Mostly Autos, why ? ( c class mainly )

[recycled]

no

 

[Dryce]

In fact Porsche had now adopted the DSG style of box in the PDK (or what ever they call it..)..

ISTR the Porsche 929 had a dual clutch & shaft gearbox which is basically the same underlying principle as the DSG uses a loooooooooooong time ago.

On saying that the Jaguars I drove this weekend had lovely auto boxes too...

I(also)STR that Jaguar have availed themselves of the MB 722.6 5 speed auto for the XJR.

 

[SilverSaloon]

i think its a combination of 4 things:

(1) auto's tend to suit the relaxed driving of a Merc
(2) MB auto boxes are renouned for being very good
(3) its known that autos are worth more/sell easier than manuals at resale
(4) most MB have foot operated parking brake making it hassle on gradients with a clutch pedal aswell

 

[recycled]

there is no hassle with a foot brake on any gradient. It is the same with a hand operated brake.

1. You depress the clutch with your left foot. step on the gas, get the biting point and use your left hand to release your hand brake.

2. In a merc. you depress the clutch with your left foot, step on the gas, get the biting point and release your brake with the right hand. How is that different?

On stopping on a gradient, you are supposed to put your car in neutral according to the highway code, and the pull up your handbrake, while keeping your foot on the brake.

Same with a merc, you put your car in neutral, your left foot is now free to depress to footbrake.

any one who cannot stop or start on a gradient with a merc, cannot stop or start on a gradient with any manual car. fullstop. they should take more lessons and not blame the car.

except you all drive off after first releasing the handbrake which is bad driving if he car is not on the biting point and ready to go.

 

[SilverSaloon]

what if you need to prss the handbrake back in again? i've never driven one with a clutch and a foot brake; but i see this scenario;

on a steepish hill waiting at lights
you have footbrake on, and release and drive off as you say
car doesnt make it up the hill before it turns back to red
you stop with the clutch and brake (both feet in use) in 1st gear

how do you apply the foot brake without putting the car into neutral?

i understand you should go into neutral but sometimes it isnt desired. personally it probably wouldnt bother me as i consider myself to be able to control the car on inclines fine, but all those poeple who cant resist rolling back 1 metre towards the car behind on a hill start surely would struggle in this scenario?

on a normal handbrake car, you could just pull the handbrake up.

 

[recycled]

yes on a normal car you do that and risk messing up your clutch with your foot prmanently on it waiting for the lights. merc helps drivers by making sure the car is in neutral first thus saving your clutch from wear and tear and this is better driving. car should be in neutral, not in gear with both feet on brake and clutch. any slip up and you launch into the person in front, or you stall as the handbrake holds the car back.

I guess this is why i have never changed a clutch in all my years of manual ownership. clutch is simply for changing gear and moving off. i had a friend who once he stepped on the brakes also stepped on the clutch even at 120/130 kph until he came to a stop and left his foot there until he took off
again.

got a lot of ankle pain and clutch bills

 

[Benzowner]

there is no hassle with a foot brake on any gradient. It is the same with a hand operated brake.

1. You depress the clutch with your left foot. step on the gas, get the biting point and use your left hand to release your hand brake.

2. In a merc. you depress the clutch with your left foot, step on the gas, get the biting point and release your brake with the right hand. How is that different?

Because quite often, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing I have driven, as most of us have, both manuals and autos, and imo, if you want to feel more driving experience, a la quicker driving, dropping the gears, heel toe manouvres etc, then obviously choose a manual. But, most of us get to the point where less is more and one less pedal down by my feet certainly give me more pleasure when driving my Merc:bannana:

 

[flango]

yes on a normal car you do that and risk messing up your clutch with your foot prmanently on it waiting for the lights. merc helps drivers by making sure the car is in neutral first thus saving your clutch from wear and tear and this is better driving. car should be in neutral, not in gear with both feet on brake and clutch. any slip up and you launch into the person in front, or you stall as the handbrake holds the car back.

I guess this is why i have never changed a clutch in all my years of manual ownership. clutch is simply for changing gear and moving off. i had a friend who once he stepped on the brakes also stepped on the clutch even at 120/130 kph until he came to a stop and left his foot there until he took off
again.

got a lot of ankle pain and clutch bills

Nope I've never changed a clutch either even on some of my high milers, my Vauxhal Carlton went with 186,000 miles on still on the original clutch, I also get better than average out of my tyres and brake pads too, all depends on you driving style.

Also didn't realise you could use the handbrake/footbrake whilst driving, thought that was why it was called a parking brake

 

[djflip]

Ah, you're looking at w202's. All the AMGs were auto only, and think the C280 was. I know the C230k can be had with manual.

i have a c280 sport.
indeed its an auto.
drives like a dream!

 

[recycled]

Also didn't realise you could use the handbrake/footbrake whilst driving, thought that was why it was called a parking brake

only if you rest your foot from stepping on the brake pedal

 

[zibmerc]

BMW buyers are far less discerning though arent they!

It does surprise me that MB dont atleast offer the option.

I am firmly an auto man, always have been since my boy-racer days, but there are those that despise autos and its a shame that people who should be driving MB's are going downmarket to get a manual.

yes yiddo. I second you for this one.

SOme countries like Malaysia where I came from, there are 99% autos and manuals are as rare as hens teeth

Infact now ,there, most Hondas, Toyotas don't come with manuals anymore. Except some special order from Japan or recon from UK etc.

AFAIK Civics and Corrollas offered there came with auto only option since 1996 or so

Even Protons now are selling 90% autos than manual.

As for BMW,Merc,Audi I have not seen a manual one since the E30 models i.e circa late 80s!

I had a BMW E46 auto YM 2002 and was hard to sell as most BMW owners here in the UK wanted/prefer a manual which I can't understand especially if you are living in London.

Mind you my YM 1997 Peugeot 406 in Malaysia is an auto (almost all Pugs are auto there) and the gearbox has never given problems. Mind you it is a tropical hot country and when you are stuck in traffic jams for 2 hrs in the sweltering 38C !!!

 

[spock500]

I do prefer an auto over a manual with one exception, engine breaking.

On both the C250D & 300TD the change is smooth but with both cars (and living in (round about city) you are forever on the brakes, i do try and anticipate traffic flow from the right to avoid stopping completely but this has had one or two close shaves with racy hatch backs

If I know the route I sometimes drop it into 3rd to hold her back a tad, just feel sorry for the brake pads especially when i am washing all that black dust of at the weekends

 

[bpsorrel]

Don't know why other people choose them, but I prefer automatics I suppose because I've become a lazy driver and enjoy just wafting along and not caring about traffic jams etc! Seriously, I've driven autos for many years now and wouldn't go back to manual if I was paid to. Touch wood, never had a problem with an auto box and have had them in cars ranging from Fiats and Volvos to various Mercedes, including my latest w211.

 

[verytalldave]

IMHO..........
Automatics are safer than manuals.

Anything which makes driving easier and requires less driver input - leaves you with more time to concentrate on the actual road.

 

[gina2201]

I've had 3 w202's now, the first of which was an automatic, and not having had one before was a bit sceptical as to how I would like it having had manuals before. However it was a good car, and never had any problems with it, it was a C200 and I got used to it and yes it was ideal for town driving just stop and go! Did get a bit of stick from friends saying it was old mans car (I was only 18/19 at the time!)

Since then I have had 2 further C230k's both being manual and I have liked them equally as much if not slightly more for the driving feel and control, engine braking, dropping down a gear or two to overtake etc. I was really pleased that my current one is a manual.

Oh and I've never had an issue with the foot operated hand brake? Why would there be? Just a fourth pedal, and it's not situated anywhere close enough to get mixed up with my clutch!

Surely the fact that apprently manuals sell for less is repsective of the fact that you would have bought it for less in the first place? I didn't have any trouble selling my manual anyway. Perhaps being asupposedly sportier engine/car may have helped.

Try both, see what you think as ultimately it's up to your driving style and preference. I don't get any more stressed or tired from driving mine than I do an auto.

 

[zibmerc]

well I have had manual cars before.

But like someone said here, even if they paid me, I would not go back to drive manuals.

And most manual cars I had was in the UK. Some models are quite hard to find auto version with the spec or engine you want.

good eg is BMW E46 smaller [etrol engines or diesels,most would be manual rather than auto

 

[zibmerc]

IMHO..........
Automatics are safer than manuals.

Anything which makes driving easier and requires less driver input - leaves you with more time to concentrate on the actual road.

Very true which I think should make insurance for autos a lot cheaper.
But they don't

 

[flango]

IMHO..........
Automatics are safer than manuals.

Anything which makes driving easier and requires less driver input - leaves you with more time to concentrate on the actual road.

Playing devil's advocate but anything which actually makes driving easier is more likely to make you daydream and have lapses in concentration rather than focus your mind on the task in hand.

 

[verytalldave]

Playing devil's advocate but anything which actually makes driving easier is more likely to make you daydream and have lapses in concentration rather than focus your mind on the task in hand.

That is certainly a possiblity, but on balance, I still say an auto is safer for the reason stated.
Many things now make driving easier or just more enjoyable, like for example syncromesh on a manual gearbox, air con, ICE, distronic, etc...etc....
I would argue that having the radio or CD on poses a greater "daydream" hazard than anything else.
And smoking. Dont get me started on that one..........
If you are prone to daydream, then daydream you will. Automatic or manual.
Only IMO obviously.



.

 

[bpsorrel]

I'm going to get harpooned here now, but IMHO I don't see the appeal of manuals at all. Manually selecting gears seems almost agricultural to me when the auto box can do a perfectly good job for you and spare you the clutch pumping needed in almost any city type driving these days. Many years ago, when I ran Alfa Romeos and the roads were MUCH quieter, the thrill of holding gears and hearing the lovely Alfa V6 screeming was intoxicating, but nowadays watching for cameras, speed humps, other cars, pedestrians, cylcists and other road obstacles is enough work for me and I'm happy to let the car relieve me of one extra attention sapping chore! Maybe I'm just getting old! LOL!