Manual mode W212?

[Aoraki]

Hi all, my new W212 350cdi has the 7g box with "C"omfort and "S"port modes as per, along with steering wheel paddles. Is it possible to enable the "M"anual mode for a full manual flappy paddle drive as opposed to just limiting the gear range.
I know the switch in the centre console would need to be changed (if there is a C/S/M switch available) but is it then possible via Star to do the software side of things?

Just read the online manual and it appears there is a manual mode on some vehicles, ie C/S/M switch. Just need someone to advise on retrofit solution. Alfie, Richard?

 

[Aoraki]

Bump!!

Anyone know if possible?? What parts?? Star??

 

[Aoraki]

I'm still interested in doing this but it appears that no one can help. I thought that it had been discussed before albeit a W204.

Anyone???

 

[Simon_M]

For the CLS, I understood that once you flipped the paddle the box then entered manual mode much like shifting the gearleaver left or right whilst in Drive.

Would have thought yours should be the same no?

 

[oldcro]

What exactly would the manual mode do that the flappy paddles don't already do?

 

[Aoraki]

For the CLS, I understood that once you flipped the paddle the box then entered manual mode much like shifting the gearleaver left or right whilst in Drive.

Would have thought yours should be the same no?

Yes and no. It puts the box into "limited gear range" not "manual"

What exactly would the manual mode do that the flappy paddles don't already do?

Manual mode over limited range: If you were to use the paddles and for example get 5 showing in the speedometer binicle, the gear box would (automatically) use gears 1 through 5 and not 6 or 7, ie "limited range". Manual on the other hand would be a true manual box (as per AMG I belive), pulling - paddle always drops a gear, pulling + paddle up, a gear.
Wouldn't want to use all the time, but would be nice when pressing on a bit and having fun.

PS oldcro, what MPG are you getting from yours? As you can see from my sig, I'm on a lowly 25

 

[oldcro]

Yes and no. It puts the box into "limited gear range" not "manual"



Manual mode over limited range: If you were to use the paddles and for example get 5 showing in the speedometer binicle, the gear box would (automatically) use gears 1 through 5 and not 6 or 7, ie "limited range". Manual on the other hand would be a true manual box (as per AMG I belive), pulling - paddle always drops a gear, pulling + paddle up, a gear.
Wouldn't want to use all the time, but would be nice when pressing on a bit and having fun.

PS oldcro, what MPG are you getting from yours? As you can see from my sig, I'm on a lowly 25

I understand what your saying about the paddle shift , but it does help protect the engine from over reving or straining in too high a gear. Still to each his own I guess as the only time I use the paddles is to hold a lower gear going down hill. Uses more engine braking so less wear on the brake linings.

I am averaging 34mpg so far with no long motorway drives which I expect would increase that to about 40mpg if driving within the speed limit or close to it. Your 25mpg is I guess more to do with your "sporty:" driving and having fun with the manual option wont improve the mpg.

Best car I've ever owned, but apart from a W204 I've not had another Mercedes so cannot compare it with say the W211. Except in the snow when I wished I had bought another Audi with 4 wheel drive.

 

[LTD]

I'm seriously contemplating the 'paddle mode' on my W220 to augment my tiptronic option on the auto-box as I think it would make driving my car a bit nicer.

Dropping the box into a lower gear via tiptronic makes passing cars so much easier and really allows the V8 to 'sing'

Once in a more relaxed environment, kicking it up into full auto makes the experience more sublime.

 

[Diesel Benz]

Yes and no. It puts the box into "limited gear range" not "manual"

Manual mode over limited range: If you were to use the paddles and for example get 5 showing in the speedometer binicle, the gear box would (automatically) use gears 1 through 5 and not 6 or 7, ie "limited range". Manual on the other hand would be a true manual box (as per AMG I belive), pulling - paddle always drops a gear, pulling + paddle up, a gear.
Wouldn't want to use all the time, but would be nice when pressing on a bit and having fun.

I have M-mode in my W221 but I never use it. I cannot even remember if there is any other real difference to S with gear control from the steering wheel except I guess in M-mode the car would not up-shift at max RPM but would stay there. I have not tried but I doubt the M mode keeps the gear selected if you decrease engine RPM and eventually make the engine stall from not enough power at low RPM and high gear. I have not tested if it just down-shifts (the function description does not seem to cover this even from WIS).

If you want to get the engine to high RPM e.g. when preparing to overtake a car in front, it should not make a difference if you down-shift on S-mode or M-mode. But once you start overtaking, the S-mode would select a higher gear instead of the speed stalling at that from the selected M-mode gear and engine running at max RPMs.

I fail to see the real advantage from M-mode if it isn't manual control from maximum overtaking performance to maximum fuel efficiency at another time while keeping the same gear selection setting (S-mode would not allow maximum fuel saving as it down-shifts earlier than C-mode). Can someone explain some simple driving scenarios where M-mode really adds value (I don't meant the fact that you can show your friend that the car has a full M-mode transmission program)?

 

[Diesel Benz]

I'm seriously contemplating the 'paddle mode' on my W220 to augment my tiptronic option on the auto-box as I think it would make driving my car a bit nicer.

Dropping the box into a lower gear via tiptronic makes passing cars so much easier and really allows the V8 to 'sing'

Once in a more relaxed environment, kicking it up into full auto makes the experience more sublime.

Are you talking about the difference between tiptronic and steering wheel gear selectors? I believe this is a different topic as M-mode could equally well work from the gear selector on a W220 as from the steering wheel on later models.

On the other hand, the manual range selection already works the same way on the two cars (S or C mode), one is just using the steering wheel, the other is using the gear stick (gear stick would be difficult on cars with a steering column gear selector).

 

[st13phil]

Can someone explain some simple driving scenarios where M-mode really adds value (I don't meant the fact that you can show your friend that the car has a full M-mode transmission program)?

My wife's SLK350 has the full manual mode on the 7G-Tronic 'box, and I find it useful when driving "briskly" through a series of bends when I want to use precise throttle control to balance the car. If left in S-mode, the gearbox will sometimes shift at an inopportune moment which unsettles the car, but you have to be pushing pretty hard to get any real benefit from the M-mode.

 

[LTD]

Are you talking about the difference between tiptronic and steering wheel gear selectors? I believe this is a different topic as M-mode could equally well work from the gear selector on a W220 as from the steering wheel on later models.

On the other hand, the manual range selection already works the same way on the two cars (S or C mode), one is just using the steering wheel, the other is using the gear stick (gear stick would be difficult on cars with a steering column gear selector).

My car was the option of manually changing the gears by pressing the lever left or right when in D. There are no steering wheel controls for changing gear.

It doesn't just select a gear and hold it there. The box will shift up before the limiter kicks in.

If I hold it there for a second or two it shifts down to the most potent ratio available at the speed to allow maximum acceleration.

If I could retrofit paddles to the wheel to mimic the actions then I would certainly contemplate it.

 

[Aoraki]

I am averaging 34mpg so far with no long motorway drives which I expect would increase that to about 40mpg if driving within the speed limit or close to it. Your 25mpg is I guess more to do with your "sporty:" driving and having fun with the manual option wont improve the mpg.

Best car I've ever owned, but apart from a W204 I've not had another Mercedes so cannot compare it with say the W211. Except in the snow when I wished I had bought another Audi with 4 wheel drive.

I hope when I get a few more miles on it (1300 at the mo) MPG should improve, also short run to my workshop every day doesn't help.

Agree with you on being best car owned, I had a W203 for 9 months and swapped that for a new W204 and now W212, total MB ownership about 36 months.

As for an Audi, my 78 year old dad has just bought a new A3 S3 Quattro, 265bhp, bejesus can that thing go! (also about 25MPG) He had lots of fun in the snow, drove all around the country lanes here and Derbyshire. Made me wonder if I had done the right thing with the W212. Until of course when the snow had gone, then I knew I had .

Must admit though, when we went to test the A3, most people thought that the W212 was my dad's and I was getting the A3, they really didn't think the "old man" was serious......salesman came back a few shades lighter after a 30 min run with dad at the wheel. He'll not change though, bless