NWS4Guy

I am in D 50% or so, when I climb a hill I prefer to drop a gear than lug up the hill in a higher gear at 1500RPM like D want it to do. Also nice in stop and go for me to be able to pick the gear and downshift to get some engine braking rather than using all brake pads to slow (most times you can get by with not having to touch the brakes if you are used to a stick and doing this anyway).

When I want to get around someone, but not floor it to get the kickdown, I can double tap the paddle and drop from 6th or 7th nearly instantly to 4th or 5th and cruise around them without looking like a jerk showing off (since if you floor this thing, you get serious power and acceleration).

Granted I have only had mine 2.5 weeks, but we have had my wife's Land Rover for 2 years and I put it into Tip mode (no paddles you have to bump the gear selector) often to do the same things I do on this car, so I can see myself using it often to be honest.

My only complaint is that when you come to a near or total stop making a right, if you are in manual, you need to shift halfwy through the turn, since with 7 gears they are very close together, or you end up at 4K RPM before the wheel is straight - and shifting mid-turn on a 90 degree turn sucks, because the paddles are nowhere near easy to reach, as the wheel is generally spinning. I am seeing th reason some prefer the paddles on the column with this, but that is the only time I have issue.

drrick89

I've had a manual tranny on my Audi '93 90 & my '95 S6, but have had Tips on my 2000 S4 and all my A4s since then. The funny thing with my 2010 S4 s-tronic, is that there's so much torque and it shifts so quickly, that I don't use the paddles as much around town, but I use the paddles exclusively when I'm on the highway. It'll be interesting after 600 or so miles when I'm able to explore the RPMs above 5000 more. But, having driven a number of V6s - both turbo & naturally aspirated - I'm afraid I'm addicted to the high pitch of a high reving V6 and the tighter control on sweeping turns, though the S4's sport differential removes much of the need for engine braking I've found...