Are the gear changes in a 355 f1 smooth or are they jolting? (Up shifting) Can you change from automode to manual on the fly? Is it good practice to enter into neutral before coming to a stop?
You can keep your foot on the gas and up-shift in normal or sport mode. Sport mode shifts are faster and if your shifting at 8-8500RPM then you'll get a satisfying kick. Normal mode shift are smoother. In either mode you can momentarily take your foot off the gas and do an up-shift and make it even smoother. On Down-shifts, you can blip the throttle and make very smooth shifts. I generally shift to neutral and coast to stops. I always shift to neutral from reverse before going to 1st and per the recommendations in the work shop manual. I've never tried going from auto to manual on the fly, but according to the manual I think it can be done, but I'd have to wonder why you'd want to try it, and I've never actually used the auto mode.
I bought a F1 today and to get it out of auto, I needed to hold the auto button for a few seconds - just making sure that's proper. Also, the shifts seemed hard but I was shifting around 5k RPM's
The shifts are more jolting than my double clutch BMW but that's a good thing. I prefer the F1 in my 355 to Porsche PDK or BMW double clutch. The shifts get much faster up the RPM range and in sport mode. You can switch to manual on the fly. There's really almost no reason to ever use auto mode though. I find myself using auto mode in my BMW a lot but I never use it in the 355.
It sounds like you need to do a calibration procedure outlined in the workshop manual. The shifts were horrifically hard when I got my car and the shop that I had the PPI done at was bragging how hard it shifted, but I knew that no one would design it that way, and I was right. I was looking out the back window to see if parts were left on the road, it was that violent of a shift. It turned out that the previous owner and the shop he took it to was playing around with the F1 parameters with the SD1 system and screwed it up royally. They where trying to get around the fact that it wouldn't calibrate. I found out after taking it to the 2nd shop that a throttle position sensor that went to the F1 system was wired in backwards. It was preventing the system from getting good information, so instead of diagnosing the real problem, then fudged everything. There was also a kinked hydraulic hose when I got it, and the 1st shop replaced the hose with the wrong type. Now it shifts like a dream.
If you wanted smooth, you should've bought a Buick! The 355 was the first with 'F1' shifting, and I love it. In sport mode (all I use) you definitely feel the shifts, it's not an automatic with a torque converter. I've never used auto mode, how does that work? Haha Yes going to neutral from say 3rd to roll to a stop does reduce clutch wear...but I prefer downshifting for fun.
I'm trying to get educated on what's normal. No ****, it's not a Buick. I can't understand why people post when they have nothing to offer....
Relax Dave, I was joking....welcome to Ferrarichat. If you need help during ownership try searching, I've posted about taking the engine out in your garage to do the belts, tensioners, water pump, headers,,engine mounts, alternator rebuild, etc. replacing and re-calibrating the F1 clutch without using a SD1, actual F1 shift time with a g meter, etc... Enjoy your 355...
Dave, 1) Shifts in manual are very smooth normally, sometimes it can be a bit clunky at low speed 1st to 2nd gear although nothing bad. In auto mode which I've only used a few times to try it out, the shifting is jerky I dont like the way it feels and never use it. 2) Yes you can change from auto to manual on the fly... If you up or down shift with the paddles it will revert to manual mode. 3) I don't know if it's good practice but I enter neutral the majority of the time this makes for smooth stops. So tell us about the car you bought.
The seller used auto mode (don't ask me why). I tried to exit auto mode by using the paddles and that did not work. I needed to hold the auto button for 10 seconds or so to exit that mode. When I can shoot some good photos, I'll post all the details of the car. Thanks for the help.
I am curious about this shifting to neutral. So you in 3rd or 4th and coming into a light. Rather than let the car downshift itself to 1st gear at full stop, you shift to neutral from fouth or third? What I'd the light goes green? You would be shifting into first? Isn't that dangerous if your not at an almost full stop? Please clarify when your shifting to neutral. I do find my auto downshifts when slowing to a light to be somewhat jerky.
In my car if you are in neutral and moving then shift into gear it selects the appropriate gear. It won't shift to first, it can choose 2nd, 3rd, etc... Also, in reference to above posters. I've never had to hold down the auto switch to get back to manual. I just hit one of the paddles and it goes right back into manual.
Don't know why you'd ever let it coast from 4th, 5th or 6th - unless you're extremely lazy - but as I slow down towards the lights I'll shift down from whatever I was in to as low as 2nd then will let it choose what to do at that point. Obviously if you completely stop, 1st is the go, but in pretty much any other situation 2nd works fine. Auto mode is strictly for the wife when you've had too much to drink...
Very true, you need to be on the ball anticipating traffic conditions ahead. If I'm thinking the light will be green soon, I try to slow and keep it moving with clutch engaged. Or if I need to stop for an expected short time, leave it in 1st with foot on the brake. If I'm expecting a longer stop I'll put it in N. In the case you're slowing in N and the light goes green, when you go to put it back in gear the ECU safely chooses a higher gear for less torque...then I downshift one to get moving.
Agreed, downshifting is half the fun Once in a while I think about clutch wear and consider minimizing shifts...but what fun is that? I replaced my clutch 5 yrs ago and did the DIY calibration, still holding strong. Unfortunately my new house has a driveway I need to reverse uphill to get out, I think that will do me in. At least they're easy to replace...
Someone please confirm this (it does make sense): I was told by a dealer that if the car is in auto mode, if will stay in auto mode until switched out (by the auto switch). However, the paddles can be used in auto mode to override the system, but the use of the paddles will not take the car out of auto mode.
I can't confirm this but I was told when I bought my car that if you drive the car in Auto mode you wear out the clutch sooner. I don't know how much and it obviously depends on how much you drive it in this mode. I just leave in sport mode and not mess with it. I enjoy the F1 system and have my other cars to drive in Automatic mode.
