Question to 360 owners who live in San Francisco...

Hopefully you'll hear from actual SF'ers with practical daily experience. However, as I just got my F1-equiped car and I was playing with an incline (my driveway), I think I learned something.

The last portion of my driveway is probably as steep as the average SF hill (actually vice versa as I my driveway was the high-side), but not as steep as the steepest. I had tested driving up the driveway OK and I was testing driving down and out for nose clearance. As I approached the driveway/street transition from the driveway side (so heading downhill to a flat transition), my son (who was eyeballing) frantically waved me off. I had perhaps 2-3 inches to the street. I tried putting it in R and backing up, but as soon as I let go of the brakes, it started rolling forward (which almost gave him a heart attack). I had to do the two foot maneuver of holding the brake with transmission set to 1st gear and then, as soon as I released the brake, to apply gas. This seemed to work fine as I backed out of danger. A similar process occurred as I tried it backing down the driveway, which was more successful.

I'm still learning how the F1 works, but this seems to be an almost perfect demonstration that the F1 is a robotic manual. Apparently, when you hold brake, the clutch is in. When you release brake, it's still in. Only when you start applying gas, does the clutch let out and the ECU must allow some amount of clutch slippage until you're rolling at an RPM-matched speed.

If you were doing this with a 6-speed, you would be doing the same thing. So with the F1, if you ease brake and apply gas easy (if you rev, you'll probably start burning clutch just as if you were doing it with a 6-speed) in a fast smooth transition, you can execute an almost 0-roll uphill or downhill start. But the question remains, would the clutch wear then be the same as a manual?

P.S. I also discovered that situations where you have to jog the car back and forth are a real pain with the F1 since you have to switch between paddle and console - very unnatural. That said, the F1 up and down shifts better than I can in "spirited" driving.

 

I have a manual and haven't had any issues in SF. The clutch isn't particularly heavy so stop and go traffic isn't particularly difficult on my left leg. I generally avoid very steep hills just because you never know when you'll be lucky enough to encounter a tailgater at a red light. When I do hills though, the release the handbrake as you clutch out throttle in technique works well and I have yet to smell a burning clutch.

My advice: Assuming you are fairly adept at manual trannys, buy whichever transmission you think you'll enjoy the most and don't worry about clutch life.
Norm

 

I've got an F1. You do get less clutch life, but so what. I've drive the car, in both versions. I do commute in the car, and haven't had a problem. One thing you absolutely cannot do in the F1 (or shouldn't, if you want any kind of clutch life) is to use the throttle to hold your place on a hill.

Having said all of that, the F1 in the twisties is GREAT.

Art

 

I am NOT from the SF area, but I do live in a state with hills s that I do visit regularly.

Above it was mentioned that you have to use 2 feet.. and this is the FACT and TRUTH.

The overall advantages of F1 vs Manual, depends on the type of driving you do.. I always liked manual trans and wanted to feel what I was doing with the gears, etc..

But since getting my F1 tran, I will never go back..

-A

 

Alex, I much prefer the manual in stop and go and most slower moving situations. One issue with the f1 if you live in a hilly neighborhood, it is not good to use reverse until the car is fully warmed up if you need to go uphill. Second, parking is much harder with f1 if you are parallel parking on a hill. I had a maserati paddles shift loaner for a few days and spent most of those 3 days in the city, so that is what I am basing my experience from. My f1 ferrari needed to be backed into the garage as my garage is on an incline and I could not back out without compromising the clutch over time(or so I was told by dealer mechanics). I loved the f1 on the road at high speeds and for sure in the twisties, but slower movement was always much more akward than the manual, from my experience(355 f1). both have distinct advantages though, just need to tailor your needs to your situation.

 

I'm late to the game here, but I'll add my thoughts anyways. I've had both an F-1 355 and a 360 stick. I found F-1 to be great for effortless, sprited driving in the countryside, but I felt like I had no real control over the clutch in stop-and-go downtown SF (and indeed, I didn't have). I switched to stick with the 360, and was much happier. Count me as one of the die-hards who wont go back to F-1.

Other impressions may vary.

 

I should also mention that the 360 is definitely *not* an "Any Hill" car. You may find that you need to alter your route through the city, or you'll find yourself without your front spoiler. But I suppose that goes without saying.

 

I drive both stick and F1 in SF on a regular basis. Problem is more with spoiler scraping than transmission, but to answer your question, both work great. I have 10K on stick with no problems. Have 5k with F1, and no problems there either. On steep hills just use parking brake. Manual tranny is more fun IMO, you can do (silly) things like when downtown push in the clutch, blip the throttle and hear your tubis echo off the buildings. Not that I would ever do that of course (!). Can't do that with F1. But the F1 is fantasic too, it really shines on open twisty roads (like stewarts point)

 

Did anyone explain what the issue was with this situation? Why would Reverse-uphill, in specific, be a problem until after warmed up?

 

If you really wanted too, you could pull both paddles back "putting the car in N" rev your engine to hear the exhaust and then just do a up-shift paddle.

The computer will automatically put it in the correct gear.

-A

 

This happened to me many a time while idling at a light. I'd forget to keep my foot on the brake, which would automatically put the car into neutral. When the light turned green, I'd stomp on the gas, and the motor would go "WheeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!". And I'd just be sitting there like an idiot.

Ahhh, the memories of F-1 . . .

 

yea and give it another 5 min after that and it will turn off on ya...

And then you have to reset the alarm, etc and panic while trying to get it restarted...

-A

 

SROC4 just get the car already (manual one), time for cruising.

 

Well said.