Transmissions...?

[Mindz]

I think the mindstate of people buying the stick over paddles if paddles are an option is that they want to feel what it was like/reminisce to back when you would slam the shifter from first to second already breracing themselves for the lurch when their left foot leaves the pedal. Also, it's somewhat of a challenge to yourself. You want to shift as fast as possible, but you don't want to mis-shift. The thrill of powershifting (risk vsv. reward) etc. etc. Any one of those can't be done with paddles. Some people like to feel in tune with their cars and act like the car is an extension of themselves. Others want the cars to be MUSCLE cars, not EURO DAINTY PADDLE cars. I just want to be able to slam the gears and drift if I choose to do so.


On a side note, I don't know much about paddle shifters but is there a clutch pedal that's functional? What happens if you want to pump the clutch to get the car to pitch a little more then a normal turn in? Can you just engage clutch/release it or do you have to downshift?

[Mr. Wyndham]

no, no clutch.
The car would look and act exactly like an auto. Untill you put it into 'S' mode (in the Vette at least).

Then it's all in your fingers. push with your thumbs to upshift, and pull with your fingers to downshift. You do have complete control over which gear your in though. from 0-redline. The only thing the computer prevents is you from downshifting into trouble. i.e. 7000rpm, in a 6500 redline car, or that sort of thing. It won't let you harm your engine.


On a side note: I don't know much about powershifting, but isn't that incredibly dangerous towards your tranny? :eek:

[acscamarochick06]

I will DEFINITELY be test driving the paddle shift!

[Mr. Wyndham]

You could go and check it out in a Vette...if they test-drive Vette's around you...

[Mindz]

Powershifting if shifting withing pushing in the clutch. It's very dangerous but it will give you an edge over regular push-clutch-in-shift-release-clutch shifting.

Beach boys sang about it in Shut You Down.

Basically it's accelerate, move shifter from 1st to second without taking your foot off the throttle. Very dangerous.

People actually drive without a clutch sometimes in normal everyday situations. I don't know why but some people do it.

[Mr. Wyndham]

yeah, I thought so...I knew you could pop it out of gear without using the clutch...not reccommended - but possible...I didn't know that you could grind it back into gear!

[Mindz]

If you do it right you won't grind at all. You need to have complete understanding of rev matching and be damn good at it but it's possible without any damage to your tranny as far as I know.

[Mr. Wyndham]

in other words...for the moment of shift, you need to be able to have your revs virtually exactly where they're going to be after the shift.

I guess if you learn it, it's a mighty valuble tool in racing.

[Kenz Camaro]

Originally Posted by Mindz

What happens if you want to pump the clutch to get the car to pitch a little more then a normal turn in?

Well, with 450+ HP, just a little more go pedal ought to do it!

[Mr. Wyndham]

[Mindz]

Originally Posted by Kenz Camaro

Well, with 450+ HP, just a little more go pedal ought to do it!

That's what I thought in the ACR viper. How about if you brake too early but want to set up for the turn while going slower without losing even more speed? Pump the clutch once, instant power over instead of grabbing until the threshold of the tires.

[acscamarochick06]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

You could go and check it out in a Vette...if they test-drive Vette's around you...

LOL 19 year old CHICK... college student... test driving a Corvette? I don't know if they would go along with that one! haha

[Mr. Wyndham]

Have your dad go with ya...i'm warming my pops up to bringing me down to the largest Chevy dealership in the state...Paddock Chevrolet. I'm hoping against hope (and that's literally true) that they'll let my dad take it out with me in it...at which point, he pulls over, and we switch.

I'm a 19 yr old guy...so I've got it worse than you -

Me. "I'm looking to purchase a Vette"

Dealer. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!, no, no wait...HAHAAHAHAH!!"

Me. "I've got a 10k down payment, and my parents are fronting the rest...now can I test drive one? Cause I'm looking at this really nice Porche..."

Dealer. "No"

Me. "Why?"

Dealer "Because your a boy...and you will crash it."


Didn't really happen, but I can hear it in my head...

[Mindz]

The local porsche dealer let me test drive a few of them. this was back in 2002 when I was 19. I came in with b-ball shorts and a t-shirt. Didn't look professional at all. What do you know? I had a blast (didn't stomp on it very much, getting on the freeway was it winding up through 3 gears). My mom went to the same dealership and bought my stepfather's porsche from the guy who was showing me the car I test drove.

Maybe it's here in the bay were expensive cars are given to 16 year olds on their b-day (not me unfortunately). You have no idea the number of kids at high school driving 8 series, jaguars, TT Camaro SS, GS400's, a few skylines (RHD). I guess the dealerships are used to young kids getting nice cars.