The cheapest way into a car with a dsg/flappy paddle

[CarlosSainz100]

As I'm getting older, i'm getting lazier and feebler and find myself yearning for a car with a flappy paddle/dsg (I assume these are the same thing?).
I'm fed up of depressing the clutch all the time in traffic jams. First world problem I know.

So, piston headers, what is the cheapest way into a car with a dsg/flappy paddle gearbox?

I'd prefer a sporty car so no massive barges.
So far I've come up with a mk1 Audi tt 3.2....

Cheers!

[Scrump]

Flappy paddle is a Clarksonism and seems to refer to any automatic box with paddles on the steering wheel. The box could be an automated manual (e.g. SMG), a DSG type (also PDK etc) or a conventional torque converter type.
Do you want an automatic with manual control or do you specifically want a DSG/PDK type?

[Mike335i]

Going to need some more criteria, but I reckon VW products are your best bet, so Golf GTI, Audi A3 3.2 etc. Not all come with paddles though I think.

Porsche Boxster with a tiptronic box maybe?

BMW Z4 auto comes with paddles I think. At least, some do.

[anonymous-user]

Seat altera came with a degree in tfsi and TDI guise can be had for 1.5k plus.

[parabolica]

Mike335i said:

BMW Z4 auto comes with paddles I think. At least, some do.

Early 3.0s came with a SMG option; I have one and I really like it. Can be had from around £3k.

[CarlosSainz100]

Oops wrong forum....

I guess what I'm after is not a fully automatic and not a tiptronic type thing (if by tiptronic we mean buttons on the steering wheel)

Is the phrase 'flappy paddled' a Clarksonism?

Anyway, I digress. Here's what I mean: a gearbox that in normal mode behaves like an automatic as in goes up and down the gears without my input, but when the mood takes me I'm able to get a bit more involvement and have the best of both worlds and change up and down 'manually'.

So, yeah, the cheapest way of doing that please, but still with some semblance of 'cool'

[ajprice]

1. Technically it is a paddle shift (it's not a fast shift, it's an automated manual, but it has paddles)

2. Cool is subjective. I've had Fortwos before, I'd have one of these.

[alorotom]

Q7 has paddles, I hated them, I tried to love them but I couldn’t, the DSG overrode their usage when it decided the revs were too high/low or the wrong gear selected so gave up on them.

I did like the DSG though

[CarlosSainz100]

Nb: I am 6ft 4 and have long legs....

[ajprice]

CarlosSainz100 said:

Nb: I am 6ft 4 and have long legs....

If you're referring to the Smart Roadster, I'm 6'6", I've sat in one, I fit .

[CarlosSainz100]

ajprice said:

1. Technically it is a paddle shift (it's not a fast shift, it's an automated manual, but it has paddles)

2. Cool is subjective. I've had Fortwos before, I'd have one of these.

Yes! That's the sort of thing I'm after....I do like them; but am I right in thinking that you have to drive 'around' the gearbox foibles? What are they like in stop start traffic?

[anonymous-user]

the smart auto is st, probably stest auto made.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

I don't know anyone with flappy paddles who used them after the first day of ownership. I have them on my Merc GLC. Total waste of time. Just change the drive setting between eco, comfort, sport and sport+ and the auto box does a better job than I can do with the paddles.

[colin79666]

Not the cheapest but various models of Lexus have paddles to but some fake gear changes into the cvt.

[Moos3h]

Thesprucegoose said:

the smart auto is st, probably stest auto made.

Not even close to taking first place. Seek out a Peugeot 508 with the auto box and you’ll find it hard not to go postal...

[Gary C]

Not sure but it might be worth checking on how reliable old DSG boxes are ?

They are more complex and getting on a bit ?

[Sheepshanks]

Scrump said:

Flappy paddle is a Clarksonism and seems to refer to any automatic box with paddles on the steering wheel. The box could be an automated manual (e.g. SMG), a DSG type (also PDK etc) or a conventional torque converter type.

Or a CVT - Honda Jazz CVT has paddles (maybe not every model, but I've had one as a courtesy car that did).

If OP just wants manual control, my old Merc C Class has can be nudged manually up and down the box using the selector.

Don't know how many DSGs have paddles - wife's DSG Tiguan doesn't. Like the Merc, the gears can be selected manually using the lever.

[clockworks]

alorotom said:

Q7 has paddles, I hated them, I tried to love them but I couldn’t, the DSG overrode their usage when it decided the revs were too high/low or the wrong gear selected so gave up on them.

I did like the DSG though

Is the Q7 a DSG box? I've got a 2015 Touareg (same basic car) and it has a conventional 8 speed auto, albeit with lots of fancy electronics, including paddles. I was convinced it was a DSG, but it seems not. Q7 might be different.

I've used the paddles twice in the year that I've owned it. Pointless. It's a good 'box, and makes a far better job of being in the right gear than I can.
It might be useful for dropping down a few gears before an overtake, but you have to "tell" it to go back into auto mode by holding a paddle for 2 seconds. Much easier to just mash the pedal and let the box do it's thing.

[Hub]

Cheapest may well be a Citroen with one of their automated manuals with paddles - but not a great idea, and not very cool!

[darrenham]

I've got an Octy VRS with paddles and I only use them when I'm properly giving it some, or when driving up and down steep hills because it has a habit of chugging at the bottom of the range for a bit then changing down and revving the bks off, there's nothing in between. For overtakes or pulling away I just knock the stick backwards into Sport mode (which is too revvy for prolonged driving imo)

Day to day driving though the DSG boxes do a good job.

Paddles are on my list of wants for my next car.