Rashman
MB Enthusiast
If you use the paddles all the time, it becomes second nature knowing what gear you're in.
I love the paddles.
Used them ever since I got the car.
Wouldn't drive without them, apart from when using "C" when I first start the car, until the drive train is warm.
There seems to be aspects of the paddles that people either dismiss or chose to ignore..
1) Paddles change the gears faster than you could ever change gear with a manual gearbox.
2) The paddles encourage you to keep both hands on the wheel at ALL times, making it a much more safer and efficient way of changing gear.
3) by using the paddles, you can utilise engine breaking, allowing you to slow the car by using the gears and the brakes - thus SAVING YOU MONEY in the long run.
4) you can prep the car/ gearbox prior to entering a corner.
5) you can hold gears, which is very helpful when tentatively engaging in an overtake even when going on and coming off the gas. Whereas in auto mode, you may find the gearbox changes up when you don't want it to when you slightly lift off the gas momentarily.
6) you can really hear the orchestra of sound by holding gears. You can climb revs slowly under partial load or rip through the rev range at full load.. All while holding a gear. Equally, you can hear the glorious sound of the engine and exhaust as you let of the gas and let the revs fall gradually.. hearing the crackles, pops and booms from the exhaust.
7) by using the paddles, you can be more involved in the drive, rather than sitting there as a passenger while the car does everything. It's great in traffic I guess, but not when you up and moving, surely?!
Ok, number 6 is more for the AMG's, but you get what I mean.
All I'm saying is that there is much fun and many benefits to using the paddles.
The thing everyone gets hung up on is the slight delay between flicking a paddle and the gear changing.
This delay seems to be more pronounced in non AMG cars.
My dad's E350, for example, has paddles and the delay after flicking the paddles in that are more pronounced that mine.
But as mentioned, you can adapt your driving to "time" your gear changes.
You really can.
I never used to use the tiptronic in my old W208 because that really was a lazy ass gearbox and it was usually more trouble than it was worth.
But I love the paddles in my 63 and would never drive without them.
Paddles all the way for me!
I love the paddles.
Used them ever since I got the car.
Wouldn't drive without them, apart from when using "C" when I first start the car, until the drive train is warm.
There seems to be aspects of the paddles that people either dismiss or chose to ignore..
1) Paddles change the gears faster than you could ever change gear with a manual gearbox.
2) The paddles encourage you to keep both hands on the wheel at ALL times, making it a much more safer and efficient way of changing gear.
3) by using the paddles, you can utilise engine breaking, allowing you to slow the car by using the gears and the brakes - thus SAVING YOU MONEY in the long run.
4) you can prep the car/ gearbox prior to entering a corner.
5) you can hold gears, which is very helpful when tentatively engaging in an overtake even when going on and coming off the gas. Whereas in auto mode, you may find the gearbox changes up when you don't want it to when you slightly lift off the gas momentarily.
6) you can really hear the orchestra of sound by holding gears. You can climb revs slowly under partial load or rip through the rev range at full load.. All while holding a gear. Equally, you can hear the glorious sound of the engine and exhaust as you let of the gas and let the revs fall gradually.. hearing the crackles, pops and booms from the exhaust.
7) by using the paddles, you can be more involved in the drive, rather than sitting there as a passenger while the car does everything. It's great in traffic I guess, but not when you up and moving, surely?!
Ok, number 6 is more for the AMG's, but you get what I mean.
All I'm saying is that there is much fun and many benefits to using the paddles.
The thing everyone gets hung up on is the slight delay between flicking a paddle and the gear changing.
This delay seems to be more pronounced in non AMG cars.
My dad's E350, for example, has paddles and the delay after flicking the paddles in that are more pronounced that mine.
But as mentioned, you can adapt your driving to "time" your gear changes.
You really can.
I never used to use the tiptronic in my old W208 because that really was a lazy ass gearbox and it was usually more trouble than it was worth.
But I love the paddles in my 63 and would never drive without them.
Paddles all the way for me!
I will have to get the Rash manual gear shift mode book out, and read it indepth
Chris, mate, jez, don't you start muddying the waters down the south mate, manual, manual, jez it will be emperor Rashman soon, all hail manual Rash!!! I like auto!, with a tiny bit of down shifting now and then when the likes of Simon M, Justin, Sean, and a few others are upon me at GW track days, giving me a whooping, great fun though! 
Auto all day long for me!, however, might be a game plan for Vmax though
