How good is a selespeed in a trafficjam?
Fulcrum
Selespeed system, because I am thinking of buying an Alfa with the Selespeed
system.
My main questions are:
- The trafficjam one... (Very slow driving, do you like it)
- Switching gears in a curve under some power. I know not always a good
thing, but sometimes you must. Is it easy to keep the car stable in that
curve?
- How good does the full auto option work?
Thanx!!
Denis Ducansel
I find the "City" mode a very nice feature under specific conditions. I use
it almost always when driving here in Paris. Great when lots of traffic
lights or... jams. In that mode, with low throttle, gear changes occur at
around 3000rpm, which makes it just smooth.
About switching gears in curves, just remember the Selespeed transmission
works just like a classic one ! Nothing special here.
Hope you'll find that useful,
Denis
"Fulcrum" <xfulcrum_N_...@worldonline.nl> wrote in message
news:9c704d$2kmb$1...@buty.wanadoo.nl...
Jan Hatton
driving the car moderately, to very hard with the main down side being
traffic jams expecially in city mode.
The reason for this is the control of the clutch and 2-1 gearchange
seems to labour at slow speeds, although this may not seem like a
problem I find very often that as you slow down for a junction the
2nd-1st change happens at about the brisk walk speed or more typically
the can I? or cant I? speed at junctions resulting in a yes I can go,
floor the throttle and the car is messing around with the gears until
all of a sudden it finds the 1st gear and you dissapear in cloud of
smoke and a pair of flaming tyre tracks. This may be helped with a
software fix instructing the car to change down at a higher speed (?)
Sorry to sound a bit negative but ask me what the Selespeed is like on
a quiet country road and it is a very different story, BRILLIANT!!
hope this helps
Jan Hatton
----------------------------------------------------
Jan hatton
The return email address is invalid
Please reply to j...@dircon.co.uk
John Smith
stationary, this was a pain as stated below it really messes up the can I -
can't I decision, particularly at roundabouts.
I now have my own 156 Selespeed and it appears to have a change in the
software that changes down to 1st gear when slowing to a crawl. This has
improved matters but the Selespeed still occasionally gets confused - the
worst being when I floored the accelerator in 2nd only to find that the
gearbox was between gears (clutch disengaged) - BIG embarrassing engine
roar. To be on the safe side I always manually change down to first when
approaching a junction.
John
"Jan Hatton" <seesig...@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:3ae75142....@news.dircon.co.uk...
Renzo Leon
without having to play that clutch all the time, yet accelerate like hell
when you want to prevent some van, mpv or small truck from entering your
lane and blocking your view on the cars in front of you ;-)
Cheers,
Renzo.
--
Renzo Leon (Renzo...@alfafreak.com)
Alfa 156 Selespeed '00 - Alfa 33 Imola '93
"Fulcrum" <xfulcrum_N_...@worldonline.nl> wrote in message
news:9c704d$2kmb$1...@buty.wanadoo.nl...
ivan
"John Smith" <j...@b.com> wrote in message
news:9c90ad$2cb$1...@uranium.btinternet.com...
> I had a demonstrator from Alfa that would only drop to 1st gear when
> stationary, this was a pain as stated below it really messes up the can
I -
> can't I decision, particularly at roundabouts.
>
If it were a normal manual what would you do?
The Selespeed makes you lazy when in heavy or slow traffic, the only reason
it changes down at very low speeds is to save the transmission from undue
stress.
If you manually change down to first as you approach a junction (as you
would in a standard manual) there is no problem!
The Selespeed is as different as it is the same as a standard manual. I
don't understand what the problem is!!
The auto function is fine if you are using a phone or up to other unsociable
things !-))
What I found while *learning* the Selespeed was to imagine pressing the
clutch and changing the gears as if in a standard manual, the progress is
very much the same as in the manual version, if you get my meaning!
My only complaint of the 156 as a whole is that the engine note is too
muted, for an Alfa that is, VW fans may disagree!
Cheers,
Ivan.
156 Selespeed.
Catman
<snip>
> If you manually change down to first as you approach a junction (as you
> would in a standard manual) there is no problem!
> The Selespeed is as different as it is the same as a standard manual.
This has got me wondering. I was always taught that you *never* use
first gear *unless* the car is stationary. I accept that this may ahve
changed due to different torque curves on modern emission controlled
engines, which I don't really have much experience driving.
Quick straw poll: How many change into 1st *before* the vehicle is
stationary? Enquiring mind want to know :)
<snip>
--
Catman
Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright
Alfa Romeo 116 Giulietta 2.0L
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk
Fulcrum
Hi Fulcrum,
Could read your message below in alt.autos.italian using www.deja.com (now
controlled by Google), but couldn't post a reply....
So here goes...
I drive a 156 selespeed largely in the city (singapore). To your question:
It's great in a really bad traffic jam i.e. a lot of stops and starts i.e.
traffic is stop-n-go. That's when CITY mode really gives you lots of relief
compared to the clutchwork required on my previous alfa 33 :).
However, in slow moving traffic i.e. 10-20km/h - varying speeds but not many
complete stops, I find the selespeed box an irritance. It tries very hard
to minimise clutch slip as well as coasting (clutch depressed) => you get
jerky motions. Compare this to how we would drive a manual in such a
situation: probably use second gear, slip some clutch to build speed, then
coast with light pressure on brake pedal and repeat....this giving the
smoothest possible ride...
To overcome this problem, I use manual mode on the stick like this:
Use 1st and then second to build the speed. Then shift to neutral and let
car coast with light pressure on brake. Re-engage gear (+) as necessary and
shift to neutral to coast again...
Thankfully this doesn't happen often :)
In summary:
Frequent start-stop: Selespeed is great in CITY mode or manual-mode
Very slow-moving traffic with varying speeds: Selespeed saves your left leg
but makes your passengers green
Normal city traffic: I love CITY mode
Fast motorways: I love CITY mode too - cause if you're humming along and
suddenly slam your brakes, the car finds the right gear for you to then pull
away from danger.
Spirited Driving on country roads and motorways: Thank God for thumbs!
All said and done, I'd definitely go for the selespeed over the manual -
unless I lived out in the country...which doesn't quite happen here in
Singapore!
P.S.
Hope you can post this for me (on the newsgroup) - until I figure out how to
post myself. Do you make your postings via a browser-based usenet reader or
with a program like outlook express?
Cheers
Mohan
2000 156 Selespeed
"Fulcrum" <xfulcrum_N_...@worldonline.nl> wrote in message
news:9c704d$2kmb$1...@buty.wanadoo.nl...
Mohan Pillay
Thanks for putting my reply on the newsgroup. Just figured out how to post
today (my beloved dejanews.com is gone). Now I use www.mailandnews.com.
By the way, regarding "switching gears in a curve under some power", the
selespeed does it very well:
1. you can keep both hands on the wheel; and
2. the downshifts are very smooth cause the selespeed ECU matches the revs
on
downshifts very well.
The selespeed is really a great solution for country road curves and lots of
overtaking. I do admit sometimes I miss the joy of feeling my way from one
gear to another in a typical Alfa manual gearbox.
Go get your selespeed - if you love alfas, you won't regret it!
>===== Original Message From "Fulcrum" <xfulcrum_N_...@worldonline.nl>
=====
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ivan
"Catman" <cat...@cuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3AE92351...@cuore-sportivo.co.uk...
> Quick straw poll: How many change into 1st *before* the vehicle is
> stationary? Enquiring mind want to know :)
As the 155 BHP Alfa engines have very little torque below 2000 rpm changing
down is almost a must, the Selespeed *will* slip the clutch in 2nd from a
virtual standstill, but I don't fancy the price of a new clutch just yet!
Maybe this is why I get 120+K miles out of a clutch?
Ivan.
156 Selespeed.
Douglas Murie
<cat...@cuore-sportivo.co.uk> writes
<snip>
>This has got me wondering. I was always taught that you *never* use
>first gear *unless* the car is stationary. I accept that this may ahve
>changed due to different torque curves on modern emission controlled
>engines, which I don't really have much experience driving.
It used to be that cars did not have syncromesh on first gear. Change
down when the car is moving and the resulting noise is not the usual
"alfa music".
Most modern cars have syncromesh on all gears (even reverse).
and yes I do change down into first while the car is still moving.
First gear is good for up to 30 mph :))))
PS. Is it unusual that I think my 146 is reliable and that my local
dealer is no worse than the local F*!d dealer?
--
Douglas Murie
146 ti and still smiling
Catman
<do...@murie.demon.co.uk> wrote:
<snip>
>
>It used to be that cars did not have syncromesh on first gear. Change
>down when the car is moving and the resulting noise is not the usual
>"alfa music".
This I know. Mine currently has no synchromesh on 1st or second
(design fault). third is going (wear and tear). Makes you learn what
gear changing is about though.
>Most modern cars have syncromesh on all gears (even reverse).
Urggh. WTF for??
>and yes I do change down into first while the car is still moving.
>First gear is good for up to 30 mph :))))
Really odd. The box on mine is very short 1st, and short 2nd. (nice
quick standing starts when you get the change sussed). 30 in *2nd*
sound unpleasant, unless you are in WOT (wide open throttle :))))
>PS. Is it unusual that I think my 146 is reliable and that my local
>dealer is no worse than the local F*!d dealer?
Probably not, but it is unusual to tell anyone. After all, if we told
everyone, everyone would be buying Alfas, and then where would we be?
;)
Catman
Tyger Tyger Burning Bright
Alfa Romeo 116 Giulietta 2.0l
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk
Douglas Murie
<alf...@freeuk.com> writes
<snip>
>>Most modern cars have syncromesh on all gears (even reverse).
>
>Urggh. WTF for??
Beats me. If you are going slow enough to need first there is
something wrong :) and when do Alfas ever go backwards?
>
>Really odd. The box on mine is very short 1st, and short 2nd. (nice
>quick standing starts when you get the change sussed). 30 in *2nd*
>sound unpleasant, unless you are in WOT (wide open throttle :))))
It is the *only* way to drive an Alfa????
I remember somebody (yourself Catman?) quoted as saying that heaven was;
drivers window open, third gear, foot to the floor on the right hand
side of a tunnel. Happy days :-))))
--
Douglas Murie
Catman
<snip>
> I remember somebody (yourself Catman?) quoted as saying that heaven was;
> drivers window open, third gear, foot to the floor on the right hand
> side of a tunnel. Happy days :-))))
An american colleague I believe. Wish it had been me though ;)
--
Catman
Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright
Alfa Romeo 116 Giulietta 2.0L
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk