JDitlaia

if you were to buy on 05+ c230 would you prefer an auto or the six speed?just wondering, the pros and cons of each and peoples opinion.

white_w203

6-speed makes a whole world of a difference performance wise vs. auto.

mick1

i would always buy a car with manual trans because I am a control freak and because it's more fun to drive.

Boom vang

The only 'pros' I can see with a slush box is:
-if you have a heavy bumper to bumper commute
-you are a chick (most can't drive a stick)
- if you are not a talented driver
-you can never stall the car

A manual has tons of pros
-something for your left foot to do other than setting the parking brake
-performance
-instant response
-control
-the feel of a hard connection between the engine and the wheels (auto has that mushy feel as it goes through a fluid coupling)
-better in the snow and adverse driving conditions
-engine helps in braking ie no freewheeling, when you let up on the throttle the car slows, in auto there is little change. You stay off the brakes much more! Drive behind an auto and you see the brakes lights on and off and on and off all the time
-the drivers are usually better as they are actually driving the car and not in a daze using blackberry's or cell phones since their hands are in use
-quicker
-usually better fuel economy
-able to redline it and hold it there
-cheaper to buy
-able to start the car with a dead battery (just need a hill or 1 extra person to help push)
-cheaper to repair
-easier on the engine, a service adviser always stated that manual cars always had less problems with the motor and drive train. In an auto at a stoplight there is always a force going through the system (unless you put it in N) and over time this creates problems
-Women don't think you are a wimpy nerdy geeky guy
-Finally, most people will not borrow your car as they don't know how to drive it, a true advantage for those that have girlfriends who they don't think that they are good drivers...less stress as she is not taking your car to go shopping



Some autoboxes combine the advantages of both, instead of the fluid coupling there is a clutch mechanism, Ferrari for one has one so it has that crisp feel

MB-BOB

This has been discussed countless times. The choice is clearly your preference, not anyone else's on this forum. I have an automatic, and while I have driven and mastered sports cars (with manuals) almost exclusively since 1977, I will say that while the manual provides more "control" and "involvement" in the driving experience, I can't shift the car manually faster than the modern "slushbox" can.

A couple things to keep in mind to counterbalance the advantages of the stick:

1) 6-speed and 7-speed manuals with narrower operating ranges will impose more work and effort on the average driver (compared with a tranny of fewer gears). If you like shifting every 2 seconds from a stop to get up to speed, knock yourself out.

2) MBs don't hold their value very well. Even less so with a manual transmission. Nearly 95% of all MBs sold in America are automatics, so anyone wanting to buy one second hand will want an auto. Lease a stick if you want, but don't be deluded into thinking the lease doesn't take this extra depreciation into account. You pay for it.

3) Try to look beyond the first few weeks/months you drive the car. Everyone likes the exhilaration of driving a new car sportingly, me included. But the true question is... Do you see yourself quick shifting to work or the grocery store 2 years from now in the car? Your need to play stop light grand prix will lessen over time, and you will eventually have to reconcile whether the day to day slog in stop-go traffic with a stick is worth the occasional sprint that presents itself with lesser regularity over time.

Now, if you want to have yet another flame war over the manny vs auto debate, keep it confined to the cars rather than personalities... Drivers of automatics are no less "manly" than you folks who swear by manuals.

Mercus

Here's my $0.02 worth.

1. Auto gets better mileage
2. Traffic is much easier with an auto tranny
3. Auto is only marginally slower than stick
4. With an ECU upgrade, the auto tranny is faster (change shift points)
5. Better gear selection with an auto (more gears to choose from)

I have a classic Jag and Vette that are stick, so if I need to get my thrills, I drive them.

As for being for poor drivers (auto), consider this. All Formula 1 cars are auto. Why? Because it allows for faster driving without having to worry about a clutch. All cars will eventually be auto.

Having raced cars for Ford in the past, I guarantee you that most would prefer to have an auto in a race.

GDawgC220

Its a never ending war. It all depends on the person who is going to be driving it, shouldn't be influenced by other people. Sure, we can give pros and cons of what WE think but in the end, its up to you.

Questions you have to ask yourself...
Do you do a lot of stop and go traffic? You might find a stick shift annoying because you're going from neutral to first every few seconds to move up otherwise the moron behind you is going to honk to fill that small gap.

Do you want more of a sporty ride or relaxed ride (subjective to opinion)? Some relate a manual to a more sporty ride as you can better control the car with rowing your own gears than having a computer decide what gear you should be in. I know some manu-matics can hold the gear all day long but most will upshift for you to prevent damage.

Do you want to have the hassle of shifting yourself? Some may find it to be annoying, having to row their own gears. They may live in a city or town with lots of hills and people creeping right up to their bumper. It makes it harder for you to drive possibly in certain situations.

Its all preference of the driver, do they want to shift or have the car shift for you. Simple as that.

Now, my previous car was a C220, obviously an automatic. My current A4 has a 6-speed. I find driving the 6-speed more enjoyable than the automatic. Its fun for me, I have better control of being in what gear I want to be in and when, I get great gas mileage and it can handle more power (in terms of mods done to the engine) than the Tiptronic version.

Generally, manual transmissions get better gas mileage than their automatic counterparts but more modern automatics are either very close in MPG or better than a manual.

With most cars offering either a 5-speed automatic, 6-speed automatic, 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic, gears are pretty similar in terms of how many gears to choose from. Its not the old days with a 5-speed manual vs a 3 speed automatic.

ECU upgrades...if you take the same car with auto and manual, chip them, the manual will probably still be quicker. Automatics (albeit are better today at performance vs a manual than in the past) have the torque converter sucking down power but like I said, are better today than in the past. With a manual, you don't have that slack. And generally, Automatics have a lower power limit than Manual transmissions without doing an upgrade to them.

Sorry for the long winded post but thought I would put in my $0.02. Good luck with your decision, remember its your car, not ours. We just give our opinions and preferences

scottw

The only thing I would add is that I think a manual is a bit easier to drive in the snow, at least for me. I feel like I can modulate the wheels a bit better. But, that is probably just my perception. Have fun no matter which car you buy?

yeuchau

if it's daily, i would get auto
if it's just fun car, and want to mod the hell out of the car, i would get stick

leifaw

I got an auto and have regretted it ever since. The manual is much better suited to the nature of the supercharged 4. I feel the auto up shifts to early and takes to long to down shift. I've driven the car aggressively in the hopes that the auto would learn my driving style, but I haven't noticed much difference. Obviously, this is just my opinion.

Leif W.

MCONDE01

I have an auto and I love it...maybe it is not as quick and responsive as a manual at times but for overall convenience you can't beat it. Especially in traffic....

Anywayz, I like having one hand on the wheel and my other hand on my chick/cell phone/ coffee/breakfast sandwich....etc etc

tee_tz

[LOL], This is so funny...

But I'll give one more pro: I always say though that stick-shift drivers are 'safer drivers'. They don't have the ability to play with their cell phone, send text messages, do their hair, add make-up, and all those other distracting things that keep your eyes off the road and lose control on the car.

Personally, I trust myself more than I trust a car's electronics. And even in stop and go traffic, I still prefer the manual, but I guess that's just a preference. If I brought a Ferrari, Lambo, Aston Martin kind of car -- I would NEVER consider an auto; even though in some of those cases the auto is faster (and easier to drive), it's the feeling of shifting yourself, ACTUALLY DRIVING not just steering the car... Okay, let me stop before I start a war.

But if AUTO is your thing, then that's your thing. I KNOW they will not stop making manuals anytime in my lifetime -- BMW will ALWAYS keep manuals for true manual enthusiasts.

Also -- By the Way, F1 drivers use AUTOS for different reasons; but their F1 transmissions mimic the manual gearbox. Can you imagine shifting at 190MPH!


Tee_Tz.

e1000

I like my 7G - as for the quick response, it's the same if you manually downshift to the lowest gear while driving, which is essentially what you'd do with the manual anyway.

GDawgC220

Has MB finally put rev-matching yet for touchshift? Didn't see it in the '05 C230 auto I test drove.

BabyBenz6spd

I LOVE manual Trans.

However, with the technology and mechanical advancement on transmissions, there is pretty much no more room for growth in Manual Transmissions Gearbox. But there is plenty of growth for DSG (Direct shift Gearbox), SMG III (Sequential Manual Gearbox), CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission), 7 speed Auto and Lexus's new 8 Speed Autos, it's no longer the question of whether "Automatics" will surpass Manuals in performance, Automatics is slowly surpassing Manuals in performance as we speak. It will only be a matter of time when Manuals will be replaced by "Autos" or Manual Gearbox Replacement, noticed I said "replacement" not "improve", because there is simply little or no way to improve manual gearbox anymore.

brydon

In my owners manual (it's a 2005 manual) it says that the manual has a better range than the automatic. The automatic definitely drives more conservatively than most of us because the computer tells it too, but I think if you take a comparable W203 stick vs auto and drive them exactly the same way you'll find the stick gets slightly better gas mileage than the auto.

I was reading the report on my car at Edmunds.com, and they say according to MB, for 2005+ the stick is the same speed 0-60 as the auto.

Honestly, I've driven the auto C280 (wife's car), an Auto E350 (loaner), and an auto CLK 500 (father-in-law's car). Asid from the fact that my car is a little faster than my wife's and the loaner, I just get excited every time I get in my car because I love driving a manual car.

It does suck in the city (oh and in stop-go-traffic I drive with my knees and send email on my Windows Mobile Samsung i730 PDA so I'm actually less safe than an auto drive ) but everytime I pull onto the free way and push it all the way 6,000 before I change and then I drop it into 6th, then back into 3rd or 4th for changing lanes then back into 6th for cruising, I just get a grin on my face because I think sticks are just SO much fun to drive.

What it comes down to man is your own personal preference. The only mechanical difference is going to be slightly lower gas mileage and a little more maintenance costs. You shouldn't take that into account unless you're considering keeping the car for more than 40,000/5yrs though, or not buying the extended warranty.

ismeto

They do not give me a prize using manual !
but I give myself prize -feeling good - using Auto !

diamondblak05

Auto!......unless I'm racing all the time, which happens like 1% of the time. How many of you actually drives spiritly all the time? Or stump on the gas pedal to the floor from each red/stop sign? Having more fun with a manual? 1% of the time doesn't cut it for me. Control? An auto gives me as much control as any manual if not better....by not getting into any accident.

MB-BOB

...But you have to play with the stick shift instead...

Frankly, anything that distracts your attention and eyes away from the road ahead and around you is a distraction, including a manual transmission. There are several reasons why driver's education cars are always automatics... One reason is that there is less need to concentrate on operating the car and more bandwidth available to watch traffic around you.

Of course, once you get used to driving a manual shift, it is more or less second nature. However, there are always situations, like stopping at a light on an aggressive uphill grade, that command extra special attention to stirring the pot and riding the clutch so you don't roll back into the car sitting on your bumper behind you. All of this distracts from your driving safely.

diamondblak05

I personally think people who drives manual cars are more dangerous than those with autos. Why? Because Americans can't stop using cell phones, putting on make-ups, eating, drinking, etc.....while driving. With autos, you don't have to mess around with the shifter.

tee_tz

Well, let me rephrase -- they are two types of people on the road: idiots and non-idiots. brydon - If you use your cell phone to send emails in your car while driving, it's obvious which category you fall in. I can't speak for them. What I can say is STATISTICALLY, it's found that manual transmission driver's are less likely to have fender benders.

End of the day, I feel like with the AUTO transmission, there's really no need to learn how to drive. All you need to learn is how to steer... [lol].

Also, MB does not say the 05+ C-Class AUTOS are faster; neither do the professional driver's who've tested both; for the C230 MB claims a 0.5 sec. difference. Eventually the AUTO tranny will become faster - better software, better upgrades and as mentioned before there's not too much you can do with upgrading the manual transmission. However, that's not the case right now.


Tee_Tz.

tee_tz

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I sat in my seat thinking -- let me not roll backwards because this hill is steep and I have a manual. Maybe when I was a beginner (and alone in the car); that's for amateurs - and if you aren't comfortable with a manual then I can see the thought popping up.

When I took my driver's test guess what transmission I used? Yes, yes, manual! And it was pretty icey out and we got to a hill, and guess what - I passed in 1 try. I think the instructor's first thought seeing me driving a manual was "He knows what he's doing".


Tee_Tz.

MB-BOB

Please don't insinuate that I am uncomfortable driving a stick. I have nearly 30 years experience driving a stick, and I happen to know you have less than 1/4 that. My point was that driving a stick is not an instinctual activity. After driving my automatic daily for 5 years, a recent need to drive my daughter's manual was a refresher course in humility, as it would be for anyone.
Before the era of automatics, all drivers (you know, we old farts) had to pass the test with a manual. Good for you.
Prove it. The actuarial tables statistically prove younger drivers with "youthful" transmissions die by the droves. The proof is in your insurance bill. I gladly paid a premium to drive a 300ZX for 8 years with a manual... the same car with an automatic tranny carried a lower accident premium. There is a "statistical" reason for that.

newton22

I would think mileage in a manual depends entirely on driving style/habits. If you shift into 6th gear at 25 mph, then you're probably bound the get better mpg than auto.

Another misconception is, autos shift FASTER than manuals. However, a manual W203 with a decent driver will be faster than an identical W203 in auto. Autos simply are more inefficient in sending that crank power back, resulting in less power to the wheels. This is, however, not to be mistaken with very common misconception autos are slower shifters.

HLG600

I love the concept of an automatic with manual shift capabilities. Whenever I encounter a nice winding road or an open highway, I will play with my gears to maximize engine response. However, when stuck in early morning traffic, it is appreciated to be able to keep the car in Drive and focus on my music to ease the frustrations of gridlock.

Now, for those who claim autos are for poor drivers...you need to take a ride with me, for I will gladly show you just what my slushbox is capable of.

And, if you are a true enthusiast (albeit the word true has elastic tendencies), you will recognize that paddle-shifting is next generation of sports cars, enabling shift times reserved for trained professional drivers with years of experience.