Flappy paddles.

[guhvies]

I use them all the time otherwise they must get rusty and stick...

 

[Allan AMG]

When I had my C63 I used them all the time, mainly for holding down the downshift to the best gear for acceleration.
I have them now also in a 1ltr Ibiza and Arona on the DSG box, use them all the time to speed up the kickdown.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I rarely use mine. Even my non-AMG out accelerates most other cars on the road so I can’t see the need for them there. I’ll occasionally use them when slowing rapidly for a bend, but I usually plan well enough ahead not to need any more engine braking than the auto box offers. I never use them for enhanced engine braking when someone is behind who, without the warning provided by brake lights, may not realise how much quicker I’m slowing.

My lack of use of the flappy paddles only showed itself up when I took a Ferrari F430 for a few laps of Silverstone. “Flappy paddles, no problem for me because I have them in my car” I told my instructor when I got in. What I didn’t take into account was the paddles being the only way to change gear in the 430. “Erm, is it the left or right to change up?” when reaching the red line at very high speed on basically an unfamiliar road in definitely an unfamiliar car isn’t the best way to make good progress!

 

[BlackC55]

I use them for re-adapting the gearbox and for upshifts if I think its holding a gear too much.

 

[Eddy77]

I use them in my CLK350 on country roads. Mainly because the engine is reasonably audible and the engine has a decent Rev range. My Audi A6 diesel has them and I never use them because the engine has such a limited range before you need to change and the engine is ridiculously quiet so it’s actually rather hard to know when to change as you simply can’t hear the engine most of the time.

 

[jc651]

I have them also but in the 3 years of ownership I have only used them twice. I bought the car for the auto gearbox so for me they are useless as I'm a slow and steady kind of driver

 

[davymead]

Never deemed necessary to use mine as they seem almost superfluous given the flexibility/power on tap, even during the most ‘spirited’ driving.