SportsShift Vs Manual

[AdamV8V]

Hello all.

I've always owned manual cars, up to and including my current V8V 4.3 coupe.

Due to living and working in London and therefore cycling / tube to work, driving (90% weekends) is a pleasure, as opposed to being a necessity. Am therefore one of the many people who prefer the more involved process of changing gears yourself and the pleasure of nailing a change, matching revs on downshifts etc.

However, I'm in the market for a 4.7 roadster and SportShift models in the price range I'm looking at (55k-63k-ish) seem to out-number manuals by approx 3:1, so am considering the automated manual option.

My pre-conception is that it's the best-of-no-worlds, in that you don't have the practicality of a torque-converter auto when it comes to stop-start traffic and when you just want to drive and not think about changing gears (which is not that often, but does happen!), but then also lacks the involvement and tactility of a manual shift, potential for jerky gear changes and issues with reverse and creep mode. Again, these are just what I've gleaned from reading various posts and no doubt have various levels of truth to them. Hence the question.

The current thread around clutch life is also scaring me off a bit (the clutch in my manual is 40k miles and going strong), as is the need to "clutch learn" on every journey.

The immediate response will be "go and drive one" and I'll be doing just that next weekend. I just wanted to draw on the collective wisdom and, most importantly, experience of the group on what SportsShift owners think about this option. If you have come from a manual previously, your thoughts would be especially appreciated.

If somebody could also explain "clutch learn" (looking at you MikeyK!) that would be good

Note: Despite one dealer trying to push a new "S" to me (only 35k above my budget, but when did that ever stop a salesman!), this is specific to ASM I. I understand ASM2 is a marked improvement.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

[AdamV8V]

Ignore the clutch learn question.

Just found this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Very helpful - thanks OP.

[V8 Animal]

Sportshift takes some getting use to but once you have mastered it, You will enjoy it.

I reckon it might get a bit annoying standing traffic if used everyday slipping into neautral at every stop to save clutch wear.

As a weekend car it works for me Downshifts are fantastic

[Speedraser]

Adam,

For me (mine is a manual 4.7), it has nothing to do with getting used to SS. I've never had difficulty getting it to work well, getting smooth shifts, etc. I simply don't enjoy using it, or any paddle system. It's not that I don't think it's good, I just get no enjoyment from it, and I really enjoy using a good manual 'box. For me, the manual 'box is an essential part of the experience -- particularly for a car that will be used primarily for pleasure.

[alxce]

I am almost the complete opposite of Speedraser but will admit that it took me a few months to realise how much I really liked using the paddles. I had two other cars when I bought the V8V both of which were autos and I stayed away from the V8V paddles for quite some time apart from the occasional experiment. I then went on a fairly long trip where I made the decision to use the paddles all the time and have never looked back.

The clutch learn is essential to the process of maintaining the way the clutch operates but is really not a big deal. You just have to start it in neutral and wait ten seconds before engaging drive. It helps to have the aircon set to "off" at the time and I generally do this every time it comes out of the garage.

I can't really comment on clutch wear but take a look at this thread. As with the clutch on a manual the wear factor is mostly going to be determined by how it is driven.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Alan

[mikey k]

I love my ASM2 car

[Shmee]

Clutch learns are no big deal at all; it just becomes part of life and really isn't a stress. If you keep the car in good shape it's not like you need to do it 4+ times every time you take the car out. Let's be completely honest, if the car's in a garage and likely the back is against a wall (?), it's no bad thing to hear that roar more than once!

From what I've read and heard over time, SS clutches really don't have any more likelihood to go sooner than Manuals; that's a myth. Even just from threads here I'm pretty sure we've also had one before about a manual clutch going horribly early, not just the recent SS thread.

I've grown really fond of the SS gearbox, when I got the car I really didn't think very much about it having come from a dual-clutch Audi (perfectly smooth, lightning fast, technically excellent) but I would argue that it has the fun of a manual in that you still balance the throttle, time the changes and run it 100% in Manual mode (seriously I haven't used Auto since the week I got it), but you also have the freedom of driving just using your hands for the changes and none of that left-foot work which personally I don't like.

[MarlonM]

I have to stick up for the sportshift. I have ASM1 and find it very easy to drive in heavy traffic or on an A/B road blast.

If you are dead set against it and prefer manuals in general, then I would not even think about SS, as your preconception will most likley prevent you in enjoying the SS transmission.

I had a manual V8V and found the clutch heavy and horrible to drive in town, where I do a lot of driving, so the SS suits my needs, but each to their own.....

[AdamV8V]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Definitely more convinced, esp after some good reports from the urban dwellers

Will let you know how I go after a drive.