I own a 2000 audi a6 4.2 quattro. Sometimes when i feel like accelerating faster i shift into to tiptronic and then downshift while i am accelerating. This revs up the engine and makes it accelerate quicker. I was wondering if downshifting while accelerating the car is bad for the transmission.

The engine and transmission controllers are smart enough that they back off the engine while the transmission is shifting.

Enjoy!

Bob

One day when I was visiting my indy mechanic he mentioned something about downshifting.

It is ok to downshift to accelerate, but try to limit downshifting to merely slow down. He said it wasn't necessarily designed to do that on extreme levels.

The tip is pretty awesome, and I've toyed with it extensively, but it is still an automatic. When in manual mode it is a lot of fun rolling through the mountains keeping the Rs in the powerband, but don't do it every day. If you need that type of thrill on a recurring (daily, even weekly) basis, go ahead and get yourself a true standard drive transmission car. S4 anyone?

**edit -- An afterthought, you don't necessarily have to get an S4 to have that kind of fun. I'd be curious to drive a A6 2.7t 6MT to truly see how the big ol' C5 handles down "The Snake" (Route 421). Of course a TT would be the real treat!

v/r,
Paul