RE: Auto Xmissions & Winter Driving

["Charles W. Barber" <cbarber2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Dr. Gridlock" is substantially correct because moving the selector in
an automatic transmission to a lower value actually selects a higher
gear for starting. When the transmission selector is in "D", first
gear will be selected when the car is not already moving. (On most
cars) putting the selector into "L" or "2" forces the transmission to
stay in second gear ... including when the starting. As you point out,
that is the standard method for starting on a slippery surface.

On a BMW (at least on my 525i), just moving the selector to a lower
setting engages the "sport" mode. The car will still start out in
first but won't shift up past the selected gear (and will shift at
higher RPM/torque) ... exact opposite of what is wanted for winter
driving. To start on a slippery surface, you must also switch the
transmission to "manual" mode.



- -----Original Message-----
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 18:08:30 -0500
From: rfg@domain.elided
Subject: Auto Xmissions & Winter Driving
<snip>
        I have never owned a car with an automatic transmission, so I
am
not absolutely sure of this but...I always thought that if you put an
automatic transmission into  "L", "1",  or "2", that this provided
increased torque to the driving wheels and was a poor choice for
driving in
the snow and/or for getting your car moving if you were stuck in snow.
Am
I wrong?

        I ask because a recent letter from a reader published in a
Washington Post column called "Dr. Gridlock" advised that the best way
to
do this was to use the lower gears.

        I know that with a standard transmission you would want to put
it
in a higher gear (lower torque) and gently let the clutch out, hoping
that
with the reduced torque you would get forward movement rather than a
spinning of the wheels.
<snip>
        Many thanks,
        Bob G.

------------------------------