[MR.BOOMBAH]

Which is better and why? Are there any less clutch issues with the manual 6spd or other trans issues which makes one better than the other.

 

[dchao]

I do a lot of downtown driving up and down the hill of San Francisco, and parking on the hill. It's way more controllable with 6-sp. CC is more fun, but there are more mechanical components that can fail, so maintenance cost would be higher.

 

[RickBullotta]

I agree regarding stop-and-go traffic - definitely not the CC's forte. My driving mix is such that I can avoid stop-and-go routes and take the long way around, so the CC works great for me. I really thought I wanted a 6 speed, but the more time I spend with the CC, the more I like it.

 

[dipakp]

i have the 6 speed gt

and i love it.
my rationale was that it had less parts to go bad over the long term, it had none of the situational faults of the cc, the coupe gt struck me as relatively more rare which was also more appealing.
i will not lie, in long stop-and-go traffic my left leg shakes and gets a major workout. but it is a small price to pay.

 

[Eurodino]

I have the Coupe GT (6-speed), absolutely - in my opinion the more preferred set up in a Maserati. Nothing against the CC, I just like old school (stick shift) GT's.

 

[dipakp]

i agree euro

there is something about the feel of a large well-powered gt vehicle with a manual transmission.
it just feels good to drive.
though not in bumper-to-bumper traffic

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

FWIW - I personally prefer the CC, as the car feels like it was engineered around it, and the GT was made to work.

(Vs. the opposite of most paddle shifters out there)

If you happen to have wide feet, make sure your feet fit ahead of time. I have to wear narrow shoes (like all-stars) to avoid hitting the gas and brake at the same time.

I think Kevin at MVP who has also owned both but greatly preferred the CC as well.

The traffic \ maintenance cost arguments are correct though.

- Mark

 

[MikeA]

FWIW - I personally prefer the CC, as the car feels like it was engineered around it, and the GT was made to work.

(Vs. the opposite of most paddle shifters out there)

If you happen to have wide feet, make sure your feet fit ahead of time. I have to wear narrow shoes (like all-stars) to avoid hitting the gas and brake at the same time.

I think Kevin at MVP who has also owned both but greatly preferred the CC as well.

The traffic \ maintenance cost arguments are correct though.

- Mark

This is the best explanation yet. The CC is a blast, but it takes getting used to. If you are doing flat out driving, or taking the car to the track, the CC is amazing. If you are doing stop and go commuting, or driving in a hilly city like San Francisco, it would not be happy, however.
And, if you ever, ever have to back up a hill, the CC will just burn the clutch like crazy (but that is the same with any F1 style tranny - Fcar/Lcar/whatever).
Mike

 

[Colossus]

I have the manual stick shift but have driven the CC as a loan car for a couple of weeks and for any kind of city driving the CC is really not very comfortable. The stick shift gives so much more control and contrary to what MoM feels, I do not get the impression the manual shift was made to work, it gives me smooth easy shifts all of the time. I also don't find the clutch particularly heavy contrary to what I was expecting.

However, if you spend most of your time on the open road or will track the car the CC will really come into its own and is worth considering. Good luck with your choice and let us know how you get on.

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

... contrary to what MoM feels, I do not get the impression the manual shift was made to work, it gives me smooth easy shifts all of the time.

Sorry, I meant made to work in terms of ergonomics. The mechanics behind everything is pretty straightforward, but placement of the pedals and stick location is ackward for me.

 

[Colossus]

Mark

I agree, the ergonomics are not the best even my 5ft 10" frame has a slight issue with being too close to the throttle pedal for the right distance to fully push the clutch in, if you were much taller I guess it would become even harder. Having said that, I have got used to it and I still prefer the manual control, both systems have their pros and cons.

Carl

 

[squid]

Personal preference of course. Traffic is horrible right in my location (Ford actually uses my street for urban traffic testing of new cars) so I can't avoid the stop-and-go. I prefer to do my own...everything, really.

That being said, the manual is a crap shifter. Heavy and notchy when cold, frequently it just flat refuses to give me 1st gear. Even when warm it never really becomes "speedy" or precise, and a quick 2-3 upshift will beat the synchros and have you grinding the gears expensively. Shame because the flywheel is so light it makes downshifting such a joy...if only the trans would cooperate.

(And The 3200 was manual only, so yes the egg came before the chicken )

 

[Colossus]

Personal preference of course. Traffic is horrible right in my location (Ford actually uses my street for urban traffic testing of new cars) so I can't avoid the stop-and-go. I prefer to do my own...everything, really.

That being said, the manual is a crap shifter. Heavy and notchy when cold, frequently it just flat refuses to give me 1st gear. Even when warm it never really becomes "speedy" or precise, and a quick 2-3 upshift will beat the synchros and have you grinding the gears expensively. Shame because the flywheel is so light it makes downshifting such a joy...if only the trans would cooperate.

(And The 3200 was manual only, so yes the egg came before the chicken )

Squid, have you tried to have the linkage adjusted? I used to have the occasional problem downshifting (simply wouldn't go in sometimes) and the dealer adjusted the linkage and all is now fine. I don't experience any of the problems you mention, other than a very slight reluctance to go into first when very cold, but this soon disappears and is no worse than my old M5.

Carl

 

[squid]

Yes. The dealer told me the griding on upshifts was "user error" (4 others who drove it ALL did the same thing, even the mechanic at the dealer, most multiple times).

 

[dchao]

That being said, the manual is a crap shifter. Heavy and notchy when cold, frequently it just flat refuses to give me 1st gear. Even when warm it never really becomes "speedy" or precise, and a quick 2-3 upshift will beat the synchros and have you grinding the gears expensively. Shame because the flywheel is so light it makes downshifting such a joy...if only the trans would cooperate.

Squid, I agree with what you said, but IMO, the joy of driving the Maserati stick-shift is both fun and challenge.

I've also discovered the sychros won't let you do anything too agressive. I got the grinding gears on 2-4 upshift a few times (never on 2-3 upshift though). So I stop doing it now ($$$$). For downshift (4-2 or 5-2), I blip the throttle and double clutch and the experience is great.

 

[DeaneG]

Gotta love Italian synchros. I wonder how the CC manages to slam it into gear every time? I rarely hear a clunk, never anything worse.

Clutch wear WILL be worse with the CC than the manual. You can't deftly "walk" the car off the line, balancing the clutch against the engine around idle rpm. It's always 1100-1500 rpm depending on your acceleration, so things wear a little more. But these cars aren't cheap anyway.