TModelle

How?

AMGiggity

I'm glad my 2018 doesn't do this. There is no reason to start in 1st unless you are in S+, just too herky jerky. I think manufacturers in general are starting to make cheap modifications to make cars overly sporty. E92 starts in 2nd gear even though it is only 6AT but F30 starts in 1st gear even though it 8AT, also really jerky.

superswiss

I've never owned a car with an AT that starts in 2nd gear, especially a performance car and the only one I have driven that did that was a 2018 C63S and I found it very strange. I've driven lots of cars from different manufactures with dual clutch transmissions etc. VW, Audi, you name it. None of them started in 2nd gear in any mode. I've also driven and owned cars with manual transmissions for more than 15 years and I never started off in 2nd gear, except in the snow to get unstuck. I remember being in cars that had a 2nd gear start option for the same reason. Only meant to be used when stuck in the snow. I'm aware that this has been a feature of pure luxury cars that have less ambition to be sporty. I suppose it's something that car manufactures could add, as long as it's optional. I really didn't like that the 2018 C63S forced a 2nd gear start in Comfort. I don't wanna have to drive in S or S+ to avoid that, because those modes make other adjustments to the car and are less comfortable. I think for non AMG models, a 2nd gear start makes a lot of sense, but not for AMGs. I suppose we can debate the 43 series of AMG as to whether it should be an AMG. I think what's happening is that AMG is just making the C43 more of an AMG than it was before when it largely just got rebadged from C450 to C43.

TModelle

I’ve been driving Porsche for twenty years and all of their automatic transmissioned cars start in 2nd, so there is no such rule that performance cars with automatic transmissions should start in 1st. Coupled with the fact that all C43/C450/etc. prior to 2019 started in 2nd. I am of the view that if it’s an automatic transmission it should start in 2nd unless in Sport or higher modes, regardless of the type of car and especially if the 1st gear ratio is extremely short.

superswiss

I'm not too familiar with Porsche. Never interested me much, but which models? I don't believe this is true for the modern Boxter, Cayman and 911. I know the Panamera for example does that and I think all their SUVs. Two schools of thought here I guess. I can see how it could make sense for the C43 as it is the middle child between the C300 and the C63, just like it's still using a torque converter whereas the C63 has a wet start-up clutch.

superswiss

BTW, I also wanted to dispel this idea of a short 1st gear being an issue. The 2019 C43 and C63 have the same 1st gear ratio. The C43 has a slightly higher final drive ratio, so the effective ratio in first gear is slightly higher than in the C63. The C43 not factoring in any losses puts about 6307 lbs of torque to the wheels in first gear at peak engine torque and the C63S 7785 lbs. Short gears and high torque can be a hand full, but if that were the issue, the C63S would be even harder to move off, but I'm not seeing folks having issues with bunny hopping and such in the C63S. I certainly don't. I don't find the first gear to be too short for comfortably moving off. Now AWD vs 2WD certainly makes a difference. It's harder to spin 4 wheels than it is 2 wheels so AWD generally has more shocks going through the drivetrain than an RWD car, because it faces more resistance from the tires, but then it also has a higher loss in the drivetrain than RWD, so I do have a tough time comprehending the issues some people are reporting with the C43 in 1st gear. If they were that bad, I would expect them to be worse in the C63 and even more compounded by the clutch vs torque converter, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Here are links to the specs with gear ratios and everything for the sedan for those that are interested.

https://www.media.mbusa.com/releases...specifications

https://www.media.mbusa.com/releases...shedDescending

TModelle

That’s because the final drive ratio is different, you’ve answered it yourself. Please don’t compare the C63 with the C43, they are very different.

superswiss

About 3% different isn't gonna change the behavior much. I'd argue one can't even feel that.

TModelle

C63 has more rotational mass from the V8 too. Just very different machines.

superswiss

Certainly true, but it also makes a ton more torque that gets funneled through a more rigid clutch vs fluid coupling that can absorb a lot of the drivetrain jerks. So if anything one would expect the C63 to be super jerky from a stop.

TModelle

No, because the jerkiness for the C43 happens at low torque, low throttle applications in 1st gear, not at high torque situations - you are interpreting this incorrectly. I have spent a weekend driving a new C63S, loaned to me by management after my complaints about the C43, and it certainly drives differently in all respects and does not have the jerkiness at part throttle nor the oscillating suspension in comfort mode that plagues the C43. I can’t draw any parallels with the drive experience at all, the only parallels I can draw are the similarities of the form/size and the interior. Otherwise, it’s a very different car.

Anyway, I think we have deviated from the topic enough. Can we get back to how we can get the 2019 C43 to start in second gear? Someone seems to have a solution but did not share completely.

speedlaw

I think Comfort mode is designed to the EPA cycle, to game EPA. I wish I could split the settings and have Comfort shift points with Sport or sport plus throttle response. Instead I just upshift with the paddle as needed. Comfort throttle is useless.

jonathan358

The solution is to press the + paddle lmao. If it doesn't work then you are out of luck until a tuner can decode the encryption for the PCM.

TModelle

The pedals won’t pre-shift the car into 2nd like say a Porsche would. It will only do it on the move, and then you’re basically in manual mode.

SLcharge

It can be set in the ECU of the car, either by a dealer, or your own Xentry.

TModelle

Okay, tell me the steps in Xentry.

AMGiggity

Off topic but I don't think C43 is a true AMG. It is purely subjective but I just can't place C43 is the same category as C63, BMW M3/4 and Audi RS. Audi and BMW branding do a much better job in differentiating their regular cars, watered down sport (Mxxx, S) and sports (Mx, RS).

TModelle

At best the C43 is at Audi S4/S5 or BMW M340i level. The jerky shifting, edgy throttle mapping and oscillating suspension is really not class leading, in my opinion. Hopefully we can improve things a little and get the car to behave properly, but I suspect that most of us who have driven other class leading makes will get tired of the car and move on.

I am really hoping that SLcharge can tell us how to program the car to start in 2nd using Xentry. The C43 was originally designed to start in 2nd gear after all, and I feel it will benefit from rolling back to the original configuration.

SLcharge

Control units
Drive
Select ME ,,, (ECU)
Development data
Control unit adaptation
Control unit adaptation ( Variant coding ).
Implizite Kodierung ME ,,, (ECU)
Scroll down and find gear select.
Select 2nd gear.
Save

That should do the trick.

TModelle

Excellent. I will try this in Xentry sometime this week.

stockbmw

How and what's the cost to buy the xentry?

You said gears don't shift from 1st while stopped, in 2018 c43 the 1st and 2nd gears can be shifted up or down while the car is stopped while in comfort.

SLcharge

Get in touch with member @pmercury, he can help you with a complete install of Xentry.

TModelle

That’s the way I wish the 2019 C43 works. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. It’s 1st only when car is stopped, in all drive modes.

stockbmw

What's the approximate price? Are we talking $1000+ or under $100?

SLcharge

In total, with hardware, less than a $1000