Selecting Neutral in Gransport to save clutch when stopped in traffic?

greenelekta

Junior Member
Messages
13
I am new to Maserati and recently bought a Gransport. I was told by the previous owner to pull back on the paddles and put in neutral at traffic lights and traffic jams to save on clutch wear. Is this good practice, what do you people think?
 

Mr S

Member
Messages
821
Its something i always do yes. Even when in stop start traffic, or approaching a junction, regardless of gear, I figure the less gear changes, the less the clutch wear. Not saying this is right or wrong, just what I do.
 

Sam McGoo

Member
Messages
1,745
I'm gonna go against the grain. I don't. Unless I know I'm there a while , or at night so I'm not blinding the car behind with my foot on the brake continuously. Basically as often as I'd be putting on the handbrake in a manual car.
Don't know about the GS, but in the GT (F1 box) if it's in gear, and foot off the brake, it does not creep forward, therefore the clutch plates are not touching.... So no wear. Only when you touch the throttle, does it start to engage.

So, in your GS in 1st, foot off brake, does it creep forward? If the answer is yes, then putting it in Neutral will save some clutch wear.

However, obviously everytime you change gear, or put in N, your wearing other parts like your actuators and shift forks etc... So horses for courses.
 

Oneball

Member
Messages
11,072
I'm gonna go against the grain. I don't. Unless I know I'm there a while , or at night so I'm not blinding the car behind with my foot on the brake continuously. Basically as often as I'd be putting on the handbrake in a manual car.
Don't know about the GS, but in the GT (F1 box) if it's in gear, and foot off the brake, it does not creep forward, therefore the clutch plates are not touching.... So no wear. Only when you touch the throttle, does it start to engage.

So, in your GS in 1st, foot off brake, does it creep forward? If the answer is yes, then putting it in Neutral will save some clutch wear.

However, obviously everytime you change gear, or put in N, your wearing other parts like your actuators and shift forks etc... So horses for courses.

I went on a police driving course a few years ago and they said a few interesting things that aren’t what you’re taught. One was to always sit with your foot on the brake. Because if you only have the handbrake on and get hit from behind it lifts the rear wheels off the ground and you hit the car in front.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
I went on a police driving course a few years ago and they said a few interesting things that aren’t what you’re taught. One was to always sit with your foot on the brake. Because if you only have the handbrake on and get hit from behind it lifts the rear wheels off the ground and you hit the car in front.

Interesting and reasonable. But it's highly likely that your foot will come off the brake as well....

C
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,696
Interesting and reasonable. But it's highly likely that your foot will come off the brake as well....

C
Mine didn't when I saw a passat coming towards the rear of my Audi at 45+. It was buried in the carpet and I was pushing myself back into the seat. **** of a shunt and moved about 15ft whilst braking.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Mine didn't when I saw a passat coming towards the rear of my Audi at 45+. It was buried in the carpet and I was pushing myself back into the seat. **** of a shunt and moved about 15ft whilst braking.

Great if you see it coming (y)

C
 

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,512
I went on a police driving course a few years ago and they said a few interesting things that aren’t what you’re taught. One was to always sit with your foot on the brake. Because if you only have the handbrake on and get hit from behind it lifts the rear wheels off the ground and you hit the car in front.
Another tip is never sit waiting to turn right with your wheels turned, as if you get hit from behind you get pushed into the oncoming traffic.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Well I guess you Bentley drivers don't need rear view mirrors. After all, who needs to see the riff raff in your wake!

What is behind us is no longer important! :)

How much time (as a percentage) should one spend looking in the rear view as opposed to forwards. Granted it's a great idea when stopped to increase that, particularly if you're back of the queue. Still only takes a couple of seconds looking at the lights in front to have some that you didn't see go from 'quite a long way off' (120ft at 40mph) to 'climbing into the boot'

C
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
I grab neutral as often as I’m stopped for more than a few seconds, same goes for my DSG boxed VW Transporter if it is not using stop start.

biggest clutch saving by far is to pull away positively don’t dither, next biggest is avoid reversing up steep slopes, F1 just cannot cope as it seems if doesn’t let the clutch all the way out in reverse!
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I believe the clutch is not engaged when stationary with your foot in the break. The wear is when you start off because the clutch slips up to around 1500rpm. So when in traffic, let a gap open and boot it so you are past the slip point as quickly as possible.

This is correct, so unless your clutch is not set up correctly and binding slightly when disengaged, no reason to put it into neutral.