2008 Smart Fortwo: Moving Paddle Shifters

I think the new M3 with the DCT has them too.

I agree with you, too...but nearly every car I've driven with paddles has them affixed to the wheel.

Maybe I'm just not driving the quality cars? Which ones have the paddles affixed to the column?

The logic with putting them on the steering wheel is that when driving hard you are only make subtle steering inputs (so not moving your hands) and thus the paddles are always right at your fingertips; no shuffling of your hands needed to line up with the steering column. Of course, most cars that have paddle shifters don't have steering racks that are quick enough to actually pull this off so even around wide corners you are still shuffling you hands. That's why it works to have paddles on the steering wheel in racecars but not road cars.

I prefer moving paddle shifters because that setup mimics what most paddle-shifted open wheel race cars and sports cars use. :o)

However, my experience with paddle shifters is mostly virtual. =Þ

http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/fawsa/momo02.jpg

I think fixed paddles would create another problem: your hands will for certain hit the paddles every time you turn the wheel.

By having them mounted on the steering wheel, the paddles are usually out of the way of your hands because they are mounted behind the steering wheel spokes.

And like mercedesfan said, while your hands are at 3 and 9 o'clock most of the time during spirited driving, the shift paddles will be always near where your hands are. Having them fixed on the column means you have to take your hands off the wheel to shift, which is not good.

The Evo X MR I drive has them on the column, but the paddles are gigantic so it's never a problem no matter where your hands are.

Most people were complaining that they were not on the steering. This is the first I've heard of anyone preferring them on the column though.

Serious (racing) drivers keep both hands at 9 and 3 and don't take their hands off the wheel. The paddle shifters will always be right where their hand is.

Also, I thought you generally want to avoid shifting while turning.

Yea I find this to be quite frustrating. Recently I had the privelege of driving a 2009 Acura TSX for about a week and discovered the steering wheel mounted paddles. When driving in sport mode it became frustrating right away when trying to downshift in a turn. It became a bit tricky and overall took away the fun of driving in sport mode. You would think the designers would realize this. Maybe its cheaper to put them on the wheel??

ddooouugg-

Serious racing drivers drive cars with faster steering racks than street cars, and also don't need to input steering angles as high as street cars do since the radii of even the tightest hairpins on race tracks are quite large compared to tight corners on public roads. Road cars really shouldn't have paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel.

most affordable cars have them on the steering wheel. Nissans and Infinitis are the exception. YOu arent going find many cars with the stationary paddles. The TL-SHAWD has them on the wheel.

Is there a way to make the smarts speedo show in km/h if you were to ever go into Canada? I notice that the MPH dial only goes to 100, and in Canada the smart is electronically limited to 135 so even if you were able to switch the speedo scale from mph to km/h, it would go off the end.

This is a safety design. It keeps you from driving the SMART in any way that could be construed as "sporting."

You just can't please everybody. I once watched a Bentley review that griped about the paddles being affixed to the column.

That being said, in a road car, paddle shifters are a gimmick. I HATE them. If you're going to have a "manu-matic", or whatever, a properly executed center console-based one makes more sense on road cars. Even then I rarely use them.

^^ Totally agree. Paddle shifters are a useless gimmick. If you want to shift gears manually get a manual and save yourself $1000+.

"Serious (racing) drivers keep both hands at 9 and 3 and don't take their hands off the wheel. The paddle shifters will always be right where their hand is."

The question is, how many serious (racing) drivers drive a Smart?

also, if you have your hands at 9 and 3 all the time how do you rotate the steering wheel?

By the time you have turned left your hands would be at 8 and 2 position :p

Down shift paddle should be fixed and larger, while upshift paddle should be move with the steering.

"Serious (racing) drivers keep both hands at 9 and 3 and don't take their hands off the wheel. The paddle shifters will always be right where their hand is."

But that's in a car where lock-to-lock is 3/4 of a turn of the wheel. Road cars going 2-3 full rotations.

Fixed paddles (column) are better for the road because you always know where they are, and if you shuffle steer correctly, you always know where your hands are.

Fixed paddles FTW.

Rotating paddles, like flat-bottomed steering wheels on road cars -- FTL
-mike

Lock-to-lock looks to be more than 3/4 turn in the Loews/Grand Hotel Hairpin to me. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53PEYEy1XUk

"

Lock-to-lock looks to be more than 3/4 turn in the Loews/Grand Hotel Hairpin to me. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53PEYEy1XUk
Leave a comment"

You know what I meant...don't make me come over there.

-mike

on a quick glance of the speedo it looks like it's doing -1mph

Upon further inspection, Schumi's wheel appears to go only 5/8 or so. So you're right, Mike! I was wrong. :o)

That's not the speedo - it's the transmission display. When in Auto mode is shows PRND, in Manual mode is shows gears 1 - 5.

I usually buy cars equipped with manuals, but the GTI I currently drive has the DSG Tranny with paddles on the wheel. I rarely use them and when I do, it's because my left hand is doing something (windows, lights, giving the one-finger salute to that a-hole who cut me off, etc.), requiring my right hand to stay on the wheel and preventing it from nudging the beautiful leather-wrapped, metallic-clad shift knob. Largely a gimmick in street cars, but the paddles impress people who don't know any better...;)

Milt721 - RE saving money and buying a manual: I bought the car with DSG because I was actually impressed with its operation - certainly leaps and bounds ahead of 95% of the 'real' automatics out there and most importantly, because my wife prefers an autobox...=) For some people, it's not about saving money, it's about compromise... ;)

^^ By telling my wife that manuals are cheaper, plus are generally quicker and get better fuel economy, was all the proof I needed to convert my wife to a manual. Now, if I could just get her to put the phone down while driving...

I also forgot the best part: manuals are FUN! You don't need a left hand or left foot to drive an automatic, it's like simulated driving...

If the manual mode console shifter is setup "properly", that's a reasonable alternative I think.

I consider fixed paddles and forward/down backward/up to be proper shifting setups.

Which way is upshift/downshift on the GTI's console shifter?