[asmr]

Hey TBHPians!

Consider this as a newbie question. I have driven only MT cars all my life until about 9 months back when I got my Taigun Topline AT, which comes with paddle shifters.

I have not seen a need arise to use it except when driving in the ghat sections and that too only because I wanted to try it out how the experience differed from driving a MT. Overall, my Taigun's AT has proven itself to be capable of handling the standard variety of roads in TN and KA without much stress at all.

So, for normal day to day driving or on long highway runs, how/where does the usage of paddle shifters fit in? It feels like I am missing something that might make my life somewhat easier .

Is there a right way or time to use the paddle shifters? Any inputs from experienced folks here would be greatly appreciated.

[GTO]

The ATs of most cars are tuned so well that using the paddle shifters is entirely optional. I use paddle shifters mostly for (in order of priority):

- Engine braking. Am a big engine-braking guy.

- Downshifting to prepare the car for a sudden burst of acceleration or overtaking.

- When driving in pure manual mode . Not too often, but fun on your favourite roads.

- Sometimes to upshift too. Cars these days learn the driver's behaviour well. On occasion, once I am done with hard-driving, I'll use it to upshift and let the engine relax.

I am such a heavy user of paddle-shifters when I'm "in the mood" that my passengers have commented on the constant clicking sound.

[asmr]

Thanks for your response, GTO! A few questions then.

Originally Posted by GTO

- Downshifting to prepare the car for a sudden burst of acceleration or overtaking.

Aren't up or downshifts on the AT constrained by RPM/Speed of the vehicle, to protect the transmission system?

- When driving in pure manual mode . Not too often, but fun on your favourite roads.

I should try it out more often then. I do need to get more accustomed to manual mode. The only time I tried to do that, I kept triggering it back in to Auto mode very easily.

- Sometimes to upshift too. Cars these days learn the driver's behaviour well. On occasion, once I am done with hard-driving, I'll use it to upshift and let the engine relax.

I have tried upshifting when I am on a descent (I cross 3 flyovers in my daily commute) to reduce the engine braking (when road is clear of course). It doesn't allow to move to M5 before 50kmph and never in to M6 which comes in only beyond 65 or 70 I think. I have tried downshifting only in the ghats at lower speeds and a few times when stopping at signals when the AT gets stuck in D2.

I am such a heavy user of paddle-shifters when I'm "in the mood" that my passengers have commented on the constant clicking sound.

Haven't noticed much of a sound in mine, but yeah, I can imagine how it might have been.

[Cyborg]

I have a 2010 Honda Civic V AT and always use the paddle shifters in S mode on any highway drive. It transforms the car into a manual with superb engine braking and gives the car a feeling of greater control (making it safer also) at higher speeds which is just not possible driving it in normal automatic mode relying just on the brakes.

Whenever you are in the mood for spirited driving I recommend using the cars paddle shifters. It may feel like a different experience initially but with practice it will become completely natural and you will never drive without it when you feel the need for speed

Cheers

[SoumenD]

I use paddleshifters only when the boy racer in me wants to have some fun on highways/ghats(quick shifts). Other than that basic ATs(TC/CVT) are more or less optimised for 99% usage scenarios. In 3 years of ownership have used these probably 4-5 times max.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by asmr

Aren't up or downshifts on the AT constrained by RPM/Speed of the vehicle, to protect the transmission system?

Yes, but if in a higher gear @ lower revs, you can still downshift and get good levels of engine braking. Some manufacturers tune their paddle-shifters conservatively, some aggressively. In many cars, I can easily drop 2 - 3 gears from where I am currently (petrols especially give you more revs to play with).

I should try it out more often then. I do need to get more accustomed to manual mode. The only time I tried to do that, I kept triggering it back in to Auto mode very easily.

Yeah, agreed. I use pure manual mode for <1% of my driving km.

[Sheel]

I use paddle shifters when I am descending from the hills and want to stay in lower gears and rely on engine braking. Since I mostly drive SUV’s with paddle shifters, don’t have much use in other case scenario.

[viky_s]

I generally use the Paddle Shifters on my 1.8tsi octavia when i am in mood of some aggressive driving or going down hill. It gives you more control over the car and its super fun to drive too. You can easily drop 1-3 gears if the need arises. eg overtaking especially on single roads.
Other than that i just let the DSG do its job which it performs brilliantly.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by asmr

Aren't up or downshifts on the AT constrained by RPM/Speed of the vehicle, to protect the transmission system?

It depends on the car. In my Range Rover Sport there is a mode that is completely manual. The vehicle will not upshift or downshift even if one hits the rev limiter in that mode.

[GForceEnjoyer]

Originally Posted by asmr

Hey TBHPians!
So, for normal day to day driving or on long highway runs, how/where does the usage of paddle shifters fit in? It feels like I am missing something that might make my life somewhat easier .

Is there a right way or time to use the paddle shifters? Any inputs from experienced folks here would be greatly appreciated.

On the highway, paddle shifters can be used to downshift in anticipation of an overtake. You can get the engine into its powerband before you start the overtake, making the process easier (and more fun ).

They can also be used for engine braking while going downhill (some cars are very conservative when it comes to this, however). Most cars will prevent you from lugging the engine at an engine speed too low for the driving conditions at hand by downshifting automatically. Some will also upshift automatically if you hit the rev limiter.

The car will prevent you from doing anything harmful to it, so you can enjoy the added control over the powertrain without any worries on your mind (apart from maybe fuel efficiency ).

[ashvek3141]

Originally Posted by asmr

Is there a right way or time to use the paddle shifters? Any inputs from experienced folks here would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for starting this thread asmr! For newbies to ATs like us, this thread will help to give & share insights of the Paddle shifters & their ‘right’ usage.

I too got a Sonet D AT last month & as with the latest TC gearboxes I too find this gearbox is very well tuned and there is hardly any need of manual intervention. As a matter of fact, in a month of it’s ownership I have used the paddles to just see how they work and probably to flaunt it to my relatives/ friends. That’s all, apart from this I never found myself really in the ‘need’ to use these.

Having said that, I shall try them with the manual mode and probably for engine braking or quick overtakes.

[revving-prabhu]

Last year I had a bit of a scare in my 2013 Honda Amaze diesel while returning from Ooty. Let’s just say I learned a lot about brake fade and how to prevent them from happening

This thread got me thinking what’s the best practice while descending downhill in an automatic car without paddle shifters?

I’ve never used cruise control but could you technically set the speed limit to say 40kmph and expect the cruise control system to ensure it doesn’t go beyond that in the downhill?

[throttleflick]

Originally Posted by asmr

Haven't noticed much of a sound in mine, but yeah, I can imagine how it might have been.

I think GTO means the clicking sound of the paddle shifters when pressed.

On my Topline AT, I usually shift into manual mode at night and experience the free revving engine. Granted it only revs upto 6k rpm, but it is fun using up the entire rev range on such occasions. There have been times when I've forgotten to downshift and the transmission forgives me by downshifting when the need arises.


Since these cars handle themselves pretty well in day to day traffic and highway runs, the only time I've found the M mode and paddle shifters useful is when I'm on a traffic free road in my neighborhood. And whenever I've sensed that I might need to downshift to do a quick overtake. I don't slot the gear into M, just press on the downshifter paddle which helps me do a clean job of overtaking.

I can't bring myself to use the paddle shifters on a normal day. There have been times when I've made up my mind about only using the paddle shifters to get used to them, but a few kms later, I've slotted the gear knob in the S mode and let the transmission and engine do their thing.

Oh and I've also got a set of paddle shifter extenders in black for my car. Saw them in vredesbyrd's excellent thread over here (The German Theory: From a pre-owned Skoda Superb to a used VW Vento) and couldn't resist the temptation to get the set.

[asmr]

Wow. Thanks a lot for the responses! It is clear that I have a lot more room to experiment with on the paddles.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

It depends on the car.

That is interesting. I would love to experience that when I get a chance. The convenience to switch freely between true AT and MT would be like best of both worlds, I guess?

The Taigun goes automatically from M to D mode after several seconds (or minutes, I haven't paid much attention) of no change in driving pattern. Or something like that.

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

The car will prevent you from doing anything harmful to it, so you can enjoy the added control over the powertrain without any worries on your mind (apart from maybe fuel efficiency ).

I guess that is one reason why I posted my first message. Need to get the confidence that the car is going to take care of itself and not conk in the middle of the road when I downshift while spiritedly driving. Granted, I do drive sedately (trying to optimize FE as well as my BP ), but now my interest is piqued!

Originally Posted by ashvek3141

Thank you for starting this thread asmr! For newbies to ATs like us, this thread will help to give & share insights of the Paddle shifters & their ‘right’ usage...

Having said that, I shall try them with the manual mode and probably for engine braking or quick overtakes.

Newbies to ATs sounds about right! The TC in the Taigun never let me down till now. But reading all the responses makes me more excited about my next highway run.

Originally Posted by throttleflick

I think GTO means the clicking sound of the paddle shifters when pressed.

Yes, I was mentioning about the same. I don't seem to hear an audible click in mine. Or may be I am just not hearing it in the "heat" of things. I will pay attention to it now that it is mentioned!

On my Topline AT, I usually shift into manual mode at night and experience the free revving engine... but a few kms later, I've slotted the gear knob in the S mode and let the transmission and engine do their thing.

Haha... looks like a preview of days to come for me in my Topline AT as well!

I am curious though. Does slotting the gear shift in to M mode prevent the car's system from going in to D mode? I guess not, right?

As usual, excellent read for me. Thanks, all of you, really.

[throttleflick]

Originally Posted by asmr

...
Yes, I was mentioning about the same. I don't seem to hear an audible click in mine. Or may be I am just not hearing it in the "heat" of things. I will pay attention to it now that it is mentioned!

Oh I'm sorry, my bad.

Originally Posted by asmr

Haha... looks like a preview of days to come for me in my Topline AT as well!

I am curious though. Does slotting the gear shift in to M mode prevent the car's system from going in to D mode? I guess not, right?

As usual, excellent read for me. Thanks, all of you, really.

Yes, once the gear knob is in the M mode, it won't go back to the D/S position unless you slot it back in those modes. You can also upshift and downshift using the gear knob when in the M slot. I've rarely done upshifts using the gear shifter as I'm still shedding out the manual gearbox muscle memory. But I do use it infrequently to downshift.

I've found most of the times, my left hand rests on the hand rest and the palm rests on the gear knob. This, I've come to learn is a bad practice (reference article). I've also noticed that the gear knob slots into neutral without pressing the shift release lock, so while driving if I'm resting my hand on the gear knob and if I end up pushing it into neutral, I'd naturally take a lot of time to contemplate what's gone wrong (since this is my first AT ownership).

I've since made it a habit of gripping the steering wheel with the left hand as well. Hence, the natural resting place for my fingers is on the back/face of the paddle shifter.