Quote:
Originally Posted by Kooler
Hello-
Can someone explain to me are the paddles on the steering wheel to be used like a stick shift? Is it bad for the car if i use the paddles while the gear stick is in "D?"
I looked up all these question BTW but I could not find a straight answer. if the paddles make the car a manual, that is an awesome invention (i think).
Thanks
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As pointed out by everyone so far the paddles are merely substitution of the programmed shift rpm in the Drive mode with manually selected ones in Sport mode. They are not hydraulic shifted manuals as on othercars - Mitsubishi, Ferrari and Maserati come to mind but usual 5 speed slurpomatics. Honda didn't even give us their CVT, a much better transmission. That with paddles would be a hoot. (See Versa SL)
Being an old racer I find the paddles certainly enjoyable as the automatic ones don't often match what I need in gearing.
Yes the minimum rpm and maximum rpm limits remain and if you don't shift manually with the paddle they will shift anyway. As far as I know even Ferraris have that safeguard as well. You don't need to stall or scatter engine parts because you 'forgot' or didn't ay attention.
Here's the kicker: I get better mpg in Sport than Drive. Don't get me wrong, my mpg varies from 30 to 33 mpg, not the astronomical claims that are made. (I drove a manual for a hundred miles and only got 35 with it.)
But then I drive like I'm going somewhere. And we have lots of hills to go up and down. And that salesman, he used to sell Buicks.
enjoy.