[AP]

Yeh hear stick over to the left is my favoured option. Rarely use the paddles but nice to have them there

[5Pilot]

I’ve got the paddles on my 530e, but with no tachometer in the instrument cluster, I’m not as inclined to use them.

[Sxs1687]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Curious. I never do as they are too small and uncomfortable to use. It just does not feel natural. I also very rarely manually shift with this car because the tranny is so good, but when I do, I use the shifter. Feels more natural than the tiny paddles. I have had other cars where the paddles were bigger and better ergonomically placed that I did enjoy using. This was mostly on cars with smaller engines that had to work and downshifting manually was a better options than stepping on it to kick down.

Barely ever! I can only remember using it a couple times and it was always when I'm taking an exit ramp fast and wanting to downgear.

[ejlover06]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Curious. I never do as they are too small and uncomfortable to use. It just does not feel natural. I also very rarely manually shift with this car because the tranny is so good, but when I do, I use the shifter. Feels more natural than the tiny paddles. I have had other cars where the paddles were bigger and better ergonomically placed that I did enjoy using. This was mostly on cars with smaller engines that had to work and downshifting manually was a better options than stepping on it to kick down.

To select the lowest possible gear in the fastest way before a hard acceleration, paddles are the only option (holding the gear down one)

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by ejlover06

To select the lowest possible gear in the fastest way before a hard acceleration, paddles are the only option (holding the gear down one)

Hitting the kick down switch is pretty fast too!

Just push the accelerator all the way down and press the button

[BBDDVV]

Originally Posted by 5Pilot

I’ve got the paddles on my 530e, but with no tachometer in the instrument cluster, I’m not as inclined to use them.

Stick to the left? (at least in MY2021 ;-))

[23109VC]

I use my Padres every time I drive. I have an M550. I don't find there to be anything wrong with the steering well mounted paddle shifters I think they look and feel just right. I've seen the great big aftermarket shift paddles and I think they look overkill.

You honestly don't need to use the paddles as the car shifts great by itself although sometimes I just like to control the Shifts.

In sport plus mode the transmission shifts quite aggressively and you are less inclined to use them.

Sometimes if you're heavy on the throttle and you shift slightly sooner than the car would by paddle shifting, you get some nice pops and crackles.

[ejlover06]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

Hitting the kick down switch is pretty fast too!

Just push the accelerator all the way down and press the button

There is a lag in that especially in a 1.6lt engine 520 G30. I need to prepare acceleration before hitting the gas pedal first to accelerate with full efficiency It's also more efficient to do it with paddles before taking over in a 2 way roads with limited time to pass the car in front wile waiting for the overcoming car

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by 5Pilot

I’ve got the paddles on my 530e, but with no tachometer in the instrument cluster, I’m not as inclined to use them.

If you want the tach in the instrument cluster, you can code the car to use the Alpina display. You will lose the battery display on the right side but you will see the miles remaining below the oil temp gauge which will remain. On the main display you will always see the speedometer on the left and the tach on the right. The display will be a bright blue.

You can do a search on the forum and you will see lots of information and images. You can also do an "Alpina display" search on google for images.

Everything I wrote is true for my 2018 530e with the multifunctional instrument display.

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by Gautam

How effective/safe is this? I had a test drive where the dealer demonstrated transmission braking and encouraged me to try to not use the brakes. I didn’t have the nerve past a couple of attempts.

That's not ok!

In a manual it's adviced to double clutch when shifting down to match the engine rpm with your speed. When you don't you don't engine brake, but "clutch brake". Replacing brake pads is less costly than replacing the clutch.

In the AT you'll have a torque convertor, which is less prone for wear, but also here, the smart transmission will rpm match first.

The brake function from a revving engine is coming from the mass acceleration and induced "air pump" losses. And while it's a good technique to avoid your brakes heat up speeding down the Grossglockner, i don't believe it's the better technique for normal conditions.

Also, brakes work on the 4 wheels and are assisted with brake force distribution to balance the task and assure the vehicles directional control. Braking on the engine is only working on the driven wheels and there is no distribution what so ever. Of course, ABS will not prevent you from locking the wheel and losing all steering capabilities in the snow.

I still believe brakes are better for braking, but I downshift before the turn to avoid a destabilising down shift at the apex and high throttle accelerating out phase. so not for braking, but for traject control.

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by reu2

I forgot why I was in the manual but I learned you can hold the left paddle to max your torque, it's much more fun in an overtake situation. Give it a try.

Can you explain/elaborate more on this ? I've never heard of holding the left paddle down to max torque out. How do you do it? When do you do it, etc ?

Thanks!

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

Can you explain/elaborate more on this ? I've never heard of holding the left paddle down to max torque out. How do you do it? When do you do it, etc ?

Thanks!

Mark - you hold in the left paddle in and the transmission will drop to the lowest gear if can without crossing redline. Think about it like flooring it but you don't have to put your pedal to the floor to achieve it. I can see this being useful when you want to pass someone quickly.

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Mark - you hold in the left paddle in and the transmission will drop to the lowest gear if can without crossing redline. Think about it like flooring it but you don't have to put your pedal to the floor to achieve it. I can see this being useful when you want to pass someone quickly.

Ahh............thanks Joe!

[540iSUP]

I've got the smaller engine 540i and only use the paddles for fun. Shifter to the left in Sports or Sports+ and kick down is really all I need. Having an xHP transmission tune is nice because I have auto blips enabled, which is basically just RPM matching when down shifting. I never knew about holding the left paddle to get to the lowest gear, or the right paddle to get back into Auto. I tried the downshift hold the other day and its very nice, now I need to try to the upshift hold to get back into Auto after putting it in Manual. With the xHP tune, once you go into manual it will pretty much stay there until you place it back to auto.

As always, good info here guys!

[Mach550]

I probably should try to limit it but I use them every single day without issue. Only thing I wish is that pulling both together would put the car in neutral.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Mark - you hold in the left paddle in and the transmission will drop to the lowest gear if can without crossing redline. Think about it like flooring it but you don't have to put your pedal to the floor to achieve it. I can see this being useful when you want to pass someone quickly.

This is a dumb rookie question, but does the shifter need to be moved to the left, or does just engaging the paddles get you into manual?

I keep meaning to try the left paddle down function and I forget until I check in here.

[540iSUP]

Originally Posted by NGT2

This is a dumb rookie question, but does the shifter need to be moved to the left, or does just engaging the paddles get you into manual?

I keep meaning to try the left paddle down function and I forget until I check in here.

If the shifter is in the normal drive position, you can move through all the gears, but they will revert back to auto. With the stick to the left, it will hold gears a little longer, but will eventually shift for you.

With the xHP tune, I can stick it in Manual and it won't shift until I shift.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by 540iSUP

If the shifter is in the normal drive position, you can move through all the gears, but they will revert back to auto. With the stick to the left, it will hold gears a little longer, but will eventually shift for you.

With the xHP tune, I can stick it in Manual and it won't shift until I shift.

I think in manual mode with the shifter to the left, it will only shift automatically when you redline. Could be wrong, with our cars, there are SO many driving options to choose from: 4-5 modes, S Mode with shifter to the left, Paddles, bumping the gear lever, etc. I forget the paddles are even there. I like the way the tranny moves through the gears in Sport+, it doesn't seem to need my help, even downshifting.

[BMW012]

In my AMG I paddle shift when I want to control my pops, bangs and crackles.

If you let go of the gas anytime around 3500 rpm and above you get the nice crackles and the higher you go up in rpm and then upshift you get a nice bangggggg.

The one M550i I test drove for a short period of time wasn't as loud in the sound department. However, the M850 convertible I drove during one of the BMW events did sound a bit louder than the M550i...

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by BMW012

In my AMG I paddle shift when I want to control my pops, bangs and crackles.

If you let go of the gas anytime around 3500 rpm and above you get the nice crackles and the higher you go up in rpm and then upshift you get a nice bangggggg.

The one M550i I test drove for a short period of time wasn't as loud in the sound department. However, the M850 convertible I drove during one of the BMW events did sound a bit louder than the M550i...

The M550 doesn't really pop, bang or crackle without exhaust enhancements.

[BMW012]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

The M550 doesn't really pop, bang or crackle without exhaust enhancements.

bummer. would have been nice if it did, especially with 523 hp and the M badge.

[paquet]

So I tried out the paddles yesterday after looking at this thread - and I had forgotten how much fun that was...
(flat roads in FL make me forget about the advantages of paddles - especially with my recollection of them being first marketed as "no need to take your hands off the wheel on an upshift into a climbing turn"... uhhh what banked twisty turn?)

Didn't know about that hold left paddle trick either - thank you! Something new to try today.

Putting the selector stick to the left, I forgot they don't upshift automatically (downshift yes) unlike in 'D' mode