re: Does anyone actually use those fake paddle shifters in automatic cars?

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mikelbr

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My car has it in the same spot. I've never used it.

So do you need to actually take your foot off the gas when shifting with that, like you would with an actual clutch? If you miss the RPM range to shift, will it happen automatically? Do you need to do all upshifting/downshifting when you're in the mode? Or does it just give you the option to shift yourself when you want and otherwise it will just follow the normal settings to shift?

As I mentioned, I've never used mine.

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F250 is buttons and on the shift lever, use it all the time to lock out higher gears and for down shifts when towing. Very seldom but do sometimes us the "full manual" mode when towing heavy.

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Thanks for a legit answer.

I used the manual mode on my Camry a few times on windy, hilly roads but it felt like driving a video game car more than a real manual transmission.

I know it's been a while since the OT ballers have slummed it in the real world, but I still fail to see the point of a "sport"/shifter mode in every 15k Mom sedan with a popgun 4 cyl.

Using a fricking Porsche 911 as evidence that these belong in every car is just

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So do you need to actually take your foot off the gas when shifting with that, like you would with an actual clutch? If you miss the RPM range to shift, will it happen automatically? Do you need to do all upshifting/downshifting when you're in the mode? Or does it just give you the option to shift yourself when you want and otherwise it will just follow the normal settings to shift?

As I mentioned, I've never used mine.

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Just go frick around with it sometime. You won't break anything. You lift it up and into the shifting position.

Then you have access to all 6 gears.
I mean just going up a hill to a cabin or a steep driveway you can drop any car into low or 2nd. But
It was absolutely handy when driving up from Gatlinuburg up to Clingmans Dome, where you're going between 10 and 60 mph but uphill almost the whole way for 20 miles.
It was also very handy to control speed descending from Lookout Mountain and various parts of the drive on Between Bham and Knoxville.


BTW, remember it got very cold and rainy after the Tennessee game. Heading back up to our cabin that night, we also found out how useful the "Snow" button is in the Highlander. Our cabin was off the parkway straight up this little mountain. We were going up a 10-20% twisting drive and it felt like the wheels were rockin/jigglin as they rotated. But we just puttered right on up in a steady controlled ascent.

This turn was tricky when dry, but was downright pucker time just after midnight after our game, in 33 degrees and sleeting.

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Such a dumb fricking statement. Any remotely decent automatic transmission on a sports car with paddle shifters can shift faster than the best drivers on the planet with a manual.

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So the car is doing the work.

I get that there are many advances in technology that offer better performance. And using a properly tuned automatic transmission is basically guaranteed to shift more efficiently than driving a manual clutch transmission.

That being said, I feel like these advances in technology are gradually (maybe quickly?) taking away the skill from driving. You used to have to be an incredible driver to run a sub 13 quarter mile. I could put my dead grandma in a 20k build right now and she could break 12's if it's tuned right.

Obviously this doesn't apply as much to autocross guys, although having the manually shift GREATLY increases the skill required to drive in that realm too, but when does automatic transmission evolve into automatic steering? Automatic braking? Oh, it's obviously more efficient to have your driver operating the car remotely from a crow's nest rather than sitting in the car, you're a dolt if you're not doing that.

See what I'm getting at here?

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Yes, you're a Luddite.

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Ha. You're not wrong. I wish computers were banned from the race track.

KIA has a quasi-manual mode at the stick. Works great driving in the mountains.

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Such a dumb fricking statement. Any remotely decent automatic transmission on a sports car with paddle shifters can shift faster than the best drivers on the planet with a manual.

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Any remotely decent manual transmission is more fun to drive for everyday use than an automatic.

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Any remotely decent manual transmission is more fun to drive for everyday use than an automatic.

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Unless you commute in Baton Rouge. It gets very old to spend so much time in 1st and 2nd.

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They actually work very well on newer German cars. The transmissions respond pretty much instantly to manual input on both upshift and downshifts. 

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And Cadillac's.

ATS4 3.6 when using the paddles is pretty amazing for an auto. Instant shifts. Faster than most DCT's from what I have seen.

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8 Ball paddle shifters

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Alright.