F1technical.net

Anyone feel the same about new cars?

I'm with ya Phil. Part of why I question any desire on my part to own the new Corvette.

strad wrote:

Anyone feel the same about new cars?

I'm with ya Phil. Part of why I question any desire on my part to own the new Corvette.

Owning cars in both configurations, I believe each has their own appeal... For a daily driver, a DCT is hard to beat, set in auto and relax in traffic / stop and go situations or if you just want to relax during your drive / commute... For a fun / spirited drive, controlling your clutch has some satisfaction and makes you feel a bit more connected.

But from a racing / go fast perspective, the DCT’s can’t be beat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SmallSoldier wrote: ↑

09 Dec 2019, 21:50

strad wrote:

Anyone feel the same about new cars?

I'm with ya Phil. Part of why I question any desire on my part to own the new Corvette.

Owning cars in both configurations, I believe each has their own appeal... For a daily driver, a DCT is hard to beat, set in auto and relax in traffic / stop and go situations or if you just want to relax during your drive / commute... For a fun / spirited drive, controlling your clutch has some satisfaction and makes you feel a bit more connected.

But from a racing / go fast perspective, the DCT’s can’t be beat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I must say I agree completely, I've got a 7-speed DCT in my Rio GT-Line and it's great for the daily commute to work and loads of fun in manual mode .... However, I do miss having a real manual when im blasting thru some nice twisty roads by myself.

I also wish most car makers would stop putting the +/- biomechanically arse about! It should be pull back for up a gear, push forward for down a gear! I also am occasionally annoyed when my DCT shifts without my say so. I must look into having that function disabled by a local tuning house as well as turning up the wick on the engine (another 25-30% is apparently very easy to achieve on the 1.0 GDI Turbo's).

I meant to say in my original post.

Unfortunately not one that I have owned for obvious reasons but I was extremely lucky to have had a ride in a Ferrari F40.

I'll never forget it.

Titchener wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 08:04

I meant to say in my original post.

Unfortunately not one that I have owned for obvious reasons but I was extremely lucky to have had a ride in a Ferrari F40.

I'll never forget it.

Can you confirm that "ride in" means as driver, & not as a passenger? Its a bit different..

I can vividly recall 'swapping a ride' at a track day for a drive in a`73 Porsche RSR Carrera*
for a ride on my race-spec 750 Kawasaki triple, & being as cool 'bout it - as the other guy...

*Back when they were just a 'has been' homologation-special, & not a mega-buck 'classic'.

J.A.W. wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 10:02

Titchener wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 08:04

I meant to say in my original post.

Unfortunately not one that I have owned for obvious reasons but I was extremely lucky to have had a ride in a Ferrari F40.

I'll never forget it.

Can you confirm that "ride in" means as driver, & not as a passenger? Its a bit different..

I can vividly recall 'swapping a ride' at a track day for a drive in a`73 Porsche RSR Carrera*
for a ride on my race-spec 750 Kawasaki triple, & being as cool 'bout it - as the other guy...

*Back when they were just a 'has been' homologation-special, & not a mega-buck 'classic'.

Sadly I was only in the passenger seat but it was still a memorable experience. Just pure and raw.

I'm sure you realize that if you drive you DCT like an autobox you'll burn out your clutches and cost yourself a bunch of money.
Sitting in traffic and creeping eats the clutches.
I'm sure their great if you drive them in performance mode, hot rodding around but not so much if in stop and go situations. It's the first thing they warn you about as an owner.

strad wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 21:04

I'm sure you realize that if you drive you DCT like an autobox you'll burn out your clutches and cost yourself a bunch of money.
Sitting in traffic and creeping eats the clutches.

Yep, you need to adjust your driving style, which I have. There's a great video here on how to drive a DCT without killing it:

strad wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 21:04

I'm sure their great if you drive them in performance mode, hot rodding around but not so much if in stop and go situations. It's the first thing they warn you about as an owner.

Lol, car companies dont tell you a damn thing about how to look after a DCT, they'd be scared of putting you off buying one.

strad wrote:I'm sure you realize that if you drive you DCT like an autobox you'll burn out your clutches and cost yourself a bunch of money.
Sitting in traffic and creeping eats the clutches.
I'm sure their great if you drive them in performance mode, hot rodding around but not so much if in stop and go situations. It's the first thing they warn you about as an owner.

Actually, In traffic, the DCT will always be better than a manual, since the clutch slip is regulated... Furthermore, most DCT’s have “wet clutches” and won’t burn themselves in that situation...

What is not advisable is to push the car in “normal”
Mode, thus is because the clutch pressure in normal/comfort mode is very low and that will induce clutch slip and therefore faster wear of the clutches.

The two things that kill clutches/DCT’s is not having the oil at the correct temperature (either too cold or too hot is detrimental)... Which is solved with proper warm up and the addition of a heat sump (which will help maintain the oil temperature at proper levels)... with prolongues abuse, a cooler might also be a good addition.


The second thing is to drive spirited and not having the transmission in the most sportive mode (which increases clutch pressure).

The clutch will last longer in a DCT compared to a manual, since the TCU will always manage clutch slip better than 99% of users will with their feet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SmallSoldier wrote: ↑

10 Dec 2019, 23:50

strad wrote:I'm sure you realize that if you drive you DCT like an autobox you'll burn out your clutches and cost yourself a bunch of money.
Sitting in traffic and creeping eats the clutches.
I'm sure their great if you drive them in performance mode, hot rodding around but not so much if in stop and go situations. It's the first thing they warn you about as an owner.

Actually, In traffic, the DCT will always be better than a manual, since the clutch slip is regulated... Furthermore, most DCT’s have “wet clutches” and won’t burn themselves in that situation...

Wet clutches are actually not the norm (aside from higher power vehicles), dry clutches are much more common in DCT's.

thanks djos .. He explains it quite well for those who don't believe me.
Drive a DCT in Seattle or Frisco or other hilly traffic congested places at your peril.

strad wrote: ↑

11 Dec 2019, 01:01

thanks djos .. He explains it quite well for those who don't believe me.
Drive a DCT in Seattle or Frisco or other hilly traffic congested places at your peril.

Thankfully I live in Melbourne which is not super hilly.

strad wrote:thanks djos .. He explains it quite well for those who don't believe me.
Drive a DCT in Seattle or Frisco or other hilly traffic congested places at your peril.

Just talking based on experiences.... Since I have worked on them for the past 10 years and owned / raced them at the same time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is good information about the DCT. However, how damaging slow driving is to these transmissions surely also depends on the gear ratio? E.g. a longer first gear will mean the clutch could fully engage at lower speed? Meaning that the slipping would only occur at speeds from 1kmh to 4-5kmh, rather than up to 10-15kmh?

I guess i never really thought about that, but given i do find myself in traffic jams every now and then, driving at walking speeds sometimes, even up hill, is unavoidable in these situations.

Phil wrote: ↑

11 Dec 2019, 10:41

This is good information about the DCT. However, how damaging slow driving is to these transmissions surely also depends on the gear ratio? E.g. a longer first gear will mean the clutch could fully engage at lower speed? Meaning that the slipping would only occur at speeds from 1kmh to 4-5kmh, rather than up to 10-15kmh?

I guess i never really thought about that, but given i do find myself in traffic jams every now and then, driving at walking speeds sometimes, even up hill, is unavoidable in these situations.

Compared to a hydro coupling from an normal automatic, yes, but compared with your own foot, no. The computers need far less torque to get the car moving without stalling. Besides, at these speeds and the limited amount of force that goes trough the clutch, they will handle it. Worse things for a clutch is people using them as brake, not matching revs at downshifts. DTC’s won’t let this happen.