Opinions on Flappy Paddle Option on California T6 Ocean DSG

[Loz]

Monday 10th, collection from dealer tomorrow.

 

[ferret99]

Good work. Mine must have been on the same ship then, but was still at the port yesterday

 

[WelshGas]

Or wings.

 

[HectorPascal]

Have Flapples on my E320 and use them Very seldom indeed and even then it's normally inadvertently when in Saino's car park when I catch one of them on full lock, only discovering when I get to 4000 r-pee-em and notice it's still in first. However, driving hard (legally, of course) on deserted dry roads in farthest Scotland - boy they are good.

On a Cali.... I'd suggest about as much use as a chocolate teapot when you have that super manual mode on the DSG7 version.

 

[Sue G]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think you've all confirmed what I was thinking that it wouldn't really be a lot of use on a Cali.

Loz and Ferret99, as you mention that you're Cali's are just arriving, please could you tell me when you ordered them as it might help me to have some idea of the current timescale from ordering to delivery. I ordered mine just over a week ago and it already feels a long wait!!
Many thanks

 

[VW Cali]

Good work. Mine must have been on the same ship then, but was still at the port yesterday

Because the Flappy Paddles on Loz's moved his Cali faster off the dock!

 

[Loz]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think you've all confirmed what I was thinking that it wouldn't really be a lot of use on a Cali.

Loz and Ferret99, as you mention that you're Cali's are just arriving, please could you tell me when you ordered them as it might help me to have some idea of the current timescale from ordering to delivery. I ordered mine just over a week ago and it already feels a long wait!!
Many thanks

There is a poll and thread on here with the average time. But we ordered mid May as soon as the MY17 configuator went live. Built week 39 and collect today.

 

[Shaun]

I did ask the person I'm dealing with at the garage why VW had decided to put this feature onto the Cali as like you I had always associated a flappy paddle with performance cars but he said that VW had responded to requests by customers to have this feature.

I find this extremely hard to believe on both counts, but the one that tickled me the most was
Vw Responding to requests by customers

 

[Borris]

It's my guess that the mfsw used on the Cali is not specific to this vehicle. It was probably selected from the VW/Seat/Audi/Skoda parts bin, and given some minor styling tweeks for the Cali. If I am correct then that might account for the presence of these paddle things. They probably weren't originally intended for use on a Cali. Anyway IMO they're just another gimmick.

I had them on a Mercedes once and apart from trying them on the day I picked it up, I never used them again, in fact I quickly forgot they we there!

I can possibly see the point of them if you are struggling to acheive an advantage, sometimes measured in hundreds of a second, in a motor race but not in a converted commercial vehicle used mainly for leisure. Even then, I suspect that every other car in the race would probably have them as well therefore negating the advantage. Anyway apart from assisting the elusion that you are on the race track, (if that's what floats your boat), I can't imagine that they offer much advantage in time taken to change gear over the super quick changing dsg gearbox.

The only advantage that they might offer, if used, is to ensure that both hands are kept on the steering wheel. However that is also possible with the dsg.

In short, they are a silly option that doesn't make any sense.

Just my opinion.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

Hi Sue,

I've ordered them but only because the new version of the multi function steering wheel comes with them. I believe it's a new option so not sure if anyone's got one yet.

Hi Alibee
Did you have to request paddles additionally?
I've ordered the multi functional sport steering wheel but not specified paddles on top.
If they are a standard item on the new model DSG's that would be fine.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

There were only two options when I ordered:

View attachment 17101
I chose the top one as I wanted the ability to scroll through the little display between the dials (had the same on my last Audi and used it a fair bit). Had a call about 24hrs after ordering to say that this option now came with the paddles, which tallies with the wording on the little [ i ] button on the configurator:

• Leather-wrapped multifunction sports steering wheel w/ tiptronic

I doubt I'll use it much as the engine is very tractable anyway so isn't really suited to lots of shifting, but I'm sure it'll come in handy every now and then so am not going to turn it up if it's free!

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

Hi
Further to my reply earlier and your post above I have just checked on the cofigurator and clicked on the i button but it doaesnt say anything about paddles.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

It's my guess that the mfsw used on the Cali is not specific to this vehicle. It was probably selected from the VW/Seat/Audi/Skoda parts bin, and given some minor styling tweeks for the Cali. If I am correct then that might account for the presence of these paddle things. They probably weren't originally intended for use on a Cali. Anyway IMO they're just another gimmick.

I had them on a Mercedes once and apart from trying them on the day I picked it up, I never used them again, in fact I quickly forgot they we there!

I can possibly see the point of them if you are struggling to acheive an advantage, sometimes measured in hundreds of a second, in a motor race but not in a converted commercial vehicle used mainly for leisure. Even then, I suspect that every other car in the race would probably have them as well therefore negating the advantage. Anyway apart from assisting the elusion that you are on the race track, (if that's what floats your boat), I can't imagine that they offer much advantage in time taken to change gear over the super quick changing dsg gearbox.

The only advantage that they might offer, if used, is to ensure that both hands are kept on the steering wheel. However that is also possible with the dsg.

In short, they are a silly option that doesn't make any sense.

Just my opinion.

I have them on my Audi TTS...a sports car admittedly.
I find, even with a DSG gearbox, that it is sometimes useful..particularly just before sharp-ish bend to tap the down paddle, keeping both hands on the wheel, and downshift before the DSG would do house the lower gear to engine brake as well as foot braking.
I'm not saying I tear around but in the cali's we have rented before ordering, and particularly around Cornwall and Wales, I sometimes come across a bend that is tighter than I thought and the extra brake assist is very useful and adds to safety.
So I hope they are standard from now on...just my view.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

Sorry.. that was not "house " the lower gear but "to use" the lower gear

 

[Sue G]

There is a poll and thread on here with the average time. But we ordered mid May as soon as the MY17 configuator went live. Built week 39 and collect today.

Hi Loz, thanks for the info, I'll have a look.
Sue

 

[ferret99]

Mine was a last week of MY16 order, which then got carried over to being a MY17 spec. I can't recall the build week but arrived on I think the same ship as Liz last Monday, delivered to dealer today and collect next Tuesday!

 

[daveyboydanger]

I find this extremely hard to believe on both counts, but the one that tickled me the most was
Vw Responding to requests by customers

Haha. I thought that. They decided paddles was top of the list above...
4motion Beach
Bellows colour choice
Front window for beach bellows option
2 tone colour option or editing Cali availability
Being able to choose the Coast in the uk.
Etc

 

[VW Cali]

I have them on my Audi TTS...a sports car admittedly.
I find, even with a DSG gearbox, that it is sometimes useful..particularly just before sharp-ish bend to tap the down paddle, keeping both hands on the wheel, and downshift before the DSG would do house the lower gear to engine brake as well as foot braking.
I'm not saying I tear around but in the cali's we have rented before ordering, and particularly around Cornwall and Wales, I sometimes come across a bend that is tighter than I thought and the extra brake assist is very useful and adds to safety.
So I hope they are standard from now on...just my view.

new TTRS quicker than Gen 1 R8 V8, only marginally slower 0 to 60 mph than Gen 1 R8 V10/V10+, Lamborghini Gallardo!

In such cars, the paddles are a boon. Anything below 250bhp and not high rev not much use.

 

[Loz]

If they are a standard item on the new model DSG's that would be fine.

I have the MFS for ACC but paddles are not standard and I didn't order them for the previous reasons.

 

[Gary&Heather]

But they are useful on a Mercedes C63 AMG

 

[ferret99]

new TTRS quicker than Gen 1 R8 V8, only marginally slower 0 to 60 mph than Gen 1 R8 V10/V10+, Lamborghini Gallardo!

In such cars, the paddles are a boon. Anything below 250bhp and not high rev not much use.

I disagreee, its more to do with the engine characteristics against the auto box. Peaky power curve and slightly sluggish auto box makes it worthwhile.

 

[VW Cali]

I disagreee, its more to do with the engine characteristics against the auto box. Peaky power curve and slightly sluggish auto box makes it worthwhile.

Not sure what disagreement is.

I have typed previously its the combination of torque curve that determines their usefulness. Diesel engines are an interesting study. They provide a lot of torque at low RPM. But this also limits the ability to make much from kicking down. The software will prevent much kick down anyway.

You can see the dramatic difference is you compare the same bhp diesel vs petrol cars. Golf GTI vs Golf GTD would be a decent test.

If then the feeling is that size of engine and bhp do not matter, then go compare with say a naturally aspirated Lamborghini/R8. Power will matter especially at middling to higher speeds.

I give a v concrete example. In the Lamborghini/R8 you can drive at 35mph in 6th gear or say 80mph in 2nd.

This means that if you are driving say 60mph in 6th and need to kick down 4 gears, 4 v quick taps on the flappy pedal box drop you down to 2nd and higher RPM in no time. The car can handle it, and then some. Doing this via the manual gear lever in same time is close to impossible. This is the great advantage of the paddles over the steptronic manual lever.

Now the less the downshifts a car can handle the less the advantage of the paddles. Some of these 3.0 litre diesel twin turbos offer some benefit, but it is vastly reduced. Compared to the instant increased torque that arrives in the Lamborghini/R8 this feels more like a goading and request.

It is not torque but desired changes in torque, delivered as fast as possible that are the reason for paddles.

 

[Californiaman]

My little commuter car is a Nissan Juke Nismo RS. It's got 4x4 and torque vectoring etc. It has a CVT box. It has flappy paddles and in sport mode turns the cvt onto an 8 speed sequential box. Quite a hoot...

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Andy]

My smart 84bhp turbo has them & it's also a hoot to drive using them.

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[Loz]

This is the MFSW for MY17 with ACC (No paddles)