Don't Get Caught Off Guard
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 418
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08 MB
Don't Get Caught Off Guard
I'm not an aggressive driver in the annoying way but I like to get up to the speed limit (a little over actually) in a timely manner. Especially when two lanes merge into one as people tend to drive very slow and barely do the speed limit even though they race you to the merge.
Anyways twice now my car has been a slight let down. Once with a Honda CRV and today against a Jeep Liberty. Keep in mind I am not setting up at the light like a 1/4 mile drag race but just taking off with a slight lead foot. As owners of this car you notice the transmission shifts through the first 3 gears fairly quickly(for gas mileage I assume). Well the two vehicles mentioned above are on the gas heavy as this happens and being me I'm thinking "really are your econo SUV's trying to race me". This is not an overly fast car but I hope to take slow econo SUV's. My car is stuck in a low rpm in 3rd gear and not downshifting. Both cars are hanging with me side by side until I finally get my rpms up which is right before the merge. It's a very disappointing feeling that this car needs the full length of the road before the merge to get in front of econo SUV's even if not in the "ideal" gear and power band.
This is my first German car and it really is built around the autobahn in Germany IMO. The car pulls pretty decently at high speeds on the freeway but my around town driving experience is lackluster at best. Combine the high gear ratio with 7 speed trans, underpowered motor, and life is boring between stop lights.
Yes I know there are better suited cars for my needs and I am in the process of looking.
Anyways twice now my car has been a slight let down. Once with a Honda CRV and today against a Jeep Liberty. Keep in mind I am not setting up at the light like a 1/4 mile drag race but just taking off with a slight lead foot. As owners of this car you notice the transmission shifts through the first 3 gears fairly quickly(for gas mileage I assume). Well the two vehicles mentioned above are on the gas heavy as this happens and being me I'm thinking "really are your econo SUV's trying to race me". This is not an overly fast car but I hope to take slow econo SUV's. My car is stuck in a low rpm in 3rd gear and not downshifting. Both cars are hanging with me side by side until I finally get my rpms up which is right before the merge. It's a very disappointing feeling that this car needs the full length of the road before the merge to get in front of econo SUV's even if not in the "ideal" gear and power band.
This is my first German car and it really is built around the autobahn in Germany IMO. The car pulls pretty decently at high speeds on the freeway but my around town driving experience is lackluster at best. Combine the high gear ratio with 7 speed trans, underpowered motor, and life is boring between stop lights.
Yes I know there are better suited cars for my needs and I am in the process of looking.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 846
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From: Tampa, FL
'14 CLA 45
I'm not an aggressive driver in the annoying way but I like to get up to the speed limit (a little over actually) in a timely manner. Especially when two lanes merge into one as people tend to drive very slow and barely do the speed limit even though they race you to the merge.
Anyways twice now my car has been a slight let down. Once with a Honda CRV and today against a Jeep Liberty. Keep in mind I am not setting up at the light like a 1/4 mile drag race but just taking off with a slight lead foot. As owners of this car you notice the transmission shifts through the first 3 gears fairly quickly(for gas mileage I assume). Well the two vehicles mentioned above are on the gas heavy as this happens and being me I'm thinking "really are your econo SUV's trying to race me". This is not an overly fast car but I hope to take slow econo SUV's. My car is stuck in a low rpm in 3rd gear and not downshifting. Both cars are hanging with me side by side until I finally get my rpms up which is right before the merge. It's a very disappointing feeling that this car needs the full length of the road before the merge to get in front of econo SUV's even if not in the "ideal" gear and power band.
This is my first German car and it really is built around the autobahn in Germany IMO. The car pulls pretty decently at high speeds on the freeway but my around town driving experience is lackluster at best. Combine the high gear ratio with 7 speed trans, underpowered motor, and life is boring between stop lights.
Yes I know there are better suited cars for my needs and I am in the process of looking.
Anyways twice now my car has been a slight let down. Once with a Honda CRV and today against a Jeep Liberty. Keep in mind I am not setting up at the light like a 1/4 mile drag race but just taking off with a slight lead foot. As owners of this car you notice the transmission shifts through the first 3 gears fairly quickly(for gas mileage I assume). Well the two vehicles mentioned above are on the gas heavy as this happens and being me I'm thinking "really are your econo SUV's trying to race me". This is not an overly fast car but I hope to take slow econo SUV's. My car is stuck in a low rpm in 3rd gear and not downshifting. Both cars are hanging with me side by side until I finally get my rpms up which is right before the merge. It's a very disappointing feeling that this car needs the full length of the road before the merge to get in front of econo SUV's even if not in the "ideal" gear and power band.
This is my first German car and it really is built around the autobahn in Germany IMO. The car pulls pretty decently at high speeds on the freeway but my around town driving experience is lackluster at best. Combine the high gear ratio with 7 speed trans, underpowered motor, and life is boring between stop lights.
Yes I know there are better suited cars for my needs and I am in the process of looking.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,113
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
The two particular vehicles compared to also make this seem worse. Honda is second to no one at getting out weight, which is the biggest issue with performance, especially off the line. Then, who more than Jeep goes after low end torque? They are prepared to pull a tree stump! But, in the proper gear, mid-range or higher, you will win, although my experience with a rwd manual is a bit different than those of you who carry around weighty, performance-reducing automatics and 4MATIC.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 28
From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
I have only owned one "modern" auto trans and, due to my usually relaxed driving style, I really hated how it learned to shift into the higher gears so quickly. Most of the time, with full or 1/2 throttle application, she would kick down and move out....but, every now and then she would leave my a$$ hanging out to dry.
No longer a worry for me since now I simply have to depress the clutch and choose whatever gear needed to "get er done"
No longer a worry for me since now I simply have to depress the clutch and choose whatever gear needed to "get er done"
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
W204, W220, S15 Silvia
the gear changes was designed for a smooth ride, if you want to be better at what u did, switch to sport mode so ur tranny engage at lower speed and shifts at higher rpm, ur car should be reasonably quicker than a lot of other crappy cars out there
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 418
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08 MB
I just took off as I normally do until I notice both these vehicles are heavy on the gas and trying to beat me to the merge. At that point it's too late to start downshifting this auto trans and yet the car doesn't have enough guts to pull in front of these SUV's for quite some time. I expect to not have econo SUV's give me a good run not matter if I'm in full auto or not.
Sportstick, you have understood my frustration for a second time now.
I used to own a Supertcharged Xterra with a few mods back in the day and it was great having low truck gears and torque around town. The highway was another story.i_am_amused, yes and that's why I am going back to a powerful V-8 now that I don't have a long commute anymore.
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From: eNyCe
Steel Grey Metallic C63!!
You should just leave your tranny in S mode instead of C if speed is what you're after. :p It's interesting how you have these noise and speed issues with your car. Do you have the 350? I don't have any issues with the noise cuz I came from an S2k and the merger speed is more then adequate. It's no speed rocket by all means, but I dont' have any issues with getting ahead of CRV's and Liberty's. Maybe you should take it back for a TCU upgrade.
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
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From: So-Cal
c350
You should just leave your tranny in S mode instead of C if speed is what you're after. :p It's interesting how you have these noise and speed issues with your car. Do you have the 350? I don't have any issues with the noise cuz I came from an S2k and the merger speed is more then adequate. It's no speed rocket by all means, but I dont' have any issues with getting ahead of CRV's and Liberty's. Maybe you should take it back for a TCU upgrade.
