SVX 4EAT is marvellous!
 

Previously, the only other auto car I owned was the SVT Lightning and it made me crave a manual when driving along twisty roads...but the SVX is a different story!

I had to drop my step-daughter off at the stables this morning for an all day horseback riding class and took a different route to work - 8 miles of twisty roads where the speed limit is 55mph and the caution signs around some turns indicate 15-25mph. :D

At no point during the drive did I ever wish for a manual - it is almost as if the TCU was telepathically connected to my brain. It downshifted at 'exactly' the right time and held a gear when I wanted it to.

Subaru did their homework on this transmission for sure!

-Chike

P.S. I'm currently working out the details to do a 4.44 4EAT swap into my SVX from a '96 Outback, and I'm starting to second guess myself about ever needing to do a 5spd swap. By the time I pay off this car (33 months), I may just get a used '04/'05 STI. No need in messing with perfection, eh? ;)

tranny IS good!
 

I happen to really like the auto tranny too. Throw it in Manual Mode and shift through the gears by hand on some twisty back road....tons O fun!



Dave

This is refreshing. :) So many people ***** endlessly about the 4EAT in the SVX, but I happen to think that it really suits the car.

Granted, I've driven Alex's 6-speed SVX (a little), and that was fun. But the auto just...fits.

I'll be driving the SVX a lot this weekend (woohoo! - I haven't really driven it over the past couple weeks) and I look forward to the comfort and ease that he whole package provides. The auto is, to me, an integral part of that.

I do wish, now that I've learned a few things about driving, that it was more rear-drive biased, but that's a minor complaint in my book.

I like the 4EAT too. I had working the clutch in stop n go traffic for hours each day.

Do you know that manual botton is misunderstood lots of times?

You don't have to put in manual mode to shift thru the gears. In fact you may like it better if you don't.

The SVX was design for Grand Touring in all types of weather. The manual button is for the snow. It only works when the shfter is in 2nd or 3rd. It LOWERS the engine torque and increases the pressure to the transfer clutches for more rear wheel action. It's very good for snowy highway driving.

Manual mode in 2nd will get you only second gear no matter how slow you drive......

Manual mode in 3rd will get you 3rd and 2nd only.

Unless you have a JDM tranny. That's a whole different story. The rest of world has a different tranny than us US folks and IT actually does something more dramatic.

I realize that. However, I have tried it with and without manual mode on and I find that with it on it is much more responsive and it provides engine braking. It also is less likely to upshift on it's own in manual mode.....something I like.

You may like it better if you do!


Dave

Another thing I read about the US 4EAT is that if you put the tranny in 1st gear only, the torque split is kept at 50/50.

-Chike

It does that by skipping 1st gear.......which you can over-ride by putting it in 1st yourself! Problem solved:)




Dave

Crusing aggressively up to around 100 on the highway in 3rd is fun (did I just write that).

Throwing it in 2nd while at mid-speed is also fun (catapult).

Now, if I could override the ECU so that I can do the same for first, I'd have a lot of fun at very low speeds, but if you want to accelerate from 15+mph roll, its best to be in D.

The Legacy's TIP tranny would be a lot of fun in the SVX...been thinking about dropping it into BAD SVX. :)

Say it with me: "Overheat Tranny":D :D

Say it with me: Extra 4EAT with 8K mi. on it sitting in garage. :D

I drive as I please. My SVX has less than 30K miles on it anyway. If I should heat up the tranny, I can put the other auto in it or put in the STi 6-speed or Tip Legacy tranny in it. Either way, my driving experience only gets more interesting. :)

arondale

That's always good 'insurance' to have! :)

-Chike

From my understanding...
 

the tranny seems more responsive (on upshifts) in manual mode because it is trying to hold the highest gear/lowest torque it can (again, for winter driving). Thus, if you have it floored in 2nd with manual engaged and shift to 3rd at 3000rpm, it will shift immediately. Without manual engaged, it will still decide when it wants to shift, wich will be closer to 6000rpm because you have it floored. Yes? No? I felt the manual explanation in the owners manual was clear in explaining its gear selection and shift timing.

Downshifts...no idea. But, I love to downshift and listen to the Magnaflow exhaust wind down. Sounds sooooo nice. I need to get some sound clips!!:D

I must admit, I also like the 4EAT (at times). I think that it dam well knows when it just needs to pass someone, or when I want a serious downshift to accelerate and have some fun. I must admit, 1st gear annoys me though because it doesn't launch hard enough...most likely because it's an automatic. That's the only reason I'd want to transplant a manual in it, for that nicer hard core 1st gear.

I thought a 6-speed didn't fit in an SVX ...or was a serious pain in the ....

It can be done with 'tweaking'! I know of one member who has an STI 6 spd installed. Thing is, even though the trannys are different sizes, when you do a MT swap, you'll have to get a custom driveshaft made (or adjust the length on your existing one). The STI 6spd hooks up to the EG33, so the driveshaft is the only major mechanical issue...

-Chike

Doing about 25mph and then pushing the pedal through the firewall makes me love the 4eat. Slingshot. Awesome.