"Flappy paddle" Gearboxes are crap? I think not......

"Flappy paddle" Gearboxes are crap? I think not......

Author
Discussion

35secToNuvolari

1,016 posts

202 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
For the most part I relish the fact that different cars provide different expriences. I get to see and feel the different features, interiors, engines, sounds, and transmissions. But when it comes to looking for the most involving driving experience, I like taking more and more responsibility for vehicle operations. The more I have to do the better, and older cars tend to make the driver do more things.

Nowadays, the best driving expreiences aren't transmission dependent, they're brake dependent. I can't stand having the front brakes and rear brakes handled by one pedal. It is so nice to be able to present the car for a corner by having the rear brakes actuated by a seperate lever, and playing around with brake bias on the fly in real time. Every other type of 'drivers car' is just pretending.

siscar

6,887 posts

216 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
The great thing about them is you can keep both hands on the wheel and change gear much faster than a conventional manual.


But much depends on the car - the Ferrari box is the best I've driven, it allows you to change faster than the manual but leaves you feeling in control. The only issue I have with it is that the point it changes automatically at high revs is the same point that I do so I can end up going up two gears which is very irritating. But so long as I remember to change slightly earlier it's great.

In the Gallardo I don't like it, but then I'm not a great fan of the Gallardo anyway.

Bentleys have the paddles but you never use them, just stay in auto, it's that sort of car.

The one in the Vanquish is good for a laugh, trying driving that in start stop traffic is fun!

VW's DSG is a really good box, they don't make a car I'd want but if they did I'd consider a DSG.

pits

6,423 posts

189 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
siscar said:
The great thing about them is you can keep both hands on the wheel and change gear much faster than a conventional manual.
The actual gear change it self might be faster, but dropping 2 cogs is longer than a stamp on the clutch and dropping 2 cogs, instead of going 4,3,2 accelerate etc, even then its never smooth. Safely say I will never ever be buying another fuzzy logic flappy paddle tiptronic stting box/car ever again.

interloper

2,747 posts

254 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
35secToNuvolari said:
For the most part I relish the fact that different cars provide different expriences. I get to see and feel the different features, interiors, engines, sounds, and transmissions. But when it comes to looking for the most involving driving experience, I like taking more and more responsibility for vehicle operations. The more I have to do the better, and older cars tend to make the driver do more things.

Nowadays, the best driving expreiences aren't transmission dependent, they're brake dependent. I can't stand having the front brakes and rear brakes handled by one pedal. It is so nice to be able to present the car for a corner by having the rear brakes actuated by a seperate lever, and playing around with brake bias on the fly in real time. Every other type of 'drivers car' is just pretending.
I assume you are talking about cars with manually adjustable brake bias, I must admit I have never driven a car with that feature (its really more of a race/rally car thing) probably needs a thread all to itself!

Edited by interloper on Sunday 17th May 13:35

scoobydude

750 posts

178 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
With the exception of the VAG DSG set up, I've found flappy paddles on a road car to be daft/dangerous. I once drove a 360 Modena with a flappy paddle box on an unfamiliar road at night. I overshot a junction and had to get reverse quickly, nuff said!

Edited by scoobydude on Sunday 17th May 13:39

siscar

6,887 posts

216 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
pits said:
siscar said:
The great thing about them is you can keep both hands on the wheel and change gear much faster than a conventional manual.
The actual gear change it self might be faster, but dropping 2 cogs is longer than a stamp on the clutch and dropping 2 cogs, instead of going 4,3,2 accelerate etc, even then its never smooth. Safely say I will never ever be buying another fuzzy logic flappy paddle tiptronic stting box/car ever again.
scoobydude said:
With the exception of the VAG DSG set up, I've found flappy paddles on a road car to be daft/dangerous. I once drove a 360 Modena with a flappy paddle box on an unfamiliar road at night. I overshot a junction and had to get reverse quickly, nuff said!
Much depends on the box, they have got a lot better over time. Drive a new 599 or 430 and you can go down two gears with two blips of the left paddle, no problem. Need to go into reverse - both paddles for neutral and press R, if you aren't used to it then it will take you longer, but if you are used to it then it is easy.

F1 cars went this way because cars with this sort of box are faster than ones without.

35secToNuvolari

1,016 posts

202 months

Sunday 17th May 2009
quotequote all
interloper said:
35secToNuvolari said:
For the most part I relish the fact that different cars provide different expriences. I get to see and feel the different features, interiors, engines, sounds, and transmissions. But when it comes to looking for the most involving driving experience, I like taking more and more responsibility for vehicle operations. The more I have to do the better, and older cars tend to make the driver do more things.

Nowadays, the best driving expreiences aren't transmission dependent, they're brake dependent. I can't stand having the front brakes and rear brakes handled by one pedal. It is so nice to be able to present the car for a corner by having the rear brakes actuated by a seperate lever, and playing around with brake bias on the fly in real time. Every other type of 'drivers car' is just pretending.
I assume you are talking about cars with manually adjustable brake bias, I must admit I have never driven a car with that feature (its really more of a race/rally car thing) probably needs a thread all to itself!

Edited by interloper on Sunday 17th May 13:35
I'm not talking about a bias-adjuster. I'm talking about a mechanically acuated rear brake lever, independent of the fronts.

Edited by 35secToNuvolari on Sunday 17th May 20:40