458 Dual Clutch Transmission Question - Whilst Sitting at a Traffic Light

Page 46 of the manual, last sentence.

 

If driving sportily (is that a real word?) I will hit neutral coming into the light as I hate the aggressive downshifts when I am done playing (going to be sitting at a red light). Otherwise, I look at the lights. If I just missed it, I will go to neutral knowing I have a few minutes to sit there.

 

When I get some time I’ll retype that last sentence on page 46 for everyone.

Now, of course there will be less wear on the clutch if you pull both paddles and go into neutral coasting up to a light or a stop sign. But, with a dual clutch these are pretty much now considered lifetime. This was more a concern on a single clutch car which my Lambo is and more care needs to be taken and that must be done every time or the clutch will be gone way quicker than a dual clutch ever would.

 

Why are you in automode???? +1 for shifting into neutral at lights

 

Just take it out of auto mode and play with it. Rev it smoothly up to 3-5k and shift up by quickly pulling the right paddle. When you slow down below 2k pull the left paddle to downshift. You’ll start to get a feel for it. Don’t take your foot off the throttle when upshifting- confuses the transmission. You can’t really hurt anything with a double-clutch, so don’t worry about it. Just have fun!


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Has anyone with a DCT had to have their clutch replaced for normal wear? How many miles? I have a 488 - the direttore del servizio at my Ferrari dealer told me the clutch would outlive the car.

 

Step 1 -- put in manual mode
Step 2 -- wait until 6 or 7000 RPMs, then shift
Step 3 -- ???
Step 4 -- profit!

Seriously, manual is the only way to drive the 458. I drive "loud" instead of "fast." I go for 4 or 5 LED lights on the steering wheel in lower gears. Coming up to a stop light I down shift for maximum noise and then put in neutral at the light. The 458 is the only car I have driven where I hope to hit every single red light when I drive.

Rob

 

And drive in Race mode.

 

Neutral at every stop light, every time.

 

get the oil warmed up. so drive below 4k rpm for about 5-6 minutes. Then right click when you are as close to the redline as you want to get. when you are braking and the rpms are dropping left click. If you are breaking hard and have multiple shifts hold in the left paddle and it will automatically shift down for you at the right time.

 

Never in owning three 458’s have I considered putting it in N at a stop.
Same for the Lambos, McC, 488s, Pista, Lusso12, BMW’s with DCT.
Have never had an issue.
FWIW.

 

I agree. Except if if a single clutch lambo, it helps with wear. Double clutch is basically bulletproof.

 

Correct. Mine was Perf.

 

I am confused, you dont know how use the paddles to shift gears?? Right is up, left is down - shift before redline. There is no instruction, its mindless. My 14 year old daughter figured it out in 30 seconds. Come on man.

 

With my 360, that had a single clutch, I always put in neutral at lights. With my 458, I just leave it in 1st gear. I don't think it does any harm on a double clutch transmission.

 

Lots of opinions on driving protocol for DCT. Just depends what mood you are in for when to shift. I don't drive in traffic with long lights. Its about heat. I tend to watch the water temp and if its hot out I do what I can to keep air flowing. Couple times shifted to neutral at a light.

Interesting though saw a video of a pro driver in the 599GTO back when it was being talked about. I think it was a hot lap at Fiorano. He drove with one foot on the brake pedal and the other on the gas. When accelerating it was always floored. The odd part was he was in AUTO all the time and downshifted manually but let the car do all the upshifting. Sometimes braking with it still floored. Different car and different transmission but found it interesting.

 

The techs and sales staff all said to just keep it in 1 with your foot on the brake at lights.

RaceMX - early DCT on California and 458 [10, 11] were more prone to failure. Ferrari didn't want dealers opening the transmissions though, replacement was instructed.

 

I only ever drove my 458 and 488 in manual mode. Auto mode is an abomination as far as I'm concerned.

My policy on neutral at a stop was always this: anytime the car was stationary for more than 3 seconds, shift into neutral.

Ray