Paddles, yes/no?

[Rappey69]

Surely the auto gearbox will do the same as what you select via the paddles?
I have them, and the left right gear lever, but never use them other than coaxing it up a gear before the car decides .
Would understand it with a manual box though..

 

[Blobcat]

I've got 3 cars with paddles ....

I’ve got a canoe...

 

[Blobcat]

Surely the auto gearbox will do the same as what you select via the paddles?
I have them, and the left right gear lever, but never use them other than coaxing it up a gear before the car decides .
Would understand it with a manual box though..

It will, only issue with Mercedes paddles is the gearbox still has final say in which gear you can have. If it doesn’t deem it a suitable choice it just ignores you. It also changes up when you’d rather it stayed in the gear. Most annoying so I just stay in auto.

 

[Bubble]

These would look good in your car!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Steering-Wheel-Paddle-Shift-Extension-For-Mercedes-Benz-A-B-E-GLK-R-M-Class/303158916505?_trkparms=aid=555018&algo=PL.SIM&ao=1&asc=57923&meid=90c23f54fd0b481f9e4836f5f0f6a8c4&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=12&mehot=lo&sd=174011558859&itm=303158916505&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I have the silver versions of those and they do make it easier to use the paddles when you haven't got the steering wheel dead central. I tend to use the paddles to knock it down a few years going into s corner, or roundabout to get more engine braking and to be in the right gear to power away. The rest of the time I tend to let the auto box do it's stuff, or knock it up to 9th on the open road.

 

[EmilysDad]

I’ve got a canoe...

 

[EmilysDad]

It will, only issue with Mercedes paddles is the gearbox still has final say in which gear you can have. If it doesn’t deem it a suitable choice it just ignores you. It also changes up when you’d rather it stayed in the gear. Most annoying so I just stay in auto.

If you red line the Roadster when in manual it'll eventually change up a gear, however the 451 just stays in gear revving its nuts off .... not tried the ML

 

[Gazwould]

It will, only issue with Mercedes paddles is the gearbox still has final say in which gear you can have. If it doesn’t deem it a suitable choice it just ignores you. It also changes up when you’d rather it stayed in the gear. Most annoying so I just stay in auto.

Definitely it has the last laugh , but find the opposite , near full throttle it ignores a flappy upchange .

 

[Blobcat]

If you red line the Roadster when in manual it'll eventually change up a gear, however the 451 just stays in gear revving its nuts off .... not tried the ML

My 451 would change up, the one I hired in Madeira was the same, really annoying when trying to maximise the drive around the hairpins. Trying to hold 2nd to get drive out the bend and it would select 3rd and big down.

 

[Blobcat]

Definitely it has the last laugh , but find the opposite , near full throttle it ignores a flappy upchange .

It’s why I liked the 911, manual mode meant just that. You could bang off the 7,250 rev limiter if you so desired.

 

[keefysher]

I’ve got a canoe...

So do I. This is me in Lava Falls, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Although that was a hired Perception Dancer Sport that I paddled for the first time on that trip. You can just see the tip of my right blade, a pair of carbon/Kevlar Schlegels

 

[Rappey69]

This is me in Lava Falls

Isnt the water really really cold though.. was shocked considering how hot the surrounding area is.

 

[keefysher]

Isnt the water really really cold though.. was shocked considering how hot the surrounding area is.

The water is released from the bottom of the Glen Canyon Dam at about 4C/39F and doesn't warm up much. At the time I did that run the air temp was 40C/104F during the day, and not much cooler at night. However the temp difference produce a natural 'air conditioning' effect at riverside on the beaches we camped on that meant it was pleasant to sleep in the open.

Taking a swim was a serious issue for us to do deep water rescues when required on a couple of occasions. Fortunately we had no raft flips with the support team. We had 7 paddlers and 4 rafts with 2 in each. I was the only paddler to paddle the whole 243 miles, as the others hitched a ride on rafts on the flat sections.

One advantage of the cold water was the drag nets that contained the evening cold beer. We took 1.25 ton of beer with us. Food was deep frozen to -30C beforehand with fresh food lasting 10 days in cool boxes. Flipping a raft could cause loss of food.

Drinking water was filtered from the river, but only from the South rim, as the North rim washes radiated and unclean water into the river, especially after heavy rain that you may not know about, however the red colour (Colorado, hence the name) gives a clue not to drink it. Planning is critical. We only had red water for the last 2 days, full of sediment too, so our kit was filthy getting out.

Everything you take in comes out, except pee, you pee in the sand on the waters edge in order to filter it, you dump in an ammo can that can be sealed. Duties each day on rotation was clean ie food prep, setting up camp. Dirty was washing up, litter clearance and bog set up and clear.

Trip of a lifetime.

 

[rorywquin]

If you have a 9g g-box they are good. The 7g sucks. Had the 7g on my SLK 350 (R172) and it was awful.

I like being in the right gear for a bend and the 9g gets it right most of the time (depending on driving mode) however, if I want to go up or down, the 9g is very responsive.

I do miss the stick option in the SLK because, that is how I learned to drive and find my left hand looking for the gearstick.

 

[fabes]

I have the 7g+ and with the sport option selected I can decide want bear to be in, dropping several gears and holding it to red line, even without WOT.

Question though, are the gearboxes calibrated for petrol and diesel?

I do use the paddles a fair bit to remain involved / awake at the wheel

 

[LostKiwi]

Question though, are the gearboxes calibrated for petrol and diesel?

Yes they are. They're also calibrated for state of tune (220 Vs 250), engine size etc. Gearboxes are also internally different according to power and torque outputs. This is why there are so many variants.

 

[Gazwould]

And not calibrated well !

The 250 derv revs 4600+ rpm which actually impeeds it's progress that's why the 220 is very close behind .

The 250 has oddles more torque , but it's torque begins to drop at 2K , and given it's iirc 4250rpm peak horse power it serves no purpose going into outer space .

 

[rorywquin]

It will, only issue with Mercedes paddles is the gearbox still has final say in which gear you can have. If it doesn’t deem it a suitable choice it just ignores you. It also changes up when you’d rather it stayed in the gear. Most annoying so I just stay in auto.

I don't think that happens in M mode.....or are you only referring to using the paddles while in automatic?

 

[Blobcat]

I don't think that happens in M mode.....or are you only referring to using the paddles while in automatic?

No, in M mode as well, if the gearbox decides you have to change up it has the final say - same on a downshift, if it doesn't think it wise it says "no"

I expect AMG versions to be different (although I've only drive then in auto)

 

[EmilysDad]

No, in M mode as well, if the gearbox decides you have to change up it has the final say - same on a downshift, if it doesn't think it wise it says "no"

I expect AMG versions to be different (although I've only drive then in auto)

Not quite the same but .....
when towing back from North Wales last week, I changed down a gear on the flappy paddle when going up some of the hills before the gearbox did and a few times it would soon go back into auto. By pressing 'M', it stayed in the gear I wanted.

 

[rorywquin]

No, in M mode as well, if the gearbox decides you have to change up it has the final say - same on a downshift, if it doesn't think it wise it says "no"

I expect AMG versions to be different (although I've only drive then in auto)

I'll check mine the next time I'm out...I rarely use M but seem to recall it hitting the rev limiter when I did try it in S+.