Paddle Shifters
05-15-2009, 11:44 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 136
Paddle Shifters
Ok guys i was wondering. There are A LOT of purists. How would you feel if Paddle Shifters were an option on the Mustang someday?
Correct me if im wrong but there is no clutch with these right?
I personally think they would be cool. Not everyone enjoys driving a manual tranny, especially if you live in the city.
I think it would be a pretty cool option especially considering i havent driving a stick since i was 16! Id be rusty, lol.
Correct me if im wrong but there is no clutch with these right?
I personally think they would be cool. Not everyone enjoys driving a manual tranny, especially if you live in the city.
I think it would be a pretty cool option especially considering i havent driving a stick since i was 16! Id be rusty, lol.
05-15-2009, 03:46 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,060
Nope, no matter what car you drive, paddles still lack one thing. The feeling you are truly one with your automobile. If I had real money I wouldn't buy a Lambo with paddles, I'd get one with a old fashioned shifter.
05-15-2009, 05:34 PM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 343
No that would be gay. You're another person that wants to see the Mustang turn into something it is not. Its not a luxary sedan, or anything. Its a muscle car (modern day verson) and they either come with a manual or auto. No in between. My moms Volvo has a slap shift and its cool for like a minute then you never use it again. Plus it takes a second to shift once you press it. Its for people who don't know how to drive a manual and want to shift.
05-15-2009, 05:43 PM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Upstate
Posts: 783
I drove a Lexus IS-F with paddles, and a CTS-V with true manual back to back. Like the post above, the got to know the V... the lexus was just cool for a minute then incredibly unsatisfying. Long live 3 pedals.
05-15-2009, 05:47 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 343
Yeah I mean I thought it was neat when my mom first got her s60 a couple years ago, but it was only fun for about a minute. Plus it took half a second for it to do what it told you, so if it were used for performance it wouldn't be that great.
05-15-2009, 10:52 PM
#7
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 136
No that would be gay. You're another person that wants to see the Mustang turn into something it is not. Its not a luxary sedan, or anything. Its a muscle car (modern day verson) and they either come with a manual or auto. No in between. My moms Volvo has a slap shift and its cool for like a minute then you never use it again. Plus it takes a second to shift once you press it. Its for people who don't know how to drive a manual and want to shift.
i totally agree that stick is the best when it comes to muscle cars
05-15-2009, 10:59 PM
#8
Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: yep
Posts: 16,186
i own 2 manual transmission cars, a modern "autostick" car, and two manual valve body automatics. i have the autostick in my dodge stratus, and unlike many of them ive driven, there is very little computer over ride or lag when you tell it to shift. ive always been very happy with it, but there is still less control with the launch rpms, as well as the added drag of the fluid driven transmission. the autostick gives more control than a typical auto without the clutch...and it makes for a nice commuter option...its nice not having a clutch when im in that car in rush hour.
"Sticks are best when it comes to muscle cars" is only true of newer vehicles. the crude manual transmissions of the muscle car era were far less popular among racers for a reason. now, modern performance cars are a no brainer for the transmission, but whether at the track or car shows, muscle car era models are more often automatics.
ive always thought that the paddles would be a cool feature, but having spent some time in the new camaro with them, im not sold. the paddles are pretty much exactly at "9 and 3" on the steering wheel, and to shift comfortably, you have to hold your hands slightly below them on the wheel. try driving your car around holding your hands about an inch low of 9 and 3...then try going through some hard corners like that. its very uncomfortable, and i found that at times where i was turning hard, my hands were in position to shift. keep in mind, paddles evolved from indy cars (or similar race models). they dont have the same problem with their hands having to move around as much as those cars have incredibly tight steering systems, so lock to lock is probably less than a half turn of the wheel. lock to lock on the new camaro is probably 2-3 turns.
"Sticks are best when it comes to muscle cars" is only true of newer vehicles. the crude manual transmissions of the muscle car era were far less popular among racers for a reason. now, modern performance cars are a no brainer for the transmission, but whether at the track or car shows, muscle car era models are more often automatics.
ive always thought that the paddles would be a cool feature, but having spent some time in the new camaro with them, im not sold. the paddles are pretty much exactly at "9 and 3" on the steering wheel, and to shift comfortably, you have to hold your hands slightly below them on the wheel. try driving your car around holding your hands about an inch low of 9 and 3...then try going through some hard corners like that. its very uncomfortable, and i found that at times where i was turning hard, my hands were in position to shift. keep in mind, paddles evolved from indy cars (or similar race models). they dont have the same problem with their hands having to move around as much as those cars have incredibly tight steering systems, so lock to lock is probably less than a half turn of the wheel. lock to lock on the new camaro is probably 2-3 turns.
05-15-2009, 11:25 PM
#9
Resident Ginger
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cali
Posts: 4,624
I think it is a interesting thing to have...would I want it on the Mustang...No. And like stated above - you would have to have both of your hands on the wheel while driving to up shift, and down shift. I like to be able to have one hand availible to use if i need it for something else....
Matthew
Matthew
05-17-2009, 07:57 AM
#10
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 343
Maybe its just me, but to me it seems people are getting away more and more from what a muscle car is. People want TT V6's instead of V8s and paddle shifters and awd and fancy interiors with gps and such. Those things are what a muscle car is supposed to be... IMO.