Auto or MC shift?

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

What is that smooth start procedure?

 

[Wattie]

What is that smooth start procedure?

I can’t remember....someone will be along to outline...it involves depressing the accelerator before starting up.

 

[Sam McGoo]

What is that smooth start procedure?

Approximately...
Foot on brake
Turn ignition to 'on'
Pump accelerator 4 or 5 times (although I think this is just to stop you getting bored while you wait lol)
Wait for all dash lights to go out
Foot back on brake
Start car

This definitely makes clutch engagement for slow speed manoeuvres much smoother.

You have to do it every time you start the car though.

 

[Blox]

I love my MC on a country road when you can get up the rev range with plenty of 3rd and 4th gear shifts. The whole thing makes sense then and the soundtrack is of course, simply brilliant. Reverse parking on a hill into a tight spot however.....not so much fun

 

[Moz1000]

Yet to drive a MC Shift car, but if it's as good as the system in the 430 F1 then I would be quite happy. My only gripe - the SMG in my daily E46 M3 would not need a clutch until normally 90k+ miles. My E61 M5 needed a clutch at 50k miles, while it seems to me that an MC Shift clutch cannot last more than 35-40k miles? Or is that an internet myth?

I've had the MC-Shift Granturismo and now have the F1 F430. I would say the systems are very similar. Both a little snatchy when cold, but that's fixed by just being gentle with the peddle. If anything, the F430 shifts a little faster and less obviously. However, I also believe a lot depends on how worn the clutch is - my Granturismo clutch was on 32% and the F430 is on 8%.
Moz

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Can you pls expand on your comment re being "snatchy" when cold? Rough shifting somehow, improved by first warming up just idling the car (realizing that this doesn't occur much when no drive-action is occurring)? Improved by shifting at a lower rpm point? Or is it that throttle action isn't that smooth when cold and it doesn't affect shifting per se?

 

[Wanderer]

Can you pls expand on your comment re being "snatchy" when cold? Rough shifting somehow, improved by first warming up just idling the car (realizing that this doesn't occur much when no drive-action is occurring)? Improved by shifting at a lower rpm point? Or is it that throttle action isn't that smooth when cold and it doesn't affect shifting per se?

MC shift et al won't let you shift too low speed/revs, at anytime really if the sensors etc think it might damage the engine/box. Theres no doubt on cold start shifting is less than smooth. I think its more a case of the electronics getting in a muddle and dipping the revs, jerking a change, until engine is warm, which is very quick on these cars. For example near me there's a mini roundabout, from cold start I cant get into third by the time I get to it, electronics block the upshift. Warm its no problem, smooth as silk.

Having driven autos before I much prefer the MC/DS/CC despite it's quirks and foibles, as the technology is I believe is from Ferrari F1 cars 2000-ish, it's a near as you can get to being an F1 driver!

 

[Scaf]

What is that smooth start procedure?

Basically turn the ignition on and let the car do it’s checks and the lights go out on the dash before starting.

 

[hashluck]

Basically turn the ignition on and let the car do it’s checks and the lights go out on the dash before starting.

It is basically doing a clutch learn

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

I thought a "relearn" is done (assumedly, though, for the "select" motion and the "engage" motion related to the shift forks on the transaxle) with the use of the SD3 (or the DEIS?), or with the AG Autronica "Leonardo", etc... and not just with the ignition switch process. I might, though, be confusing the shift pattern relearn with the clutch "learn". I didn't know there is the latter... other than I thought the clutch parameters relate to setting up a new clutch, including the 0% wear clutch position, and the PIS... but all of these requiring one of the above-mentioned diagnostic devices. I guess I'm a bit confused...

 

[Sam McGoo]

I'm not sure how much actually gets learnt or adjusted with the ignition on 'learn' but it definitely makes a big difference.
I would assume it must self adjust the touch points somewhat, or you would be going to the dealer for adjustment every few thousand miles.

 

[Zep]

Personally, I think the delay when starting allows the ecu to define the throttle position which gives better control of the engine speed when moving off. But whatever it is, the difference is noticeable.

 

[White tiger]

When I bought mine 2 years ago it had 80.000 km and needed it first clutch change. If you drive it mainly in sport mode where gear changes are fast with less clutch slippage, and you don't have mainly city stop and go traffic, I think clutch can last a decent amount of kms.