Floridasky

Does everyone use the paddle shift in there C8 or does anyone just put it drive and just drive it.

Red Mist Rulz

I drive in manual mode probably 90% of non-highway driving. More involving, more fun, better sound (because I let the revs rise higher than the MPG- prioritizing auto does).

C21ban

Manual (paddles) on regular roads but usually just “D” on the Interstate

AzDave47

Not the C8, but our 2003 BMW M3 was a paddle shift manual and my wife's daily driver. About the only time it got driven in auto was when in stop and go traffic while drinking coffee. The C8 DCT in auto is far better than the M3 SMG was in auto, though.

jagtoes

I just put it in D and enjoy the ride. 16K miles and having fun.

proeagles

I rarely use the manual mode unless I just want to keep it revved up for some stupid reason. The automatic knows what gear it needs to be in better than you do.

ecdy

Usually, paddle shift and a sporty Z mode to help braking on twisty and hilly roads, and also acceleration out of the twists if I'm feeling feisty. Do the same on my Honda Fit with CVT and paddles.

THX_ZORA

I have 8k miles on mine, and it has never been in D a single time. I absolutely refuse to drive a sports car in automatic transmission mode. I may not have 3 pedals anymore, but i am going to control the transmission myself, and that's both up and down gearing. Even w/o a clutch, it is a lot of fun winding through the gears when attacking the twisties in our area of the country....

As soon as I crank it up, it goes into Zora-mode and M.

I don't care if the auto mode can shift more "accurately" than I can. The whole point of driving a sports car is the man-machine connection, and your ability to control/manage the beast the way you want it to be driven-not a KITT computer. I would also never own a 2 pedal car that did not use a DCT/PDK transmission.

at7000ft

The desire to rev it up is your inner 18 year old coming out when you drive the C8. Only stupid if you are a mature old man.

Avanti

I HATE paddle-shifters.

gdb069

Considering it seems every C8 owner tracks the car and/or likes to yell YAHOO when driving to the car's limit, I will take a controversial approach and say I have used the paddles rarely and found the car can shift better than I. Its not a manual. Its better.

THX_ZORA

Oh come on now. when I drive by the kids and they are freaking out at seeing the car and giving me the trucker horn pull gesture, it's so fun to see them in the side and rearview mirrors after pulling in the paddles and giving them a nice dose of the LT2-the absolute joy and excitement they exhibit is priceless....

johnodrake

Some of both.

Zormecteon

98% of the time I'm in "D". If I want the car to be more aggressive, I'll just spin up SPORT mode, or even "Z mode" if I really feel like zooming it. ... But then there's that 2% of time I want real control, (or when I'm trying to get the oil up to temperature)

proeagles

That's the reason I do it.

PopsC8

My previous car was a Ferrari F-430. The paddles were stationary and easy to shift when making a turn. With the C8 I am finally getting used to it. When I make a turn I shift to 2nd before I turn the wheel. I do wish the C8 had stationary paddles.

JerryU

Having only had DDs with a third pedal for 60+ years, drove my C8 in Manual Mode for the first month. But had a problem as I accelerate rapidly when I leave the road I live on merging from a stop sign into traffic going ~70 mph on a 4 lane divided highway. Making a turn, the shift paddle was out of position with the wheel turned. After being careful for 500 miles I hit the rev limiter several times in 1st. It gets to that 35 mph in the blink of an eye at WOT. No fun hitting a wall with traffic coming up at ~70 behind!

Found from a Poster than using Z Mode was like I was driving in Manual AND the way I drove my two M7 C7s for 7 years. Rev's higher up and downshifting. Particularly like the double downshifts and rev matching in the blink of an eye when I brake aggressively to leave that ~70 mph traffic and turn into our 25 mpg limit rural road in the Country Club where I live.

Use paddles if the typical max 5th gear Z Mode is using is to low if on a long stretch of road so shift to 6th, 7th or 8th. Find no need to downshift as it does what I would do when braking for a turn!

Yet now 16 months and all over my "must have a manual trans!"

dvilin

Piddle Paddle no thank you.

hawk02

I’m about there with you. I’ve tried really hard to like using the paddles on my C8 but they keep frustrating the hell out of me. First off, the paddles being on the steering cause them to be in some really awkward positions when it’s time to shift. First gear is way too short. I have yet to figure out the proper speed to shift from first to second. Ninety percent of time the first to second shift is so hard I almost give myself whiplash. Thank goodness I have my M6 Camaro available when I want to have fun driving.

AzDave47

If you'd ever driven a paddle shifter with stationary paddles on the column on a road course, you would understand why the rest of the world has them turn with the steering wheel. It would be funny watching the F1 drivers try to move their hands around to shift in the corners.

Once you get used to it, you will get skilled doing an upshift in the middle of a 90* turn with your left hand fingers as that's where the upshift paddles will be.