430752

Okay, lets see if you know what I know. I was told that the car (any c-class with an auto tranny) had a seven speed tranny. I read that the car has a seven speed tranny. I heard that the car has a seven speed tranny. But now I'm not so sure it has a seven speed tranny.

I've been fooling around with the manumatic function on the auto, have been off and on for a month now once out of the break in period, but never paid close attention until today, plus don't do that much highway travel (or in Jersey, highway travel that ain't bumper to bumper). Anyway, start in first, click right for second, then third as I hit the highway ramp, then fourth once build speed, click right for fifth once merged and want to merge to the left lanes, click right again to 6th when at or near cruise speed, click right once more once comfortable......and no 7th?

Not sure whether a 7th gear since the readout on the dash speedo shows D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6...as you go through gears...but once you try to go past D6 it merely goes into "D", not D7, but D. So, can't tell on visuals alone. So, I keep an eye on the tach and the revs do not lower (as far as I can see) when go from D6 to what should b D7. You would think a switch from 6thto 7th would be accompanied by a drop in revs of 400-500, no?

So, either I'm blind or it doesn't have a 7th gear. Which I always thought was odd to have 7 in a not so fast car, but also thought was cool. Now, I know that 6 forward gears and 1 rear gear make 7 total, but no one lists their tranny as 7 gears when only 6 forward.

So, someone try it out for me and let us know if I'm wrong or if Mercedes is bs'ing us with a "7 speed" tranny. In which case I gotta seriously question the integrity of mercedes for ever. and then some.

Rick Hunter

Best to keep your eyes on the road.

Gear ratios:
1st gear i = 4.377
2nd gear i = 2.859
3rd gear i = 1.921
4th gear i = 1.368
5th gear i = 1.000
6th gear i = 0.820
7th gear i = 0.728
1st reverse gear i = 3.416
2nd reverse gear i = 2.231

Too many overdrive gears, regardless of fuel saving potential. I never heard of 2 reverse gears until I got into this car.

mac911

I think it does have a 7th gear that it can go to, when you are in "D."

When you are in D, if you shift to the left and it goes to "6," then you were in 7th. If you are in "D," and you shift to the left and it goes immediately to "5," then you were in sixth.

It is 7 speed.

The shift control is more of limiting the gears, to a range, so when you are in D, it can use all 7. When you are in 6, it can use the first 6, etc.

micropower99

I heard the "D" is in fact the 7th gear. I heard from different sources as well that in tip mode it is only good for 6 gears but in full automatic mode it will use the 7th. Plus there is two gears for reverse not one.

Regards,

Daniel

tanktube67

7

e1000

as mentioned earlier, you have a total of 9 gears, 7 forward, 2 reverse. "D" is in fact 7. You won't see a large drop in RPM's because 6 and 7 are both quite tall and aren't very far apart. The car will only be in 7th gear when traveling quite fast so next time try testing this on a highway, maybe at 60mph+ and you will see a small drop in RPM's from 6th to D.

MBTex

Yep, 7 gears.

The manual shifting isn't a true manual tranny and it doesn't put you into a particular gear like a manual tranny would. It simply sets the highest gear that the auto tranny will shift into (unless are about to exceed the max rpm's in which case the car will shift up). So, D1-6 simply means that the car will drive in auto mode up to the stated gear. D means that it will drive in auto mode using all gears. Since 7 is the highest gear that means it is simply in Drive mode and is not restricted. It wouldn't make sense to have a D7 since it is the same as D.

Some european models may have a true manual option, but I think you will need to buy the AMG to have that manual option in the US.

kimyoung_k

7th gear activates at higher speed like 55+ MPH.

D1 = up to 1st gear;
D2 = up to 2nd gear;
D3 = up to 3rd gear;
D4 = up to 4th gear;
D5 = up to 5th gear;
D6 = up to 6th gear;
D = up to 7th gear;

To prove that D can shift up to 7th gear, while driving in D at 60MPH, step down the gear to D6, and watch if RPM goes up. That should prove the 7th gear at D.
Don't forget that in "C" mode, the car always starts at 2nd gear. So, you only have 6 gear to play with


One more thing, 2008 C Class being sold in South Korea only has 5 speed Automatic Tranny. Not even an option for 7 speed Auto.

oblu

Well, you've got 7; but nobody's mentioned that the 7sp auto is an option on the 300. It is possible to have only a 6sp auto (or is it 5spd standard?).

It would've been cool if they'd only had one overdrive gear and packed the lower gears tighter.

MBTex

I believe it is a 6spd manual tranny in the US with an optional 7spd auto in the 300 Sport (Standard in the 300 Lux)

oblu

Just checked, you are correct.

Tangent: I hate websites that load everything in pop up windows.

MBTex

I wonder which website you are referring to?? It pains me everytime I need to look something up on that one as well....

Jorg

kimyoung describes it correctly. When I am on the freeway and manually switch from D to D6 the RPMs go up, so D is the seventh gear.

Jorg

Rick Hunter

...or if you put an AMG sticker on your ride, right?
Haha just joking.

MBTex

Oh yeah...AMG badge solves everything, it's like Duct Tape!

Addition: Should go without saying, but I was also joking for those that might take offense and start telling everyone to grow up. Don't want to do that...

AsianML

Tiptronic with the previous 5-speed transmission works the same too. You can only see 1.2.3.4.D. You don't see 5 on the dash readout. Don't worry, you do have 7th gear, it's just that 6th and 7th are really tall and far apart as mentioned earlier and you need to go fairly fast (highway speeds) in order to see the RPM drop a bit.

RLE

<<ell, you've got 7; but nobody's mentioned that the 7sp auto is an option on the 300.>>

Optional on the Sport, standard on the Luxury.

<<It is possible to have only a 6sp auto (or is it 5spd standard?).>>

No, and no. How can you not know this after all this time? And all those posts on the same subject.

oblu

Already corrected above. Thanks.