S or W mode

[ckember]

I have a prefacelift(dec 2003) C270 cdi with the sports pack and that has C or S. The manual states this as comfort or sport. only seems to change the autos response and kickdown, however in C mode if you push the accelerator hard it should kickdown as in S mode .Pulling away in reverse also requires more revs. It does help during the winter months to be in C.

 

[Deleted member 2227]

The only time I use C mode is on a steep hill as it stops you rolling back, all the rest of the time its S mode and lets hear that supercharger whistle!!

 

[DITTRICH]

I think the only real difference between W and S is the ability to pull away in 2nd gear on slippery wintery roads. On 5sp autoboxes with electronic brains, the brains are supposed to adapt themselves to your right foot. So if you drive lazily in 'S' or give it some welly in 'W' - ought it not to achieve the same thing. That said, 'W' is for winter and slippery roads, or so I've understood. So my selector switch stays in 'S' most of the time - that's what owning a C230K is all about.

And as to the 'female' comments on this thread! My mum, 70+ bless her, still pootles about in a K reg Peugeot 206 - manual and no power steering! My brother and I have been trying for years to get her to change to a more modern auto with power steering - but she won't have it! The Peugoet has had so many bits replaced in its long life - its uneconomical to keep going - and yet she... all I'm saying is their brains work differently to ours! (Nothing wrong in that per se - but it can be frustrating).

 

[BTB 500]

As commented in other similar threads, S mode specifically holds the car in lower gears for longer when the engine is cold - to warm it up quicker. Running in W mode will prevent this. I'm pretty sure the handbook on my R129 says to use W mode only in slippery conditions.

Later cars where W has become C may have different gearbox programming that takes account of the engine being cold etc., again I would go by what the handbook says.

There's also a well known problem with the selector switch, typically remaining in W mode even when S is selected. So I would avoid playing with it too much!

 

[BTB 500]

I think the only real difference between W and S is the ability to pull away in 2nd gear on slippery wintery roads. On 5sp autoboxes with electronic brains, the brains are supposed to adapt themselves to your right foot. So if you drive lazily in 'S' or give it some welly in 'W' - ought it not to achieve the same thing.

I couldn't move my R129 on a gentle slope on wet grass in S mode ... the slightest touch on the throttle spun the rear wheels, then traction control immediately cut the power. Switched to W mode and it pulled away with no drama or fuss - very impressive!

I've never driven the SL in snow or ice, I've got a VW Sharan with 4Motion that seems much more attractive in such conditions (it has an electrically heated windscreen & seats too )

 

[DieselE]

The only time I use C mode is on a steep hill as it stops you rolling back, all the rest of the time its S mode and lets hear that supercharger whistle!!

The very steep hill is where "SBC Hold" comes into its own (excuse the plug for the braking system). It's only a matter of confidence as I've yet to find a hill steep enough for the E320CDI to roll back.

Mine has only been out of "S" once and that was to climb a snow covered grass slope. Still took several attempts!

 

[Benzowner]

For those who tow caravans, W mode is more economical than S, at 56 mph, my E300TD stays in 4th, in W it will go onto 5th at about 45mph.

 

[DieselE]

For those who tow caravans, W mode is more economical than S, at 56 mph, my E300TD stays in 4th, in W it will go onto 5th at about 45mph.

It's just as well I don't tow a caravan. I can't get my car to stay at 56 mph at all .

 

[Shude]

The only other thing I can add to this thread is that W has a different much slower reverse gear.

 

[blassberg]

7G has two reverse gears.. so really a (7+2)G

 

[blassberg]

7G has two reverse gears.. so really a (7+2)G

thinks isn't two reverse gears (which are C/S activated) the same as Shude's W slower gear?

 

[Shude]

thinks isn't two reverse gears (which are C/S activated) the same as Shude's W slower gear?

7G C/S will be an evolution of the 1997+ 5-speed electronic auto W/S surely? In W the reverse gear is much more sedate.

 

[Rory]

The only time I use C mode is on a steep hill as it stops you rolling back, all the rest of the time its S mode and lets hear that supercharger whistle!!

So if you use C on steep hills then it will try start off in 2nd. Is that a good idea?

I'm not saying it's not, just that it would seem to put un-necessary strain on the drive train. Maybe it's better - I don't know?

I found with my C270CDi, that it's slow enough to pick its skirts up without being further hampered by being in 2nd gear. Of course it still shifts to 1st if you boot it, but it does that with quite a jerk, which again wouldn't seem to be a good thing.

 

[Dryce]

I think the only real difference between W and S is the ability to pull away in 2nd gear on slippery wintery roads. On 5sp autoboxes with electronic brains, the brains are supposed to adapt themselves to your right foot. So if you drive lazily in 'S' or give it some welly in 'W' - ought it not to achieve the same thing.

I find C a lot smoother than S in crawling or stop/start traffic.

 

[Birdman]

And as to the 'female' comments on this thread! My mum, 70+ bless her, still pootles about in a K reg Peugeot 206 - manual and no power steering! My brother and I have been trying for years to get her to change to a more modern auto with power steering - but she won't have it!

Probably wise to let her have her way.

Older drivers often have trouble adapting to autoboxes after a lifetime with manuals. A growing number of accidents involving older drivers are attributed to their switching to autos late in life, often to compensate for their diminishing driving capabilities.

There is a good reason for these accidents and it comes down to the different emergency response needed when driving in a crowded space full of people, in the High street or the supermarket carpark.

All manual drivers learn to slip the clutch to keep their speed down when manoevring in confined spaces. An older person converting to an autobox may never become fully at ease with the new (to them) technique of using light braking against light throttle to control speed. Left foot braking remains for them a total mystery. Sometimes, elderly drivers have only a vague idea as how much accelerator pedal travel they are using and instead resort to the clutch to compenstate for an over-revving engine.

If alarmed by the car lurching forward unexpectedly, an older driver unfamiliar with autos may stamp on the non-existent clutch pedal to try to slow the vehicle and become panicked when its speed builds up instead.

The confused driver then 'freezes' at the controls. The autobox does what it is meant to do and the vehicle careers off producing a potentially dangerous 'runaway' accident.

And that's assuming older people have good corrected eyesight. Since they often don't, you may get an even bigger accident

 

[Fandango]

Probably wise to let her have her way.

...

If alarmed by the car lurching forward unexpectedly, an older driver unfamiliar with autos may stamp on the non-existent clutch pedal to try to slow the vehicle and become panicked when its speed builds up instead.

...

When was the last time you drove a manual car?

Surely the "non-existent" clutch would be where the brake pedal is in an auto, and the car would be brought to a sudden stop.

 

[andy_k]

When was the last time you drove a manual car?

Surely the "non-existent" clutch would be where the brake pedal is in an auto, and the car would be brought to a sudden stop.

VERY sudden

Andy

 

[Birdman]

When was the last time you drove a manual car?

Surely the "non-existent" clutch would be where the brake pedal is in an auto, and the car would be brought to a sudden stop.

Have you got down and looked carefully into the driver's footwell? The brake pedal in an automatic doesn't occupy as much of the footwell as you might think.

Two of my cars are autos and one is manual. And yes, I am aware of the tendency to hit the brake pedal instead of the clutch after changing to an automatic. But that doesn't cause runaway accidents just crunching noises at the rear when the following car fails to stop.

The problem starts with not adapting to left foot braking in confined spaces, while using the accelerator as if there were a clutch available. Add to that the confusion many old people are prone to when conducting complex tasks in real time and there are potentially serious problems. It isn't just old people of course, but people are more susceptible to this kind of accident if they attempt to change their driving habits late in life.

 

[BTB 500]

Hmm ... have to say that I've never used left foot braking with any auto I've owned!

 

[Benzowner]

Hmm ... have to say that I've never used left foot braking with any auto I've owned!

Never raced then