Like malraux said, your car won't let you do anything that will hurt it, it's programmed that way, so i'd feel free to go ahead and play around with it. If you got the idea with scooters and dirtbikes it's the same concept.

 

Go ahead and give it a try!!! like everyone said the computer is pretty smart and will not allow the transmission or engine to hurt itself.

Give your owners manual another look and it explains everything about driving in S mode using the paddles.

I'm a self declared master of the paddles and use them all the time.
Remember once in S mode if you make a shift up or down the transmission will no longer shift on It's own.

If you do not touch the paddles it will shift up to 3rd on it's own and I believe go into 4th at redline.

every now and again I forget that I made a shift and come to a stop,
then take off expecting the car to shift but you hear the engine revving lol

so go ahead there really is nothing to it but to do it

 

Thanks for the quick responses! You guys are really helpful in this forum!

 

Nitpick, technically, the transmission will downshift on its own to keep the engine out of lugging range even in sequential mode.

 

Ps.. So it's not just a guy thing... right? ;-)
(I wanna prove my sales lady wrong!.. Once I learn how to use em... I might have to paddle shift some donuts around her (insert revving sounds here).

 

Compared to other cars ive driven..The fit actually has a decent if not better sport shift auto

 

Got some bad news on that front. This is a fwd econobox. Donuts aren't possible.

 

I did a little testing today and found that you can infact shift to 5th at 30mph
I guess if you want to get better mpg it will do it.

 

Most of us who use paddles a great deal its because we like the control same as manuals except its quicker. And one advantage of the auto is the reduced rpm at highway speeds which also yields better mpg. And when in heavy traffic the auto saves a lot of aggrevation.
There's nothing wrong with seeing how all the high dollar high powered sports cars have all gone to paddles. Some of them only come with paddles. Technology advances. (you dion;'t see true manuals in F1, just hydraulic linkaged auto shifters, aka high tech paddles. sebastion Vettel has nothing on we paddle shifters. well, Ok maybe a little ....

 

And with a tiny engine, letting the car know a second earlier that you want to downshift for a highway merge is really useful .. and the shift logic is well designed. The paddles work well when you want them, otherwise they stay out of your way.

 

I've never driven a manual. In theory, I know how to. (Who doesn't ) I try to use them to place of never having driven a manual to keep an eye on RPM's/gear/etc. to try and shift optimally. Nice knowing that even if I mess up too much, the car won't let me damage it and cost me an arm and a leg.

 

Good one!

 

I'm always on paddles except when finding parking, haha. I've grown to like them, considering the fact that I wanted a manual initially. One thing though after using them for the past 2 years.. I kind of wish they were more sensitive-- there's like a little lag sometimes between the click of your shift and the engine shifting gears. But hey, it's not an expensive racecar or something so I can't really compain.