Do listmembers feel the 7 speed is a significant improvement over the 5 speed? More hunting of gears? More trouble than it's worth? Interesting why the '06 C230 gets a 7 speed auto while the C280/C350 keep their 5 speed ones?

 

No they don't.

 

The 4 matic C-class cars and C55 AMG keep the old 5 speed automatic transmission.

"Hunting for gears" is not a problem unless the car "feels" like its struggling to the driver. The new 7 speed shifts very smoothly and usually the shifts are not very noticeable to the driver. Nothing wrong with the ability to downshift 2 or more gears at a time to optimize acceleration.

 

Since it's not sequential the car can skip gears IIRC.

 

It seems the MB Canada website is not totally correct. On the quick model summary, it notes 5 speed, but if you look at the detailed specs, it notes 7 speed auto.

 

i wonder just how difficult it would be to retrofit one of these 7G's... hmmm...

 

FWIW,

I drove an '06 before buying my '05, and I didn't like the 7spd at all. Not so much during accel, but during decel, the shift shock was horrible...even compared to the 5spd...which isn't great either.

Just my .02,
TK
ps. couldn't feel any major diff. in power either...weight must offset it enough to not register on the butt-dyno.

 

In the E class, the 7sp. makes a huge difference in accelleration. Even though the W211 is about 300lbs heavier than the W210, it is a quicker car and more fuel efficient too. I do notice the downshifts more but only because there are more of them.

 

Changeout the transmission (ow, ow, ow, ow)... It might be easier to change the car out on to a new transmission....

uh, that's right, that's how it's done.

 

The 'shift shock' that many have experienced actually appears to reduce significantly as the mileage accumalates. It is quite noticeable when the car has double or triple digit mileage then slowly subsides thereafter. Every once in a while you do get a bit of it but only from 2 to first. Otherwise its fine. It's very smooth as I can't really tell if I'm in 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, or even 3rd for that matter. Could have done nicely with the shift buttons behind the steering wheel and the M for the manual program on the shiftgate. I would have loved to hold the gears during some more spirited driving.

The way it engages the next gear during acceleration is quite amazing. There isn't that delay or dip in power delivery like it was in the 5 speed auto. It seems to always be right in the middle of the torque band through each gear. Sort of like a powerful diesel except that it keeps on pushing you through to 6,200/400? and onto the next gear. It always puts a smile on my face that this car doesn't run out of steam at 5,700 to 6,200. In fact it does the opposite and pulls even harder!! Usually you would expect at least a slight dip in power to the redline and not an increase!!

 

One of the 7G incredible advantages over the 5G is that it cuts your passing time from around 35-75 mph in half.

 

*DROOOOOOL*


yes, worthless post. but i still felt like expressing how I feel about that little tidbit!

 

After you've waited an age for the wretched transmission to engage gear...

 

You can always downshift if you know you're about to pass.

 

i LOVE the 7 speed. Even in sport, but especially in comfort the car shifts so smooth if it werent for the engine noise you couldnt even tell when it shifted. I heard there was a problem with shift shock in deceleration but like mentioned only in low miles. My car is getting up there in miles and there is very minimal shift shock on deceleration, if any.
You can also tell the difference IMO at any passing speed, whether its 20-40, 35-75, 40-60, a huge difference over the 5 speed. I love the transmission lol

 

i love my 7 speed.... shifts like a tractor trailer :op

 

The 7spd is definitely smooth. I've been in the C63 and loved the feel of it every bit (way way way more than the BMW 650i's system that keeps having to be adjusted after it tries to "learn" you).

It's funny that no one mentions the gas savings w/ the 7spd over the 5spd. Guess how fast you go matters more. lol

 

I don't notice any gas savings. I got better mileage in my 5sp CLK 320 than I do now in my 7sp C230. Both great cars, and I love the 7sp, but I don't notice that much of a difference in the transmissions other than the number of gears. I do feel like I have no 1st sometimes, but the shifts (up and down) are the same.

 

Reset tranny adaptations on the 7G and watch it hammer the gears. No joke when I reset the adaptations I feel it will accelerate 0-60 atleast a second quicker (I know this is not the case but it is very noticeable).

 

I meant the delay when shifting from neutral to reverse or drive...

 

top gear complained about the same thing in the SLKs

 

It's a huge delay. On mine atleast 2 seconds

 

the 203 doesnt take as long to enagage as the 204's and newers, they take FOORREEVVEERRR to engage lol
mine blips into gear pretty fast

 

How? My trans is a bit sluggish, do I need to go to the dealer?

 

I think there is a difference with engine size... My car is almost immediate (not noticeably longer than my CLK 5g), but the SL (550, both '07s) takes significantly longer than mine. I was actually afraid that it would be the case in my car, after having driven the SL, but was pleasantly surprised.