5G-Tronic and 7G-Tronic: Pros and Cons

[mTuran]

Hello,
I will buy e coupe e350cdi with 7g tronic or e250 cdi with 5g tronic gear. Can you please compare two gear option with prons and cons ? Thank you.

 

[st13phil]

I have a C220CDI with the 5-speed 'box, and my wife has an SLK350 with the 7-speed 'box. I drive both cars regularly and I'd say that the 7G-Tronic is light-years ahead of the dull-witted 5-speeder. It has faster, smoother, changes and the ability to downshift two gears at a time. Some others question the need for 7 speeds on a torquey diesel engine, but I don't have a problem with that as the 7-speed 'box seems to do a much better job of picking the most appropriate ratio to use.

FWIW, the 4-pot diesel engines are due to be mated with the 7G-Tronic 'box from 2011Q2.

 

[hawk20]

I think you will get two views on this. I prefer the five speed box which I do not find at all 'dull witted'. On the E class it picks just the right gear for the diesel versions in my experience and is smooth as silk (something one cannot always say for the seven speed versions. Many owners find the 7 speed clunks and jerks every now and again especially when slowing down). Others have not had the problem even on the same model. Odd. There have been numerous updates on the 7 speed trying to eradicate these jerky changes and I guess by now on the newer models at least, these should have been cured.

I also had the 5 speed on the S Class 320cdi and again it was excellent. Ditto on the ML. Great box IMO.

 

[gkerr4]

the 5-speed one is 'OK'

(on my 08 C220 CDi sport)

the time to change gear is sometimes measurable in days and the 'sport' setting makes it no quicker - just hang to gears for longer. I do find it quite 'smooth' though - once warm if you are just pootling about it changes gears in a manner which you barely notice bar the rev-counter dropping. Passnegers have commented on the smoothness of the auto-box.

 

[gkerr4]

^^ for info though - I would agree with the term 'dull witted'

 

[Colin_b]

The 7g box is the best auto box I've ever used. Absolutely seamless in use, never gets confused.

I recently drove a C200 with the 5g. It worked fine, but definitely felt 'last generation' compared to 7g. 7 gears would have suited the relatively narrow power band much better.

The one thing putting me of a C class is the 5g box in the CDi220/250 rather than the 7g.

 

[Dryce]

I'd say that the 7G-Tronic is light-years ahead of the dull-witted 5-speeder. It has faster, smoother, changes and the ability to downshift two gears at a time.

I'm pretty sure my 5 speeder knows how to shift down 2 gears. It certainly knows how to do it if you use the tip function.

With a 7 speeder you're more likely to have a need to shift down two because of the narrower ratios.

Some others question the need for 7 speeds on a torquey diesel engine, but I don't have a problem with that as the 7-speed 'box seems to do a much better job of picking the most appropriate ratio to use.

I rather thought the whole point of the 7 speed setup was to better match the narrow power bands of modern optimised turbo diesels.

 

[fuzzer]

The mercedes 5 speed box is out of the ark and should have been binned 5 years ago.

Bmw absolutely take mercedes to the cleaners at the moment when it comes to auto boxes which is a complete and utter disgrace from a company that make cars designed for autos ( even tho they insist on selling manuals for whatever reason nobody knows)

The bmw 6 speed box is brilliant and nice and smooth and seamless in my 320d. If i drive the 3 series and then get back into the C220 cdi with the 5 speed box then im very disappointed in the way the box behaves in general. Very laggy , vibrations when changing down gears , not wanting to change , keeping too low a gear and just generally being crap. Compared to the bmw box which is an absolute dream.

In colclusion , forget the 5 speed and either buy a bmw with a 6 or buy a car with a 7g tronic in a 6cyl mercedes diesel or wait for the 4 cyl to get the 7g next year. Or even better buy a bmw with the new 8 speed box which does better mileage than the manuals and is a complete dream!

My car has had countless upgrades , tweaks and dealer visits and still the gearbox is the worst part of my car by far! I feel that mercedes are trying to flog a dead horse by keeping using it!

 

[st13phil]

The one thing putting me of a C class is the 5g box in the CDi220/250 rather than the 7g.

I'll be waiting for the 7G-Tronic on the 4-pot C-Class before considering changing. I've had one 5-speed box and won't be getting another if the 7-speeder becomes available on the latest 4-pot diesels.

I'm pretty sure my 5 speeder knows how to shift down 2 gears. It certainly knows how to do it if you use the tip function.

The 5-speed box is a sequential shift so if it downshifts two gears it has to engage the intermediate ratio first (even if only momentarily) and then make a second shift, whereas the 7-speed box can make one single shift missing out the intermediate ratio. The difference is in the overall time to downshift, with the 5-speed box being slower with each change too.

With a 7 speeder you're more likely to have a need to shift down two because of the narrower ratios.

I rather thought the whole point of the 7 speed setup was to better match the narrow power bands of modern optimised turbo diesels.

You're right on both counts - and I did say "Some others question the need", me not being one of them

...then get back into the C220 cdi with the 5 speed box then im very disappointed in the way the box behaves in general. Very laggy , vibrations when changing down gears , not wanting to change , keeping too low a gear and just generally being crap.

I don't suffer vibration, but agree with the rest of the description.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

My w211 320 cdi has the 5 speed box and it feels to me just about one of the best autos I have driven.
So I'm not too sure about other peoples experiences with them.....

 

[steve333]

Have previously had 5 speed auto boxes in c180 & clk320 never had any problems with either,currently have the 7g autobox in my cls500 & although i've only had it just over a week got to say so far it's a step up from the 5 speed boxes,feels ultra smooth always in the correct gear the only thing i have noticed with the 7g box is when you give it full kickdown the gear changes can be quite aggresive(others have mentioned this before)

 

[LTD]

Just get a bigger engine ...........

 

[Dryce]

The 5-speed box is a sequential shift so if it downshifts two gears it has to engage the intermediate ratio first (even if only momentarily) and then make a second shift,

You'll have to explain that to me in more detail.

If I tell the box to shift to the best gear for acceleration it just shifts. It will drop more than 2 if it has to.

Since when did epicyclic gearboxes have to be sequential?

 

[C240Sport97]

all 65 (V12) AMGs still use the 5 speed box

 

[fuzzer]

all 65 (V12) AMGs still use the 5 speed box

I never had an issue with the 5 speed tranny till i got a w204. Most of it is software related im sure.

 

[C240Sport97]

I never had an issue with the 5 speed tranny till i got a w204. Most of it is software related im sure.

no doubt due to Blue Efficiency

actually I find that the 5 speed box in my CLS55 is just fine. It just doesn't need to change gear very often with all that torque. When it does, it's pretty quick and seamless. AMG shift patterns and timings are supposed to be more dynamic.

 

[st13phil]

Since when did epicyclic gearboxes have to be sequential?

It's governed by how the solenoid pack works...

 

[Noodle-Pulp]

I'm a 7 convert up from manual, and previously 5.

 

[fuzzer]

no doubt due to Blue Efficiency

actually I find that the 5 speed box in my CLS55 is just fine. It just doesn't need to change gear very often with all that torque. When it does, it's pretty quick and seamless. AMG shift patterns and timings are supposed to be more dynamic.

I would have liked to have put it down to that myself , but my car is the last of the non BE cars.

 

[Dryce]

It's governed by how the solenoid pack works...

In which case it's sufficiently fast and smooth it feels like a single shift.

And given the wider ratios a double shift is going to be less frequent.