How to Paddle Shift a BMW

What Are Paddle Shifters?

Paddle shifters help turn cars from automatic transmissions into semi-automatic, giving the car a sporty feel. This feature was originally only available in sports cars. However in recent years, more manufacturers like BMW are opting for paddle shifters to their automatically transmitted cars. The main reason is because paddle shifters are the only way to downshift and upshift while still maintaining the sporty feel in cars.

How to Use a Paddle Shifter in a BMW

The paddle shifter is located behind the steering wheel of a BMW. One lever is marked with a plus sign (+) while the other is marked with a minus (-). Most automatic cars have incorporated a manual mode that allows change of gears on demand. This is possible through the use of the gear lever or by the use of paddle shifters. Using the clutch is not required as there is no connection between the gear levers or the paddle shifter and the electronic signals sending transmission signals for the gear to change.

To use paddler shifters in a BMW, pull the left shifter to gear down and the right shifter to gear up. An indicator on the dashboard will show the gear you are in immediately after you have pulled on the shifter. You can shift the gears between 1500 and 2500 RPM. However, for full speed, take the shifter to the redline. When changing gears using the paddle shifter, you have to have some patience like that of a person using a fully manual car. That's because the engine takes a while to respond to the gear. However, this varies in different vehicles. Cars with dual clutches take as little as 100 milliseconds for the gear to change. To improve the gear change response, many companies offer the paddle shifter extenders.

The Popularity of Paddle Shifters

Some years back, the number of cars on sale in the USA were manually transmitted. However, over the years, that has changed. Most cars, including models like the BMW M3, are opting for the automatic transmission with paddle shifters because they are faster to operate than a human foot can in changing gears. Automatic transmissions once meant low speed and more fuel. However, this attitude has changed drastically over time with the addition of paddle shifters.

Paddle shifters help give drivers the experience of more control with their automatic vehicles. The paddle shifters are also beneficial in situations like snowstorms or slippery grounds. For more information on this topic, contact us or visit our BMW dealership in Lincoln, NE.