# Paddle Shifters **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 30, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63 "2007-05-30T06:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Donald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Donald](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Donald)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/1 "2007-05-30T06:22:38Z")
After years of cars with standard transmissions, we compromised with a Honda Fit: my wife got the automatic transmission, and I got the paddle shifters. But now I’m wondering - would continual use of the paddle shifters wear the transmission prematurely? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/2 "2007-05-30T17:03:20Z")
Actually it should make the transmission last longer by avoiding unnessesary shifts. My wifes 02 Sonata has the automatic with the slap shift/manual mode. I find this to be very handy in stop & go freeway traffic as I can lock it in 1st or 2nd & control speed with the throttle for the most part & it keeps the transmission from shifting needlessly everytime I ease up on the throttle. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/3 "2007-05-30T19:41:22Z")
Don’t worry about it. If there was danger of transmission damage Honda would not put the paddle shifters on the car. Shift to your heart’s content. ---
**Author:** ![N55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@N55](https://community.cartalk.com/u/N55)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/4 "2007-06-01T00:37:40Z")
As always, it depends. If you use any automatic transmission aggressively to over-rev on downshifts (harder to do on a stick because of the synchronizers if you don’t know how to double-clutch) or you continually play with the transmission “because you can”, then I would say it’s potentially hard on the transmission. Holding the transmission in a lower gear is regular practice for automatics in heavy traffic, but you don’t need paddle shifters to do that…move the shifter lever to a lower gear and keep it there until you need to upshift after traffic clears. The paddle shifters are a marketing gimmick, IMHO. They provide little extra control on a transmission that has the disadvantage (or advantage depending on your perspective) of being an automatic. Changing the shift control from the lever to a button changes nothing. It’s all in how you choose to drive it. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Ziesmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Don\_Ziesmer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Don_Ziesmer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/5 "2007-06-01T04:58:51Z")
I like not having to remove your hands from the wheel to shift. The disadvantage I see is one more electronic thing to flake out in five years. ---
**Author:** ![Kendahl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Kendahl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kendahl)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/6 "2007-11-14T20:06:10Z")
The paddle shifters should cause no problems. The “manumatic” transmissions in some cars override the driver’s gear choice in certain situations. Personally, I would prefer a shift lever on the center console since it is always in the same position. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/7 "2007-11-15T03:14:34Z")
F1 driver’s go over 200 MPH and use paddle shifters. If they can do it at those speeds, we can certainly safely use paddles at our well-under 100 MPH speeds. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/8 "2007-11-15T04:01:42Z")
It’s a mass produced automobile with fairly new technology and no one knows what is going to happen with the transmission down the road. A lot is going to depend on how aggressively and how often those paddles are used along with maintenance habits. A Honda nameplate does not automatically mean no problem with a transmission; or anything else. If that were the case then there would not be this. [http://www.honda-acura.net/index.php?categoryid=1&p2\_articleid=24](http://www.honda-acura.net/index.php?categoryid=1&p2_articleid=24) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/9 "2007-11-15T14:02:28Z")
Your transmission is a CVT manipulated by the computer. The answer would be no if you can do better job than it does in an automatic-mode. Besides, unnecessary shifts may cause wrist tendinitis which is not covered by the warranty. Either way, it goes into a limp home mode(usually it has a 3 maybe 4 continuous steps to cease operation) if you abused the CVT too much. ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/10 "2007-11-15T18:00:20Z")
False, its not a CVT but a 5 speed auto with paddle shifters added on. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/11 "2007-11-15T18:31:20Z")
Automatic trannys today are all controlled electronically by a computer. The only difference is which signal the computer is responding to. And, whether you’re using paddle shifters or just leaving it in sutomatic mode, the computer will not allow you to do anything that wil damage the engine or tranny. just shift, pretend you’re in a Bugatti Veyron, and enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/12 "2007-11-15T23:42:47Z")
True, the 7 speed CVT is not currently available in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/13 "2007-11-15T23:51:29Z")
Someone mentioned F1 paddle shifter steering wheels, they are not quite the same thing (and they cost more than most cars): (-; ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/paddle-shifters/63/14 "2007-11-15T23:59:55Z")
But you can buy a pretty nice replica for ?2400: [http://www.lapassione.co.uk/?pid=display&cat=2&sub\_cat=59](http://www.lapassione.co.uk/?pid=display&cat=2&sub_cat=59)