in that case, just get the c350 if its in good condition, you might as well start at a better base if your going to mod for NA.

 

Ehhhh.. I had a 2003 C230 coupe in Auto, and replaced with the exact same in manual. And honestly if something happens to this one I'll get the auto again.

Glyn M Ruck is right about second gear getting pissy with spirited driving. Love bouncing it off the rev limiter cause it didn't actually slide into second. Only gear I have that problem with.

 

I'm sorry but I gotta get in here and stand up for the 6MT. I dont have a ton of experience driving a lot of cars, but I love the 6MT in my 230. My car has 110,000km on it and the clutch still feels great.

As for the comments of "pressing a hydraulic assisted clutch", that shouldnt matter. The idea of driving a manual is about having control over the car, choosing when to shift to suit your driving conditions, and the 6MT does just that.

No matter how refined Mercedes has managed to make their auto transmissions, nothing beats the feel of a manual. I do understand that the 6MT might not be robust enough for the more powerful 350, so maybe that makes a difference. Its well suited for the 230 though.

 

Glad to see someone else who understands. Glyn, would you agree that the 6MT on the W203 is better than a 5MT on a 1996 Nissan hardbody pick-up? Because I drive one of those regularly and even it is more entertaining than this stupid automatic in the C230. I'm glad it will last forever but honestly it is begging for a manual.

If you know how to properly drive a manual transmission you should get great life from it. Scottisha on this board has over 200k miles on his 05 C230K 6MT and is on the original clutch. I think he would disagree with any of you who imply the 6MT is fragile.

If you're going to get an automatic, I agree with the C55. It's just a lot more car. He who hot rods a used Mustang GT is likely of a different mind-set than a C55 owner - a C55 will likely have been well loved and well cared for. It's a solid car.

I think I might replace my C230K with a 2008 Acura TL-S 6MT in the next few years. FWD is not ideal but damn it's a sweet package otherwise.

 

Matt - The Honda MT is a dream compared with the Benz. In fact all Japanese MT's have it licked. Toyota's MT's are also great & switch like & they are cable operated.

cp intends increasing engine power on this car. The Benz MT even if you can tolerate just how bad it is just won't take the power & the 2nd gear synchro is a deal breaker for me.

I also used to be a complete MT fan especially after 7 Alfa's. Their old front mounted 5 speed will go down in history as one of the MT greats with a Fichtel & Sachs clutch. Scottisha's car is a red herring. We don't know how he drives or how it drives at 200K - The fact that it is on an original clutch tells me he drives with care at least.

When driving hard I use my 722.6 just like an MT - no steering wheel paddles & crap - Just flick the lever left & right. She holds gears to the red line & the TC is locked so I'm happy. The car runs against compression on trailing throttle. You have full control.

I'm not sure I would like to do the same thing with a 7G unless it had the the AMG software loaded. Ever seen the Top Gear episode with Mika Hakkinen driving a C63 & showing James May how to handle a car on dirt & drift properly in Finland. Now that's what I call control & it was all done with a standard C63 with an AMG profiled 7G. Imagine an F1 driver messing around with a standard clutch & MT.

I was driving a friends pristine but ugly Z4 the other day. It is manual & I decided it was another vehicle that would be better off with a good auto.

I don't live in the past - Alfa 5 speed vs. an American slush box with no TC lockup - no contest. But a modern decent auto like Benz every time for me.

 

to OP...if your current car has more options just find a way to swap the parts with the C350 you are looking at.

W203 C350 are hard to come by not to mention one with manual.

as for all the saying of "nothing beats the driving experience of a manual" ...agreed, but when it comes to Mercedes-Benz (who is probably one of the only manufacturer still build their own manual gearbox) there is no question the automatic is better.

 

What year is your car and the mileage? IMO after joing this forum if you are inclined to doing stuff to your car the C230 sport or the C350 sport is the only w203 worth buying IMO.

 

Oh I know that Honda has fantastic manuals. I would never think the Benz 6MT could come close to the 6MT found in cars like the Civic Si, S2000, and TL-S.

The 722.6 manual mode for me is purely frustrating. It is an extremely poor substitute for the real thing. I use it sometimes to hold a gear on long downhill runs but other than that I leave it alone. There's too much delay and sometimes the shifts are rough with that mode. I hate it.

I wonder if the Z4 has the same manual gearbox as the 135i... if that's your idea of a bad one then your expectations are far, far higher than mine in that regard. I find the 6MT in the 135i to be extremely good and would never, never, never consider it with an automatic, even the DCT. There were no 6MT 135i with the sport/premium combination in the Atlanta area back then. Made them ship one from NC, paid cost out of pocket up front.

 

The only DCT that I have direct experience of is in a Porsche - Now that is really magic.

There should be zero delay on the 722.6 - you are switching electrically. There should be no roughness as long as you don't yo-yo the throttle while changing. Service your box. There are no ways you could change a manual any quicker - especially a Benz manual.

I've only driven the 135i as an auto. Great little car but made for midgets. I simply don't fit in the thing. No good for a large 6 footer.

 

Honda S2000 handsdown one of the best gearboxes ever. The F22c in the update Ap2 has different ratio's and shifting it 7k the shifter just flows into the gates. Notice what I drive now. Since im selling the BMW I have a EM1 civic in order. Even the 6mt in the G35 rev-up is like butter. I won't lie the 6mt in the 335i is amazing too, I think it's manufactured by Getrag.

 

Wrong, my C280 just did the 50k service and when in manual mode shifts are rough and slow. I hit the shifter to the left and it's like the transmission has to think about shifting. It is very slow. Compared to how I can row through the trans in my friend's civic its day and night. Even the drive by wire responses are quite slow.

EDIT: Do you mean take your foot off the gas while doing it? It's a auto.

 

to continue the thread hijack, why are you only shifting the ap2 to only 7k? isn't the redline around 8200rpm?

 

Normal driving theres no need for that. If I would be driving the s2000 hard it would be foot to the floor and working the clutch. Also anyone here with a w203 ever been able to chirp the tires while shifting?

 

Agreed. My cars shifts have been rough and slow in manual mode since I bought it @ 25,000 miles. And that is with consistent pressure on the throttle. Manual mode blows in this car. It was much better in the G37 with rev-matched downshifts but still a very poor substitute for the real thing. Alcohol-free beer, fat free ice cream, masturbation, V6 Mustangs (except 2011), BMW 28i cars, and manual-mode automatics - ALL **** poor substitutes for the real thing.

 

If the shift is slow then something is wrong. Reflash the software. The change should be instantaneous & not rough. Do you have a 5 speed or 7 speed?

Keep your foot down hard - don't try & predict the change by backing off the throttle.

The Honda S2000 has a great MT.

 

Karo Hell, he broke an engine mount!

 

I dont think the shifts are suppose to be like lightning quick. I have the 5 Speed and when I use the manual mode the throttle is usually pinned to the floor. I mash the throttle so hard, I worry that one day I will intentionally cause it to stick.

 

Well you go and buy yourself a C350 6MT - which is what this thread is about & you can have the misery!

Sounds as though your car does not run as well as you sometimes suggest it does.

 

You are switching a solenoid valve in the electrohydraulic unit which unlocks one clutch pack & locks the next. Maybe American cars have a different 722.6 software flash to ours. There are about 30 different versions.

 

Ahahaha rofl.

 

In automatic mode (it is, after all, and automatic) the shifts are never rough or slow. I concede that the transmission fluid does need to be changed regardless but as for weird shift characteristics there are none until I mess with manual mode. Obviously I am not alone in this - OneOfAKind has the 722.6 since he has 4Matic. That said I don't find this to be a disappointment - I have very low expectations for manual mode in automatic cars. I've driven bunches of cars with this feature and none are any good though the Benz is one of the worst. But on a day-to-day basis it presents no problem so I think I've been quite honest in describing my car in various places on this forum.

 

i've driven the tiptronic shift on both a lexus and acura. The mercedes one is a lot more quicker. I would it shifts within a second with the amg models. Even that from a acceleration stand point, the car accelerates more quickly if you just put it to d1 and just gas it and let the ecu shift.

The down shifts are pretty instant as well. The c55 will let you hang in a lower gear like a rear manual in cornering.

I think the feel of not physically pushing in the clutch and jamming the shifter really quick gives off the feeling that its slow. Yes a electronic shift does take away from the fun of shifting, I know the amg transmisison shifts I would say faster or as fast a good manual driver can.

 

In the AMG with the Speedshift programming I would expect it is better.

 

point taken..lol.

 

I see. To answer your question. I do all the time. 1st gear through top of 2nd gear...., even with michelin ps2's in the rear.