C-Class (W204) 2008 - 2014: C180K, C200K, C230, C280, C300, C350, C200CDI, C220CDI, C320CDI
View Poll Results: What Will Your Next Car Be?
My next car will be a stick, Mercedes Benz or not.
16
51.61%
My next car will be a Mercedes, even if automatic transmission.
15
48.39%
Voters: 31. You may not vote on this poll

Proud of Our Sticks!!

Old Sep 26, 2011 | 04:49 PM
  #1  
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Another round of ICE
Proud of Our Sticks!!

Another post suggested trying to count up how many of us have manual trans. Just post a brief statement on your thoughts on your next purchase and take the poll. If this turns out well, we can send the link to a contact at MBUSA. Please only vote if you currently have a manual transmission. I'd like to see about 75 responses for a reasonable margin of error. Thanks!


My next car will be another manual transmission. When I'm too old for a stick, I'll be too old to drive! It would be great to stay with MB and my excellent dealer, if they have a car to sell to me, but I am ready to check out BMW again.

Last edited by Sportstick; Sep 26, 2011 at 04:59 PM.
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Old Sep 26, 2011 | 05:27 PM
  #2  
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2008 C300 Sport 6MT X-Pipe
Originally Posted by Sportstick
Another post suggested trying to count up how many of us have manual trans. Just post a brief statement on your thoughts on your next purchase and take the poll. If this turns out well, we can send the link to a contact at MBUSA. Please only vote if you currently have a manual transmission. I'd like to see about 75 responses for a reasonable margin of error.


My next car will be another manual transmission. When I'm too old for a stick, I'll be too old to drive! It would be great to stay with MB and my excellent dealer, if they have a car to sell to me, but I am ready to check out BMW again.
I'm really sad that MB won't offer the C-Class with a manual transmission anymore. I've owned the W203 C230 Sport sedan (manual) and currently drive the W204 (manual). I would have LOVED the chance to have a coupe with a 6 speed. I may have even considerd a purchase in the spring with the interest rates being so low right now.

I'm just not feeling the BMWs for some reason, the interior is a big turn off to me. Audi is okay but I'm just not convinced I want one. When I purchased my W203 years ago I was shopping it against the Jaguar X-Type Manual. X-Type was okay, but I could see myself getting bored quickly.

My two favorite cars I've owned were my 1994 SAAB 900T and my 1999 SAAB 9-5 Aero. AWESOME CARS with lots and lots of character! I've been praying SAAB would find their way out of the toilet so they would be top on the list for my next car.

I still love my 2008 C Class just as much as the day I bought it. It's in perfect condition with 41000 miles and I plan on keeping it for another five years. I wonder what options for manual transmission cars will be available then? It doesn’t look too good.

Best of luck with your quest!

Joe
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Old Sep 26, 2011 | 05:51 PM
  #3  
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'08 C300 4Matic Sport, '02 530i
My current car is a stick (530i). My next car will most likely be a stick as well. I haven't decided what it'll be yet... 550i, S4 Avant, not sure...
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 09:28 AM
  #4  
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W204 2010 C300 Sport/6M
You are welcome for the idea. I like have a manual MB for a couple of reasons. One, there aren't very many ani get a lot if crazy looks when people figure out I'm actually shifting. Two, I have owned a manual for a very long time. I had a BMW Z4 with the Steptronic before my C300 and it was fun but less involved. I am looking at a CPO 911 S or Cayman S, Z4 ///M, or TTS. I really wish this shifter weren't so sloppy. Solid bushings, shorter throw, and a nice heavy machined knob would make the car just way more fun to drive.
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 09:33 AM
  #5  
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W204 Color: 090 / 1999 Honda Civic EX / 2003 Acura TL
I love my 6 spd hands down =P
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 10:25 AM
  #6  
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C300 Sport 6MT
Originally Posted by Spec_Davis
I love my 6 spd hands down =P
^^ Ditto what he said!
Have only owned manuals as my DD and will continue to do so, MB or not...
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 10:37 AM
  #7  
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2015 Carrara White Metallic Porsche Cayman
Mine's a 6speed but I don't know that my next car will be. I'm debating a move to LA and in that traffic, ehh. Plus I love MBs.
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 03:13 PM
  #8  
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C 300
'09 C-300 MT currently, will always (for as long as somebody offers it) drive a stick. Auto trans = go, stop, go, stop, go, stop. MT = shift, feather clutch, accelerate, grab next gear, use engine drag as slight braking force, floor it (in other words, INPUT, DRIVING, INTEREST, AND....NOT SITTING ON A BUS!) : )
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 03:20 PM
  #9  
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Another round of ICE
Originally Posted by Distalero
'09 C-300 MT currently, will always (for as long as somebody offers it) drive a stick. Auto trans = go, stop, go, stop, go, stop. MT = shift, feather clutch, accelerate, grab next gear, use engine drag as slight braking force, floor it (in other words, INPUT, DRIVING, INTEREST, AND....NOT SITTING ON A BUS!) : )
That's a great post! Well said!
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Old Sep 27, 2011 | 05:35 PM
  #10  
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2009 C350
For my next car I'm considering something along the lines of a GTI or maybe a used Infiniti. Debating whether I should go JDM or stay in the German market. Definitely looking into getting a nice 6MT though.







(So why hasn't anyone made an innuendo yet?)
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Old Sep 28, 2011 | 09:47 PM
  #11  
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2011 C300 Sport
I decided to get the 2011 over the 2012 only because of the stick. My next car will be a stick so that means no Benz - most likely Bimmer.
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 12:05 AM
  #12  
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2009 C300 Sport 6MT
I may try Double Clutch Transmission next time.
Manual transmission in C is just ok, not as good as those in my BMW and Miata ...

Last edited by hmc; Sep 29, 2011 at 12:08 AM.
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 12:28 AM
  #13  
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From: five oh two
2008 W204 Sport
My 6 spd in my Porsche GT3RS feels like no other!





































































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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 10:28 AM
  #14  
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Another round of ICE
Originally Posted by hmc
I may try Double Clutch Transmission next time.
Manual transmission in C is just ok, not as good as those in my BMW and Miata ...
FYI....I think you mean "Dual Clutch". Double Clutch is a process of shifting into neutral land revving the engine between gears when downshifting to take the load off the synchronizers. There is nothing very entertaining about a DCT...it's just another engineering approach to an automatic, although done well, it is extremely smooth and slick.

Agree that MB stick is not quite up to those you mention and others for slickness. The rest of the car is so good, it's just one of those compromises....great car with "ok" stick still wins the equation over automatic!
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 01:10 PM
  #15  
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'08 C300 4Matic Sport, '02 530i
Originally Posted by Sportstick
There is nothing very entertaining about a DCT...it's just another engineering approach to an automatic,
Having driven a GTI with this type of transmission, I'd agree. I wasn't all that impressed. Maybe with a more powerful engine it would have been more fun. But then again, a manual trans with a more powerful engine would have been even more fun.
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 01:33 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Sportstick
FYI....I think you mean "Dual Clutch".
Yes. I meant that. It doesn't have torque converter, right? That's what I hate about auto transmission.

Last edited by hmc; Sep 29, 2011 at 01:36 PM.
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 02:31 PM
  #17  
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2008 C350 Sport
Does anyone know of the actual reason they only put the MT in the 300's and not the 350's? It would almost make more sense the other way around as those looking for perfromance would most likely prefer the MT in combo with the additional HP (I would), and those thinking lux would probably take the MPG and comfort of the lower HP and auto....??
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 02:45 PM
  #18  
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Another round of ICE
Originally Posted by Scat01
Does anyone know of the actual reason they only put the MT in the 300's and not the 350's? It would almost make more sense the other way around as those looking for perfromance would most likely prefer the MT in combo with the additional HP (I would), and those thinking lux would probably take the MPG and comfort of the lower HP and auto....??
As an ex-product planner, my guess is that this was not customer-driven. The pre-2012 manual transmission allowed MB an advertiseable price point about $1000 lower than if automatic were standard. On their entry-level car, they likely wished only a few units to be built and shipped to substantiate the advertising, particularly as the piece cost of a manual is higher than that of an automatic, the reverse of how it is priced in the marketplace. With B Class coming, C will no longer be the entry vehicle, so they probably felt some price pressure relief, contributing to the decision to drop the manual and it's 3-5% take rate. They can make up the relative position by pricing a 4 cylinder C250 vs. the current generation 3 series, which will not have a 4 of their own until 2013MY. I haven't compared the actual numbers lately, but MB may have traded off the price of the automatic for the reduced value of the engine size. What happens once both have 4 cylinder base models, but BMW has a stick and MB an automatic we will need to see. MB may or may not keep a price differential, depending on their marketing strategy.
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Old Sep 29, 2011 | 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Scat01
Does anyone know of the actual reason they only put the MT in the 300's and not the 350's? It would almost make more sense the other way around as those looking for perfromance would most likely prefer the MT in combo with the additional HP (I would), and those thinking lux would probably take the MPG and comfort of the lower HP and auto....??
I suspect its due to technical reasons. This particular transmission may not be able to handle the torque from C350.
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