Paddle Shift

[Fozzer]

My first car with paddle shift and I’m using them just to get the hang of it.
It’s not really a problem but I’m finding that I may need to sort out the gearing ratios as on several occasions the gears have, say, jumped from 4th to 2nd or its showing the green up light meaning that I need to change up.
Is it just me or are others having a similar experience, should I be saying that at 20mph I need to be in 3rd gear then at 30mph 4th or 5th etc.
I’m in auto mode for the engine and gearbox, would changing this mode make any difference.
I would like to hear other drivers experiences please on how you became better at paddle shifting.
Thanks
Dave

 

[New S4 Man]

just go by engine speed (revs) as you would a manual really?

 

[Fozzer]

Thanks for your reply
I’m doing that but now and again it shifts on its own presume it’s a built in safety feature

 

[AlS3BE]

Thanks for your reply
I’m doing that but now and again it shifts on its own presume it’s a built in safety feature

Gearbox won’t let you over Rev the engine and won’t let it stall so will change when these could occur. It also has a mind of its own even when in manual mode. Moving the gearstick to the left sometimes help.
Mine is always left in dynamic or auto.

 

[oli356]

Gearbox won’t let you over Rev the engine and won’t let it stall so will change when these could occur. It also has a mind of its own even when in manual mode. Moving the gearstick to the left sometimes help.
Mine is always left in dynamic or auto.

Yup this.

If you don't touch the gearstick and then use the paddles, after some time it will return to whatever gear it feels like, the driver display should change from M3 to D4 or something.

If you move the stick left into manual mode, from what I've seen at least, you will be able to stay in gear until it needs to shift down, ie you are coming to a stop. Or until it hits the red line... I think it will let you sit in the middle of the rev range quite happily though and won't shift for you. I've started using this for one road on my commute as it is rather bendy and I don't want to be going round corners at 20/30mph in like 4th gear...

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong as I don't use it too often.

 

[AlS3BE]

Yup this.

If you don't touch the gearstick and then use the paddles, after some time it will return to whatever gear it feels like, the driver display should change from M3 to D4 or something.

If you move the stick left into manual mode, from what I've seen at least, you will be able to stay in gear until it needs to shift down, ie you are coming to a stop. Or until it hits the red line... I think it will let you sit in the middle of the rev range quite happily though and won't shift for you. I've started using this for one road on my commute as it is rather bendy and I don't want to be going round corners at 20/30mph in like 4th gear...

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong as I don't use it too often.

That’s pretty much it. Same as my A6.
I just got to the point now it annoys me so much when it thinks for itself that I just leave it in auto unless I’m pushing on then I want full control. To be fair in auto it more or less gets its right for me when I’m just commuting or not in a rush.
The only bad thing I find in the s3 is unlike my A6(3.0tdi) it doesn’t have the huge amount of torque so sitting in 4th doing 20/30 it struggles to pick up without dropping a cog or 2 where as the A6 will just pull along well.
Maybe a tcu remap might help.

 

[Fozzer]

Thanks Guys, yes, if you are in D/S mode then start to use the paddles it does revert back to D mode on the display after a short period of time.
It seems from what I’m hearing that you tend to use the auto D/S mode most of the time.
Appreciate your help.
As an aside I drove an M4 around Oulton Park last Sunday and the instructor made me use the paddles although I had never used them before and this is what triggered me to start and get use to them.

 

[Svenedin]

I use the paddles occasionally. Useful for dropping down a gear to overtake and I also quite like deliberately dropping down a gear or two in long road tunnels (just for the noise). I don't find them very useful on twisty country roads because the paddles seem too short. I wanted to put paddle extensions on when I first got the car but they were not available for the FL at the time -perhaps they are available now?