[Lust]

normally manual is more gas efficient, but i don't know if this is true for paddle shift or not..
can't really find any websites on google about it either, or maybe i just suck at searching.

appreciate anyone's help.

[azn akira]

depends on if the paddle shift based on an auto or manual transmission...

[Lust]

its the bmw 3 series STEPTRONIC automatic transmission,
so im guessing thats automatic?

[v8subie]

Depends on how your driving is.

[mikez]

Automatic is more fuel efficient unless you drive in sports mode or have a race car.

90% of semi auto is automatic with user override of the computer logic, meaning that you can tell the computer you want to shift, and the computer will shift when it feels its appropriate. No matter how hard you try, you can never shift smoothly out of 1st on most semi auto while under 2k revs lol. The computer will shift better than you, the computer is programmed to know when to shift for the smoothest and most economical ride.

If you have a manual gearbox attached to paddles, then all the computer does is the actual process of shifting, and in that case depending on your driving habits you can shift more economically.

[Phaze5ive]

Driving style.

Automatic is always more fuel efficient than manuals unless you're driving on a curvy road, like those that wrap around a mountain. I assume sportshift, or whatever you call it, is almost the same as automatic and would lie somewhere close to there.

[azn akira]

Automatic is always more fuel efficient than manuals unless you're driving on a curvy road, like those that wrap around a mountain

ummmm no....

[phantompc4]

yeah definately wrong.

[kelvin6]

A automatic transmission will never be as efficient as a manual transmission, mainly because of the Torque Converter. The Torque Converter (TC) allows for the transmission to slip so that it doesn't cause the engine to stall by remaining in gear (when braking or sitting idle). This slippage results in heat (transmission fluid takes the beating here) and its just lost energy. A manual transmission is direct coupling, no torque converter involved and therefore more efficiency.

Although modern torque converters have a lock up function where it can be directly coupled (at higher speeds), the inefficiency still exists when braking/slowing down (where the RPM would dip below idle on a manual counterpart) and when sitting at idle still in Drive.

[Lust]

wow kelvin that's a lot to take in lol, i just knew automatic was less gas efficient than stick but never really bothered to find out why..
but does that all apply to tiptronic? my car isn't stick.. it's semi auto with tiptronic. i just wanna know if i should drive with it or not , since i wanna save on gas plus tiptronic is more fun to drive anyways.

[kelvin6]

I think the BMW Tiptronic is still based on the automatic box. I could be wrong. The same concept applies because you still have a torque converter (its allows the tranny to be automatic) and you still have slippage during certain deaccelleration/idle/accelleration. To be honest its somewhat minimal inefficiency, but i wouldn't worry. There are much better ways to save fuel if thats what you're concerned about.

[Lust]

well.. i dunno. i just really wanna use the paddle shifters, they're so fun to play with but i'm just worried about ruining my car or wasting too much gas.
i'm just hoping it doesn't burn gas like crazy or does anything bad, any efficiency is good, even if there wasn't any efficiency i'd probably still use.

i'm nooby at stick shift too.. so i dunno if it's safe for me to play around with the paddle shifters yet.

[kelvin6]

Yes you can play with it all you want. Its not like you're going to forget to shift and the car skyrockets in to redline! Lol.

The car can still shift up or down if need be in case you forget, since its a automatic. But this is most effectively used on the freeway when you need to downshift one gear to pick up power to pass someone (the RPMs will go up), but again if you forget to upshift, it will probably do it for you. Its only going to intervene when it gets to a certain extreme, but enough for you to learn what you're doing wrong.

Also it can be effectively used when descending steep grades by lowering the gears down to first or second to use engine compression to slow the car down.

You're going to break anything or waste a ton of fuel if you use it properly. Its not meant to replace a manual transmission... so don't go driving around using nothing but the paddle shifters (because its not the point of it).

[Lust]

You're going to break anything or waste a ton of fuel if you use it properly. Its not meant to replace a manual transmission... so don't go driving around using nothing but the paddle shifters (because its not the point of it).

you mean not break anything? o.o
yeah see i didn't get anything you just said.. which probably is a sign i shouldn't play with it until i know what i'm doing.
it makes more sense to me that if i wanna pass someone i should up shift not down shift, but i'm not good with cars.

i dunno, right now i'm just really anxious to play with it cause i haven't used it yet. maybe once i do i'll get over it.

[kelvin6]

Well try this if you get on the freeway. Cruise up to a comfortable 65mph, without gassing it heavily, cruise for a bit and then downshift one gear and give it some gas, you're going to feel the RPMs rise and more power to the wheels. Then once you're done shift back up one gear to cruise along with. Now of course doing that does waste a tiny bit of gas, but probably not enough for you to be concerned about.

You'll get the idea quickly.

Just remember you're not going to break anything and if you shift incorrectly the car will over-ride you (and go back to normal automatic).

[Lust]

okay thanks for the tip, i'll try it. yeah that's the only thing that makes me feel safe : the car is smarter than i am, so if i mess up i won't die. unless i crash of course.