i really like how you explained this without making us feel stupid for it knowing how to use these. i’ve been nervous to ask anyone but this really helped me
The right way to shift is by hearing the engine, when it sounds like the engine got enough air and it’s not breathing anymore that’s when you should up shift same thing when down shifting
@@thekrankenman3088 you don’t need to lower your volume on music. You can feel it out almost. It sounds dumb but one you’re comfortable and know your car you’ll know when do you so.
Nice job in answering some questions that people may not feel comfortable asking someone in person. One clarification is that with paddle shifting even in Manuel mode the ECU will not allow the driver to damage the transmission. If the car redlines before the driver shifts, the car will automatically shift into the correct gear. For anyone who has experienced that feeling, it feels like the car is potentially being damaged, but if the systems are all functioning properly the car will not sustain any damage.
My Merc is really annoying because even in manual mode it won't let me upshift into a higher gear when i'm at 2k revs driving slow. It's like "nah... let's just have instant torque for us in case we need it instead! I'm not letting you upshift until 2.5k!" I'm like "girl, I'm chilling. You're a diesel with 170 BHP! You can pull from 1.5K" but she's having none of it!
Not true, in many high-end sports cars such as the Porsche 911, Lamborghini Huracan, etc. the car will let you bounce off the rev limiter instead of upshifting for you as this is sometimes faster on a track
What you are saying is true, but it is still very hard on the engine and transmission to be working at full power. This is also trusting the safety systems in place are working properly! I would not be testing my own vehicle for this. The easier you drive the vehicle the longer the lifespan you will get out of it.
Nice explanation. Just to mention, when using the transmission in manual mode more fuel will be used, and especially when driving for performance. When driving normally in the auto mode the transmission via the computer commands will select the most efficient gear ratios for best compromise between performance in relation to fuel usage. The EPM system in the car takes consideration of torque demand, speed, rate of acceleration, engine RPM, fuel octane, outside temperature, outside humidity, and barometric pressure to determine fuel mixture and gear ratios. Very complex. When driving manually, the EPM cannot do all its work for best compromise in consideration of total driving conditions. Inside the transmission are sets of clutches between the gears assemblies which are built on planetary design. They work in a stacked assembly with complex hydraulic control. In the vehicles of today all of this assembly is servo driven with complex computer control. Many sensors are involved taking RPM and torque demand in consideration. Off the engine crank shaft there is also the torque converter using hydraulic coupling. With the torque converter there is a band (clutch) which normally directly engages at speeds above 5 to 7 mph. When shifting manually the wear factor on the torque converter band, clutches, and shaft bearing assembly is greatly increased. This is because the gear change engagements are more abrupt, and there is greater load demand to the clutches between the planetary gear assemblies. If starting off abruptly as like launching the vehicle especially holding the breaks at the same time as pressing down on the gas pedal plays havoc on the torque converter and its internal clutch (band). It is also hard on the engine crank bearings and the torque converter bearing assembly. Even though the red line with most regular engines is at about 5600 RPM, anything above 4500 RPM with this type of red line starts to be hard on engine crank shaft bearings, piston rings, head gasket, and engine front and rear seals. The internal oil pressure goes fairly high, and there is increased cylinder heating. The manufacture posts the max RPM where they know the engine should normally not blow something if applied once in a while. Most vehicles of today are equipped with an RPM limiter. The harder you drive your vehicle, the more you shorten engine and transmission life. If you are driving your vehicle hard you will greatly shorten the life of the engine and transmission. More so than speed, it is hard acceleration that is the big killer of engine life. Naturally, if you drive the vehicle flat out to max speed it can go this will also kill the engine and transmission faster. When you bring your vehicle in for service the dealer can read from the computer all instances of max engine RPM, torque demand, G-Forces for turns and acceleration, breaking, average and max speed, and so-on. If the vehicle is under warranty and if there was consideration from the readings that there was abuse the warranty may not be honored. In my earlier years I did engine and transmission rebuilds. I also built up and maintained high performance cars.
Thanks for this. I just bought a new honda civic this year with paddle shifters and haven't really used them yet, assuming that it would cause unnecessary wear and tear. Maybe on a rare occasion I'll put it in sport mode and see what she has, but the whole reason I bought a honda is to make it last as long as possible. I'll keep babying it.
@@Titter2 If you drive your car easy, and do the proper maintenance a quality built vehicle as like a Honda, Toyota, and others that are similar you should get a decent life out of the vehicle. I like to leave my vehicle in the sport mode because I like the feel of how it responds and handles. But, I don't tromp down on the gas pedal every time I start off. If I have to pass someone, or need some extra power then I will use it. Sometimes just for fun I like to make a quick start, but not excessive enough to spin the wheels. Spinning the wheels (burning rubber from the tires) is very hard on the drive train, and can lead to serious drive train failure especially if done often.
This was actually the best explanation I've heard so far. I dont have paddles, but the stick has that manual mode. I can use it with confidence now having a full understanding of how the rpms align with braking and gas. Great job young man.
In a Benz if you pull and hold the downshift it will select the lowest gear possible for the speed your travelling. Saves going through all the gears. Same for the up shift pull and hold it will go into D From a lower gear and then function as normal.
@@mattweeks7142 ahhhh okay I peep.. I climb gears so I’m in full control... I will try long pressing paddles to shortcut climbing gears and learn something new ..,. Longpressing paddles could convince passengers you are magical driver because they may not notice use of paddles to enhance driving experience hahaha
Was kinda learning how to utilize rpms earlier today, realized i couldnt floor at high gear and thought “drop a gear and disappear” i now knew what that meant, this video definitely clarified what i was thinking/ what i was doing right/wrong. thank you
Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle or a dirt bike can get a pretty good idea on hearing the engine when it’s ready to shift and generally have more play to shift as the rpm gauge tops out at 12 to 14k rpm. With a car you generally DONT want to redline it before shifting cause cars are a dry clutch set up compared to motorcycles that are a wet clutch. What you want to listen for in a car is the air induction noise of your vehicle. Once you hear your car starting to cycle out that air instead of taking it into the engine then shift, you will get more power in the next gear as you will still be in the proper rpm range. If you have a turbo and you dump your boost before you redline you will spool boost in your next gear quicker as you will be in proper rpm range. Just get used to the feel of your car
Thank you for this video. I've had my car for a few months and I totally love it but I have not used the paddles yet. I didn't even know what they were for when I bought it. So much to learn. My husband drove it the first time and said the paddles were great and I'm sure he found a place where he could open her up and see what she does even here in LA. It's a fast car that handles so well. I didn't know there was a manual button. I need to read my dealer manual but RUclips videos are less boring so thank you.
Me too. I've had my Evoque for 2+ years and haven't tried it yet because I was afraid to ruin something. Will try tonight when I'm almost home, just in case. LOL
@@losangelesnutritionist it’s so fun but honestly I drive my amg in the slow lane in eco mode 😅. I use it as an everyday car. My grown sometimes takes it out for a spin once in a while and so will my ex husband. They say it’s meant to be ‘driven hard’. What’s hilarious is you know BMW people don’t like Mercedes people and always talk bad about Mercedes… funny how these two come and borrow it once in a while. They both have BMW’s 🤣 they have always asked to drive my Mercedes over the years. I have had C’s, E’s, S’s but have to say the 2012 C350 was my favorite of all! The handling, the pick up and go, the weight distribution 💯
I just bought a car yesterday with these shifters and literally had no idea what they did. This video had a perfect explanation and answered every one of my questions. Thanks for the great info and video!
I have had cars before with these paddle shifters but none made me want to even know how to use them. And mind I tell you I learned how to drive in a manual car when I was 8 years old. Now I'm 36 and just got myself a 2022 E53 and this car made me want to learn how to shift it right way for the Exhaust sounds...love the crackling and popping sounds.
Thank you bro! As someone who never learned how to drive a manual, I was really nervous to use the paddle shifters in my new car. This video really helped me build the confidence to start using them!
Another tip : If you downshift and upshift at the same time as well as pressing the gas and the brake simultaneously while doing 87 mph you'll unlock a secret mode that adds 57 HP
Using a manual transmission for most of my life, when I bought my wife a new C43 AMG Cabriolet, my first thought was, when I paddle shift, do I take my foot off the accelerator. Thank you for a simple video for those of us new to this. Actually my biggest problem is how am I supposed to test these things out if the wife wont let me drive the car!
I’m about to blow my dad’s mind over winter break! Thanks for making this video, it really clarified things and now I feel like I have enough background information to start driving my dad’s sports car :)
I once took my car down the beach and while pulling out from the sand my wheels got stuck and all i had to do was upshift to second gear and rev to 2k rpms. She was out of there before I realised
Unless racing, downshifting to slow down “engine braking” is adding needless wear and tear on the transmission and engine. Brakes should be used for this. People often think that using the engine to slow down will save brakes and that will save money, not needing to change brakes as often. However, it’s much costlier to replace engine wear than brakes.
Wait so then what's the point of downshifting bc at the end of the video he said you can reach higher speed but then he said to upshift when accelerating so I'm confused
20+ years driving manual transmissions, problem IMO with paddle shifter is their attachment to the steering wheel. Shifting. While turning becomes impossible as their location rotates with the steering wheel. The Volvo S60 polestar ('15) solved this problem by enabling the transmission shifter in the center console to function along with the paddles by moving it left into the manual position. I wish MB would have a similar solution.
Exactly, I’ve ran SCCA since 2003 and I’d rather drive a stick shift car on the track any day. Drag racing is a different story. But triggers on the console shifter would be a better fit IMO
A lot of automatic transmission cars can still use the shifter in the center console if they have one, both my merc and my volkswagen are able to do that
I did not see your first video but I like how you sampled using paddle shifters. I am thinking about getting a new car and they all have paddle shifters now. I would like to learn. I liked your suggestion of leaving it in auto and practice with the paddle shifters to avoid damaging the engine. That has always been my biggest fear. Sometimes people need to dumb it down when explaining things, you did a good job with that in this video. Im going to go watch your first video now.
on my car it auto upshift when you get to redline it doesnt let you go over redline if you let it do this instead of upshifting will you damage the engine or does the auto shift prevent damage?
I see some people still didn't understand what he said, This might help you- Lower gears Rev up super fast, Higher don't. its like this, Lower gear - High Acceleration but low top speed Higher gear - low acceleration but High top speed Thats why we upshift at 6000-7000 rpm because to go faster and The needle comes back because higher has lower rpm. 1st Gear 7000 rpm = 2nd Gear 4000 rpm Something like that. I typed this long ass shit, ain't no one gonna read this shit. Even if they do they still won't get it.
Thank you. Am a manual driver... And mainly subbie... But felt wanted to know this... Just incase I must be in a paddle shift vehicle.. Glad of your patience
I just bout a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Can’t wait to try with the knowledge I now know. I had zero idea how to do this. Thanks for making sure we all understand.
The moment uh see the motion uh are moving The moment uh are stuck at same vision your stopped The moment you see the door open its open I mean bruh he went so down to teach uh at this detail without hesitation Uh got to learn now and don't ask dum questions Appreciate his work and value his tym
Dude thank you for explaining this. I just bought a new car and had no idea how to use paddle shifters. I didn't want to destroy the transmission or something due to my ignorance. ahah
At the end of the video, when you want power to pass, are you stepping on the gas while downshifting? I just got a car with DCT, so trying to figure out the proper way to downshift when you don't want to actually slow down.
Love the subtle "I own a 150k plus benz that doubles as a race car but let me show you how to shift" flex💪 I have a wrx but since the new ones are ugly so I may be getting back into an amg soon! Love the car!
I came to make sure I hadn’t missed anything… I actually learned what short shifting is, and that I’ve been doing it this whole time on accident 🤦♂️ good explanation !
DON’T downshift at all when stopping if you are beginner. If you are not a beginner, downshift if your ok with putting unnecessary strain on your transmission. Brakes are much cheaper and the car will automatically downshift for you. Even in manual mode. Also less chance of overreving the engine. Downshift while driving as needed.
I have literally always been an automatic hater. I was always that "manual only guy". But after seeing this video I have to admit it looks super fun to drive a car with pedal shifters!
It´s like those gaming racing wheels people used as kids. It´s fast, always working and super fun. Even tho im driving automatic for 6+ years now, i sometimes miss the manual feeling for a few hours.
@@FreezY492 I currently drive a manual and I would be extremely happy if one day I could afford a nice car with pedal shifters and still keep my manual to have fun with.
I am the same way... I have only had manual cars, but I bought a 2022 Kia Stinger GT1 it is automatic only with paddle shifters. I will be honest with you its no where near as engaging as a manual car. The paddle shifters help a little, but its not nearly as fun to drive. Test drive it before you make a decision because I regret getting rid of my manual car. I am already considering trading in the stinger for something with a manual, because the car is just no longer fun to drive. Also as a side note I find it kind of a pain in the ass to paddle shift gears while you are turning the wheel. it might depend on if the paddles are column mounted or wheel mounted, but mine are wheel mounted so the paddles rotate with the wheel.
@@David-vg8ou I feel you man. Like I said, the ideal situation would be to own both manual and a pedal shifter automatic. But sadly that's not a realistic scenario for everyone....
excellent video but even better than the video is the car!! the only mercedes i absolutely love outside of a c63 amg is the sls or the gt model. I am a bimmer guy so it hurts to say that lol but much respect man great video
0:30, in stick you need to let off gas to shift up and blip the gas to rev match on down shift but modern cars and especially semiautos (clutchless) do this automatically with electronics so it might be confusing at first for people that have driven stick
I owned a 2003 Vanquish that had paddle shift but was not an auto clutch. You HAD to ease off the accelerator as with a manual. The paddle literally just replaced the gear (stick) shift. If you didn't, you eventually destroy the clutch and it got so heated the burning smell was horrendous and the auto protection kicked in reducing the performance roughly equivalent to my 1963 Ford Anglia.
I always thought paddles were always a gimmick in my car until a recent trip where I found in hilly undulating windy suburban traffic the amount of stopping was significantly reduced by down shifting (even with adaptive cruise control) because assist systems don’t take into account general traffic ,only the immediate surrounds. Upped the km per tank by 8% just using the paddles sparingly in D (automatic) mode in the driving conditions aforementioned.M (manual) modes is just too unintuitive.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 Human spatial awareness is way better than any AI system, hence better driving outcomes.(having said that there’s always the other dickheads on the road who can’t in park properly).
I grew up driving a stick. But I just got used 2021 Altima, and has paddles. I had to ask what they were for and when the sales lady told me I kinda laughed. Specially on my little 4 cyl Altima. But, after watching your video, I can kinda see it being useful, if I can use it in automatic mode as well. Anyway, thanks for the vid, this was very useful.
my giulia TI has paddle shifters and even after watching this video i am quite nervous about using them lol ima try it out tomorrow. what makes me nervous is downshifting when trying to slow down or stop. do u always go down to first gear when slowing down? or do u only go down to 1st gear if u wanna accelerate at max power? in that case can i shift down to first gear even if im at, lets say, 40mph?
This is the best video I have found yet. The manual has zero explanation. Is there a way to activate the manual mode on a 2016 Mercedes GLA 250.I had a 350Z that you could manually push the gear selector to the left to put it in manual mode.
Hi there, as a content creator myself, I just want to say thank you for the very clear and well explained details, it takes effort to do that and I really appreciate the effort you put in. I do have a question, I always see videos of people doing downshift and the engine will make loud exhaust effect with pops at times. Do you have a video that teaches the process to doing this, and, can normal automatic cars such as a Honda jazz/fit perform such sounds? Thanks again for the wonderful content, +1 like and subscribed.
No, you're talking about cars that have aftermarket intakes and exhaust systems as well as tunings. A stock Honda is never going to pop when upshifting lol
Excellent explanation! A semi intelligent chimp with a learning disability should be now able to use paddle shifters with a degree of something that resembles competence. Seriously good job, well presented.
When you downshift let the natural engine braking brake for you unless you need to stop quickly, in which case you don't need to use the paddle to downshift. Most modern vehicles won't allow you to shift down too many gears that it would redline. Likewise, most modern vehicles won't allow the engine to go over the redline up shifting, they will just hit a rev limiter and cancel any further revving.
Hi, Thank you for your great explanation. I feel that you can solve my persisting problem with E-350. Please read my comment and advise. I would appreciate it. It seems not directly related to paddle shifters but it may be. This problem occurs in automatic mode. I am in USA. I am driving E-350 4-matic (2021) and when I slow down a bit for several seconds (by applying the brakes softly) to maintain the distance from the car in front of me when the traffic becomes slow in main roads (35 mph zone), or when I make a turn in local roads (25mph zone), and then accelerate not to lose steam, I frequently experience a jerk motion which hits my back. This jerk motion is similar to what I experienced when I drove a manual car when the gear level does not match the speed. It seems that the automatic gear does not find the ideal gear level that fits the new speed after the brake followed by acceleration. Is this normal for E-350? I brought the car a couple of times to MB service center, the foremen said it is normal and they did nothing on it. Since then, I have tried not to cause it to happen by not applying the accelerator pedal immediately after I release the brake pedal because the jerk motion is unacceptable and irritating. (so, I brake --> pause --> accelerate to avoid jerk.) I have not experienced this problem with Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford. The foremen said how can you compare this 9-speed high performance car with Honda, but I still think that this problem should be considered a recall item even though it is not life-threatening at this time. After watching this video, I am considering applying the paddle shifter (UP) when I accelerate after the brake to avoid the jerk motion. Please advise me. Thank you.
One thing they never or haven't mentioned in any paddle shifting videos is that it's only practical to paddle shift when on a highway. Think about it, why would you bother to use the paddle shifts when driving on street lighted busy roads? You'll never shift to higher speeds and be constantly down shifting with every intercepting vehicle. Stay on automatic when not on the highway.
2 things: - I just now found out what paddle shifters even are but I’ve been randomly clicking them while driving cause I thought they didn’t do anything (served some other random feature I didn’t configurable), as per this video it would have altered the gears but I didn’t notice anything like that? - also is there anything I could possibly do while practicing that would damage the car? I want to try putting my auto on manual but it’s an expensive car that I dont want to damage I’ve never driven manual before and only learned how it works about 15 minutes ago 😂, thank you in advance !
Speed and Acceleration. The Fastest Acceleration is in the lowest gear, which is first gear. To hit top Speed, you need to be in the highest gear, 6-7th gear. At a Stop Sign or Red light, you want to be in the lowest gear so you can quickly come off a Stop. But on a Highway, you want to be in the highest gear so you can keep up with the speed limit
Can you teach me how you would do it when you are towing a travel trailer? They said paddle shifter are really great for when you are towing down a steep hill because you can do engine braking instead of using all your brakes to stop your tow vehicle and the towed vehicle. Hopefully you can share some inputs about this. Thanks!
I just got a 2019 camry xse. Is there a difference between actually moving the shifter from D to Sports compared to just pressing the sports button? (I have 3 buttons: eco, normal, sports). Just kinda confused now if there’s a difference…
I have a 2024 Aspec acura, when using the shifters do i keep the car in (D) drive or (S) sport? Or do i use Dynamic mode and put it on (Sport mode) Serious question T.IA.
i really like how you explained this without making us feel stupid for it knowing how to use these. i’ve been nervous to ask anyone but this really helped me
The right way to shift is by hearing the engine, when it sounds like the engine got enough air and it’s not breathing anymore that’s when you should up shift same thing when down shifting
yes but i'm not going to lower my radio whenever i up/down shift
@@thekrankenman3088 you don’t need to lower your volume on music. You can feel it out almost. It sounds dumb but one you’re comfortable and know your car you’ll know when do you so.
@@jonathanmachado8506 i can agree on that tbh
@Jezthedead u can also do that but people don’t talk about it much
Not all cars vibrate or have loud engines…best to understand the speed and acceleration of your car and also simply checking your RPMs
Nice job in answering some questions that people may not feel comfortable asking someone in person. One clarification is that with paddle shifting even in Manuel mode the ECU will not allow the driver to damage the transmission. If the car redlines before the driver shifts, the car will automatically shift into the correct gear. For anyone who has experienced that feeling, it feels like the car is potentially being damaged, but if the systems are all functioning properly the car will not sustain any damage.
My Merc is really annoying because even in manual mode it won't let me upshift into a higher gear when i'm at 2k revs driving slow. It's like "nah... let's just have instant torque for us in case we need it instead! I'm not letting you upshift until 2.5k!"
I'm like "girl, I'm chilling. You're a diesel with 170 BHP! You can pull from 1.5K" but she's having none of it!
@@SR1Records wow
In short, they are fool proof.
Not true, in many high-end sports cars such as the Porsche 911, Lamborghini Huracan, etc. the car will let you bounce off the rev limiter instead of upshifting for you as this is sometimes faster on a track
What you are saying is true, but it is still very hard on the engine and transmission to be working at full power. This is also trusting the safety systems in place are working properly! I would not be testing my own vehicle for this.
The easier you drive the vehicle the longer the lifespan you will get out of it.
Nice explanation. Just to mention, when using the transmission in manual mode more fuel will be used, and especially when driving for performance. When driving normally in the auto mode the transmission via the computer commands will select the most efficient gear ratios for best compromise between performance in relation to fuel usage. The EPM system in the car takes consideration of torque demand, speed, rate of acceleration, engine RPM, fuel octane, outside temperature, outside humidity, and barometric pressure to determine fuel mixture and gear ratios. Very complex. When driving manually, the EPM cannot do all its work for best compromise in consideration of total driving conditions.
Inside the transmission are sets of clutches between the gears assemblies which are built on planetary design. They work in a stacked assembly with complex hydraulic control. In the vehicles of today all of this assembly is servo driven with complex computer control. Many sensors are involved taking RPM and torque demand in consideration. Off the engine crank shaft there is also the torque converter using hydraulic coupling. With the torque converter there is a band (clutch) which normally directly engages at speeds above 5 to 7 mph.
When shifting manually the wear factor on the torque converter band, clutches, and shaft bearing assembly is greatly increased. This is because the gear change engagements are more abrupt, and there is greater load demand to the clutches between the planetary gear assemblies.
If starting off abruptly as like launching the vehicle especially holding the breaks at the same time as pressing down on the gas pedal plays havoc on the torque converter and its internal clutch (band). It is also hard on the engine crank bearings and the torque converter bearing assembly.
Even though the red line with most regular engines is at about 5600 RPM, anything above 4500 RPM with this type of red line starts to be hard on engine crank shaft bearings, piston rings, head gasket, and engine front and rear seals. The internal oil pressure goes fairly high, and there is increased cylinder heating. The manufacture posts the max RPM where they know the engine should normally not blow something if applied once in a while. Most vehicles of today are equipped with an RPM limiter.
The harder you drive your vehicle, the more you shorten engine and transmission life. If you are driving your vehicle hard you will greatly shorten the life of the engine and transmission. More so than speed, it is hard acceleration that is the big killer of engine life. Naturally, if you drive the vehicle flat out to max speed it can go this will also kill the engine and transmission faster.
When you bring your vehicle in for service the dealer can read from the computer all instances of max engine RPM, torque demand, G-Forces for turns and acceleration, breaking, average and max speed, and so-on. If the vehicle is under warranty and if there was consideration from the readings that there was abuse the warranty may not be honored.
In my earlier years I did engine and transmission rebuilds. I also built up and maintained high performance cars.
💯
Thanks for this. I just bought a new honda civic this year with paddle shifters and haven't really used them yet, assuming that it would cause unnecessary wear and tear. Maybe on a rare occasion I'll put it in sport mode and see what she has, but the whole reason I bought a honda is to make it last as long as possible. I'll keep babying it.
@@Titter2
If you drive your car easy, and do the proper maintenance a quality built vehicle as like a Honda, Toyota, and others that are similar you should get a decent life out of the vehicle.
I like to leave my vehicle in the sport mode because I like the feel of how it responds and handles. But, I don't tromp down on the gas pedal every time I start off.
If I have to pass someone, or need some extra power then I will use it. Sometimes just for fun I like to make a quick start, but not excessive enough to spin the wheels.
Spinning the wheels (burning rubber from the tires) is very hard on the drive train, and can lead to serious drive train failure especially if done often.
Thanks for taking the time to post this excellent additional information 👍
This was actually the best explanation I've heard so far. I dont have paddles, but the stick has that manual mode. I can use it with confidence now having a full understanding of how the rpms align with braking and gas. Great job young man.
In a Benz if you pull and hold the downshift it will select the lowest gear possible for the speed your travelling. Saves going through all the gears.
Same for the up shift pull and hold it will go into D From a lower gear and then function as normal.
same for most german brands, not just benz
All automatic cars automatically down shift got you when coming to a stop
@@timetogetit7225
Yes we know that but it’s not really what we’re talking about though.
We are talking about forcing the downshift earlier.
@@mattweeks7142 ahhhh okay I peep.. I climb gears so I’m in full control... I will try long pressing paddles to shortcut climbing gears and learn something new ..,.
Longpressing paddles could convince passengers you are magical driver because they may not notice use of paddles to enhance driving experience hahaha
appreciate this comment it helped me out a lot
Was kinda learning how to utilize rpms earlier today, realized i couldnt floor at high gear and thought “drop a gear and disappear” i now knew what that meant, this video definitely clarified what i was thinking/ what i was doing right/wrong. thank you
bro that's exactly what i was thinking
Gayest shit I ever read
It’s flap a paddle and sikdaddle in this case
oh my fuckin gosh that saying is perfect. ty for my new and easy reminder
Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle or a dirt bike can get a pretty good idea on hearing the engine when it’s ready to shift and generally have more play to shift as the rpm gauge tops out at 12 to 14k rpm. With a car you generally DONT want to redline it before shifting cause cars are a dry clutch set up compared to motorcycles that are a wet clutch. What you want to listen for in a car is the air induction noise of your vehicle. Once you hear your car starting to cycle out that air instead of taking it into the engine then shift, you will get more power in the next gear as you will still be in the proper rpm range. If you have a turbo and you dump your boost before you redline you will spool boost in your next gear quicker as you will be in proper rpm range. Just get used to the feel of your car
Thank you for this video. I've had my car for a few months and I totally love it but I have not used the paddles yet. I didn't even know what they were for when I bought it. So much to learn. My husband drove it the first time and said the paddles were great and I'm sure he found a place where he could open her up and see what she does even here in LA. It's a fast car that handles so well. I didn't know there was a manual button. I need to read my dealer manual but RUclips videos are less boring so thank you.
I’m a female and have had several Mercedes’ with paddles. I just got a new one and decided to finally look into learning how to use them 😂
Me too. I've had my Evoque for 2+ years and haven't tried it yet because I was afraid to ruin something. Will try tonight when I'm almost home, just in case. LOL
@@77Scarlet how did it go? I still have not tried it. It's fun without them so far.
@@losangelesnutritionist it’s so fun but honestly I drive my amg in the slow lane in eco mode 😅. I use it as an everyday car. My grown sometimes takes it out for a spin once in a while and so will my ex husband. They say it’s meant to be ‘driven hard’. What’s hilarious is you know BMW people don’t like Mercedes people and always talk bad about Mercedes… funny how these two come and borrow it once in a while. They both have BMW’s 🤣 they have always asked to drive my Mercedes over the years. I have had C’s, E’s, S’s but have to say the 2012 C350 was my favorite of all! The handling, the pick up and go, the weight distribution 💯
I just bought a car yesterday with these shifters and literally had no idea what they did. This video had a perfect explanation and answered every one of my questions. Thanks for the great info and video!
Downshift: Accelerate with increased rpm
Upshift: Maintain max speed at a specific rpm
Bro what
@@billysbroccoli did u watch the vid
props to such clear explanation while a magnitude 10 earthquake was hitting the area. good stuff, professional!
In older cars with single clutch or F1 transmission, you actually do have to lift off a little when chancing up a gear
Yes - exactly the case with the E60 M5 and it’s fickle SMG tranny 😂
I have had cars before with these paddle shifters but none made me want to even know how to use them. And mind I tell you I learned how to drive in a manual car when I was 8 years old. Now I'm 36 and just got myself a 2022 E53 and this car made me want to learn how to shift it right way for the Exhaust sounds...love the crackling and popping sounds.
Thank you bro! As someone who never learned how to drive a manual, I was really nervous to use the paddle shifters in my new car. This video really helped me build the confidence to start using them!
Another tip : If you downshift and upshift at the same time as well as pressing the gas and the brake simultaneously while doing 87 mph you'll unlock a secret mode that adds 57 HP
Just be sure you don't hit 88 though...my ass ended up in 1986.
@@chbuddah86 🧠 nice
lol
Good luck repairing your gearbox haha
@@WifeMeUp shhhh, don't tell them!
People think driving automatics need skill and explanations :D :D :D
I don't even have my first car yet but youtube knows I'll have a Mercedes
So RUclips knows that you or your parents have money to throw away? Eerie.
@@siriusbizniss not everyone is unlucky like you , i feel bad for you
Wish you the best of luck man! Hope you get that Mercedes soon :)
Goodluck bro, my second car was a bmw 335i my first was a Honda Accord 07😅
@@siriusbizniss 😂poor talk at its finest
Using a manual transmission for most of my life, when I bought my wife a new C43 AMG Cabriolet, my first thought was, when I paddle shift, do I take my foot off the accelerator. Thank you for a simple video for those of us new to this. Actually my biggest problem is how am I supposed to test these things out if the wife wont let me drive the car!
Buy a car or wife. never both!
You take off the foot from accelerator with sequential transmission like the ones used in Maserati Granturismo.
C43 amg is a great drive in sport plus mode
I’m about to blow my dad’s mind over winter break! Thanks for making this video, it really clarified things and now I feel like I have enough background information to start driving my dad’s sports car :)
Good luck! 👍🏼
Update: success! Thank you again for making this video, it really helped.
Nothing like a clutch and a REAL manual transmission! Much better overall experience and feel!
Meh. Modern autos are better in my opinion.
Going up into a higher gear or short shifting is useful if pulling away in ice or snowy conditions. Will help stop you getting wheel spin.
I once took my car down the beach and while pulling out from the sand my wheels got stuck and all i had to do was upshift to second gear and rev to 2k rpms. She was out of there before I realised
Yup the goal is to stay at a low RPM while accelerating
I find learning on a true manual transmission would help those that haven't better understand these principals. It is also a more pleasing experience.
I love how he talks ab everything from the basics to the difficult things
Unless racing, downshifting to slow down “engine braking” is adding needless wear and tear on the transmission and engine. Brakes should be used for this. People often think that using the engine to slow down will save brakes and that will save money, not needing to change brakes as often. However, it’s much costlier to replace engine wear than brakes.
So if I just use breaks, the car will downshift itself from a higher gear?
@@thekidshreyeven if it doesn’t but it should, once you come to a complete stop you can just shift your gears down then
@@dueler8281 Thank you!
Wait so then what's the point of downshifting bc at the end of the video he said you can reach higher speed but then he said to upshift when accelerating so I'm confused
20+ years driving manual transmissions, problem IMO with paddle shifter is their attachment to the steering wheel. Shifting. While turning becomes impossible as their location rotates with the steering wheel. The Volvo S60 polestar ('15) solved this problem by enabling the transmission shifter in the center console to function along with the paddles by moving it left into the manual position. I wish MB would have a similar solution.
Exactly, I’ve ran SCCA since 2003 and I’d rather drive a stick shift car on the track any day. Drag racing is a different story. But triggers on the console shifter would be a better fit IMO
A lot of automatic transmission cars can still use the shifter in the center console if they have one, both my merc and my volkswagen are able to do that
My paddles aren't fixed to the wheel.
I can also shift like a sequential.
It's a car specific problem.
I did not see your first video but I like how you sampled using paddle shifters. I am thinking about getting a new car and they all have paddle shifters now. I would like to learn. I liked your suggestion of leaving it in auto and practice with the paddle shifters to avoid damaging the engine. That has always been my biggest fear. Sometimes people need to dumb it down when explaining things, you did a good job with that in this video. Im going to go watch your first video now.
Just got a cadenza, didn't know what paddle shifters were. Appreciate the video.
W except kia’s transmission on models other than the stinger somewhat sucks lol
@@ethanahd2637 check out the forte GT, comes with DCT or manual
@@ethanahd2637 nah bro they all good past the forte gt (optima, k5, stinger, cadenza) can’t talk about rio or regular forte tho
@@some_car_guy I have a loaded cadenza, there’s a lot of delay when shifting, and it’s not the smoothest thing
on my car it auto upshift when you get to redline it doesnt let you go over redline if you let it do this instead of upshifting will you damage the engine or does the auto shift prevent damage?
If your car is an automatic with paddle shifters, it's engineered to not hurt your transmission. You cant really hurt your trans like a manual
Man I’ve been looking for this a long time. Thanks for this video
Bro thank you for this. I've always wanted to use my paddles but was always too nervous id destroy my whip!
Thru should have done safety features designed to prevent misuse. At least my Mazda does. It's basically got training wheels. 😅
I see some people still didn't understand what he said, This might help you-
Lower gears Rev up super fast, Higher don't.
its like this,
Lower gear - High Acceleration but low top speed
Higher gear - low acceleration but High top speed
Thats why we upshift at 6000-7000 rpm because to go faster and The needle comes back because higher has lower rpm.
1st Gear 7000 rpm = 2nd Gear 4000 rpm
Something like that.
I typed this long ass shit, ain't no one gonna read this shit. Even if they do they still won't get it.
Thank you. Am a manual driver... And mainly subbie... But felt wanted to know this... Just incase I must be in a paddle shift vehicle.. Glad of your patience
rather than using the word "quick" what you mean is acceleration. "quick" and "fast" pretty much means the same thing
I just bout a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Can’t wait to try with the knowledge I now know. I had zero idea how to do this. Thanks for making sure we all understand.
I can't wait to try these techniques out on my Honda Fit Sport!
nice!
Honda sport better
Thanks, your explanation was very clear and correct
The moment uh see the motion uh are moving
The moment uh are stuck at same vision your stopped
The moment you see the door open its open
I mean bruh he went so down to teach uh at this detail without hesitation
Uh got to learn now and don't ask dum
questions
Appreciate his work and value his tym
Dude thank you for explaining this. I just bought a new car and had no idea how to use paddle shifters. I didn't want to destroy the transmission or something due to my ignorance. ahah
At the end of the video, when you want power to pass, are you stepping on the gas while downshifting?
I just got a car with DCT, so trying to figure out the proper way to downshift when you don't want to actually slow down.
Your advice was the best. Very informative. You've truly helped me understand my shifters. I just purchased a lil Forte GT..
this helped me more than any other vid. subbed
This was the best explained video thank you!
Great video man, you answered a lot of the questions I had and were very good at explaining what you were doing while driving
thanking you for making this video! i learned alot! im trying to learn how to use pedal shifter and this video helped alot so thank you again
Wow this video is perfect thank you 🙏 😭
Best video I've seen about this topic
Love the subtle "I own a 150k plus benz that doubles as a race car but let me show you how to shift" flex💪 I have a wrx but since the new ones are ugly so I may be getting back into an amg soon! Love the car!
Amg 4L!!! No hate but subies aren’t for me😩
@@aidenfenn9823 Everybody has their preferences. I dont blame ya tbh. The flat 4s and cvts have their share of issues. Plus who doesnt love a benz !
I just bought the new AMG GT and the Race mode with manual is amazing the crackles and pops I might have to do a drag Race with my McLaren lol
I came to make sure I hadn’t missed anything… I actually learned what short shifting is, and that I’ve been doing it this whole time on accident 🤦♂️ good explanation !
Is it advisable to use the downshift to assist the brakes in slowing the car down?
DON’T downshift at all when stopping if you are beginner. If you are not a beginner, downshift if your ok with putting unnecessary strain on your transmission. Brakes are much cheaper and the car will automatically downshift for you. Even in manual mode. Also less chance of overreving the engine. Downshift while driving as needed.
I have literally always been an automatic hater. I was always that "manual only guy".
But after seeing this video I have to admit it looks super fun to drive a car with pedal shifters!
It´s like those gaming racing wheels people used as kids. It´s fast, always working and super fun. Even tho im driving automatic for 6+ years now, i sometimes miss the manual feeling for a few hours.
@@FreezY492 I currently drive a manual and I would be extremely happy if one day I could afford a nice car with pedal shifters and still keep my manual to have fun with.
I am the same way... I have only had manual cars, but I bought a 2022 Kia Stinger GT1 it is automatic only with paddle shifters. I will be honest with you its no where near as engaging as a manual car. The paddle shifters help a little, but its not nearly as fun to drive. Test drive it before you make a decision because I regret getting rid of my manual car. I am already considering trading in the stinger for something with a manual, because the car is just no longer fun to drive. Also as a side note I find it kind of a pain in the ass to paddle shift gears while you are turning the wheel. it might depend on if the paddles are column mounted or wheel mounted, but mine are wheel mounted so the paddles rotate with the wheel.
@@David-vg8ou I feel you man. Like I said, the ideal situation would be to own both manual and a pedal shifter automatic. But sadly that's not a realistic scenario for everyone....
I used it the other day on my 2.0 accord and the adrenaline was crazy😂😂😂 shit got me wanting to buy a Manual car now
Bro just thank you I’ve been looking for this video for a month now
Plain simple & clear info, (New sub)!! Thanks brother 🥰🤘🏾
excellent video but even better than the video is the car!! the only mercedes i absolutely love outside of a c63 amg is the sls or the gt model. I am a bimmer guy so it hurts to say that lol but much respect man great video
Im not sure if I missed it in the video, but do you let go of gas pedal when you downshift to accelerate?
0:30, in stick you need to let off gas to shift up and blip the gas to rev match on down shift but modern cars and especially semiautos (clutchless) do this automatically with electronics so it might be confusing at first for people that have driven stick
Pretty crazy that this is basically the closest newer drivers will come too driving a manual
I owned a 2003 Vanquish that had paddle shift but was not an auto clutch. You HAD to ease off the accelerator as with a manual. The paddle literally just replaced the gear (stick) shift. If you didn't, you eventually destroy the clutch and it got so heated the burning smell was horrendous and the auto protection kicked in reducing the performance roughly equivalent to my 1963 Ford Anglia.
I always thought paddles were always a gimmick in my car until a recent trip where I found in hilly undulating windy suburban traffic the amount of stopping was significantly reduced by down shifting (even with adaptive cruise control) because assist systems don’t take into account general traffic ,only the immediate surrounds.
Upped the km per tank by 8% just using the paddles sparingly in D (automatic) mode in the driving conditions aforementioned.M (manual) modes is just too unintuitive.
Why would stopping be significantly reduced? Makes no sense.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 Human spatial awareness is way better than any AI system, hence better driving outcomes.(having said that there’s always the other dickheads on the road who can’t in park properly).
Thanks for answering many unasked questions which one at times feels a bit dumb in asking.
"just practice it" best advise just learned learned it fast af
I grew up driving a stick. But I just got used 2021 Altima, and has paddles. I had to ask what they were for and when the sales lady told me I kinda laughed. Specially on my little 4 cyl Altima. But, after watching your video, I can kinda see it being useful, if I can use it in automatic mode as well. Anyway, thanks for the vid, this was very useful.
my giulia TI has paddle shifters and even after watching this video i am quite nervous about using them lol ima try it out tomorrow. what makes me nervous is downshifting when trying to slow down or stop. do u always go down to first gear when slowing down? or do u only go down to 1st gear if u wanna accelerate at max power? in that case can i shift down to first gear even if im at, lets say, 40mph?
If you want to drop a gear and disappear, do you stay on the throttle?
This is the best video I have found yet. The manual has zero explanation. Is there a way to activate the manual mode on a 2016 Mercedes GLA 250.I had a 350Z that you could manually push the gear selector to the left to put it in manual mode.
Will check this video out later tonight! Your new car is mad! Congrats :)
Thanks Adam! Love your C43 as well
I have been watching you guys’ every videos recently!
I Iearnt a few things today. Thanks.Nice ride!👍
Hi there, as a content creator myself, I just want to say thank you for the very clear and well explained details, it takes effort to do that and I really appreciate the effort you put in. I do have a question, I always see videos of people doing downshift and the engine will make loud exhaust effect with pops at times. Do you have a video that teaches the process to doing this, and, can normal automatic cars such as a Honda jazz/fit perform such sounds? Thanks again for the wonderful content, +1 like and subscribed.
No😂😂😂😂😂
With a pops and bangs tune any car can. I
No, you're talking about cars that have aftermarket intakes and exhaust systems as well as tunings. A stock Honda is never going to pop when upshifting lol
Traction was all I needed to hear. Thanks!
Very helpful. I can drive stick, but my new truck is automatic and I need the ability to stay in low gears at times.
Excellent explanation! A semi intelligent chimp with a learning disability should be now able to use paddle shifters with a degree of something that resembles competence. Seriously good job, well presented.
When using the paddle shifts.. u don’t have use the 3rd pedal aka gear shift right? Just the breaks and acceleration right?
this literally answers every of my questions.
Great video..👍🏻👍🏻Ive just ordered a A45s
When you downshift let the natural engine braking brake for you unless you need to stop quickly, in which case you don't need to use the paddle to downshift.
Most modern vehicles won't allow you to shift down too many gears that it would redline.
Likewise, most modern vehicles won't allow the engine to go over the redline up shifting, they will just hit a rev limiter and cancel any further revving.
So keep ur foot on the gas while downshifting ?
Engine braking is actually bad for your car in the long run so I would try and refrain from doing it, However I will admit its fun to do…
Can you downshift while stepping on the throttle? What happens when you do so? Loved your video thank you for helping :)
Yes you can. It all depends on your RPM'S it will most likely just drop a gear and gain more torque and speed
Do you balance when you are on a hill or something
I can shift your paddles
Hi,
Thank you for your great explanation. I feel that you can solve my persisting problem with E-350. Please read my comment and advise. I would appreciate it.
It seems not directly related to paddle shifters but it may be. This problem occurs in automatic mode. I am in USA. I am driving E-350 4-matic (2021) and when I slow down a bit for several seconds (by applying the brakes softly) to maintain the distance from the car in front of me when the traffic becomes slow in main roads (35 mph zone), or when I make a turn in local roads (25mph zone), and then accelerate not to lose steam, I frequently experience a jerk motion which hits my back. This jerk motion is similar to what I experienced when I drove a manual car when the gear level does not match the speed. It seems that the automatic gear does not find the ideal gear level that fits the new speed after the brake followed by acceleration. Is this normal for E-350? I brought the car a couple of times to MB service center, the foremen said it is normal and they did nothing on it. Since then, I have tried not to cause it to happen by not applying the accelerator pedal immediately after I release the brake pedal because the jerk motion is unacceptable and irritating. (so, I brake --> pause --> accelerate to avoid jerk.) I have not experienced this problem with Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford. The foremen said how can you compare this 9-speed high performance car with Honda, but I still think that this problem should be considered a recall item even though it is not life-threatening at this time. After watching this video, I am considering applying the paddle shifter (UP) when I accelerate after the brake to avoid the jerk motion. Please advise me. Thank you.
One thing they never or haven't mentioned in any paddle shifting videos is that it's only practical to paddle shift when on a highway. Think about it, why would you bother to use the paddle shifts when driving on street lighted busy roads? You'll never shift to higher speeds and be constantly down shifting with every intercepting vehicle. Stay on automatic when not on the highway.
You have a beautiful Mercedes Benz! It sounds great.
Bruh I would love to see the same people who asked all these questions about paddle shifters to try and figure out an actual manual 💀💀💀
My first car is a mercedes C 180 2013 coupe amg line and i fkn love it so much❤
Claiming…cause Amma get that big dash soon 🙌🏽
I have a Benz SL. This video was very helpful in trying to learn paddle shifting. I never know what gear I’m in? How do I figure that out?
great video gonna apply this for my AMG GT 53 💪🏽🚗💨
I appreciate the heck out of you! Very clear and very helpful! Thank you!!!!!
video came through now I understand just a bit more!
Your eyebrows look phenomenal. Just wanted you to know that hahah.
2 things:
- I just now found out what paddle shifters even are but I’ve been randomly clicking them while driving cause I thought they didn’t do anything (served some other random feature I didn’t configurable), as per this video it would have altered the gears but I didn’t notice anything like that?
- also is there anything I could possibly do while practicing that would damage the car? I want to try putting my auto on manual but it’s an expensive car that I dont want to damage
I’ve never driven manual before and only learned how it works about 15 minutes ago 😂, thank you in advance !
No the auto cars have safety features that won't let you paddle shift it to a gear with an RPM that is too high or too low.
Speed and Acceleration. The Fastest Acceleration is in the lowest gear, which is first gear. To hit top Speed, you need to be in the highest gear, 6-7th gear. At a Stop Sign or Red light, you want to be in the lowest gear so you can quickly come off a Stop. But on a Highway, you want to be in the highest gear so you can keep up with the speed limit
Can you teach me how you would do it when you are towing a travel trailer? They said paddle shifter are really great for when you are towing down a steep hill because you can do engine braking instead of using all your brakes to stop your tow vehicle and the towed vehicle. Hopefully you can share some inputs about this. Thanks!
All modern cars have a rev limiter. You can bounce off the rev limiter, you can’t blow the engine.
And it does not damage the engine at all.
Thank you for this video; I appreciate you.
I just got a 2019 camry xse. Is there a difference between actually moving the shifter from D to Sports compared to just pressing the sports button? (I have 3 buttons: eco, normal, sports). Just kinda confused now if there’s a difference…
got a lincoln mkZ. has paddle shifters and i'm really excited to start using them
Yo I appreciate the explanation. First time using paddles and this helped so much. Thanks
I have a 2024 Aspec acura, when using the shifters do i keep the car in (D) drive or (S) sport?
Or do i use Dynamic mode and put it on (Sport mode)
Serious question T.IA.
Just got the slk with paddle shift its so clean
this video make the most sense . but does it apply to honda civic 2019 hatchback sport as well with cvt transmission?