Improved gearbox and model?

[fabes]

Howdy

Friend has been impressed by my Merc and is adding it to his list of three that he is looking at.

He has a reasonable amount of cash - looking at a 2 year old type car - but dislikes automatics and has steered away from Mercs in the past due to the reputation of the manual gbox.

However, he has read that post 2004 C class coupes had a "much improved" 6 speed manual gearbox fitted (facelift cars I think)

Can we confirm or deny this from experience- who out there has got one / driven one?

And on that note, you'll see my car in in the picture left of this - its a 53 plate - what model number is it - I haven't yet got the hang of the W203 etc etc thing

Advices awaited

Ta

Fabes

 

[Nibbo]

Your car IS a W203.

I have a 2001 W203 estate with a manual 6 speed gearbox and I don't have any problems with it.

 

[R2e]

Suggest he drives an automatic. People who 'don't like automatics' usually haven't driven one and if he hasn't, a decent test drive with a bit of manual control of the auto might convince him that it would give him the best of both worlds. It would give him a much wider choice, better resale value, etc.

Personally I wouldn't have a left foot excerciser and silly stirry stick in one of my cars if I could possibly help it, not since I converted about 30 years ago (when I was in my twenties!). I believe they provide better performance, very few people can actually be vicious enough with clutch, engine and gearbox, to better automatic acceleration figures unless they are muttering journalists or the like, and provide as much or as little control as you need for the cost of a couple of mpg on the fuel consumption.

 

[fabes]

Ta

Will do but he won't be stirred unless he feels "involved"

Parkers and others mention the gearbox improvements, so I've said try it and if you like it.....

Fabes

 

[television]

30 years ago it was calculated that if you drove a MG midget from Hyde Park to kensington in the rush hour and you added up all of the energy from the clutch pedal you would have shifted 170 tons.
I have had Autos since 1960

 

[Dieselman]

I think someones slide rule was a bit out of calibration there Tv.

 

[timskemp]

30 years ago it was calculated that if you drove a MG midget from Hyde Park to kensington in the rush hour and you added up all of the energy from the clutch pedal you would have shifted 170 tons.
I have had Autos since 1960

Imagine recalculating this for a diablo from woolwich to chelsea...

 

[television]

30 years ago it was calculated that if you drove a MG midget from Hyde Park to kensington in the rush hour and you added up all of the energy from the clutch pedal you would have shifted 170 tons.
I have had Autos since 1960

It was in Autocar,maybe 70 tons then. Have you ever pushed an MG clutch

 

[verytalldave]

It was in Autocar,maybe 70 tons then. Have you ever pushed an MG clutch

Back in the early 70's I owned a Lotus Elan Sprint. One of my mates had a MGB. He loved his car, and I mine. I had always fancied and MGB, particularily one with a Peco rear box fitted. It gave them an orgasmic sound when accelerating. Or so I thought back then.
One night we swopped cars and he drove my Elan back to his home and I took his MGB.
I never ever lusted after one from that moment. It wasnt anything like my Elan. Obvoiusly nowhere near as fast or nimble. My overiding memory was the clutch weight. It was SO heavy. Getting back into my Elan to drive back home took more than a little mental adjustment and alot of physical adjustment I can tell you. I have never wanted an MGB since that night. Even an immaculate red wire wheeled roadster from 1965 would be a no no.
Another Elan would be a different matter............