[Guest]

Just been down to my dealership to have my part-exchange quote for my current car. Whilst I was there the salesman offered to show me my new Q5 which was sitting in the compound pending collection on 1st March, covered in all its' protective wrapping. Much to my surprise I noted that it was fitted with the standard steering wheel rather than the sports wheel with paddle shift to complement the S-Tronic gearbox that I had ordered and was on the order form that I signed. On further inspection of the car, it turns out that the garage had also added cruise control to the order, which I hadn't ordered.

The salesman was going to check to see if the steering wheel could be changed, although at the end of the day I am prepared to compromise on this, providing it is taken off the cost and I have stated that I will not be paying for the cruise control.

What I would like to know fellow forum members is whether or not anybody has the paddle shift and what their experiences of it are?

I would also advise anyone ordering a Q5 to check the order very carefully as it is not 100% fail-safe, something which I have asked the dealership to investigate.

Still looking forward to finally getting my car having ordered it in October, hopefully with no more surprise additions or deletions!

Mac

 

[Kaine]

Mac

this sounds very much like they have just got a car of similar spec to your order instead of your actually order

Kaine

 

[Guest]

I guess it depends upon your driving preference - do you plan to change gear yourself routinely, or are you likely to leave it in "D" and let the car do the work.

IMHO, they're nice to have for about the first 10 mins, then the novelty wears off and you leave the car in "D" pretty much all the time. Or perhaps that's just me

The only situation where they can come in useful, is if you are rolling up to a roundabout and want to go for a gap - you can use the paddles to downshift to a lower gear than the 'box thinks you need to save a bit of "kick down" time.

I'd still make like it's the end of your life as you know it to the dealer, until he stops filling your new car up with trinkets from the parts department

Enjoy your car,
Phil.

 

[Guest]

Mac

this sounds very much like they have just got a car of similar spec to your order instead of your actually order

Kaine

Kaine,

I think that as I had a rather long list of optional extras (Pan roof, B&O, Technology Pack, Audi Hill Hold, bluetooth, electric memory seats, alloys, AMI, tyre pressure, bench seat, storage pack, DAB, folding mirrors, garage door opener, interior lights, underfloor storage and audi drive select with damper control) I think that it was a mistake. I'll be interested to know what the cause of this was and will post as soon as I have an explanation. In the meantime I intend to ensure that the dealership makes it up to me.

Mac

 

[Guest]

I agree with Phils. The paddle shifts are a great gimmick and having had them for 2 weeks I have used them twice. The s-tronic seems to downshift when slowing down anyway and can't be bothered to use them as to get back to automatic shifting you have to move the shift lever across to manual and back again to cancel the paddles.

In respect of the order, I had 18 extras on my order. I checked this through 3 times with the dealers. Once at order, once just before production and again upon delivery and all went well. I have heard a few stories of variations but I agree with Kaine appears like a similar car may have been available and was easier to try and pass this on. Presume the March date is to wait for the new reg. Dont think having had the car now that I could see the car at the dealers for 6 weeks without wanting to drive it.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Mac,

I seem to recall from my days of ordering my car in November that the paddle shift steering wheel comes as standard with a 3.0TDI & 3.2FSI S-Tonic but is a cost option with the S-Tronic on the 2.0TDI & 2.0TFSI's.

When I test drove the S-Tronic I liked the paddles, particularly when you want that burst of power to overtake. I found that if you were pootling along at say 35 mph in a queue of traffic the S-Tronic would (as a result of its programming) put you in top gear. If you then wanted to rapidly speed-up it would take the box a couple of seconds to sort itself out.

Also for note, if you do use the paddles whilst in D-Mode the gear box will automatically revert to Auto-D if you don't use the paddles for a short while, though I never timed it to find out what the interval was. The dealer confirmed to me that was how the programming was designed.

At the end of the day it is all personal choice, but I have chosen to have them, and if they weren't there on my car at delivery I'd be pushing the dealer to retrofit the steering wheel at no additional charge. They have after all got 6 weeks to sort it out.

I like you am waiting until 1st Mar, though my car has completed Production but is yet to land at Grimsby.

Rgds
SS.

 

[Guest]

IIRC the paddles come as standard on the S-Line . On the SE you get a 4 spoke steering wheel without the paddles.

HTH

 

[Hooplescat]

although not on the q5 (mine is still on order) I have had 8 or 9 cars now with paddle shift, and I find that I use them a lot - not for routine driving, but often dropping into corners, roundabouts etc - make them swap it and put it on, it must be possible...

 

[q5s]

Also for note, if you do use the paddles whilst in D-Mode the gear box will automatically revert to Auto-D if you don't use the paddles for a short while, though I never timed it to find out what the interval was. The dealer confirmed to me that was how the programming was designed.

You can revert it yourself without touching the gearstick or waiting for the gearbox to do it for you. Just hold the right paddle for 2 sec.

 

[Bill]

Hi Q5s
Don't think you can return to automatic from manual by holding the right paddle in for two seconds on the Q5

I know on my VW Golf with the DSG box you could don't but it don't work on my Q5, and on checking the manual there is no mention of this operation.

 

[rgf]

Hi,
Probably you want answers that tells you this is only a nice to have thing, but since you are asking, here is my experience.
Before I tested the gear shift paddles during the test drive, I was not sure how they worked. What I did like, was that I didn't have to set the gear lever in manual mode to use the M mode. The paddles oversteers the D mode, and returns back to D mode automatically after 10 s. It is also clever enough to not return to D mode if you use a lower shift for braking down hills, even if this exceeds 10 s. Actually I use them quite often, because I don't find any auto to be perfect, but with this option, it probably is as close as possible. Anyhow, you will almost have the same possibility with using the gear shift lever, so instead beeing concerned about this, enjoy your fantastic car and a nice gearbox when it arrives. BTW, the Cruise control works very well and is quite usefull (at least for me).

-Roger

 

[Mike L]

Hi Everyone,

I test drove an S-line Q5 3.0TDi with paddles. Initially i left it in Auto mode and just had a little play with them for a short time. I must admit that the engine was so smooth i couldn't really tell much difference paddling up and down through the gears.
When we got our SE 3.0TDi it didn't have the paddles (we knew this when we ordered). The only time i think i miss them is entering into a gap on a roundabout. The auto box tends to jerk a bit selecting a low gear if you push the loud pedal hard. I think the paddles would let me select a low gear better than shifting the auto lever across to manual mode. Putting it in "S" mode also helps a little.
As for overtaking changes, i read (and tried) that if you push the accelerator fully down you reach a stop point.... BUT you can push it a notch more (you feel the click through the pedal) and this automatically moves the gear mode to "S". The car then makes full use of the gears and rev range. (Not sure the S-Lines have the "S" mode but i may be wrong

)

So ultimately, I don't miss the paddles, but i think if i had ordered them I would be raising hell

Cheers,

Mike.

 

[Bill]

Hi Mike
When you select dynamic on the drive select it takes the gearbox to sport mode and the S comes up next to the gear you are in, it will stay in sport mode until you change it back to Auto or Comfort with the drive select button.

 

[guyguyke]

if you really want to have total control on the gearbox, take a manual
paddles are imho against the spirit of an auto-box : no fiddling with levers or buttons, just push on the gas pedal, slowly or hard depending on what you want to get; a good auto-box does this easily ... if you can anticipate

 

[Guest]

Just a quick update.

I have been told today that the paddles cannot be retrofitted to the car. Having been quoted a 6 month lead time for new Q5's I am, following the helpful contribution of the forum, going to compromise and have the car sans paddles.

I will report on my experiences with the car when I collect it in 5 weeks and also on the response of my dealership to this error.

Once again, many thanks to all who have contributed. This really is a top forum.

Regards,

Mac

 

[Guest]

I wonder what would happen if you rolled up to a different dealer with your car sans paddles and said you wanted the 3 spoke paddle wheel fitted. I'm betting they would quote you a price but that it would be quite scary. I reckon someone on the Audi side just doesn't want to foot the bill for putting yours right.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I agree with Crusty Noodle ,

Most car are built as generic as possible these days, so most of the wiring and electronics and ECU code should be in situ. The only things missing can be a part of the wring loom, possibly a control module and activation or patching of some code on the ECU.

Try ringing a different dealer (Probably a big Main dealer would be best) and ask to speak to the Chief Mechanic. I had a similar thing with a BMW, only a Cigarette Lighter socket and power feed missing, it took lots of denials from BMW, but a chief mechanic soon had it sorted.

Good Luck

 

[q5s]

Hi Q5s
Don't think you can return to automatic from manual by holding the right paddle in for two seconds on the Q5

I know on my VW Golf with the DSG box you could don't but it don't work on my Q5, and on checking the manual there is no mention of this operation.

You're right, just tried it and it doesn't work, unlike the golf, which you also mentionedops: I knew it was not in the manual but I couldn't think of any valid reason why it would behave otherwise, I guess audi did.
To the OP, I wouldn't worry about the paddles. If you have to ask, you definitely don't need them.

 

[moonan]

You can definitely get the sport wheel and paddles fitted...

I ordered a Q5 that was already "on the boat" to Australia and so avoided the 28 week wait. I said I wanted paddles (I fitted them myself to the Touareg) and they just ordered a 3-spoke wheel from spare parts and fitted it when the car arrived. Also the same with the 17 inch wheels I wanted!

 

[Guest]

You can definitely get the sport wheel and paddles fitted...

I ordered a Q5 that was already "on the boat" to Australia and so avoided the 28 week wait. I said I wanted paddles (I fitted them myself to the Touareg) and they just ordered a 3-spoke wheel from spare parts and fitted it when the car arrived. Also the same with the 17 inch wheels I wanted!

Moonan,

Thanks for the information. I am now speaking to Audi UK to seek definitive clarification.

Mac