E class with 9G gearbox

[E280wilson]

Hi all.
I'm looking to change my E280cdi estate for the new E350cdi AMG estate but I'm wondering when the 9 speed gearbox is launched in the UK if anyone knows.

 

[Teflonso]

They announced 9G way back in July and I was hoping my car would have it (October delivery). The salesman had never heard if it. It's still not in the brochure so don't hold your breath.

I'm told that 9G is to allow a RHD 4 wheel drive E class.


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[Dryce]

They announced 9G way back in July and I was hoping my car would have it (October delivery). The salesman had never heard if it. It's still not in the brochure so don't hold your breath.

I wouldn't want to be one of the first to have it.

I'd wait at least a year and preferably two to let the gremlins come to light and get shaken out.

And it's not as if 7G+ is going to be an easy act to follow in terms of improving something that is already good.

 

[Teflonso]

If you spec a car on the German site or download the German brochure, it's had 9G since the middle of last year. So, I reckon they've got through a few of them by now.


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[meeeb]

I wouldn't want to be one of the first to have it.

I'd wait at least a year and preferably two to let the gremlins come to light and get shaken out.

Wise words.

And it's not as if 7G+ is going to be an easy act to follow in terms of improving something that is already good.

I don't think that the 7G + is that good. I find lower gear changes lumpy even though the software upgrade was done at last service, 6 months ago. It's nowhere near as smooth as my last Jaguar 6 speed box.

I'm wondering if it's just my box, or if I'm too pedantic, or if Mercedes drivers who extol its virtues have never driven a Jaguar and don't know how good an auto gearbox can be?

 

[Dryce]

I'm wondering if it's just my box, or if I'm too pedantic, or if Mercedes drivers who extol its virtues have never driven a Jaguar and don't know how good an auto gearbox can be?

Jaguar use the ZF 6-speed box.

It's very good.

IMO the current 7G+ is a just about a match for it.

The 8 speed ZF is yet another increment ahead of both.

 

[C240Sport97]

i wouldn't want to be one of the first to have it.

I'd wait at least a year and preferably two to let the gremlins come to light and get shaken out.

+1

 

[E280wilson]

Thanks guys. Mines the 7G and really smooth. Especially after the gearbox oil was changed.
I've spoken to two large dealers. One had never heard of it but Leeds only knew that the S Class Coupe gets it first in September.
I also sent a Tweet to MB UK and they've just replied that it's available Oct/Nov so I'm going to wait.
Looking at the figures the road tax should be £125 and MPG improved. At 75mph it will be doing 1350rpm

 

[blue gnome123]

Well according to Autocare the new class gets the 9G tronic

New Mercedes-Benz C-class priced from £26,855 | Autocar

 

[tonysmb]

I don't think that the 7G + is that good. I find lower gear changes lumpy even though the software upgrade was done at last service, 6 months ago. It's nowhere near as smooth as my last Jaguar 6 speed box.

I'm wondering if it's just my box, or if I'm too pedantic, or if Mercedes drivers who extol its virtues have never driven a Jaguar and don't know how good an auto gearbox can be?

I don't have a problem with the 7G+; I wouldn't describe the lower changes as lumpy. I agree that the 6-speed XF in the Jag (XK 5.0 in my case) was/is good, but I can't say I feel the MB box is 'not as good'.

I have driven the 8-speed in an XF and didn't like it as it was continually trying to get into as high a gear as possible and seemed to be continually hunting between gears. That was in a 2.2 diesel though, so it might have been a feature of that engine / box combination and the daft emphasis on 'economy' figures at the expense of eveything else. In fact, the box put me off within a couple of hundred yards (or metres ). A 3 litre XF with the 6-speed box is much better.

For the OP, I have no idea about the 9 speed.

Where's it going to stop, 15-speed, 21-speed?? I still drive a 'classic' with a 3-speed auto, (okay, it's a V8 6.75), but 3-speeds seem perfectly adequate. 8 or 9 gears would be overkill.

 

[Ian_Mac]

I have driven the 8-speed in an XF and didn't like it as it was continually trying to get into as high a gear as possible and seemed to be continually hunting between gears. That was in a 2.2 diesel though, so it might have been a feature of that engine / box combination and the daft emphasis on 'economy' figures at the expense of eveything else. In fact, the box put me off within a couple of hundred yards (or metres

Totally agree with this, I had a brand new BMW X1 as a hire car recently which had the 8 speed box. Although the changes were smooth you could still feel them to a degree. By 30mph it would have you in 5th and be ready for 6th, any decent turn of pace required lots of down clicking on the paddle.

If economy had been fantastic this may not have been so bad however it only averaged 43mpg over 600 miles of steady motorway / A road driving.

 

[Dryce]

Where's it going to stop, 15-speed, 21-speed?? I still drive a 'classic' with a 3-speed auto, (okay, it's a V8 6.75), but 3-speeds seem perfectly adequate. 8 or 9 gears would be overkill.

There was a comment by ZF a while back that 9 was a natural limit.

Traditional 3 speed autos were complet cr*p in smaller cars. More modern 4 speed and 5 speed units were much better.

The MB 722.6 to my mind is the benchmark. I think the newer boxes are smoother - but then an improved 5 speed unit would also presumably be smoother.

Going past 9 ? Then a CVT is one way. I like CVTs. Journalists generally don't. Manufacturers generally put them in dull cars. A lightweight RWD sportscar with a CVT is IMO an ideal package. But the media and market would kill it with a mixture of ignorance and prejudice that undermined its credibility.

 

[Smatt]

There was a comment by ZF a while back that 9 was a natural limit.

Traditional 3 speed autos were complet cr*p in smaller cars. More modern 4 speed and 5 speed units were much better.

The MB 722.6 to my mind is the benchmark. I think the newer boxes are smoother - but then an improved 5 speed unit would also presumably be smoother.

Going past 9 ? Then a CVT is one way. I like CVTs. Journalists generally don't. Manufacturers generally put them in dull cars. A lightweight RWD sportscar with a CVT is IMO an ideal package. But the media and market would kill it with a mixture of ignorance and prejudice that undermined its credibility.

Well said!
We get on very well the the B200 turbo CVT- instant pick up of speed & no probs after 52K in 6yrs

 

[John]

8 and 9 speed gearboxes must just be relentless gear changes.

If the economy isn't much improved, is there a lot of point to them?

or if Mercedes drivers who extol its virtues have never driven a Jaguar and don't know how good an auto gearbox can be?

X308 XJRs use a Mercedes auto...

 

[Dryce]

X308 XJRs use a Mercedes auto...

The venerable MB 722.6 has been used in various Jag models - including XK8.

They seem to have started moving on to the ZF 6 speed unit around as new models were introduced from 2005/2006 onwards.

 

[John]

The venerable MB 722.6 has been used in various Jag models - including XK8.

They seem to have started moving on to the ZF 6 speed unit around as new models were introduced from 2005/2006 onwards.

The XJ8 4.0 and 3.2 X308s both used XFs, so they've been leaning that way for a while.

 

[E280wilson]

Well I'm a little closer to ordering my car. Dealer still doesn't know when I can order it but I spoke to Mercedes UK technical dept today and they said the 9G is available for September on the E350. She couldn't tell me when I can order it though. How hard can it be to find it out.

 

[John]

The XJ8 4.0 and 3.2 X308s both used XFs, so they've been leaning that way for a while.

ZFs, not XFs.

 

[John]

Well I'm a little closer to ordering my car. Dealer still doesn't know when I can order it but I spoke to Mercedes UK technical dept today and they said the 9G is available for September on the E350. She couldn't tell me when I can order it though. How hard can it be to find it out.

Incredibly, when they don't care.

I got this kind of "can't be bothered" attitude at BMW once. They lost the business because of it.

 

[Troon]

The venerable MB 722.6 has been used in various Jag models - including XK8.

Also, the lovely SsangYong Rodius.