My new (to me...) car (MY10 5.0 s/c) has arrived, it's had a bit of fettling and now I have a couple of questions which I hope someone can help with.

The first one relates to the gearbox. It's all fine, except for one thing. When you drive off from cold, it's okay for a few minutes. But then if you come to a stop and move off again, for some reason it kicks down for a second just after moving off, making the driver look like an impatient plonker (!), and then it settles and doesn't do it again at all. Any idea what might be causing this? I've had a look round on here and elsewhere, but I can't find anyone else describing exactly the same issue. I can't identify any other symptoms, it just happens once, without warning, then goes away again. The transmission behaves normally the rest of the time.

And secondly - the exhaust. My 4.2 s/c had a genteel V8 burble which I really liked, but my 5.0 s/c doesn't seem to have it. Where's it gone?! Can anyone recommend an exhaust that will bring it back? I don't want to go mad, set off car alarms as I pass and drive through tunnels with a big grin on my chops, I just want to hear it's V8iness.

Other than that, I'm quite pleased with the car. The only thing I preferred on my old one was the steering, which was a bit heavier and had a bit more "feel". I decided I'd prefer a 5.0 about an hour after I bought my 4.2, and I've not been disappointed so far. I have bought an extended warranty though, just in case.

Thanks for any advice!

The gentle sound is normal. I also liked the slightly more audible 4.2 SC. The gearbox "issue" mine does not have though. Suggestion you could get the gearbox ECU updated it could help. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Also agree that the 4.2 sounds slightly better than the 5.0 - but there's not much in it.

Not had the Gearbox issue in the 5.0 as such, but did have an "operator error" issue when I first got it. I found the throttle in the 5 much more switch like than the 4.2. I mostly make gentle getaways or occasionally intentionally very fast ones. What this hides is that there is a sensitivity spot for the kickdown in the 5 that just wasn't there in the 4.2. I was caught a few times on roundabouts rolling up relatively slowly, seeing my gap and first pressure on the throttle didn't get as much result as I intended which was followed by slightly more pressure (but no panic stab) whereupon the car kicks down and I lurch forward squealing the wheels like a complete pilllock. My right foot has become sensitised to it now so with a little more control I can now avoid the shock of it. But it was definitely me and not the car - which is handy as the rectification was pretty low cost! Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

Thanks for your replies. So I have to live with no V8 burble? Don't fancy that much. I'm sure it might need a new exhaust one of these days when my finances have recovered, I'll have to shop around.

Your description of the roundabout getaway sound very familiar. When I test-drove the car I did exactly that when moving off because I was expecting it to drive like the 4.2. It didn't.

I see what you're saying about the sensitivity spot for the gearbox, but I'm fairly sure it's not operator error (this time, anyway...). It only does it when cold, and I don't drive any differently the rest of the time. I've also tried being very gentle on the throttle while the car is cold (because I'm expecting it to race), and at times I'm literally only just touching the pedal when it starts. I lift off straight away, the car surges forwards and then backs off because there's no throttle input. And then it gets on with its day perfectly normally. (Except for once, when it did it three times within a couple of minutes and then settled.)

Anyway, I spoke to Rob at Rovertune yesterday about it and he doesn't know offhand what it might be either. I'm going to take it over there on Thursday - he's going to have a look at the diagnostic output and we'll go from there. He's only 3 miles away, but the problem will have appeared and then cured itself again by the time I get there.

I'll report back with what we find. Hopefully it'll be a nice, cheap fix!

If anyone's interested, I think we've resolved the gearbox peculiarity. It only did the "kickdown" thing when the ambient temperature was below 14 degrees or so, but even when it was warming up the gearbox was a bit "binary" - nothing like as smooth as on my old 4.2.

Anyway, to cut a long story short we've topped up the gearbox oil, which seemed to be about a litre short when the system is warm. I've taken it for a quick run, and it seems much happier. I haven't had chance to run it from cold yet, but gearshifts are smoother now and less "noticeable". So fingers crossed this has resolved it!

Good to hear it is sorted !!! MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Interesting...sounds like something I should check on mine, just in case. Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)