What's the F1 transmission like in traffic?

They jerk, that's to be expected. The older year models jerk more than the newer ones because the factory made some improvements on the gear ECU.

 

The clutch action in traffic is great - if you are going down hill. Going uphill is another story, the software lets the clutch slip far too much, you can sort of hear the disk being worn down each time you move off from a traffic light. The only way to get it to seat against the flywheel quickly is to drive like a boy racer, and then it does jerk. I guess the solution is to always drive down hill, and as the earth is round, you will eventually get home.

 

Try not to drive it in traffic......... It's best if it's your 2nd, 3rd or 4th car that you can drive when and where you want. The F1 is great for the open road.... smooth as silk.

If I had to drive it in traffic I wouldn't get an F1, but I wouldn't get any Fcar, for that matter.

 

My 5-speed does fine in traffic and on the open road. Just my opinion, but I feel the F1 tranny isn't worth the experience.....due to the "quirks" and the maintenance costs on the system.

 

Not very good. I just get the sense that it's too wearing whether it is or not. I wouldn't like it in a 6-speed either. It's rare that I get stuck in it.

 

Just as you had to with your manual tranny, you need to practice a bit with the F1 to get smooth. Just as with your manual tranny, you can choose between minimizing clutch wear and maximizing smoothness... they are at different trade-off points.

The primary problem that I find in stop-and-go traffic is when rolling along too slow for it to be engaged. In a manual, I'd just keep coasting ... but the F1 sometimes thinks you want to maintain speed and engages and disengages and engages. It took me a little while to learn how to avoid that.

I do find that the F1 forces me to think more... I have to pay attention to what the tranny is doing and respond... with a manual, pain in my left leg and the simple effort required was enough, no need to think about it at all... with the F1, it becomes easy to abuse the clutch if you "drive it like an auto" or just don't pay close attention to what's going on.

I don't like driving the F1 in traffic... HOWEVER, I don't like driving a manual in traffic either... my left leg definitely prefers the F1 in traffic though!

In traffic that is 0-50-0-50-etc, I'd prefer the manual... just because rowing through the gears would be entertainment to pass the otherwise dull drive. However, 0-15-0-15-etc... there's no fun to be had... the F1 is a bit less painful to the leg, the manual a bit less painful to the brain.

 

The M3 I just drove didn't feel like a torque converter automatic, even on the softest setting. It's a great car, and I love driving it, but it's just not like a regular automatic.

 

The F1 transmission is referred to as "... the dealership retirement act..." by FNA! LOL

 

clunky, jerky, quirky

 

I think it is fine. Uphill a little bit of struggle but you rmanual clutch would suffer too. On a level road it quite ok as long as you remember to put into neutral a lot.

Manual not that great in traffic either. If you have to spend a lot of time in traffic get an SL55 with proper autobox...

 

Magnetti Marelli the inventor of the F1 transmission sold the manufacturing rights to BMW for their SMG system. MM has limited resources for development so the development especially on the software side has been going rather slow. In fact most of it is done as generational improvements every time a system is developed for a new car (if you have an early 360 go drive the next step in evolution the 575 and you wil see what I mean).

BMW on the other hand, with it's resources developed a software package for their first version that works quite well for their application.

I can't wait too see how the 430 is. I would bet it will be a quantum leap.

 

360's - not really. They're jerky in traffic. Never managed to get either of mine to be really smooth. 575's can be driven quite smooth in traffic and with no clutch smell. As for the 430 I'll let you know in a couple of weeks...

 

I believe a French company invented the first semi-auto manual as used in the Mondial Valeo. While it still had the stick, it had no clutch pedal but otherwise worked similar to the current paddle F1 and SMG shifters.

 

Valeo developed an automatic clutch system that was offered for a time in the Mondial. It has no commonality with the MM system. It does in fact have commonality with the old VW and even older Mercedes systems. It worked quite well but but so few were made we never had the chance to see it in wide spread use to know what it would do then. It was a commercial failure and as you state did not operate the transmission.

 

But, wasn't it the first semi-manual transmission in a production car?

 

Yes, BMW uses MM on their vanilla cars but the SMG in the M series cars are made by Getrag. I can make the SMG as smooth as an autobox in traffic but that's because I am used to it (been using it for 9 months).

Driving an F1 or SMG is a new discipline. It is not a 1:1 comparison with an automatic or manual. There is a learning curve, and each manufacturer behaves differently. I cant speak much of F1 but I am very satisfied w/ my SMG both on traffic & clear road.

-noel

 

What about the Porsche Sportomatic? Or the more lowly VW transmission?

 

They are made under MM license, as I said rights were sold. Same with Aston. Lambo bought the system direct from MM.

 

The only thing not manual was the clutch.

I don't know who was first but VW beat it by at least I decade and Benz by over 3 decades.

 

I read it somewhere when you're in heavy traffic, stop & go, switch F1 to Automatic drive. I did that few times so far, and it just works fine. I was surprised, and felt like I was in some sedan. Jerking really didn't bother me much or my car may not jerk as much as others. I don't know...

When I'm in heavy traffic, I just practice smooth acceleration & de-acceleration w/out using a brake. Sort of fun trying that. I do this on F1, too, in heavy traffic.

However, I have experienced a heavy traffic only few times w/ 355.

 

I turn it on automatic. Low throttle settings, and it works just fine. I try not to get it into traffic though. I do use it on commuter days, though.

Art

 

I have a 99 355 and truly belive the car is just fine in traffic. There is a couple of things to do to "trick" the clutch but is the case even with a normal 6 speed. I have to admit this is the first time I have had a F1 and I am COMPLETELY satisfied. 2 hands on wheel and 2 free feet....now that is driving!!!! Yeahhhh baby!!!!

 

For what it's worth, I drove a Mercedes S55 today. It has a regular torque converter, and in automatic mode it works great. The power is fantastic, especially for such a large sedan. I've driven an S430 on a race track (Beaverun) and I imagine that the 493 bhp S55 would turn in surprisingly good lap times for such a large car.

Unfortunately, the paddle shifters (which are simple buttons on the backside of the steering wheel) have a pretty vague effect on the gear change. They work as well as any other automatic -/+ system. It takes nearly a second to make the change--which is a pretty long second.

If you get a chance, I'd definitely encourage you to drive one of the recent supercharged AMGs. It's no Ferrari, by any means, but it makes a delightful Jekyll and Hyde car. You could take it to a funeral or a wedding in the morning, and a road circuit the same afternoon.

Personally, I'm thinking about waiting for the CLS55.

--Matt