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Mitsubish CVT on Lancer 2002 2003 models

Fri, 10/10/2008 - 00:59 — Risharde

I hear a lot of guys boasting about their manual vehicles and how its a macho thing. Well I respect that view but whilst I respect it, I think that manual is just too tedious especially comparing to how far our technology has advanced.

People are of the misconception that the Mitsubishi Lancers with CVT (CVT was spelt as CTV which was wrong and was corrected on Tues 21st Oct 08 1:41AM) are slow all the time, I would disagree saying that it can be slow (at times) and is really mostly dependant on how you control your foot work on the pedal.

From my experience, mashing right down on the accelarator pedal does not cause the car to accelarate faster, instead, it seems this causes the car to increase power wise and eventually change its gears. If you really want to see what CVT can do, you must mash in a gradual constant footwork and you will be surprised how fast you will reach the 80 km mark - even on the less popular GDI versions.

My lancer 2002 model came with a downshift (DS) option. Now you need to know how to use it. FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU CANNOT DRIVE ON THIS GEAR ALL THE TIME!
What I do is this, I use normal D (the drive gear) and when I need to accelarate fast, I let go the accelarator pedal, pull down to the Ds option and mash on the accelerator pedal again for about 1-2 seconds (depending on how fast I am currently going at) and then I shift back to D. This causes the car to safely accelerate with only a minor pull of jerk... if you do this perfectly, the car will smoothly "fly".

For more about the CVT technology and why this might just be the way of the future, check out howstuffworks.com . You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Comments

Sun, 10/19/2008 - 14:57 — Risharde

Sorry to say Shawn... but as

Sorry to say Shawn... but as you said, you don't have to drive more than an hour a day to work... and I think you making manual drivers look bad when you call trucks that have automatic transmission as being "girly" trucks (don't mind hard back man using them), let me guess, CVT is a girly thing too even though its been used industrially decades ago. An opinion is an opinion... I agree with the reason why mitsu and all the other manufacturing industry using the gearbox however, I think it has a lot to do with how they design "automatic"... automatic seems to be designed poorly but maybe technology can change that and make them adequate rivals, why is there tiptronic now then? If you so much agree with gear box being the way of the future, then you should probably go back to analog switches and build computers... see how long that takes you... and I choose to drive automatic.. just like I choose to run quad core machines vs a slower computer that takes up a whole room. Also, of course gearbox gives you more control of your vehicle, I think that's why people like it too. Last but not least, gears have been here before they invented automatic, so irritatingly technically, which one is the older technology? I apologize if I made it sound that it doesn't have place for gearboxes but I was more intending on showing that in this day and age, automatic should be very much close to the response of the gearbox and CVT should work better than it does.

Tue, 10/14/2008 - 02:35 — friend

Manual vehicles

"I think that manual is just too tedious especially comparing to how far our technology has advanced"

I am offended by this!

This is offensive to drivers and owners of manual vehicles!

Do you think that gearboxes were made for less technology advanced vehicles or drivers ?

Did Ferdinand Porsche and Enzo Ferrari make less-technologically capable sports cars because they didn't have auto trannies?

Did MITSUBISHI make less-technologically capable WRC winners because the Lancer Evolution IV, V and VI (and VII - X) had gearboxes ?

Do you think that most 4x4 off-roaders (like my L200) were made with gearboxes because they are somehow at a technological disadvantage to other 'trucks' with trannies ?

No my friend, gearboxes have a very clear and functional role in today's automotive industry

There ends my soapbox rant . . .

Gearboxes or manual transmissions serve a distinct purpose - deliver more of the engine's power to the drive-wheels than a transmission, while being more fuel efficient as well as giving the driver more control over the vehicle.

See, with a tranny, you just have to slip it in Drive and open the throttle - no real competency required by the driver, other than the ability to maneuver the vehicle. Anyone can do it.

But with a gearbox . . . now you need to know how to drive

Gearboxes give the driver the ability to connect with the vehicle, to harmonize with the engine and select the best way to deliver the engine's power to the road conditions

Knowing which gear to select when really makes a driver, unlike allowing a TCU and hydraulic pressures determine when to downshift and up-shift

GEARBOXES ARE MORE FUN TO DRIVE

I have driven auto for 8 years on a daily basis before switching to manual, and will choose a manual transmission\gearbox anyday

I had them both - conventional mechanical tranny and CVT tranny

And for you readers who will say that I am crazy because I am of this view about gearboxes because I don't have to endure hours of traffic a day, I will agree with you. Not that I am crazy, but there are some times when a gearbox will be a bit tedious to drive - like 3 hour drives to and from POS on a daily basis

A stock clutch will be a pain in itself, let alone a street and strip or copper clutch (but who have these allyuh look for what allyuh get - don't complain)

Many 'trucks' now are coming automatic, but these girlie-trucks aren't a real man's truck, but are more like conveniences for pretty boys and posers

Auto trannies and gearboxes have their own place in the world, each its own best fit scenarios, but let's face it, there are those who can drive stick and those who can't

Shawn out