Driving the 430
Discussion
Thought hard about posting this as I suspect many will (fairly) groan at an old topic...how best to drive the F1 transmission on an F430. But this has been a friendly place before and a fellow poster has already been v helpful with various thoughts, so thought I'd give it a go as the point is becoming very very real to me!
I've just sold a kidney to buy a lovely 2009 F430 coupe. Picking it up on Thursday. First ever Ferrari so totally living the dream, but terrified/exhilarated in equal measure. Y'see up to now I've been a lazy ar#e and been driving autos for years - mainly old Porkers. The tiptronic was so bad I never bothered to switch myself.
Now I'm about to step into the car I've lusted after for years...and god knows I don't want to make an ar*e of myself and even worse, destroy the clutch prematurely.
I'll drive it to work a couple of days a week (only a 15 minute journey tops so not ideal I know, some stop go traffic, a motorway, a few speed bumps, slight uphill ramps into a thankfully wide car park) and at weekends stretch its legs more.
I know there've been threads on this over the years, though the variety of advice is a bit bewildering. Should I just wait to read the manual and all will become clear??
From what I can gather, the main advice seems to be:
- reversing uphill is a clutch killer
- launch control is a clutch killer
- when slowing to a stop at lights, downshift (either manually or letting the box do it itself) right down to neutral and coasting to a stop (though opinions differ whether it makes any difference compared to keeping it in 1st)
After that, it seems down to driving preferences - change up from 1st to 2nd ASAP OR rev it high in first; lift off the throttle slightly when upshifting OR (per the manual I believe) don't lift; change up generally in 4-5k rev range OR let it breathe and aim for 7k+. I guess it must depend on environment, conditions, mood and noise etc.
Anyway, I just wondered if anyone here might offer some advice based on their own experience? And if I'm a total muppet, can I stall this thing by changing down too early to 1st or will it always blip and match revs etc (did that once on a 996 Turbo, down to 1st too soon and the car went bananas and just gave up - though that car was one gremlin after another anyway)
Thanks v much
I've just sold a kidney to buy a lovely 2009 F430 coupe. Picking it up on Thursday. First ever Ferrari so totally living the dream, but terrified/exhilarated in equal measure. Y'see up to now I've been a lazy ar#e and been driving autos for years - mainly old Porkers. The tiptronic was so bad I never bothered to switch myself.
Now I'm about to step into the car I've lusted after for years...and god knows I don't want to make an ar*e of myself and even worse, destroy the clutch prematurely.
I'll drive it to work a couple of days a week (only a 15 minute journey tops so not ideal I know, some stop go traffic, a motorway, a few speed bumps, slight uphill ramps into a thankfully wide car park) and at weekends stretch its legs more.
I know there've been threads on this over the years, though the variety of advice is a bit bewildering. Should I just wait to read the manual and all will become clear??
From what I can gather, the main advice seems to be:
- reversing uphill is a clutch killer
- launch control is a clutch killer
- when slowing to a stop at lights, downshift (either manually or letting the box do it itself) right down to neutral and coasting to a stop (though opinions differ whether it makes any difference compared to keeping it in 1st)
After that, it seems down to driving preferences - change up from 1st to 2nd ASAP OR rev it high in first; lift off the throttle slightly when upshifting OR (per the manual I believe) don't lift; change up generally in 4-5k rev range OR let it breathe and aim for 7k+. I guess it must depend on environment, conditions, mood and noise etc.
Anyway, I just wondered if anyone here might offer some advice based on their own experience? And if I'm a total muppet, can I stall this thing by changing down too early to 1st or will it always blip and match revs etc (did that once on a 996 Turbo, down to 1st too soon and the car went bananas and just gave up - though that car was one gremlin after another anyway)
Thanks v much
Mine's 37% wear at 10k miles, though by the sound of it, I'm going to be adding to that pretty sharpish in traffic. I suppose that's my trade-off really. I don't want it to sit there 5 days a week, waiting for free time on the weekend. Even a 15 minute drive home from work should be something to savour all day and I guess a new clutch 12 months on is my side of the bargain. At least I go into it eyes open so above advice appreciated! Bit peeved at how unbelievably sensitive these things seem to be - then again I know it's built for performance not mass-produced reliability at the expense of speed etc.
Not long now
Not long now
Thanks John and everyone, all sounds v good sense. If heat affects the readings I do wonder what the true number is since I'm in Dubai! I think you and some others have hit the nail on the head by saying don't stress about it too much, just enjoy it. It'd be awful to finally own one of these amazing things then spend each drive with white-knuckle fearful paranoia about another 0.5% wear added. Might as well not own the car.
Really want to try the both paddles then left paddle selection idea - sounds tremendous.
I'll avoid LC and uphill reversing entirely, those seem the big bads. The stop-start traffic is a downer and I can't really avoid that - plus in Dubai believe me, if you leave a gap someone else will fill it sharpish (it's wacky races at times) but needs must.
Much appreciated to all, cheers.
Now to find a decent car cover that doesn't take 4 weeks to ship over....
Really want to try the both paddles then left paddle selection idea - sounds tremendous.
I'll avoid LC and uphill reversing entirely, those seem the big bads. The stop-start traffic is a downer and I can't really avoid that - plus in Dubai believe me, if you leave a gap someone else will fill it sharpish (it's wacky races at times) but needs must.
Much appreciated to all, cheers.
Now to find a decent car cover that doesn't take 4 weeks to ship over....
Quick update - wow!!! The car is sublime and I didn't realise what that howl would be like when it really lights up. Just wow.
However there's a bit of a worry - several times I'd hear a warning beep (3 short beeps) while driving along the motorway. I don't think there was any visible warning light, just the beeps which also seemed to flash the odometer briefly. Then they'd stop and no other sign of a problem. Had an admittedly quick look at the manual and couldn't find advice.
Was I overheating the clutch? Maybe I was driving for too long at too high revs (I think I may have been). As I say, I didn't get a warning notice/light, only the beeps. I'm rattled - does this ring any bells? Hope it's not an electrical gremlin on day 1 of ownership but I suspect it's me......
Advice appreciated.....
However there's a bit of a worry - several times I'd hear a warning beep (3 short beeps) while driving along the motorway. I don't think there was any visible warning light, just the beeps which also seemed to flash the odometer briefly. Then they'd stop and no other sign of a problem. Had an admittedly quick look at the manual and couldn't find advice.
Was I overheating the clutch? Maybe I was driving for too long at too high revs (I think I may have been). As I say, I didn't get a warning notice/light, only the beeps. I'm rattled - does this ring any bells? Hope it's not an electrical gremlin on day 1 of ownership but I suspect it's me......
Advice appreciated.....
Well I still get the 3 beeps occasionally, with no warning light or any other indicator of a problem other than the numbers on the odometer flashing briefly with each beep. Sounds like no-one's seen this before and the car doesn't react badly in any other way, but guess I need to have it seen to.
Other than that, that gearbox is a peach. I know it's not a patch on the 458 I drove last year for slickness but the whole experience is just so...feral! Lovin' it.
Other than that, that gearbox is a peach. I know it's not a patch on the 458 I drove last year for slickness but the whole experience is just so...feral! Lovin' it.
Thanks red_duke - I should've read more carefully, that must be it. Will check this afternoon. Otherwise, the entire experience is proving glorious (well maybe apart from aircon that seems to delight in blowing slightly warm air around a cabin already baking in 35 degree heat...But some experimentation with settings will probably help). It's just fabulous all round though. Always so disappointing getting out of the car - awaiting the next fix already! Drove behind a lovely red 458 earlier and just felt on top of the world (my 430 seems well able to hold its own at least in the aural symphony stakes...)
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