Paddle shifters

F

flybobbie

Elite
 Stourbridge
I don't have the auto box.
I find the manual transmission a bit notchy and the DCT box seems like a great idea.
But what's this with folks wanting to change out the paddle shifters. I would have thought that up/down through either paddle was a good idea.
Seems logical for a one handed operation.
Just watched a guy on the US site change his shifters to up/right and down/left.
This needs both hands on the steering.
Or is this a US thing.

Is this the effect of the Playstation generation?

Especially in the US, you need one hand free for the Cellphone, beer in paper bag or gun!
 
Well on proper sports cars it's meant to be left and right up and down, that's it, and BMW seem to have done a stupid system which they realised and have now switched themselves......

Personally I never used them, and if I did I would prefer to use the hear leaver....
 
Guess it's just own preference, I had the push and pull on each paddle on my e85, i like using the paddles and you had to change down with your thumb and tbh I hated it, like Stark says they've changed it now thank goodness, if they still used the old system I def wouldn't have ordered an auto, even the DCT.
 
Same story here. I tried to get used to the fingers and thumbs operation on my 2010 35i but couldn't. After a few months I never tried again.

Once of the big selling points on a new 35is was the reworked paddles, this is quantum leaps better.
 
Not sure about DCT but my mate says in his 5 series auto, he can change the paddle shifts settings. Is this not right?
 
I had an Audi TTS STronic before my Zed and I have to say I much preferred the paddles on the that (Left-down and Right-up). I must have short thumbs or something as they don't even reach the front face of the paddles for down-change on my Zed without having to bring my hand forward round the steering wheel and stretching my thumb, and then I only manage to touch it with the very tip.

I actually thought the gearbox was shot when I test drove my Zed for the first time as I had no idea that the paddles were different to those on my TT. I kept telling the sales guy that the paddles didn't work :cry:

I think it was a very good move for BMW to change it on the newer cars!
 
I had the older style (up & down on both sides, pull / thumb shift.

I found it a stretch for the thumb shift, plus found myself 'thinking' as I was hammering on, getting the shift wrong several times... it just felt wrong & I stopped using the paddles. I was pretty p*ssed off about it, as the paddle shift was a big part of the buying decision for getting the DCT equipped car (my first with this kind of gearbox).

It was an easy swap to the newer pull/pull single action paddles & they are 100% better.

No guesswork for shifts, just feels natural. Bigger paddle / better 'feel' - they are a major improvement. Only downside is the £250 to change... if you can cope with that & have basic tools (couple of screwdrivers in silly sizes, budget £20 to buy them if you don't have already) then it is a 20 minute job to swap over.

Very glad I changed :)

Matt
 
Golly, I thought that this paddles were for zapping slower cars, silly me.

Personally I don't use them as when I did I really didn't feel they add much to the overall performance of the car but I am sure others would disagree.

Cheers JC :D
 
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