1st time in really bad traffic. Too many gears.

Fortunately we rarely encounter this but we went to an apple festival in Hendersonville NC yesterday which required interstate driving on nasty bumper to bumper sections of I-26 and even I-40. The Challenger just shifts way too much and jerks constantly in this slow stop and go traffic. Manual mode is a pain in the butt but you can certainly control it better. I was thinking 'sport mode' which tends to hold the gears in place longer instead of shifting but didn't want to upset the wife if it made things worse, plus it's louder.
Such a sweet highway car when not in these situations but nothing beats the simplicity of a 4 speed auto tranny. Screw the gas mileage. It's such a better deal than having 8 gears. That's me anyway. I'm just stuck in the past.
For you guys in bad traffic areas, what do you do? Just let the tranny do it's own thing or perhaps use that 'sport' mode???

 

I don't run into it often but I just live with it trying to be easy on the accelerator and coasting to keep it in one gear.
The scenario I hate is when I'm braking when approaching a red light. Before I come to a complete stop, the light turns green. I give the car a little throttle but it doesn't accelerate, so I give it a little more. By then the trans downshifts, the car take off like a bat out of hell and I can see my wife's head snap back into the headrest. Boy does that piss her off!

 

Thats why I had them install a third pedal in my car

 

^^ There are times I think that way but shifting constantly in the mountains gets old, especially when I already have a 5 speed manual in my Mustang. My wife will drive the Mustang but she dislikes being on those steep inclines at traffic lights or elsewhere.

 

Haha!! I've seen that look too. The true muscle car experience. We are lucky to have 'car wives' that understand us. For 44 years my wife has supported my car hobby.
I'm fortunate in that regard as I've actually seen guys give up their cars to women that give them the ultimatum, "Either the car goes or I do". I personally feel that giving up the wife in that scenario is the proper move. It's no way to live. The guys usually end up divorced anyway.

 

^^^ Yes!! That 5 speed would be so much more pleasant in my 2020.

 

If I had a choice I would have gone with the 5 speed too. I got all the enjoyment of a 4 speed manual I needed when I had a 72 Nova SS with a Muncie 21. When the leg starts shaking and your lower back starts killing you it's time to give it up. Plus being a daily driver I needed to make sure my wife could drive it if the need ever came up.

 

I got divorced for other reasons but that ultimatum would have had it happen sooner.

"That's nice, dear, shall I help you pack?"

 

Which is always fun in bumper-to-bumper traffic, I think not.