7G tronic use of comfort- vs sports mode

[Dutchbenz]

2008 S204 C230 with 7G tronic.
I have a question about the use of the comfort/sport mode.
Apart from the obvious functinality I was wondering if it should be wise to permanently use the sports-mode.
From the days I owned a P38 (previous disease I'm cured from) I remember I used the sport mode also when on hilly roads or towing a trailer. The engine then shifts at higher revs, less strain on the torque converter (heat building up) and coolant circulates faster. Even mpg improved a bit, depending on your right-foot's behaviour of course.
(Not that you should drive a Range Rover when mpg is a concern.)
Does all this go for C230 too?
In comfort mode the car pulls off in 2nd gear (torque converter), in my view only recommended on slippery roads and in general I like the more direct response in sports mode.
On a side note: the handbook says it should revert from sports- to comfort mode when stopping the engine, mine stays in sports mode the next time I start her up.
What are your ideas for this matter?
Thanks for your answers,
Tony.

 

[st13phil]

Use whatever mode you prefer. It will have no effect on component longevity.

Regarding the transmission defaulting to Comfort mode on startup, early cars would start up in whatever mode was selected when it was turned off. This changed on later cars, and there was a software update that changed that behaviour on the early cars to default to Comfort mode on every startup. I'm surprised that your car has never had that update.

 

[whitenemesis]

You can't do any damage by constantly using Sport mode, or any mode come to that.
Use the mode that best suits the driving style desired at the time. Comfort can be very 'luxurious' when wafting around town but Sport will pride a more responsive drive along the country/hilly roads.

 

[markjay]

My W203 with the 5g box had Standard and Comfort mode. Always used it in Standard.

My W204 with the 7g box has Sport and Economy. Always drive it in Sport.

The thing is that in S mode the box changes gears more smoothly.

Said that, both my W203 and the W204 have 4-Cyl petrol engines... possibly with a torquey diesel or V6 petrol the Economy mode would work well, I don't know.

 

[KeithJG]

If you have a handbook and read it where MB says recommended mode is "S"

It will only hang on to gears if you have a heavier throttle otherwise it is just normal change up and down with economy also.

At the end of the day in "S" mode it is the throttle that governs how quick things happen.

 

[whitenemesis]

And of course the transmission is adaptive, in that it learns your driving style ...

 

[markjay]

Incidentally... for anyone worrying about needing power in an emergency... when in kickdown mode, the autobox behaves exactly the same in either S or E...: shift down two, redline, shift-up one, redline, shift-up one... etc.

 

[tonysmb]

It's purely a matter of personal preference and I simply use whichever mode suits the occasion; it's only a matter of touching the button to change it. It also probably depends on which engine, and thus its torque characteristics, you have.

I'll usually flick it into S if I want the the benefit of a 1st-gear pull away, without having to resort to full throttle, ie perhaps on a busy roundabout or junction, or if I'm contemplating an overtake where I might want to 'make progress', otherwise I tend to leave it in E and let the box sort itself out

 

[Dutchbenz]

Now that's answering all my questions, thanks for that.

I'm surprised that your car has never had that update.

As far as I know the car was MB serviced in Germany, first owner lived in Böblingen, just around the corner of the Sindelfingen plant.
Maybe he just did not want the update? I like it the way it is now.

The thing is that in S mode the box changes gears more smoothly.

That is my experience too, in particular with cold engine but maybe an oilchange may improve that.
I hope that the box (150.000 kms) has had fresh oil at least once.
Regards, Tony.

 

[Jim W]

I often use “Individual” mode in my new W213. When i return to the car after stopping for a while it starts in “Individual” again. After leaving the car for a longer period, it starts in “Comfort” mode. I’m happy with this, it seems just right to me.

 

[E55BOF]

Can't say I've ever been able to observe much difference between C and S modes on the 7G, with two V6 diesels and one V6 petrol, all in an S211 or S212. By contrast, the six-speed in my XK is much more aggressive in Sport than Drive; the changes are noticeably harsher.

 

[JDL60]

Use sports mode all the time....i might use eco/comfort if we have a bit of snow

 

[joeysnowey]

I have a 2009 R320. I notice on the dash (gear selector) it displays D and P and R, but also has an S next to D. I assume that's sports mode, but how on earth do I get into it?! I can't work it out!

 

[markjay]

I have a 2009 R320. I notice on the dash (gear selector) it displays D and P and R, but also has an S next to D. I assume that's sports mode, but how on earth do I get into it?! I can't work it out!

There's usually a buttom in the vicinity of the gear selector lever marked S<->C or S<->E or S<->M<->E.

 

[PobodY]

I used to drive with mine in S all the time, but of late I leave it in C and just pull the paddles if I want it to hold one of the gears (then give the right one a hard pull to go back to auto).

 

[joeysnowey]

I have the selector on the dash. All I have is a park button on the end of the stalk. No C, E, M or S buttons anywhere. really confused how to try engaging S mode, whatever it is (i.e. suspension or gearing)

 

[Storminnorm]

Is it me or does anyone else find the 7G box slow on kickdown?

 

[Moleshome]

No, I've been surprised at how long it seems to take. I don't find the gear changes particularly rapid in manual mode either.