One of the main reasons I got rid of my 5-speed maxima was becuase I didn't like driving it in traffic. If there is one thing that instantly puts me in a bad mood...its traffic! haha

Anyway...I like to be as relaxed as possible in bumper to bumper traffic, and I started using ECT Snow to smooth out the constant stop and go. It totally eliminates the annoying jerky starts that traffic forces you to make.

oh, and it adds 5-6mpg compared to no ECT or ECT Power in traffic situations.

Just wondering if i'm the only one!

 

interesting...i have noticed the few times i use it that the car seems to start in 4th gear. cant say that i have really used it. i have barely turned it to the power mode. never had a car that had that feature so i tend to forget it is there....

 

yeah, I was surprised at what a difference they make. the Power makes it feel like a totally different car. it holds your RPMs really high, and downshifts more aggressively. better throttle response as well.

crazy computers :-p

 

You're not alone.

I drive on the 405 freeway here in SoCal.

In heavy traffic (whenever I actually stop, not slow down), I use it. It does help a little with MPG, and it does help the car run a little more smoothly.

 

Me too, and I also use it when I've got the in-laws in the back seat and want to seem like a totally smooth and sane driver. Not the usual hooligan that I am.

 

I like the jerky start/stop. That was what made me buy the 350 over 250. It feels like I am using all the HP I paid for. hehehe...

 

nice. i will definately have to give this a try sometimes. maybe then i wont **** off everyone behind me when i let the car roll in slower traffic xP

 

I usually drive all the time in the pwr mode, but once in a while, in very heavy traffic I put in on snow to smooth out the ride. No snow down here in FL, but in a heavy rain, I'll put in on ECTsnow to keep my back end from sliding out around corners. The one time my Mom {79 yrs} rode in the car, I switched to snow so I woudn't hurt her neck from my normal hard acceleration.

 

maybe it just me I use none of the above mode... I try to use the pwr mode but dosen't feeling right maybe because I am use to the normal mode...

 

interesting havent tried that yet

 

I found the same to be true.

It becomes a totally different car.

The IS350 has so many cool features and def 1 of my favorite rides

Sundance

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who deals with the jerky starts in traffic! For a while I had myself convinced I just didn't know how to press the acceleration correctly!! Even after a year of ownership I still find making a smooth 1-2 shift tricky (in Auto mode of course) but in traffic there's no stopping the jerk. With that said, I'm always on the 405 in LA as well, and I'll definitely try out the Snow mode.

Just out of curiosity, did the IS300 have the jerky 1-2 shift? If there's one complaint I have about our cars, it's definitely this.

 

Interesting... I'll have to try that next time I find myself in traffic.

 

I got hit by that big midwestern snow storm this winter, dropped 6 inches at school, and over one foot back home in Ohio. I went back home after the storm and the roads were still bad, and down here at school, we dont have very good road crews at all. I loved the Snow button, but I also have an AWD.

 

I use it whenever I remember for city driving, it definely give you better gas mileage. Does anyone know if it hurt anything if I use it too often?