Paddle Shifters

[fortow]

Originally Posted by fastturb

... Why can't you just say you enjoy shifting and leave it at that????

...

Hit a nerve with my comments, did I?

I did say I enjoy shifting, but I did also say I enjoy driving good automatics. Also, using the auto mode is not a difficulty for me and I do know how to shift it as smoothly as possible. It's still deficient in the ways I mentioned.
Why is it so difficult for many smart owners to admit to and verbalize the poor performing auto mode of the transmission? Virtually all reviewers of the car do, and some owners do as well. The vexing thing about all this is also as I mentioned - the manual mode is so easy and satisfying to use.
People can and will obviously use which ever mode they choose but in some instances they choose the auto mode because they are concerned about not knowing how to shift manually. I have helped some do just that in other forums. My wife, by the way, who won't drive my other manual shift car and has her own automatic transmission car will drive the smart using manual mode and paddles and enjoys that. She also finds the smart auto mode frustrating and poorly implemented.

Sorry if I offended - not intended - just wanting to provide information and help.

[Sunspot]

Well, I for one enjoyed driving with the paddles because the auto tranny felt awful when I first got the car. It shifts too soon for my tastes and makes it to 5th by the time I reach 30 mph and then feels like it does not have enough umph....with the paddles, I have complete control of that.

The one thing I do not like about the paddles is that when I'm corning, the paddles stay with the wheel and I therefore have to chase down the appropriate paddle....or just reach down and use the stick.

Now with that said, I must add that yesterday, I used the auto for the first time since buying the vehicle two weeks ago....and the tranny didn't feel the same as when I first bought it. Kinda wierd. It felt more normal, less time "thinking", and it stayed in gear longer. There seems to be a point to this thing "learning" though....

Anyway - still love those paddles!!!

Rich