As title says ...

They come as standard on the SEL

But would you spec them on your next Karoq if they weren't standard?

 

 

Edited 6 January, 20197 yr by agedbriar

And the Edition has them ! I must admit, I hardly ever use 'em, preferring the DSG to work its magic uninterrupted by me. My advice ? Save your money, the paddles really aren't necessary, because you can change gear manually anyway if you wish.

Edited 6 January, 20197 yr by JKW
A reply came in between my offering !

I like them....and would have paid extra.....and still would

 

really handy to manually change down ahead of bends especially where you know the route....set up for an overtake...smoother than kick down...change up on long downhills where you don’t want engine braking

 

The clever thing is that the gearbox automatically swaps back to auto mode if you don’t manually paddle shift for a few seconds

1 hour ago, 33q said:

I like them....and would have paid extra.....and still would

 

really handy to manually change down ahead of bends especially where you know the route....set up for an overtake...smoother than kick down...change up on long downhills where you don’t want engine braking

 

The clever thing is that the gearbox automatically swaps back to auto mode if you don’t manually paddle shift for a few seconds

 

That's exactly my vision put into words.

 

Do you ever need to return to D/S while the right paddle is out of immediate reach, the automatic swap-back being late? Is it true that you can also do that by shifting the stick to Manual and back?

 

Edited 6 January, 20197 yr by agedbriar

1 hour ago, 33q said:

I like them....and would have paid extra.....and still would

 

really handy to manually change down ahead of bends especially where you know the route....set up for an overtake...smoother than kick down...change up on long downhills where you don’t want engine braking

 

The clever thing is that the gearbox automatically swaps back to auto mode if you don’t manually paddle shift for a few seconds

Exactly, I wouldn't be without 'em despite only ever using the over-ride option every now and again.

It will hang on to the manually selected gear a little longer than if in auto.....eg if your speed drops....but it’s not a problem to me...continue to manually select or pull back for sport or just plant your foot on the pedal nearest the door!  Easily sorted. 

 

And if iyou know some quiet back roads you can just turn your cap round....and imagine your are Lewis or Seb.......

32 minutes ago, 33q said:

It will hang on to the manually selected gear a little longer than if in auto.....eg if your speed drops...

 

 

Does that mean that the automatic return to D/S doesn't happen after a fixed time, but depends also on actual revs?

I’m not certain but I think it’s time based. Only very very occasionally have I noticed it. It really isn’t a problem

Please forgive my ignorance as I have a manual (never had DSG), but don't all DSG's come with the small paddles as standard, but you can spec paddles but they are larger than the standard ones? 

Recent Octavia has paddles, used them couple of times in four years. They are as option in the Style trim, so the forthcoming Karoq is without paddles. Used that money for traffic sign recognition option.

8 hours ago, Gaz1985 said:

Please forgive my ignorance as I have a manual (never had DSG), but don't all DSG's come with the small paddles as standard, but you can spec paddles but they are larger than the standard ones? 

The Ambition trim in Slovenia comes without paddles. If you specify them as option, you get the standard small plastic ones, the large ones (made of plastic, carbon or alu) are all aftermarket.

 

That's my understanding, anyway.

Got them as standard on my Edition. Never used them. Would not have specified them if I had an option. 

I had them on my Octavia mk2 VRS and used them to drop a gear when approaching a roundabout as it was slow to change down and would leave you trying to pull out onto the roundabout in the wrong gear before it reacted. Probably a lot shorter period of time than it felt but t was noticeable. This was the 6 speed box and hopefully the newer ones are now better. A couple of times it was used for some spirited driving but was more of a gimmick than actual benefit as on the move the automatic changes were pretty good in sport mode. 

The 8 speed ZF auto gearbox in the current BMW is leagues ahead of the VAG 6 speed DSG and I’ve used the paddles a bit more for spirited driving but still more of a gimmick as the automatic gear changes are so smooth and quick, never feeling to be in the wrong gear. 

Wouldn't spec paddles if they were not standard, as the same function is provided by the gear lever... move to left and nudge up/down.

 

Perhaps one of the most important uses is, you do not have to take a hand off the steering wheel to change gear, or else just let the dsg manage what it is perfectly capable of doing (very) well.

 

Mike

I have them on my SEL and have never found the need to use them, but 10 years ago on an auto Citroen Picasso they were essential as the auto was C$%p !! an absolute nightmare when joining a roundabout or overtaking.

The DSG box is great.

 

'Some people'  seem to think manuals are for real drivers, and they need a hand off the steering wheel at every gear change.

 

With a DSG it is not necessary to but it is nice that they are Automated Manuals and you can feel like a 'racing driver' with a Tiptronic / sequential type shifting, 

or with 'paddle shift'. 

 

Personally i never use paddles on DSG's or many Autos that have them, other than when i had extended tests with a Toyota GT86 Auto and when i drove MINI autos.  

That was just because they were so instant on those cars, the gear indicator was obvious and the paddles suited the steering wheels.

 

I drove a Auto 7 speed Merc at the weekend and the paddles were damn good, but then it had no gear shifter in the middle of the car,.

I have the paddles(the car was from stock), but I used them 2-3 times in 10000km only to force the gear to stay in the 1st and to perform a harder motor break. On usual driving, I prefer to put the gear shift into the sport mode. 

Edited 7 January, 20197 yr by Gabi4

Thank you everyone for your input.

 

Well, I'll specify the paddles as I'm now certain I'll enjoy helping DSG out in specific situations.

 

At least initially.  

 

I may get lazy eventually (I'm  75), but the experience will be worth the small extra cost as well as the scorn from my young ones for my trying to turn a bland SUV into a Lambo.