Continuously Variable Transaxle II

if i buy a caliber with this Continuously Variable Transaxle II transmisstion how sporty would it be to drive? test drove a compass with this new transmisstion it's an odd feel. the only reason why I ask the wife can't drive a 5 speed. need to teach her so that I can just get the SRT4.

I've heard the CVT is more lame to drive than a regular Automatic that you can at least shift semi-manually if you want.
The reviews I've seen on the Compass/Caliber say that it would be better to have even an old 4-speed auto than the CVT. A five or six speed Auto with Auto-Stik would be great. I'm getting old so I may not opt for the Manual Trans in my next new Car. I don't want a lame CVT though.
If you want SRT4 in disguise, find a PT Cruiser GT (has same engine/transmission as Neon SRT4). If you have to have an automatic you can get a Cruiser Turbo Automatic, take it to the Dodge/Chrysler Dealer and have the Stage One upgrade kit installed. That will upgrade you from 180hp to 240hp (GT Crusier is 220-230) and it also changes that transmission shift program to a more aggressive/sports shift setup.

Not sporty at all... I have an RT with the 2.4. It's pretty fun to use the autostick but gas mileage suffers. Even with the autostick I got punked by a Neon light to light...

I'm still looking for that guy with my Durango!!

The CVT has very lousy initial acceleration.
Almost anything can out run it in the first 40 mph or so.
They are coming out with a 6-speed version of the current 4-speed auto used in all of the FWD cars. I was hoping they would make it available in the Caliber. Then I would buy one.

The CVT has very lousy initial acceleration.
Almost anything can out run it in the first 40 mph or so.
They are coming out with a 6-speed version of the current 4-speed auto used in all of the FWD cars. I was hoping they would make it available in the Caliber. Then I would buy one.

I personally like the smoothness of the CVT, but it is NOT a performance oriented transmission. It limits torque from the engine from 0-15 MPH and then allows it to take off as wanted. I'm waiting one somebody to crack the CVT programming, and maybe add another gear to autostick, it seems to me that it is missing a gear after 6. When shifting from drive to 6 at highway speeds, the RPM's go up at least 1500-2500, maybe a 7th gear should be there? If somebody cracks their CVT, we might be able to do more with the engine and such as well.

To fully understand a "Continuously Variable Transmission" or CVT, I suggest at read at the following link:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cvt.htm

Comparing CVT's to conventional transmissions is like comparing apples to oranges.

There is a PCM flash out for CVT owners complaining of poor acceleration. I can't tell a difference after the flash, though. I think the CVT is one of Chrysler's better ideas. The world engine, however, was not. Maybe they'll work the bugs out in a few years..

My god what an old thread...

Thanks for the heads up! Do you know if this is something that has to be requested or will the tech just do it?

The reason I ask is because I was in for an oil change last week and I thought it seemed a little peppy afterwards.... I dismissed it as my seat being a little closer and me mashing the accelerator harder... got me???

I'm definitely going to look into this,,,

I believe it's a customer satisfaction bulletin saying to flash the PCM if the customer complained of poor acceleraction, so I doubt it was done during a LOF.

I have a 2006 RT with the 6 speed autostick.
In drive the car is lathargic. It's acceleration is very poor! So much so I almost got rear ended when pulling out on a road by a big truck! Even though I was 200 feet away from him!
I have learned to use the autostick with good results in accelerating when I need to. You have to get good with it in order to pass a semi with about 100 yards of sight ! I have got alot of compliments on the cars looks.
With 25K on so far I have had one front axle go bad, 4 Firestone tires go bad and 2 speakers. The car handles well with the Firestone Firehawks. It corners very well in the twisty mountain backroads!

I have a 2007 RT with the 6 speed autostick.
In drive the car is lathargic. It's acceleration is very poor! So much so I almost got rear ended when pulling out on a road by a big truck! Even though I was 200 feet away from him!
I have learned to use the autostick with good results in accelerating when I need to. You have to get good with it in order to pass a semi with about 100 yards of sight ! I have got alot of compliments on the cars looks.
With 25K on so far I have had one front axle go bad, 4 Firestone tires go bad and 2 speakers. The car handles well with the Firestone Firehawks. It corners very well in the twisty mountain backroads! You have to learn to get good with the autostick

The CVT makes for a good driver, not so much on performance. Thats what my S10 is good for, with a 383 stroker of course!