Thread: Paddle Shifters vs Manual

My boyfriend is really big into cars and knows a lot about this kind of stuff. I will ask him tomorrow when he gets home from work in the morning.

Yeah Id love to know what his opinion is on a Honda or a Mitsubishi.

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Yeah Id love to know what his opinion is on a Honda or a Mitsubishi.

I'll have him write you guys an essay.

The auto dropped into sport mode in my BMW shifts like a pro right when it needs to and holds it in gear even if I let off the gas in the area it would normally downshift in normal mode, I go to hop on the highway drop it and vroom vroom vroom I am at 70 before I know it. I have so much fun in this car and yet with rush hour being a nightmare here it's an auto so I'm not killing my knee everyday for 2 hours....Our X6 has paddles but I never use them, the sport mode is just as good in it...

i've owned both a manual and now an Automatic with paddle shifter 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X. Both have their advantages, but I don't regret trading my GSR for my MR. the paddle shifters are way faster than a manual. It's faster around a track, and way better for daily driving. hope that helps. if you have a more specific question I'd be happy to talk about the differences

A message from Todd "I had a Mitsubishi eclipse with the slap shift/auto, same difference as paddle, when in slap shift it stays in that gear when decelerating so u can make some noise. It was nice, Not everyone is as controlling as I am about driving.I like my clutch and that will never change."I would recommend paddle to all most any one but its not for me.
If you're really old school it may not be for you ether but Honda & Mitsubishi would be my first picks and in that order. I dint have the Mitsubishi for to long so I don't know how long those transmitions will last but I don't think they are gonna last like a strait manual. I was very hesitant when I got my first auto/manual I wasn't disappointed but I always had this feeling 'I should stop doing this, its part auto, its gonna give. It never did but I will never fully trust an auto, even if I am 1/2 in control they cant win me over with 1/2 I want it all.
A friend of mine let me drive his eclipse identical to the one I had except standard I think it pulled harder than mine when shifting. But the paddles have the potential of being faster over all I guess, if you cant really get out of a standard all it has to offer."

Never driven a Mitsubishi, I don't like Hondas (feels like a toy), but the paddle shifters in the higher end cars (BMW) are good, you still get the fun of shifting but you don't have the annoyance of constant shifting in stop and go traffic. Unfortunately I can't afford a high end car anymore since I'm not working, so I got me a 2010 golf. I love it. Zippy even with the 2.5 engine. Wish I'd gotten a GTI but economy was the goal.

All my race cars are manual. My Pro Touring 69 Camaro has a 6 speed manual tranny T56. My 67 Fastback Mustang will eventually have a paddle shifter called the Shrifter. Its a paddle shifter for muscle cars but its a quite expensive conversion.
The nice thing about paddle shifters is that you get to keep both hands on the wheel. Very helpful for road track racing. Usually when I shift my 69 Camaro on a road track I dont shift until after or before the turns. Shifting during a turn is very dangerous and means taking 1 hand off the wheel. Paddles shifters prevent this danger if you are road track racing.

Depends on the vehicle. Some paddle shifters in various cars are nothing comparable to a manual transmission. Some CVT trannys also use paddle shifters which "mock" shift changes, when in reality there are no gears.

BMW have always had pretty good, rock solid manual gearboxes and had some problems off and on with their paddle autos a whle back, but overall they where ok(early Z4 's if im correct). Ive heard their newer ones are very good. I have also heard good things about the newer Evos, but then again its a dual clutch transmission which is an entirely different story. Obviously ferreri and lambo paddle shifters are in entire different category, and top of the hill for the price of your soul, lol.

I guess it depends on what you want car wise and where you live (traffic). I currently have my eye on a new 370z with manual transmission and the rev match option, which if you get tired and traffic is shitty, turn it on, and you dont have to do any rev matching. If not that,..... than a BMW.

Thanks for the responses. I ended up going with manual though. I wanted AWD as well, BTW. I have a 4X4 truck I'm keeping but thought a car would nice since the truck is ready to hit 100,000. I went with a 2010 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. I'm happy. : )

Originally Posted by Hoglander

Thanks for the responses. I ended up going with manual though. I wanted AWD as well, BTW. I have a 4X4 truck I'm keeping but thought a car would nice since the truck is ready to hit 100,000. I went with a 2010 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. I'm happy. : )

Todd will be impressed. He's a sucker for a Subaru.

I've never driven paddle shifters, but I <3 manual transmissions. Every automatic I drive just pisses me off.

Originally Posted by ectomorph141

Usually when I shift my 69 Camaro on a road track I dont shift until after or before the turns

You are supposed to be able to remain in a gear through a turn no matter what your transmission type, otherwise you change your traction level at the rear. If you can afford to change traction level by changing load at the front or rear by getting out of a gear, you aren't driving at the limit of traction.

This is why road racers dont run around with 4.56 rears like some drag guys might.

Never driven a paddle shifted car, but the idea sounds pretty sick. Stick shift for me until that time, if it comes...