Member Since: 28 Jul 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 121
Best mode for towing
Apologies if this has been asked before but I’ve been told that using Sport mode is ‘better’ than Drive mode when towing (and even in slow moving traffic) as it changes up later and puts less strain on the engine/gearbox. Can anyone clarify if this is the case and whether it has any bearing on fuel consumption? I am not about to become a boy racer at my age but would be interested to know if there are any real advantages in using this mode when lugging the caravan about and solo driving in cities.
Thanks
26th Mar 2019 12:50 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10296
No - have towed with both 6 speed and 8 speed, and just leave it in D
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26th Mar 2019 2:03 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8072
auto, cruise on at 60, sit back, relax and be prepared for take off when going up hills It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
26th Mar 2019 2:12 pm
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
al cope wrote:
No - have towed with both 6 speed and 8 speed, and just leave it in D
Al
Agreed.
I hardly ever use Sport mode anyway - no real need for it ...
26th Mar 2019 2:19 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8072
Thats because the gearbox is adaptive to the drivers style of driving It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
Engine braking is much better in sport mode, you don’t have to rely on the brakes on downhill sections, helps to keep it in check.
26th Mar 2019 8:30 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10296
but even in D you can downshift via the paddles or gearshift (in the 6 speed) to use engine braking, so still no need to use S
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
Last edited by al cope on 27th Mar 2019 11:28 am. Edited 1 time in total
27th Mar 2019 8:49 am
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8072
Autos will engine brake in any gear in auto if you take your foot of the accelerator when going downhill, thats one thing that is unique with the ZF auto box.
Try going down a steep hill at 30mph for example without touching the accelerator, the box will not change up until the accelerator is pressed to take the speed above what the vehicle is going, always fascinates me how it does it.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
27th Mar 2019 9:39 am
Wolfpack
Member Since: 28 Jul 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 121
Thanks for the comments. I suppose my only concern was that on long uphill hauls on French motorways with a loaded caravan on the back, the engine does sound as though it’s labouring. I do downshift on the paddles on occasions when it disturbs me too much but was just wondering if S mode would read the situation better and downshift sooner.
but even in D you can downshift via the paddles or gearshift (in the 6 speed) to use engine braking, so still no need to use S
Al
Very little engine braking in Drive, more or less coasting, put in Sport it will immediately drop a cog.
Using paddle shift is overriding the auto box, stick in Sport and does it all for you.
If your towing on long drags then again Sport works well as it very rarely will go in to 8th, especially at towing speeds, you can get it to drop into 8th in Sport but you need to be doing welll in excess of 60mph then you lift the throttle slightly and coax it and it will drop in. Least mine does.
27th Mar 2019 6:28 pm
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2136
If I’m going down a reasonable hill in my 6 speed, if I touch the brakes, it will drop a gear.
I can now almost every time just get it to change gear if I want to by a small dab of the brakes.
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27th Mar 2019 7:40 pm
ostosix
Member Since: 19 Mar 2017
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 305
I'd be interested to hear some towing stuff about D£ box
27th Mar 2019 8:28 pm
adm013
Member Since: 15 Nov 2015
Location: Western Isles
Posts: 25
When towing on A/B roads I usually pop it into S and use the manual paddles as in S it doesn't automatically change back to full auto unless you want it too allowing you to manually control the box. If you use the paddles in D it will revert back to full auto after a short period. Benefit of this is that it allows you to read the road ahead and judge it yourself as I have found the down shifts when towing a weight can be a bit clunky otherwise.
27th May 2019 1:11 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
sports mode......used it once.....toooooooooooooo fast for me....stick with d
27th May 2019 10:23 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Wolfpack wrote:
Thanks for the comments. I suppose my only concern was that on long uphill hauls on French motorways with a loaded caravan on the back, the engine does sound as though it’s labouring. I do downshift on the paddles on occasions when it disturbs me too much but was just wondering if S mode would read the situation better and downshift sooner.
If your car sounds like it’s labouring and not doing 80 or going up a 1:4 hill I’d get it checked. None of my 3s or 4 laboured with a TA van on the back.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
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auto, cruise on at 60, sit back, relax and be prepared for take off when going up hills 
