Are paddle shifters too much to ask?

[Flyslinger2]

I owned a VW GTI with the electronic two clutch 7 gear transmission. It had paddle shifters expertly placed on the steering wheel so that you could shift through the gears even while turning.

My Jeep doesn't have paddle shifters.

Why am I bringing this up as a topic? Statistically, our Jeeps are pounding way more pavement then they are rocks, sand or or none paved mediums. During our times on the pavement we are much safer when we are driving with both hands firmly affixed to the wheel (sorry for you 6 shifter thingy fans!). If we don't have to reach WAY down to grab that over sized knob, pull it to the left, and then fumble with remembering is it up for lower or down for less(?), and make our gear selection and then move our hand back onto the steering wheel, we are much safer. I think we are beyond the days of thinking paddle shifting is only for high end performance cars or the F1 circuit.

My GTI would "burp" when I pressed the shifter going into the next gear. You knew right where you were in your power band based on the sound of the engine and the response of the vehicle.

I would like that in my next Jeep if I don't drive this one for a quarter of a million miles like I did my last truck.

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[Maverick909]

its just a paddle shifting is not any safer than a full auto nor manual trans when you have teenagers and adults that think they can text and drive safely. Plus jeeps are not really meant to be driving 100 mph where you need to have both hands on the wheel at every second they are not sports cars by any means.. but as you can see. manual transmission is the only way to get a jeep in my book. more control and less electronics the better!

 

[Rudolph Hart]

There’s aways something new being bitched about lol.

 

[Buckster]

I have no need to manually shift my auto and definitely don't need paddle shifters.
With the RS5, I had 450hp at my beck and call with an 8500 RPM redline. I drove it like i stole it most of the time (hence my current ownership of a Jeep at the behest of NC state troopers....) and always drove in sport manual to fully utilize the power band. The 7-speed DSG was a thing of beauty and a joy to shift.
With the Jeep, there's no point. It gets me where I want to go in a leisurely and enjoyable fashion. Top down and Zeppelin cranked, I'm not getting any audible feedback from the 3.6 anyway, so there's that.
And that "burp" you referenced was the momentary fuel cut when upshifting, but it was nothing compared to the glorious rev matching when downshifting aggressively. Now - back to work.

 

[melendez69]

It ain't the stick that's preventing drivers from keeping both hands on the wheel. It's the lattes & mobile devices. A stick is no less safer than an automatic.

And anyone who can't remember which way to shift and when should settle on an Uber.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Found the millennial...

 

[GreyFox]

It ain't the stick that's preventing drivers from keeping both hands on the wheel. It's the lattes & mobile devices. A stick is no less safer than an automatic.

And anyone who can't remember which way to shift and when should settle on an Uber.

 

[RubiRob]

I owned a VW GTI with the electronic two clutch 7 gear transmission. It had paddle shifters expertly placed on the steering wheel so that you could shift through the gears even while turning.

My Jeep doesn't have paddle shifters.

Why am I bringing this up as a topic? Statistically, our Jeeps are pounding way more pavement then they are rocks, sand or or none paved mediums. During our times on the pavement we are much safer when we are driving with both hands firmly affixed to the wheel (sorry for you 6 shifter thingy fans!). If we don't have to reach WAY down to grab that over sized knob, pull it to the left, and then fumble with remembering is it up for lower or down for less(?), and make our gear selection and then move our hand back onto the steering wheel, we are much safer. I think we are beyond the days of thinking paddle shifting is only for high end performance cars or the F1 circuit.

My GTI would "burp" when I pressed the shifter going into the next gear. You knew right where you were in your power band based on the sound of the engine and the response of the vehicle.

I would like that in my next Jeep if I don't drive this one for a quarter of a million miles like I did my last truck.

Your GTI farting when shifting is because it had a performace DSG transmission. Jeep doesn't have anything close to that, maybe in the SRT / Trackhawk I don't know. I think you're in the wrong vehicle.

 

[mikej]

I for one would be quite happy with paddles on the steering wheel for off-road use. When in 4L, I keep the transmission in manual mode so I can keep better control of what gear it's in. On-road, I let the automatic do its thing.

Is it a deal breaker for me? Nope. I am happy with what I have, but I would pay for the option of paddle shifters if it were available.

 

[flyingmonkey]

I have no need to manually shift my auto and definitely don't need paddle shifters.
With the RS5, I had 450hp at my beck and call with an 8500 RPM redline. I drove it like i stole it most of the time (hence my current ownership of a Jeep at the behest of NC state troopers....) and always drove in sport manual to fully utilize the power band. The 7-speed DSG was a thing of beauty and a joy to shift.
With the Jeep, there's no point. It gets me where I want to go in a leisurely and enjoyable fashion. Top down and Zeppelin cranked, I'm not getting any audible feedback from the 3.6 anyway, so there's that.
And that "burp" you referenced was the momentary fuel cut when upshifting, but it was nothing compared to the glorious rev matching when downshifting aggressively. Now - back to work.

Key word: Zeppelin.

 

[AnnDee4444]

Your GTI farting when shifting is because it had a performace DSG transmission.

No. It's the engine fuel/ignition tuning that causes the pops & bangs.

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

If you’re going to make a comparison between Jeeps and other vehicles, at least make it a cool vehicle not some lame-ass VW.

I can’t think of anything less Jeepy than paddle shifters.

 

[ClaytonW]

I have paddle shifters on my LX 570. Not bad but I could easily live without it. Sometimes, you need manual shifting while offroading, sometimes on steep slopes, especially in winter. Although I do not miss paddle shifters on my JLUR, I hate that the shifting is reversed compared to most other cars (+ gear back, -gear towards front). I'd be happy if this could be changed, maybe it's just switching two wires but never heard about anyone who did it.

 

[UKCATS]

I owned a VW GTI with the electronic two clutch 7 gear transmission. It had paddle shifters expertly placed on the steering wheel so that you could shift through the gears even while turning.

My Jeep doesn't have paddle shifters.

Why am I bringing this up as a topic? Statistically, our Jeeps are pounding way more pavement then they are rocks, sand or or none paved mediums. During our times on the pavement we are much safer when we are driving with both hands firmly affixed to the wheel (sorry for you 6 shifter thingy fans!). If we don't have to reach WAY down to grab that over sized knob, pull it to the left, and then fumble with remembering is it up for lower or down for less(?), and make our gear selection and then move our hand back onto the steering wheel, we are much safer. I think we are beyond the days of thinking paddle shifting is only for high end performance cars or the F1 circuit.

My GTI would "burp" when I pressed the shifter going into the next gear. You knew right where you were in your power band based on the sound of the engine and the response of the vehicle.

I would like that in my next Jeep if I don't drive this one for a quarter of a million miles like I did my last truck.

 

[jessedacri]

The 3.6 and 8-speed does a pretty nice fuel cut burp/fart when I'm manually shifting. Not as much as my DSG Audi S5 but it's an awesome sounding engine/trans combo nonetheless, especially with doors and roof off. I like the sound and response of my JL as much as my Audi so much so that I don't miss the Audi one bit now that it's gone.

As for the paddles, I feel you. I like to control what gear I'm in most of the time both on and off trail as I'm used to either driving stick or DSG cars in my past where I'd never let it decide. I'd even take a software tweak that lets us reverse the shifter's up/down direction. I miss the paddles for easy access to gear changes, but it's not the end of the world considering it's an off road machine.

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