So this isn't really A3 specific but I thought this was as good a place as any. I own an A3 with the 6 speed automatic transimission. Anyway, I'm far from being a gear head and I was hoping I could get some driving advice specifically having to so with gear braking and using neutral to coast. This is motivated by a trip this weekend where it was pretty hilly and I almost ran out of gas.

So first, gear braking. Is there anything I need to know about this besides the obvious don't shift down to 1st when going 50 mph? Basically, I usually just shift over to the manual setting and just click down (hey finally using the paddle shifters!) when i get the amount of breaking I want and then shift up and back into auto at the end of the hill. Is that all good? It sometimes sounds pretty loud when it's a really steep hill (nothing too crazy though). Is that all right for the transmission?

Second, shifting to neutral. I have found when going down hill that I can get a lot more speed if I have the car in neutral rather than in drive (and 6th gear). Is shifting and holding into neutral and problem at all? I've noticed it confuses the hell out of the onboard 'milage left' computer algorithm but it always eventually sorts itself out. I can't really seen an issue here but I thought I would ask.

Thanks for the help! Any other driving pointers would also be appreciated. Thanks.

 

hmm i'm trying to think what it could be no luck

 

yes you are do not decrease the speed when you are shifting from 1st gear to 2nd gear that will stop the car

 

coasting in neutral in an automatic is bad news for the trans, for sure!

 

You don't save fuel by putting the transmission into neutral either... modern fuel injection motors, including ours, sense when the engine is in overrun mode and stop injecting fuel. When you put the trans into neutral the engine effectively goes into idle mode and hence a small amount of fuel is added to keep the engine idling

You can see this occur if you have the instantaneous fuel consumption option in the DIS display.

Opinions will differ but I say for best fuel consumption, don't use cruise control and treat the throttle as if you had an unboiled egg between your foot and the pedal.