For giggles I decided to try driving into work today with the sports button off. I've gotten into the habit of turning it on within seconds of the engine starting.

Drove all the way to work with it off ~12 miles highway and 8 miles city.

It's a different car without it. Much more civilized and smooth. No jerking forward as you barely touch the gas pedal. No being pressed back into the seat with just a nudge. No accidental tire chirps while leaving red lights. I'm pretty sure I was getting better gas mileage too.

That was enough. Experiment over. I want my rawness back. Sport button will be back on when I head home

 

 

That gif always cracks me up. Is that what I deserve for even thinking about turning the button off?

 

I know it's probably a sin but I drive with the sport button off most of the time in my daily driving and use it when I want to treat myself granted this is at least once a day but..... This is also probably has something to do with the fact I'm averaging over 35 mpg. Your right it is a totally different car on and off.

 

Since Skeeter is still under the first 1k miles to soon to know what the difference on mileage will be using the SB. But no matter......... SB stays on for the few cents per mile differance.

 

I weaned myself off the SB on my trip up the coast .Guess I need the flipper slap also .

 

The sport button is fun but for everday its to intense.

 

The button should be reversed. Sport mode all the time and then press the button to engage cruise mode. The only time I turn the button off is if I'm going to be traveling on the highway for many miles.

 

Im with you. Although I dont keep the sport button off for fuel economy, I do it for the dr. jekyl and mr. hyde feeling. I love to be able to turn it on and to really get things into gear. I just cant seem to find where the resevoir of adrenaline is held at? How often do i need to refill it?

I just dont want to acclimate myself to the sport feeling, i want it to be just as exciting as it was the first time i pressed it. Just like if you always drank a 50 yr old scotch (mmm now i want a glass) it wouldnt be as good as the first time or if you periodically drank it. Then when you drank a lesser scotch it just isnt as enjoyable. I guess you get the point that im trying to make.

(I love scotch...scotchy scotch scotch..here it goes, down to my belly)

 

I can only drive the car with sport on. The throttle is way too slow to respond with it off and makes modulating the throttle and clutch difficult.

 

I would have to agree.

The only thing I'm concerned about is if driving conservatively with the sport button on will cause the computer to tame the sport button setting. I know that most car computers learn and adapt so that after a time you will get better mileage and so on.....I love the feel of the steering and throttle response of the sport mode, but at the same time like to drive somewhat conservative to maintain good gas mileage. If some one knows if the car will "learn" in sport mode or not, please let me know.

 

Whew! ya had me worried! I've been driving with the sport button on since the day I picked up Isobel. In fact I now have it modded to "auto turn on" when I start up the car. No more worries about forgeting to hit the button. If my car has adapted to the button being on, I haven't noticed it, but when I stomp on the gas I still get this reaction with sport button on the car responds and feels as it was meant to imho. As far a gas mileage is concerned, I get 32-40mpg in my S.

 

+1.

 

How?

 

For months, I did not engage the sport button except for brief occasions. Coming from a 1996 Mazda Protege LX, it was quite a step up in performance without it. Now, I have been turning it on more frequently. Definitely like driving another car. I have use for both modes and am glad the button is there.

 

I drive via 23 miles of twisties each way for my daily commute.
25.5 mpg with SB engaged, 29.5 mpg with it off. I also figure that by delaying the gratification I make those load-blowing SB excursions that much more special.

BTW, try Clan McGreggor for your daily Scotch. It's a passable blend that doesn't destroy your palate; smooth and unobtrusive with a pleasant dry finish.
Then go for the Macallan 25 on special days....

 

I wouldn't fault anybody for not using sport mode...I've been back and forth w/ it myself. If we find fuel economy is impacted then I might go back to doing the bulk of my driving w/o, but I find, as MPower said, that the throttle response in sport mode is a better match for my personal left foot (clutch) when trying to achieve nice, smooth launches. This effect makes it an important factor in everyday run-of-the-mill driving. I can see where someone else's feet might be calibrated differently, but for now I'm switching sport mode on during pre-flight. That the steering is tightened is less relevant...but, hey, I ain't complainin'!!!

btw, I might have a very different take on the whole matter if driving an automatic every day.

 

If I'm gonna drink Scotch, I'd go single malt. But, since I'm not gonna drink Scotch, I'd try your suggestion...

 

I hear that. When I first used the sport mode, I burned rubber. But now, my shifts and launches are smoother with sport mode engaged. Plus, I love the steering feel. It reminds me of the taut feel of the steering in my Benz's, the one CR always whined about requiring too much exersion.

 

Although I love the Sport mode during my test drives, I found the normal mode quite good as well. What I'll probably do once I get the car is to start out driving with normal mode most of the time as I get accustomed to the increased power of the car (compared to my current Saturn, which has 124 HPs). Then once I'm more acclimated to the car (how it respond, etc), I'll probably switch on the Sport mode more often.

 

I noticed this too, since you get more control with the sport button I can get going smoothly at 1000RPM. Without the sport button I generally have to get going at 1200RPM.

 

Maybe the button should be renamed. Instead of Sport Mode and off it could be the Sport/Economy button. Good fuel mileage was certainly a consideration in my decision to get a Mini and since I'll be driving mine for work a lot economy is a big factor.

 

I have a friend (a very experienced motorer) who turned Sport Mode off at the Dragon as he felt he could modulate the throttle better (less on/off). In certain conditions I can see where this would make perfect sense.

 

Read the post in electrical mods on Auto on sport button. Coffeeman details how to do it. You may need to read it a couple of times to put it all together though. If you have any further questions go ahead and post them in that thread.

 

I know what you mean! I'm keeping my old Saturn (love it, esp. those polymer side doors. . .no dents ever in 12 years!). But the new HP, going from 124 to 179 or so. . .whew! EXCITING!!!!