c230K415

Hey guys I have the 4-speed Tiptronic option on my C230K Sedan...Well recently I picked up a bad habit...since I don't want to brake hard at certain times, like when people quick-brake in front of me, I tend to hold my shift knob to the left to downshift...then watch the RPM's (wait for them to hit a certain low rev) and downshift more to stop....I've made this into a habit now...just want an opinion...is this really unhealthy for the car's transmission/other parts or would this just be contributing to normal wear and tear?

drexappeal

I engine brake when I feel it's needed. It's been said that it's not good for the tranny, but I haven't had any problems since I first bought the car 3 years ago. I do suggest doing it in steps and getting familiar with the gear range for the transmission. If you're just holding the shifter to the left and you downshift all the way to 1st going 50mph, that's where it's definitely not good. Another good way to think about it is, which would you rather replace: Brake pads/rotors or Transmission? Answer is pretty simple because a transmission fix is 3-5X's more expensive.

btw...It's a 5 speed auto-transmission (not a 4 speed).

KIRA

maybe be for 05 tiptronic are 5 speed, cuz for my 02 coupe it go like this (1-2-3-4-D) or (D-4-3-2-1) there is no 5 although it say my car is 5 speed automatic. and one time i try downshift really quick the car stall really hard and i feel the front end hit the ground.

arthurlo

Engine braking will only be hard on the transmission, not the engine, because the forces due to engine braking can be easily handled by the engine.
By engine braking, you do tend to put stress on the transmission, and may be setting it up for earlier failure. However, unless you plan on keeping the car past 100K miles, engine braking probably won't cause a problem other than wearing out the transmission fluid faster.
That said, new brakes are cheaper than a new transmission.
And if you really wanted to use your engine to brake properly, go get yourself a stick shift and learn to double-clutch.

drexappeal

The D allows the car to go into 5th gear. 5th Gear is more of the cruising gear (even when most manuals were 5 speed).

kickR

I would only use it downhill or to jump out of the hole to pass someone. If you don't plan to keep it longer than warranty go for it, otherwise avoid all possible risk, because a transmission job can run you quite some $$$ if your warranty is expired.

outaurleague

lol just renewed my for another 4yr /75k @ 1300$ cant wait to trade up for a w204 - Soooooner or later. But yeah i would hate to replace a tranny on this thing. use your brakes dude, thats what ther're there for.

sanf

I down/up shift with the tiptronic daily in my 2000 W202 C230k since 2000. I traded my car in 3 weeks ago (100k miles) and the tranny was still going strong. I hear a lot of stories of how it's bad for the engine/tranny..but then again if it was so bad, why would they build one? I think it will be fine if you don't over abuse anything

kevblah

I've been browsing around google search results and I just wanted to make sure that I'm understanding this right. Let's say I start my car and immediately tiptronic it down to first gear and I don't touch the shifter for the duration of my ride. Does this make the ride more aggressive because it upshifts at higher rpm's? I just want to use the tiptronic to the full extent because I have it and it'd be a waste not to use it.

ScottW911

Putting the tiptronic into first and leaving it there is not a good idea. Your car will stay in first until you hit redline and then hold second until you redline and so on. Unless that is the type of "aggressive" you want, it will drive you crazy.

Using it to its fullest means shifting. I upshift and downshift as if it was a manual (without the clutch of course).

Personally, I hate it when I don't get the shift in before the computer has to do it for me. I picture the computer shaking its head at me, thinking I'm some sort of doofus that can't figure out how to drive.

kickR

Because it holds strong until the warranty is up and then you are forced to have it professionally replaced. Most people run to a mercedes dealer and they make big bucks. Of course it shouldnt happen, but honestly, all of us know how unrealiable mb's are today. I guess you might have been lucky and the fact that it was an older model made it just a tad more reliable than the w203's.

c230K415

Thanks for the opinions guys. I knew it was hard on the tranny and all (I learned how to drive a manual car about a year ago...drove a old '92 prelude around for about a couple months...pretty fun to drive a stick! much better experience!) I do have a good feel for the tranny though...I wouldn't jump into 1st going 50mph or anything that sort...but I mainly am around the 35-50 MPH speed range and if anything I go 3-2 then if necessary...1st gear.

I guess I will try to cut down on the habit...maybe just use it for downhill. Also, my brakes are starting to lose a little bite so I think i developed the downshifiting habit due to non-dependable brakes (or at least that's my excuse for the habit).

Thanks again for the opinions/thoughts guys.

c230K415

thanks for clearing up the whole 1-2-3-4-D thing Drex...I was always kind of mad thinking "WHAT THE HELL, THE STICKER SAID 5 GEAR AUTO TRANNY...WHERES THE 5?!"

drexappeal

Yeah, I can see how most people would get confused. What makes it easy is if you look at older auto tranny's. They usually have F-S-3-D or 1-2-3-D. Those are the older 4 gear transmissions.

kevblah

At about how many RPMs is it normally good to shift? Sorry if I sound like an idiot.

Harry Madan

its up to u to judge that, because the trip will auto shift as soon as u hit read line. u can shift before that when u feel is right.

what i do is when i'm not trying to take a quick launch or just cursing then i shift the car where its comfortable some where between 30-40,000 rmp and when i want to take off the line or race the guy next to me then i go as close to the read line as i need to, to be able to beat the car next to me. o ya i also down shift using the trip. most ppl that see me drive my car think its a standard. and they complement me on my shifting abilities.

the more u drive in the trip mode the more you will get use to it and you'll just mold ur driving to it, at start if u have never used a trip before then you will have some bad shifts where the care wil jerk but in time u'll get the hang of it. just stick to it. in time u will be able to get a rev in between the shifts and make ur car feel like a standard. and u will be able to chirp ur wheels in between shifts.

drexappeal

Had to merge these threads. Very similar in topic.

Rick

Actually, I got in the habit of downshifting in the E320....it seems to be ok after 74k miles....no issues with the trans at all

Moviela

Wait a second....none of you have a Tiptronic transmission. That is a registered trademark of Porsche AG. You'll are driving around with a "Touch Shift" transmission.

I have collected a list of push button automatics. I have been facinated with them since my dad's 1956 Dodge had the buttons on the dash.

Acura = SportShift

Aston Martin = Touchtronic

BMW = Steptronic

Chrysler / Dodge = AutoStick

Ferrari = ? (their's is a clutchless manual, not a shiftable auto)

Hyundai = Shiftronic

Land Rover = Manual Mode Shift ? (this is actually BMW's Steptronic that was developed prior to Ford's purchase)

Lincoln = Select Shift

Mercedes = Touch Shift

Nissan / Infiniti = ?

Toyota / Lexus = ? (Perhaps E-Shift)

Porsche = Tiptronic & Sport-o-matic

Volvo = Geartronic

VW / Audi = Tiptronic, licensed from Porsche AG (Audi CVT = Multitronic)

anthuny85

i have this habit as well, but i usually apply my brakes as i hold my shifter to the left and then let it downshift automatically 2 gears and usually stays in 2nd and then i jus have to tap the brake to stop the car. i really dont make the rpms climb over 3k between downshifts..so i cant imagine its doing harm.

kevblah

Good call, but I just usually call em all something similar or another just beause there are so many different names. I usually say something along the lines of ____tronic lol.

ScottW911

Geez, and I thought that F1 cars had high revving engines! That might make me curse also.

yeuchau

correct
and also i think the new ones are 7speed
so it's 1-2-3-4-5-6-D

JohnCL

If you are holding the shifter to the left it will not go to an unsafe gear, that is a design of the system. Holding picks the appropriate gear based on RPM's and speed. At 50mph if you hold your shifter to the left it will never go to first gear, try it.

c230K415

Yeah I also realized that...and I pretty much do what Anthuny85 does...I make sure when I downshift the next gear down would not go too high above 3000RPM. But then again...I'm trying to break this habit..I should use brakes more...so in 15,000 miles or so I have a reason to put in some Porterfield R4-S's haha.