Comfort/sport mode makes no sense, from a fuel efficiency standpoint.
 

A thread from the S class forum got me thinking about this - devil's in the details here, so pls refrain from skimming and commenting :-)

It is a pretty fundamental understanding that the more gears you have for a transmission the better the fuel economy is. This makes sense - anyone who has ever ridden a bike will know that the more gears you have = the easier it is for you to get started, and once you get going, the more gears you have = the less hard you have to work. It is also a generally accepted understanding that a 9 speed gearbox is more fuel efficient than a 4 speed gearbox, but probably less efficient than a CVT which has 1400+ settings.

Anyways, why then, is it also accepted that using Comfort mode on all MB sedans, such as the W204 is the more fuel efficient of the two (versus sport mode)? In C mode, you're starting off with second gear, thus bypassing first gear altogether. It would appear to me that starting off in first gear is more fuel efficient. That said, I do understand that Sport mode holds gears longer, and thus causes a drop in fuel mileage, but why didn't MB start off C mode in first gear, and continue to have it do what it does now, which is to upshift as early as possible?

Either the German engineers are idiots, or I am, and it's most likely the latter, but I still don't get this.

For comfort, I guess, as the name suggests.

Given that argument then, what you're suggesting is that if the vehicle starts off in gear 2, as opposed to gear 1, in comfort mode, that the ride would be more comfortable. Yeah, I don't buy that. The shift from gear 1->2 is one of the smoothest shifts in our cars, so that doesn't make sense either.

...not sure about the fuel efficiency standpoint, but from a comfort standpoint, this holds true. The W204 is not the only one I know that does this. For example, you can start a modern day Corvette in 4th since it has enough torque to get your going. It simply provides a smoother start (assuming the car in question has enough low end torque to do this). You'll also spin the tires less if driven on wet/icy roads.

As for the bike analogy (I'm a recreational cycler as well), no one starts in 1st (aka the granny gear).

First gear is pretty crap in our cars for normal driving unless you're going to race or push it at stoplights.

It does that little rpm flourish thing and shifts at like 5mph or something, so I'm sure the action of shifting itself is less fuel efficient than starting at lower rpm's in second gear.

Man, this is why I, proverbially, love you guys. Answering my question using an analogy I used. Love it!

That said, it seems to me this first gear is pretty useless then. Not sure why MB even bothered with the first gear, because as was pointed out upthread, other carmakers actually use their first gear. wtf was MB thinking?

7 is a lucky number

1st is still used if you need to accelerate out of the hole, and is used if you want to produce the lowest 0-60 time. I personally go in sports mode (utilizing 1st gear) when I'm in stop and go traffic, and need to merge into a clear lane from a dead stop. It's also useful when doing autocross or when you want to drive like a jackass. :D

Haha, my car hasn't seen comfort mode in months..You really have to come to a full stop for it to go to 1st anyways and once you stop I prefer a faster take off and love how fast it shifts 1st to 2nd.

C Comfort mode started as W Winter mode with Mercedes. You would use W mode in snow or ice to reduce the torque and hence reduce wheel spin and tire wear. Then in 2005 I believe, they renamed it to Comfort.

I do use Comfort mode a lot for --comfort, not because the shift from 1 to 2 is not smooth, but because I would need to worry less about throttle finesse especially when pulling in and out of tight parking spaces and where precision is needed.

Quite the opposite, 1 -> 2 is the only rough shift out of all other shifts between gears. If you drive around and you want comfort, why would you need the 1st gear? If you step on the gas, of course you will go through 1st gear even in Comfort mode.

Why would it be useless? If you decide to start quickly, you will need 1st gear. Aren't we discussing Comfort mode? If you are driving on Comfort mode, I guess you want to feel comfortable. I do not get your point at all.

or trying to take off uphill from a standstill. You'll need the 1st gear then.

I'd like to change gears here a bit and hear what folks think is the reason for having 2 reverse ratio gears ?

I tell my friends it's handy if you're ever running from the cops in reverse.

Clearly you've never done a reverse drag race...

My C250 coupe has two transmission setting "E" for economy and 'S' for sport.................the default is E (you need to push S to get a 1st gear start).

The E setting got my attention early (a 440 mile round trip to Carmel which calc'd out at just under 35 MPG. Made my day/weekend).

Nice car.



ez

Also if I remember correctly, sport doesn't use 7th gear.

Wait, seriously?! Well I can try this tomorrow on a road trip but I'm genuinely surprised if this is the case.

No that's not true, Im in sport by default and do a lot of highway, definitely goes into 7th gear at around 116-118km/h.

Idk maybe another false rumor I remember.

I'll try later.

I wouldn't say I necesarrily confirmed this, however I went 160km/h off the ramp so I'm sure I'd had to have used 7th gear lol.

lool, well I can confirm because when I do long trips I'm always at 118-120km/h since it shifts into 7th gear right at about 116km/h, thats how I get the best mpg, got it as low at 8.0L/100km

The fuel consumption of my C250 is so low that I don't think it matters much which setting is used. The fact that the car will select 1st gear automatically if the throttle is pushed briskly from a standing start makes it sensible for my driving style to leave it in "C" all the time. First gear on my 722.9 transmission is 13.49:1 and so first would be used only up to 2-3 MPH in most cases. Even with 2nd gear starts, the gearing makes me first away from the suburban traffic signals most of the time anyway.

I had a 2003 E320 and the "C" was "W" as noted by xsever. Somewhere between there and 2013 that change was made. That earlier car also had the 2 reverse gears (722.6 5 speed transmission). i believe the owner's manual said it was for backing on icy roads in winter just like the starting in second, because it selected the higher of the two reverse gears in "W."

Compared to the E320, the C250 is like a rocket powered skate board (lighter car, same torque at lower engine speed, and better gearing), so either selection is better than the 5 speed.

"That earlier car also had the 2 reverse gears (722.6 5 speed transmission). i believe the owner's manual said it was for backing on icy roads in winter just like the starting in second, because it selected the higher of the two reverse gears in "W."

Interesting explanation for my W204's reverse gears..would apply if in "C" mode only then I suppose or not?