BlueSander

To precisely correct, Tip was not option in the S5 until 2009 model, hence a large percentage of used S5 out there are manual. If you look solely at 09 and 10 models, there are many Tip-quipped S5 then.

acadia

Actually, .3sec is quite a bit of time, think about a basketball game, that's enought time to draw up a play and get a tip in. We certainly can rationalize fractions of a second, To hit a 100mph fastball it takes about .4 secs to reach home plate, which means you have about .2 sec to decide whether to swing or not from the time the pitcher releases the ball. 90MPH fastball takes about .47secs to reach home plate, and hitters easily notice the difference betwee 100mp and 90mp and 80mp all which home plate around .5 secs.

The point, the human body can definitely detect the difference between .3secs.

BlueSander

yea, we ALL can tell the difference. It doesn't take a large brain or special skill for that. However, since S5 is a GT and most of us here are no racer but rather office guys, we do look for some comfort driving home everyday.

elf_cruiser

Maybe it's just the spaniard then, that can't tell the diff?

I hear you on the style and comfort - which is why I bought an S5, and not a Z06 or a Viper or any other of the (equally priced) dozens of ****box cars with big, cool motors that would run circles around the S5 on a track...

questionlp

Being an utter newbie at driving stick, I'm opting to go with a manual transmission in the S5 that I will be ordering over the Tiptronic, primarily because shift feel and time. Even without my shifting technique down, I like being in control of the clutch and transmission. Of course, I'll probably dread driving it in stop-and-go traffic, but I can avoid that most of the time.

Now, if all I wanted is a cruiser, the Tiptronic might be enough, but the lag between switching gears in manual mode and the actual change while driving around the hills gets a bit aggravating.

k7-seven

Im planning to get a S5, but I would also love to be using paddle shifts everytime I drive the car, is that really bad for the gear box? Also if i have drive select and set it to dynamic..i think..does changing gear with the paddle shifts be more responsive?

tomh009

Hmmm? My wife refuses to drive an automatic.

acadia

God bless your heart, you my friend have fine taste in women and cars!

Faelcrom

I have the TIP, and this is the first car I have owned in 25 years that is NOT a manual. All of my previous cars: RX7, Miata, 350Z, G35C etc. were my daily driver and been tracked on occassion.

To the comment about "Average American are such wusses", I have to ask: have you lived in Europe? I have....in both, 7 Years in UK and in Asia as well.

The UK B & C road makes a manual fun to row the sticks. Unfortunately, I live in LA, and spend WAY too much time stuck in the world's largest parking lots (LA's freeways), I don't get to do a lot of gear changes beyond 1 and 2, but I sure use the clutch a boat load...to the effect I swear my left calf is bigger then my right one. While I sure notice the difference between the shift speed in the TIP and the way I shift when I'm on the track. But how often do I really shift like that on a day to day basis......banging home the stick and clutching fast as I can on the street....emmm a waste of energy. Will I miss being able to stir the pot on my next track event? Probably. Will I bemoan the fact that I could have lap my fastest lap just a little faster? Nah.....I'll just go work on tightening up my line, brake a little later, harder and exit a little cleaner.

If I really miss having a manual that much, I'll go buy a miata, strip it and set it up purely for the track. If I can make a few more bucks and convince my wife, may be she'll let me get a 996 instead

acadia

quite your yappin' you wuss!!!