Buellwinkle

I wanted an automatic and my dealer only had 6 C230's at the time, all 6-speeds so that's what I got. Sometimes I wish I got the automatic but most of the time I don't think about it, just get in and drive. My wife's Wrangler is auto and sometimes she wishes she got a stick. Keep in mind that even though blue book shows that the 6-spd has better resale value (relative to the cost of the auto option), it's much harder to sell a 6-spd luxury car later on. I had a tough time selling my 2002 C230, a lot of young people's priorities center around drinking latte's, using their Treo and playing their iPod while driving and a 6-spd interferes with that.

AK*S203*owner

Aren't 4matics only available in auto?

I've seen several listings in autos.msn.com for used 4matics that they say are manuals, but I assume this is incorrect. Every 4matic I have seen has been auto, but I would have loved to have a manual.

mkaresh

I don't believe a 4matic has ever been available with a manual, at least not in the U.S.

C240Style

I have a 2003 C240 6speed. Personally, I love it. It's smooth shifting and quite honestly although the redline is 6,000, I've never felt that it's limited my max potential (I don't go speeding all the time anyway). Anyway, mine was special ordered and came straight from Germany, I hope you find what you're looking for, although I've seen maybe 2 6spd C240s in my search time (which was about 8 months).

Outland

If you can't handle rowing the gears yourself, why bother driving? Just take a bus.

alpinweiss

I special-ordered my C230K, and picked it up immediately after it arrived from Germany. I found that MB's with manual transmissions are very rare here in the USA. Most dealers are reluctant to stock them.

Fortunately, the MB dealer here in New Mexico (Mercedes of Albuquerque) normally has a couple of manual transmission cars in stock. I was able to test drive one. Although I didn't buy that car, I special-ordered my car from them as a result of test-driving the 6-speed manual model. I was very impressed.

mick1

bad news for fans of the old style manual transmission.

view the video
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/...-speed-manual/

ultraseven

just found a manual C350 at autobahn motors in belmont, ca. They are terribly rare.

chase720

Seems to me that almost everyone on this forum either has a manual or wants their car in manual so the dealers are idiots not to stock them. Then again the old people who buy benzs dont know how to use computers and arnt really represented on this forum.

emxgarcia

I live in Dominicana and they told me they "don't remember the last time they brought a manual". Luckily for me someone was crazy enough to put one in a PO and that is how it was there when I went shopping.

So rare indeed (here) that when I went to pick it up another guy told me "boy you do have a unique car"... then I look around and see a Maybach a few CLSs and CLs, some AMGs... and I said.. "You sure?" and he told me: "Yes sir.. the only manual C230 and one of the very few M-Bs we have brought in this country that has manual tranny."

BabyBenz6spd

Personally I think "stick shift" will eventually be replaced by clutchless systems like DSG and SMG. However, I hope it's not going to be anytime soon. Because I still love driving stick shifts~

dozier08

The local MB dealer in Atlanta has two. I test drove one yesterday. Those have been on the lot for at least three months, while they can't keep the automatics in stock. The two manuals also have virtually no options added, but Atlanta isn't really a manual friendly town...traffic here is bananas.