot with luxury package.
Thanks for explaining better your predicament, now I have a better sense where you were coming from.
07-26-16, 07:08 PM
#22
Multiple reasons. I always liked simpler, lighter cars, in principle, I do own a 2001 BMW Z3, manual). I do go skiing to the mountains in winter
but not enough to justify AWD in otherwise fair-weather California. There was also another reason - my home is on an uphill terrain, getting into my garage
I go over a 'bump'. I always had problems with bottom clearance - AWD has even less clearance underneath. I almost scrape floor
in my RWD IS 350, in an AWD it would be even bigger problem.
but not enough to justify AWD in otherwise fair-weather California. There was also another reason - my home is on an uphill terrain, getting into my garage
I go over a 'bump'. I always had problems with bottom clearance - AWD has even less clearance underneath. I almost scrape floor
in my RWD IS 350, in an AWD it would be even bigger problem.
07-27-16, 04:14 PM
#23
Rookie
Thread Starter
Multiple reasons. I always liked simpler, lighter cars, in principle, I do own a 2001 BMW Z3, manual). I do go skiing to the mountains in winter
but not enough to justify AWD in otherwise fair-weather California. There was also another reason - my home is on an uphill terrain, getting into my garage
I go over a 'bump'. I always had problems with bottom clearance - AWD has even less clearance underneath. I almost scrape floor
in my RWD IS 350, in an AWD it would be even bigger problem.
but not enough to justify AWD in otherwise fair-weather California. There was also another reason - my home is on an uphill terrain, getting into my garage
I go over a 'bump'. I always had problems with bottom clearance - AWD has even less clearance underneath. I almost scrape floor
in my RWD IS 350, in an AWD it would be even bigger problem.
07-27-16, 04:32 PM
#24
Rookie
Thread Starter
Here's a Toyota press brief about the 8 speed auto in the IS-F. They make it seem like it's something totally new.
http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_...rticle_id=1519
http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_...rticle_id=1519
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