i was driving my S the other day and was going around 15 or 20 mph and had to downshift to first so i could cross the intersection before the light turned red...my friend in the passenger seat said downshifting to first like that is bad...i dont see why its bad even automatic cars will downshift to first when u floor it...any1 else hear its bad to downshift to first, and why?

 

If you have to forceful shift it to 1st then it must be bad. The transmission is resisting it.

 

The only reason why I can see it would be bad is if you downshift into redline, downshifting will not catch the rev limiter! Let's say you are racing in 3rd gear approaching 8300rpm and while meaning to go to 4th you put it in 2nd! ouch!

 

when i downshifted to 1st going 15mph the rpms just jumped to 3000 (When in first)....its not like im forcing it nor am i any where near the redline

 

Downshifting into 1st is not bad, if you revmatch and do it right. ie.. don't allow the car to get upset and rock back and forth. I downshift into first all the time especially on the track.

Dale

 

its not bad if you double de-clutch it into gear

 

I agree, for autocross, I down-shift into first quite a bit (but I always try to match revs - most of the time with success - or you upset the balance/traction of the car).

Some manual gearbox cars have first gear lockouts (WRX), and people really have to force it into first. In general, forcing a car into gear is probably a bad idea.

But short of that, downshifting in the S, is no prob.