Opinions on Flappy Paddle Option on California T6 Ocean DSG

[Sue G]

Hi everyone,
When ordering my California last week I was asked whether I wanted to add the option of a flappy paddle with the DSG gearbox (they apparently sit on each side of the back of the steering wheel columns). I just wondered whether anyone had any experience of them, especially on a Cali, and if you thought they were useful and worth getting. Also are there any negatives to having them ie. can you catch them by mistake and knock into manual. Any comments most appreciated as I'll have to make a decision soon if I'm going to add them as an option.

 

[Alibee]

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.

 

[Loz]

I had them on a Golf GTD, a bit of a novelty, soon wore off, was handy if I wanted to manually change down approaching a turn whilst driving in a spirited manor, not sure that would be appropriate in a 3tonne cali

 

[Tommy Gun]

Hi Sue,

Personally, I wouldn't bother. You can create the same effect by knocking the DSG gear stick to the right, which puts it in to tiptronic mode. You can therefore select the gears manually. The dashboard display screen changes from 'D' to showing which gear you are currently in. Pushing forward goes up the box, downwards the opposite. As suggested by others - it's more suited to a performance vehicle. If money's no object, then I'm sure it would be a 'nice to have.'

No operational negatives about the paddles. The programme that controls the DSG will not let you drop down too low, or go up too high a gear.

Cheers
Tom

 

[VW Cali]

Not sure you would need them on a Cali.

We have them on our other cars. On the SUV hardly used but sometimes useful for overtaking. Sometimes...

In the other car I use them very often.

To sum up, flappy paddles only make sense for high performance cars.

 

[Sue G]

Thanks for your comments. Interesting what you mentioned Alibee about getting it as standard with your multifunction steering wheel as I'm getting the adaptive cruise control which apparently comes with a multifunction steering wheel but was told that the flappy paddle would be a £60 option. Are you getting the standard or sports steering wheel out of interest as I was wondering whether the flappy paddle was something that came with the sports wheel which is a little more expensive.

And Tom you may well be right about not really needing it. Although I tried the DSG before ordering it I didn't try out the manual setting so wasn't quite sure how it worked, so thanks.

 

[VW Cali]

I had them on a Golf GTD, a bit of a novelty, soon wore off, was handy if I wanted to manually change down approaching a turn whilst driving in a spirited manor, not sure that would be appropriate in a 3tonne cali

Indeed.

Aa well, much less advantage in low rev diesel engines. They come into their own in very powerful engines, especially high rev and naturally aspirated.

Also takes getting used to. But boy they are fun once you get used to them. 3 quick taps can drop you 3 gears lower in the blink of an eye. Or 4 taps if you wish.

The Cali programming will not let such indulgences through for limits reasons.

 

[Sue G]

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.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I have them (FP's) on my BMW Z4 and only really use them for overtaking. That said they are really annoying because they do not move with the steering wheel, so any spirited driving is pointless because you can't reliably change gear as you go round the twisty bits!! Tiptronic is a better solution in this case, so save your money!

 

[Alibee]

Thanks for your comments. Interesting what you mentioned Alibee about getting it as standard with your multifunction steering wheel as I'm getting the adaptive cruise control which apparently comes with a multifunction steering wheel but was told that the flappy paddle would be a £60 option. Are you getting the standard or sports steering wheel out of interest as I was wondering whether the flappy paddle was something that came with the sports wheel which is a little more expensive.

There were only two options when I ordered:


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!

 

[VW Cali]

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.

It makes cars look cool and sporty. Plus some may be used to shifting manually with paddles from other cars.

But for the Cali they offer no advantage in terms of performance etc. The manual steptronic on the actual gear shift is likely the limits of what a flappy paddle will let you do.

To give you a concrete example:

My performance can be driven in DSG equivalent quasi auto mode. It can be manually shifted via the same gear shift. It can also be manually shifted via the flappy paddles. The latter changes are much faster than the manual stick. Which is why flappy paddles were invented in motor sport. So I kick down from 6th to 2nd gear using paddles in the same time it would take me to shift down from 6th to 5th using the manual lever. That is the primary function of flappy paddles, and their advantage.

You are most unlikely to be able to do that in a VW Cali. Engine constraints are such that flappy paddles will take you about same time to shift down as using the steptronic manual gear lever.

Hope makes sense. For you it seems it will be the cool factor only, as you don't prefer flappy pedals anyway, and there will be no performance advantages.

Interested in other opinion too, but that is my experience.

 

[VW Cali]

I have them (FP's) on my BMW Z4 and only really use them for overtaking. That said they are really annoying because they do not move with the steering wheel, so any spirited driving is pointless because you can't reliably change gear as you go round the twisty bits!! Tiptronic is a better solution in this case, so save your money!

Interesting! They move in our other cars, one of which is a 2013 BMW.

I still remember Clarkson moaning when moving flappy pedals started appearing 10 yeara ago. I found that comment from him very strange...

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yes, very strange comment from Clarkson.

 

[Californiaman]

I would find flappy pedals very disconcerting!

 

[ferret99]

I used to use them for overtaking in a LR Discovery 4 SDV6. A tap or two prior to commencing an overtake would take the engine from below revs where the turbos are running, to an engine speed having decent boost pressure, allowing more instance acceleration rather than waiting for the auto box to kick down. I liked them.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Interesting! They move in our other cars, one of which is a 2013 BMW.

I still remember Clarkson moaning when moving flappy pedals started appearing 10 yeara ago. I found that comment from him very strange...

Your post got me thinking.......are my paddles really not moving? I went to check......urrrrrm? yes they do move but that probably says it all. They are there but I don't use them much!! Thinking back now I have a feeling I was referring to a conversation I had with a pal who owns a Volvo, I think it's an xc60, which he was complaining about when we were comparing notes etc. Probably after a few glasses of the red stuff as well which never helps!!

 

[VW Cali]

I would find flappy pedals very disconcerting!

Hahaha, yes, I have been typing pedals haven't I...!

Well spotted! I meant petals of course!

 

[Lewis]

We have these on a 1.6 DSG Beetle. Never used them because there's always been enough power for overtaking in standard DSG mode. The only way I can see them being beneficial on the Cali is if the DSG shift down is slower or the extra weight causes a problem

 

[Sheffield10]

I've got them on a BMW 330D and use them frequently - dropping down a gear for a bit of extra engine breaking, going up a gear when the engine will happily pull a bigger gear - usually in situations where the auto box has been fooled by the ups and downs on a stretch of road. It is like an instant override to the auto box settings without the need to change into manual mode, and it will revert to auto mode a short while later if left to its own devices. Whether it would suit a California or not I'm not qualified to answer - still somewhere in the queue for mine.

 

[GrannyJen]

A flappy paddle on a Cali is about as useful as rear spoilers on a smart car

 

[VW Cali]

A flappy paddle on a Cali is about as useful as rear spoilers on a smart car

You mean on a Smart Car surely!

If you widened your description of "usefulness" then perhaps useful. Acquiring useless things is engine of consumerism in an economy: goods and services, necessary or not, plus job creation!

Look at how many accessories exist for Calis.

Plus spoilers serve an important benefit to procreation. Research has indicated that the addition of such useless accoutrements as spoilers on cars increases testosterone levels in young men. This leads to a response in the female, at least of a certain type, which leads to babies.

Think of flappy paddles and spoilers not just as mechanical performance enhancing aids, but as biological ones. All will then be understood.

I am also adding a smiley lest some misinterpret and get their knickers in a twist - not an uncommon trait amongst forum members. Just to point out the non non-serious side of my post.

 

[kave]

I have the paddles on my BMW 520D and I uses them frequently.
I try to practise eco driving when I can so I use them to downshift to do engine braking.

 

[Teejay]

When I ordered there was since confusion around the MFS. It was showing as an extra on top of ACC. Dealer chose the option that allowed him to process the order at the time as finding out could have caused delay and affected the 2016 price. So not sure what we'll get. I think either @Loz or I could be the first of the 2017 builds..

Engine braking is the only real advantage I could see. But for £60 would probably add it.

 

[Loz]

When I ordered there was since confusion around the MFS. It was showing as an extra on top of ACC. So not sure what we'll get. I think either @Loz or I could be the first of the 2017 builds..

I'll tell you tomorrow

 

[ferret99]

Do you know when your van arrived in port Loz?