I finally got around opening the hood to adjust the bowden cable.
The bowden cable is easily accessible, it is right next to the oil filter. black cable with a white plastic screw much like a bicycle brake cable to adjust the tension in it. simply put the tighter the cable adjustment the better the shifting " higher revs before shifting". i tried a couple of times with diffent settings to get to where i wanted it to be. basically anticlockwise will make trans shift at higher revs.
I also took out the black center air filter housing, not just the top that is used to take out the air filter. below the air intake is the adjustment for the accelerator cable as well. i found considerable slack in that cable and tightened it appropriately.
the car now is considerabely less sluggish, it is more responsive, and the constant need for me to downshift manually using the d to 3 is not needed anymore.
i suggest everyone who has a sluggish acceleration to make sure these two cables are properly adjusted.
good luck

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