4200 stupid questions

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
Greetings chaps. As mentioned elsewhere I'm the chuffed new owner of a mint 4200 CC. Just figuring out how to drive it.
I'm a bit confused by all this automatic/semi auto / 2 pedal business, am old school you see, like playing with sticks and stuff. Though I do like the CC box (a lot) I'm trying to suss out the best way to use it in traffic with obvious concern and over minimal clutch wear.
It seems that in sport, best thing to do is keep throttle mashed open when changing up gears, but in normal to lift off. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

More confusing is stopping and setting off again, I just can't bring myself to put a car in 1st while it's still moving, so the car always does this itself (while still moving) - is this an issue?

Then, while stopped and waiting to start, eg at lights, I've mostly been leaving it in 1st on the foot brake, does the brake disengage the clutch, or is it fighting the clutch, trying to engage? If so should I always use neutral / handbrake instead?

Similar question over handbrake... does this do anything other than apply the parking brake, or does it disengage the clutch? Or if I use the handbrake and 1st gear combo, is the clutch fighting the parking brake? ( I suspect it is, so I haven't been doing this)

Other than that I know that it's The Law to drive it everywhere in Sport, and I always obey The Law so I'm good with that.

Cheers!
 
Messages
1,117
Richard is the man to answer these questions. After that speak to Marios at Autoshield. That's what I did when I bought my GS from Richard.
I still cringe when in stop/start traffic on motorways just thinking of what its doing to the clutch. In that situation best to allow a long gap as the car ahead moves off and then take a run to allow the car to fully bite the clutch - if the guys behind you haven't beeped their horn to tell you to get a move on.
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
John, just to reiterate what I'd said yesterday (I obviously overloaded you with info, it's confusing as there's a lot of idiosyncrasies)

In sport, feather off, in normal, foot doesn't need to lift off.

Don't need to go in 1st when still moving, the car will drop in to first if you stop.

At lights, either neutral and handbrake, or first and brake pedal. Not first and no brake pedal.

Handbrake is just an old school one. You're very much in the minority as you have one that works, a rare option on that era of Maserati.

Last thing, if you can, avoid using the parking brake in particularly cold weather, better leave it in gear and a chock under a wheel to be safe. As with all Maseratis, binding the handbrake shoes on is a possibility and a costly one at that if you tear the hubs to bits.
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
Also, as Cheshire Maser puts it, when in traffic, opposite of how you learned to drive. Be in as low a gear as possible and change up when the accumulation of high revs necessitates this. Don’t change up as early as possible as then this results in the CC box being a little indecisive and it’ll bother you.

Lastly, use the brake pedal to slow you down, then change down gears (up to 4 at a time) rather than engine braking and then using the pedal. Brakes are way cheaper than clutches. This is how they show you on the Master Maserati Driving course.

We should’ve probably gone out together for another drive yesterday and refreshed what we discussed before Christmas.

Anyway, hope that’s of help, enjoy the car.
 

Swedish Paul

Member
Messages
1,807
When coming to a stop, I pull on both paddles to select neutral and then select 1st with my foot on the brake. You should have hill hold so no need for the handbrake; you won't roll backwards.

I feather when not in sport mode for silky smooth changes around town and keep in buried in sport when giving it the beans.

More feathering when starting from cold until the gearbox comes up to temp. Don't use automode. It's rubbish. Unless in sport mode for a standing start.
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
Well, there you go, do what suits as Paul above says exactly the opposite of me.
 

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
Cool, cheers guys, pretty much confirmed what I’m doing there. But well reminded about not using the handbrake - I did use it last night and it did freeze.. Dicky, can you confirm that using brake pedal at a stand, in 1st, does in fact disengage the clutch?
 

Swedish Paul

Member
Messages
1,807
The kick you get in sport with foot to the floor is a little like a PDK. A little fun. I just wish the gear changes in non sport mode were as fast as sport mode.

Pretty sure the clutch is fully disengaged at standstill with your foot on the brake in 1st.
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
Cool, cheers guys, pretty much confirmed what I’m doing there. But well reminded about not using the handbrake - I did use it last night and it did freeze.. Dicky, can you confirm that using brake pedal at a stand, in 1st, does in fact disengage the clutch?

No, I can’t confirm that it disengages the clutch but it prevents it from slipping.
 

Swedish Paul

Member
Messages
1,807
The car applies the break for a second after you take your foot off the pedal. It does on the GS anyway. Hill start or some such. My Yeti has it too.
 

D Walker

Member
Messages
9,827
So putting 2 & 2 together,

You have purchased the Silver car from RG.....

Good choice and a great guy to deal with
 

Swedish Paul

Member
Messages
1,807
The manual implies the brake holding for up to 1.2 seconds after taking you foot of the brake. Always assumed it was the brakes doing the holding until you push the accelerator. You could be correct though.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Cool, cheers guys, pretty much confirmed what I'm doing there. But well reminded about not using the handbrake - I did use it last night and it did freeze.. Dicky, can you confirm that using brake pedal at a stand, in 1st, does in fact disengage the clutch?

The clutch will (should) disengage below *about* 1500 rpm. The variables are assuming that it has been set up correctly but from Dickie I'd be surprised if it had not :)

C
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Watch the official Maserati UK driving video, that came in the boot of my car on VHS cassette!

[video=youtube_share;_gV-J1OF_t4]http://youtu.be/_gV-J1OF_t4[/video]
 

redsonnylee

Member
Messages
1,540
Found the video very informative tks, I’ve just about got used to the flappy paddles. Shames it’s been very wet over here.
 

Jnismith

Member
Messages
284
Found the video very informative tks, I’ve just about got used to the flappy paddles. Shames it’s been very wet over here.

I keep wanting to take mine out but the weather is so ****. Booked to go up to Rockingham next week. Hope it doesn’t rain