No they work the exact same way. This thread is ridiculous and annoying. All the info is in the manual. PEOPLE STOP SPREAD MALINFORMATION. If you have an automatic you have 7 gears.

 

I have an M button beside my gear knob, when it is pressed, the paddle shift works at the specific gear I choose and will not change, but when it is not pressed, the paddle shifter works as regular auto trans, it goes below but not above.
So the difference is actually made by the M button, not the paddle shift :>

 

For my area most of the c class only have 5 gears, and now the new c classes do not offer in 7 speed anymore, they said its not needed :/
for all i know 7 > 5 :>

 

Well, more gears = more complexity, which means more things to potentially break and more money to fix. We all know how Germans like to over-engineer everything, and then charge you an arm and a leg for fixing it. I guess time will tell how the reliability is on these 7-speed boxes.

 

WRONG...throw it in M mode and it will still shift for you!

 

Actually, for some ROW and AMG cars, there is an "M" specific mode we do not get here in the US (except on AMG cars). This M mode will not shift into the next gear like C or S modes being maually shifted.

 

AAP is available in the US. I have the M button and paddle shifters and it still eventually shift for you. AAP became available as an option with 2010 models..Main reason I didn't pick up an 09...that and the new mirrors

 

Could be that if it's in "C" it starts in 2nd.

 

May have changed for 2010 but before then M does not up-shift, it will bounce off of the rev-limiter.

 

^^
What I experience too, the rev builds up but doesnt shift up for me and it bounces of the rev limited and kept giving me the ! sign
actually
the only time it shifts for me is when I come to a complete stop while I engage in higher gears
i dunno may be its different

 

Haven't tested it as I have only 600 miles. 2010 Manual reads that non AMG cars will still shift in M mode while AMG cars will not shift in M mode.

 

Another C & S question:

Is it OK to switch modes while the car is in Drive? I usually put it in Neutral just to be safe, but I always wondered...