Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Webby the Bear]

Hi guys, hope you're all well. 

Firstly, can someone explain how these work. my mate has an auto peugeot 307 and it has the option to use the gear stick as manual (up for higher gear, down for lower). now if he's in this manual mode and he's say for instance in 4th gear if he then breaks and forgets to change gear the car will realise he's not changed down and take him down through the gears automatically yet he'll still remain in manual mode. is this the same scenario with the flappy paddles on your AMG's, m5's, ferrari's, maseratti's etc etc?

also, do you think the gear stick and clutch pedal will be around in 5 years? the reason i ask is cos i reckon semi auto's (auto or flappy paddle manual) are the way to go. most of the cars on TG are flappy padels.

just wondered what y'all thought

[Andy B]

It depends on what car you're talking about. Some 'flappy paddle' gearboxes are 'proper' torque converter autos but with some kind of manual operation. Others, like the VW DSG gearbox & SWMBO's Smart, Vx's Easytronic etc are manual geaboxes with an electrical operated clutch (VWs DSG has two clutches)

[Webby the Bear]

It depends on what car you're talking about. Some 'flappy paddle' gearboxes are 'proper' torque converter autos but with some kind of manual operation. Others, like the VW DSG gearbox & SWMBO's Smart, Vx's Easytronic etc are manual geaboxes with an electrical operated clutch (VWs DSG has two clutches)

so youre saying some will act like my mates manual mode automatic 307 and some will be proper manual and will not change down or up without the driver doing it?

[Stallion]

It depends on what car you're talking about. Some 'flappy paddle' gearboxes are 'proper' torque converter autos but with some kind of manual operation. Others, like the VW DSG gearbox & SWMBO's Smart, Vx's Easytronic etc are manual geaboxes with an electrical operated clutch (VWs DSG has two clutches)

so youre saying some will act like my mates manual mode automatic 307 and some will be proper manual and will not change down or up without the driver doing it?

Most Flappy's/tiptronics will automatically change down smoothly to a traffic light stop, instead of flapping down and jumping about. (gradually slowing). but the same wouldnt apply to changing up, if anything most it would do is notify you and expect you to change up! 

[Webby the Bear]

It depends on what car you're talking about. Some 'flappy paddle' gearboxes are 'proper' torque converter autos but with some kind of manual operation. Others, like the VW DSG gearbox & SWMBO's Smart, Vx's Easytronic etc are manual geaboxes with an electrical operated clutch (VWs DSG has two clutches)

so youre saying some will act like my mates manual mode automatic 307 and some will be proper manual and will not change down or up without the driver doing it?

Most Flappy's/tiptronics will automatically change down smoothly to a traffic light stop, instead of flapping down and jumping about. (gradually slowing). but the same wouldnt apply to changing up, if anything most it would do is notify you and expect you to change up! 

thanks guys

so realkly then i only ever need the up changer 

[Stallion]

pretty much, until someday you drive a lil aggressive, you could do with (-) paddle 

[Andy B]

It depends on what car you're talking about. Some 'flappy paddle' gearboxes are 'proper' torque converter autos but with some kind of manual operation. Others, like the VW DSG gearbox & SWMBO's Smart, Vx's Easytronic etc are manual geaboxes with an electrical operated clutch (VWs DSG has two clutches)

so youre saying some will act like my mates manual mode automatic 307 and some will be proper manual and will not change down or up without the driver doing it?

Most Flappy's/tiptronics will automatically change down smoothly to a traffic light stop, instead of flapping down and jumping about. (gradually slowing). but the same wouldnt apply to changing up, if anything most it would do is notify you and expect you to change up! 

thanks guys

so realkly then i only ever need the up changer 

SWMBO's Smart will eventually change UP on its own when in manual, but it red lines it to do so. It will change down as the car slows down ie not just when it comes to a stand still. 

[Webby the Bear]

cheers for ze info guys.

so what do you dudes think of the semi. better or worse than a stick? i imagine it would be good but a bit of novelty value? :-/

[Andy B]

cheers for ze info guys.

so what do you dudes think of the semi. better or worse than a stick? i imagine it would be good but a bit of novelty value? :-/

The Smart is OK, but not the worlds smoothest gearbox, especially when initially selecting 1st to set off unless you're patient with it. Others rave about VW's DSG but I wasn't particularly impressed, the changes were fast, but over all a bit on or off when you wanted to manouvre slowly eg parking.
I'll keep to 'proper' autos or 3 pedals when push comes to shove. 

[Webby the Bear]

cheers for ze info guys.

so what do you dudes think of the semi. better or worse than a stick? i imagine it would be good but a bit of novelty value? :-/

The Smart is OK, but not the worlds smoothest gearbox, especially when initially selecting 1st to set off unless you're patient with it. Others rave about VW's DSG but I wasn't particularly impressed, the changes were fast, but over all a bit on or off when you wanted to manouvre slowly eg parking.
I'll keep to 'proper' autos or 3 pedals when push comes to shove. 

ive never driven a paddle shift but the idea seems perfect. auto when youre in a jam, manual when u want to thrash it 

[Andy B]

.... auto when youre in a jam, manual when u want to thrash it 

Exactly. Auto can't keep up with you when you're trying to drive it 'spiritedly' on B roads, but the paddle or manual shift on the selector does work quite well. 

[YZ250]

I have a bmw E92 330d M Coupe with flappy paddles and if I'm totally honest I don't use the paddles at all. The car is so responsive there is no need to use paddles. I have played with them but just end up getting confused. Mine is left for down and right for up but you look a right tit if you get it wrong.  
When I have had a go with them I find that the car goes back to auto mode if I forget to do anything.
Maybe I'm just getting old but I can't see much point to them.  :-/ :-/

Regards
Alan   

[Webby the Bear]

I have a bmw E92 330d M Coupe with flappy paddles and if I'm totally honest I don't use the paddles at all. The car is so responsive there is no need to use paddles. I have played with them but just end up getting confused. Mine is left for down and right for up but you look a right tit if you get it wrong.  
When I have had a go with them I find that the car goes back to auto mode if I forget to do anything.
Maybe I'm just getting old but I can't see much point to them.  :-/ :-/

Regards
Alan   

hi YZ.

So youre saying that the auto is just as fast as if you werre to use the paddles? i suppose if you bung it in sports mode or ''m'' mode lol it would rev to the limiter so a 0 to 60 would be the same?

[Andy B]

I have a bmw E92 330d M Coupe with flappy paddles and if I'm totally honest I don't use the paddles at all. The car is so responsive there is no need to use paddles. I have played with them but just end up getting confused. Mine is left for down and right for up but you look a right tit if you get it wrong.  
When I have had a go with them I find that the car goes back to auto mode if I forget to do anything.
Maybe I'm just getting old but I can't see much point to them.  :-/ :-/

Regards
Alan   

I find that I'll change down for traffic lights etc when in AUTO using the flappy paddle, then when I set off I've forgotten I'm in manual & only remember after it's red lined & changed up itself  SWMBO has NEVER used the car in manual in 18 months of owning the car.

[YZ250]

I have a bmw E92 330d M Coupe with flappy paddles and if I'm totally honest I don't use the paddles at all. The car is so responsive there is no need to use paddles. I have played with them but just end up getting confused. Mine is left for down and right for up but you look a right tit if you get it wrong.  
When I have had a go with them I find that the car goes back to auto mode if I forget to do anything.
Maybe I'm just getting old but I can't see much point to them.  :-/ :-/

Regards
Alan   

hi YZ.

So youre saying that the auto is just as fast as if you werre to use the paddles? i suppose if you bung it in sports mode or ''m'' mode lol it would rev to the limiter so a 0 to 60 would be the same?

Hi Webby,

The 330d has launch control so nothing to be gained off the lights with paddles. It has steptronic when you knock the stick to the left so this simulates a manual and the paddles as well so as far as I can tell the paddles are a steering wheel version of steptronic ( or whatever it's called now ).  :-/
It's a 330d so has no sport mode. 

As Andy has already said, SWMBO has never used the paddles and probably doesn't even know they exist.