GT Auto or MC Shift???

b14desman · Sep 20, 2016

Hi, it's looking more and more like I'll be joining the club. Off to look at another GranTurismo today. I can't decide whether the auto or the MC Shift would be best for me. I'll be using the car mainly for touring with my wife and son. Would appreciate any comments regarding the pro's and con's of the two gearboxes and what your experiences have been of touring in either version.
Thanks
Colin

beau · Sep 20, 2016

I'd say it's quite a simple choice, if you prefer a manual go with the MC shift, if you prefer automatic go with auto

I don't like automatics, in the 100+ previous cars never owned a auto, and indeed I love the MC shift

MC shift should only be used in manual mode, they are easy to drive,

Just think the MC is like a F1 sports gearbox for a sporty drive and auto more suited to a cruiser with added benefit of not having a Â£3000 clutch that needs doing from anywhere between 30-60k miles average on the mc

safrane · Sep 20, 2016

I face the same dilemma.

For me the Auto is the preferred option but I would like the S body kit and exhaust...this can be had as an S Pack with sports exhaust or a newer but out of reach Sports Model.

Its a rare car to find with sports pack and with a wish for black and cream trim I may be looking for a number of months.

PS I'm tired of F1 boxes now after 9 years of them...I also expect to see more frequent issues with them as they age against the well proven full ZF autos.

bigbob · Sep 20, 2016

You will be Peter as they only offered the sports pack for 12-18 months.

My car is an auto without the sports pack and - you guessed it - I love it. I like the fact that when I drive it in sport manual the valves close at under 3000 revs so I don't get that annoying drone most of the time but it's there when I accelerate hard (ish).

As for the OP, you need to drive both and decide. Trust me as all posters have vested interests - mine is obvious - and all that is important is what works for you. You will get very few people telling you that their car has a **** gearbox and you should have bought the other!

w5pwr · Sep 20, 2016

I had MC shift in my GT S and now the Stradale, if I used the car mainly for for touring with the family I think the Auto would be the best choice, especially if you could get the sports pack.....

hoyin · Sep 20, 2016

I think only you the driver can make a choice after you have driven both. It depends on your style of driving and the engagement you want with it.

When do you go over 3k revs? I hardly ever. But then we all know that already.

bigbob · Sep 20, 2016

hoyin said:
i think only you the driver can make a choice after you have driven both. It depends on your style of driving and the engagement you want with it.

When do you go over 3k revs? I hardly ever. But then we all know that already.

lol

daverichardson · Sep 20, 2016

When you are old (like me) you cannot be a**** with clutches and manual boxes. Youj ust want to point it and go like stink in comfort.
The Auto box does that for me, no contest

b14desman · Sep 20, 2016

Thanks for all your responses and now having driven both types in the last couple of days I have to say it's the auto for me. Very smooth ride and gear change. I found the MC Shift to be somewhat choppy. My aim is to use the car to tour the continent so I think the extra comfort of the auto is the order of the day. Now I need to find the right one....I too would prefer the S pack but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

MikeyMaser · Sep 20, 2016

b14desman said:
Thanks for all your responses and now having driven both types in the last couple of days I have to say it's the auto for me. Very smooth ride and gear change. I found the MC Shift to be somewhat choppy. My aim is to use the car to tour the continent so I think the extra comfort of the auto is the order of the day. Now I need to find the right one....I too would prefer the S pack but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

Jump in the MC Shift and Auto with no experience of either and you will always find the Auto easier to drive smoothly. However, with practice, you can drive the MC Shift almost as smoothly as an Auto. You kind of learn how to drive it... and it comes into its own in MC Shift mode when pressing on.

Obviously, the big downside of the MC Shift is clutch life. However, at 25K miles mine has only 36% clutch wear which means it should easily get to 50K before a clutch change.

Contigo · Sep 20, 2016

Mate of mine looking for a 2015 GT Sport, drove back to back Auto and Shift box and he said night and day differences so well worth a test drive of both. He has a Vantage S Shift at the moment and says he needs the Sequential box rather than the Auto.

D Walker · Sep 20, 2016

hoyin said:
I think only you the driver can make a choice after you have driven both. It depends on your style of driving and the engagement you want with it.

When do you go over 3k revs? I hardly ever. But then we all know that already.

Too be fair I think you hit the rev limiter when we were returning from Le Mans and the rocks were coming over the fence!!!

Ewan · Sep 20, 2016

My GTS has the ZF auto, while the MCV has (in all but name) the MC Shift gearbox. If I could, I'd have the manual box in the GTS as well, but they never made such a car. I always thought it both strange and disappointing that the sportiest QP never received the sportiest gearbox.

As said by others, try both and then decide. But for me, having had several versions over many years, it would have to be the MC Shift.

bigbob · Sep 20, 2016

Hope you find what you want. As you can see on here, opinion can be vocal as there are more members that like the automated manual gearboxes.

As I have said before, at least Maserati have given people a choice which is, unfortunately, about to disappear as the GranTurismo goes out of production.

FF1078 · Sep 21, 2016

I'm MC shift all day as we can close the exhaust valves if required but why would you want to quieten the beast?
As said earlier once you've "learnt" to drive the MC it can be as smooth as an auto.
Good luck in your search
Nick

Ryandoc · Sep 21, 2016

I'll just add to this that the Internet chatter on the GT shift box (which is basically an SMG) has always been its dated it's jerky etc. I read up loads

Having owned my 2009 MC shift for over 1.5 years now I don't think what is written about it is fair at all it's a fantastic box, very easy to master and get smooth shifts in in low speed town driving. I never use the auto setting.

It really is a great box. You either like autos full stop, nothing wrong with that at all. But, if you have always been a gear stick person then it's the MC shift you need, you'll master it in no time

Dyer3200 · Sep 21, 2016

As a newbie GT MC shift owner am I missing a trick driving it in auto ?

CatmanV2 · Sep 21, 2016

Dyer3200 said:
As a newbie GT MC shift owner am I missing a trick driving it in auto ?

Oh ****, yes!

C

Ryandoc · Sep 21, 2016

Dyer3200 said:
As a newbie GT MC shift owner am I missing a trick driving it in auto ?

Absolutely, OK use auto for day to day driving if you want but get out there and use those paddles, total control and lightning quick change over 5.5k revs. Don't spend the whole time of ownership having not experienced and mastered it just do it

iainw · Sep 21, 2016

Dyer3200 said:
As a newbie GT MC shift owner am I missing a trick driving it in auto ?

Thats an understatement.
I have never had a paddle shift before - but I got used to the MC shift in manual immediately. Its easily as smooth as the auto for me now.
I NEVER use auto mode - it a little bit jerky and the gears change at too low revs.
I still think its a great combination of cruiser and beast in manual mode.
Especially with the big paddles

GT Auto or MC Shift???

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