how about an option 'never' ? I havent used them but it doesnt mean I wont.

 

Like many others, I find it easier and smoother if I just leave it in D. Unless I'm taking a corner hard and know that I need to downshift to be in the right gear to accelerate out.
I tried shifting manually, but it's not as smooth, so I decided that I'd just leave it in D. But if I'm driving in the twisties, most likely I'll use paddle shift just to hold and be in the right gear.... but with the gas prices so high, smooth shifting is the way to go...at least for now.

 

All the time. I came from a manual so I like the gears being held and power once i touch the gas pedal I dont like to wait for it to downshift. Even IN manual mode I can feel the lag from the TQ converter. RPMs can wander + or - 500 RPMs due to the Slushbox.

 

I am now using them quite a bit for braking to cut down on the brake dust.

 

I think it sucks and i don't use it at all.

 

i'm trying to use them more, but I am so used to having an automatic I just can't get into the habit. I think thats probably because I've never owned and (don't laugh) don't know how to drive a stick.

I've found when in manual the car still automatically shifts, usually sooner than I'd like it to. Is this normal? I'd like to think I'm not a total idiot, and I do drive my car hard sometimes, however it seems sometimes I'm just not skilled enough in the fine art of advantageously shifting. I don't like how the car shifts for you even in manual before you 'feel' the need to shift.

 

Exactlly! me either. and if I'm hard on the gas and tap the upshift it will not upshift unless i lift off the gas. Its totally not "manual mode" its more like highest gear mode. It wont upshift any higher than the selected gear.

In a true manual paddle shifting car no matter how hard you are on the gas if you tap upshift it'll upshift. Thats what i was exptecting... and it will not upshift for you.

 

I'm not sure what other manual paddle shift vehicles you're referring to, but that's certainly not true of VW/Audi's DSG. Despite it being a lot more responsive than the IS, it will still downshift if the revs drop to a point where the computer decides the engine is lugging or you're going to stall the car. I'm not sure how BMW's SMG behaves in those situations.

Regardless, I've driven manual transmission cars all my life. I was having fits of agony over whether or not I'd hate the IS's paddle shift system, since it is after all just a 6 speed automatic. And I have to say, I'm very happy with it. In fact, I've been experimenting, and you can make downshifts a lot smoother with a slight throttle blip to take the load off the transmission. I was hoping that'd be the case, but wasn't sure how it would actually behave, given it's really an automatic. And I'm even pretty content with the way it behaves at lower revs when I'm giving it access to all gears... I find that I can dip pretty far into the throttle and let the torque do all the work, and the car really doesn't grab gears when I don't think it should.

I definitely don't find the paddles gimmicky. They allow for a couple quick, smooth downshifts on corner entry, which is exactly what I wanted, and the fact that I can left foot brake and blip the throttle to make those downshifts almost seemless is a bonus that I wasn't sure could be done with the auto. A couple quick taps just before passing is enjoyable as well

I have to say all the magazine articles that trash the IS compared to the BMW 3-series are doing it a huge disservice. I've been really pushing the car lately (mine is a sport pkg) and I find I can drive through the twisties with abandon, and even get the car a little out of shape at times, and I have yet to have VDIM intrude. The traction control has kicked in in a few circumstances (sand) but that's hardly surprising. I think you'd have to be pretty reckless on public roads for VDIM to be an issue, and I could really care less how fast my car gets through the slolom. (/rant off)

 

BMWs SMG will downshift for you if you're too low in the RPM range and about to stall. but it wont upshift for you nor downshift just because you lay hard on the throttle. If you're in manual mode thats exactlly that. you can floor it in 6th and it'll stay in 6th and lug the engine all day long. I'm not saying that theres any benefit to that but I'm just saying sometimes in 4th and I just want it to stay in 4th and I step on it a bit harder the IS will downshift to 3rd when I didnt want it to cause I was going get off the throttle a second later so it downshift and then upshifts back to 4th. I was just hoping it would have been more "manual" and just stay in the gear I chose unless it was going to detect a "stall" I have no problem it downshifting if I'm like under 1200rpms.

 

Understood, I'd prefer that they all just stay in whatever gear I tell it to stay in all the time, regardless. But there's not much point complaining... I've already bought the car, and I'm enjoying it

 

I wasnt exactlly complaining. I was just noting the difference and how I would have liked it and what I think "manual mode" is suppose to be especially since it has a paddle shifting system and that was it. Every car theres going to be a compromise and thats just one of the few that I'll have to live with on the IS.

 

I agree.

 

I use it all the time now...for engine braking that is.

 

I may be a new owner, but can't you get the best of both worlds by setting it to sequential shift mode and then leaving the gear in 6?

This way, you still get all the automatic shifting up to 6th gear, but you always have the option to gun it with the paddle or shifters, at any time...

Just my $.02, but I thought this was obvious...I could be misinformed about how it works, though...

 

I use it very infrequently. If I'm feeling bored, I'll maybe consider using it for a minute. It's nice and smooth compared to other cars, but I just prefer to have it in auto.