are the paddle shifters in the older fit useful? do they help with gas? any comments on them? i'm looking at them in the first gen fit, dont like the look of the second generation.


Cant find a search bar to search older posts, is there one in this site?

 

paddle shifters are a joke. it has no benefit for anything. the car has a torque converter automatic transmission. leave it in drive.

 

The paddles in the GD chassis Fit are indeed useful in the Sport models (not available with the Base for either chassis).

For starters, you can use them while the shift selector is in D to temporarily override the shift points; usually to downshift a gear or two help with passing or going up hills instead of adding more throttle until either the torque converter opens or the transmission kicks down by itself. While in the D, the transmission will resume its shifting itself after a short of period has passed and neither paddle has been used.

If you are starting from a dig on a slippery surface, you can shift into 2nd gear from a stand still and drive off. There is also a shift lockout feature that doesn't allow the transmission to engage a gear that'll cause the engine to go into redline as well as will not allow the *insert gear* to be engaged until a certain vehicle speed is met.

Now, using the paddles while the shift selector is in S causes the transmission to enable M mode; Manual mode. Which requires you to upshift or the engine will just bounce off the rev limiter similar to a sequential transmission but Honda was kind enough to keep the shift lockout functions as well as allows the transmission to still downshift itself when coming to a stop.

One of the things about M mode that I like is the additional control of both the shift points and the torque converter which in D wasn't really possible.

For example: When accelerating from a light in D around 1/4 throttle, the transmission opens the torque converter (which allows the to engine rev ~300-400 higher than when locked), shifts through 1st through 4th gear with the converter open, then after exceeding 50 MPH it closes the converter and eventually shifts to 5th.

In M mode with the about same throttle input I can leave the light in 1st with the converter open, shift from 1st to 2nd ~12-18 MPH which usually closes the converter, 2nd to 3rd ~22-30, 3rd to 4th ~38-45, and once I'm at or passed 48 MPH I'll shift from 4th to 5th.

Once passed 48 MPH, I've noticed that the torque converter usually locks up under partial throttle so long as a heavy load is not being put on the engine like having 2 or 3 adult passengers in the car, a steep hill, bridge or overpass, or even a hard gust of wind.



Edit: As for as the search function. Scroll up to the top of the thread where your very 1st post is. Look in the center of the page, above the ad, you should see the words "New Post" in white letters on a dark blue or gray bar. To the right of it is the "Search" function, click it and a drop box will open for whatever you term you want to enter for a search.

 

You can use the paddles any time you feel like doing a little "spirited" driving. You can control the gears just as if you were shifting a manual transmission. Then when you decide you want to give up spirited driving for a while and just do some laid back cruising, put it in D and enjoy the benefits of an automatic.

 

I find it very inconvenient to say the least that the paddle shifters move with the wheel... to be truly useful they should remain in a stationary position so one knows where they are at all times.

 

Unless you have a DSG, DPK or manumatic style gearbox, the paddles are just adding an illusion of control to what is an otherwise ordinary slushbox.

Lock in full line pressure and you may be able to pretend it's in anyway comparable to a real manual transmission.

 

^that. the paddles in the fit are just a novelty.

 

Don't get me wrong. I like automatics too.. when modified a wee bit:
YouTube - ‪1000+hp 122cu 1993 Talon runs 8.63@161mph on 42psi no Nitrous English Racing ETS‬‏

They can be tough as nails and far more consistent than a manual box.

But they just aren't "sporty"

Is that 8sec auto faster than my 10sec manual? Hell yea.

Is it a sporty car? No.

 

I'm 35 and I've never driven a manual in my life, so I know I don't know what I'm missing. That being said, I enjoy the paddle shifters and find them useful for autocross.

And now, with *that* being said, in 2 of my 5 runs last Sunday I accidentally knocked it into 3rd gear cuz the damn things move with the wheel. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

 

Paddle shifters are as useful in a Fit as in an F1 racer. Anytime you can reduce shift reaction times its very useful.
In my case there seems to be no mpg difference when driven in the same haste and have no idea why they would be. There are some mountain roads (like 'tail of the dragon interstate by comp[arison' ... on utube) that benefit greatly with paddle shifting if you're late for dinner..
And yes, this issue has been posted nearly to death.

 

You guys who say that the paddle shifters in the Fit are no use on the AT have no idea what you're talking about. There's a night and day difference in driving D and S with paddles - in D the car will upshift at low revs, shift gears when you don't want them to, hang in 4th gear while you're trying to go uphill, etc. In S with paddles you can punch the car up to redline in every gear you want at your own control. Maybe don't say stupid shit like 'lolol slushbox = no discussion' when you don't even know what you're talking about.

It's not about shift times, horsepower/torque or anything like that - it's simply do you want the computer to control the shifts like every other AT car out there, or do you want to control it yourself like a MT just with a slushbox in there? No shit it has a slushbox, it's an AT, whoopdedoo.

Also, for DSM, have you even tried driving the Fit with the paddles? It's not an illusion of control, you literally have control of which gear and where you rev them to. Sure the computer limits you from killing the engine with stupid shifts you wouldn't do in an MT, but you're going up and down the gears, from 0k rpm to redline every gear. Just because my hand isn't moving a shifter doesn't mean the fact that the car stays on the gear you choose is an illusion.

 

Yes I have in fact. I have also driven actual DSG/DPK boxes. That is night and day.

You still have a torque converter and varied line pressure.

It's a slushbox. Even were it an actual manumatic, you still don't get to control how hard it shifts and you don't get control over how much of the meager 100 hamsters under the hood actually make it to the ground..

Speaking of which I am using some of what little free time I have to try and find a way to lock in full line pressure for your flappy-paddle folks. So save your ire for someone who truly doesn't understand what they are talking about.

This is a mod that has been big for the 4AT AWD guys in the DSM world for at least a decade now. Except you guys already have the paddles and hard work done for you. We had to come up with whole new valvebody setups, plates and re-wiring. Start petitioning groups like RoadSurge and it may become a reality sooner.

Just don't be whiny.

 

You're a smart guy, I know you know what I mean. I'm just saying it's not an illusion or trick being played on the drivers by the evil slushbox hiding under the hood. Technically inferior to other setups, sure, but the fact remains that you're still controlling the gear shifts (regardless of how hard it shifts, and let's just ignore that the slushbox is going to kill alot of the available power as mere fact that everyone already knows)

Moving the rest to PM

 

I would say inferior depends on point of view. I personally don't consider them an inferior option for a commuter vehicle when there are plenty of folks who can't or don't want to clutch and match themselves.

My only contention was that they are distinctly different from an actual MT in more than a couple ways and the level of control is admittedly better than a tradition PRND2L box, but not at MT or manumatic levels.

I do like ATs and pushbutton ATs. I grew up around guys with 2 & 3 speed dragsters, among other projects.

At this point we are just going to have to agree to disagree because we are looking at it from completely different angles.

And this just doesn't even make sense:

Actually, maybe you don't know what I mean and you can't seem to understand something simple without throwing in your technical knowledge that isn't on-topic?

Maybe you are oversimplifying something technical to further justify your purchase to your way of thinking? There's nothing wrong with owning an AT, at least in my opinion. It's just not my bag.

But don't fool yourself into thinking it's something it's not. If you are going to insist it is analogous to a MT for the sole reason that you have vague control over what is going on inside the transmission, that is just not accurate. Yea you can select your ratio's but you still don't have control over the fluid converter or line pressure. That and the ECU is setup to pull spark advance during shifts by default.

Which adds up to make a big damn difference, especially in a car that only pumps out 110lb-ft SAE Net. Count your blessings that it only weighs 2500lbs and the TCU logic is actually pretty advanced.

I think it's cool that they offer you a push-button shift interface, but you still have all the parasitic losses of a standard AT.

 

I think I made myself clear in the PM, but as for this

I've never even implied that it's analogous to an MT in any way except that you're able to shift up and down gears yourself. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Well that was my main point of contention with the discussion so far.

And now that is 3:15AM CST I need to go pass out.

I love this forum lol

 

if you're so serious about being able to 'control the revs' you should have gotten a manual transmission

 

lololololol

 

i only use them to downshift when i'm getting onto the freeway or to decelerate when exiting the freeway. i like having them, but i wouldn't notice if i never had them either.

 

Perhaps its my old age but the paddles are far easier to control my gear selection on track than shifting my manuals. Ever tried shifting up in a corner at race speeds?