C63 Auto Transmission: Impressions......
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: asdfasdf
One with 4 wheels
C63 Auto Transmission: Impressions......
Just wondering what current owners think so far of the tranny.
Any impressions/thoughts/complaints of the tranny in C, S, and M mode would be most insightful......
Discuss!
Any impressions/thoughts/complaints of the tranny in C, S, and M mode would be most insightful......
Discuss!
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Joined: Jan 2009
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C63 AMG
I would have loved a manual in this car. But this tranny does a good job. The automatic blipping with down shifting is good.
Only issue for me is shifting speed. I wish it was a bit faster in manual mode like BMW has.
Only issue for me is shifting speed. I wish it was a bit faster in manual mode like BMW has.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
SLS Irridium silver,2014 GL350 BT Irridium, 2015 White Dodge RAM Hemi Quad
The downshifts are addicting in manual mode and with ESP sport, cant get enough of that, the upshifting could be quicker. I drove the SL63 with the new MCT tranny and the shifts are noticebly faster and that is what I wish the car could shift like. Other than that, dont really miss manual stick shifts much.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 655
Likes: 4
From: Surf City, USA
What I like!
I have a love-hate relationship with this transmission.
If you are driving hard, it's amazing and I love it.
If you have to putt around town, and THEN suddenly start driving hard... well, be prepared for an unpleasant surprise. Like... an upshift when you floor it and expect a downshift (Just the opposite!) Until it adapts again...
I'm not completely sold on the adaptive transmission, but I still love the car.
And of course, you always have manual mode for nearly full control. So I can't complain.
If you are driving hard, it's amazing and I love it.
If you have to putt around town, and THEN suddenly start driving hard... well, be prepared for an unpleasant surprise. Like... an upshift when you floor it and expect a downshift (Just the opposite!) Until it adapts again...
I'm not completely sold on the adaptive transmission, but I still love the car.
And of course, you always have manual mode for nearly full control. So I can't complain.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: UG
2013 ML63 AMG PP
It is very nice!
First of all, the transmission is very, very good!
I used to drive in C mode while in town but as I got used to the car's phenomenal power I started using S mode as the daily driving mode. Though my wife keeps it in C when she drives.
I've noticed that a lot of slow driving in S-mode makes the tranny adapt accordingly so when you first decide to sprint the effects can be weird as it upshift early like Hans Delbruck mentioned. However, some quick hard driving will quickly bring it up to speed or just hit M for Mad mode and you can control to your hearts content.
I personally prefer S-mode (when it's on form) for the quickest A-B dashes as it works perfectly in tune with what you want. It sometimes feels like it is reading your mind.
I might try the transmission memory reset trick to get it to reset back to the standard factory settings after I've done a lot of town driving and feel like going for a sprint.
I used to drive in C mode while in town but as I got used to the car's phenomenal power I started using S mode as the daily driving mode. Though my wife keeps it in C when she drives.
I've noticed that a lot of slow driving in S-mode makes the tranny adapt accordingly so when you first decide to sprint the effects can be weird as it upshift early like Hans Delbruck mentioned. However, some quick hard driving will quickly bring it up to speed or just hit M for Mad mode and you can control to your hearts content.
I personally prefer S-mode (when it's on form) for the quickest A-B dashes as it works perfectly in tune with what you want. It sometimes feels like it is reading your mind.
I might try the transmission memory reset trick to get it to reset back to the standard factory settings after I've done a lot of town driving and feel like going for a sprint.
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
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2009 C63
I think the transmission is good, but there is one thing that drives me crazy. When in M mode, if you try to downshift two gears at once (say 5 to 3) by pulling the lever twice in a row, the transmission only downshifts one gear to 4. You need to wait a second or so and pull the lever again do get the second downshift. Or if you pull and hold the lever it downshifts too far to 2nd gear often. This makes driving on the highway in M mode difficult, because if you are cruising and want to then downshift a couple of gears to pass you have to go through the involved process above. Works much better in S in this case.
I had a Mitsubishi Evo X MR with the automated manual and it was great on a 2 or 3 gear manual downshift (but lacked power). Hope the MCT transmission in the SL and upcoming E is closer to this.
I had a Mitsubishi Evo X MR with the automated manual and it was great on a 2 or 3 gear manual downshift (but lacked power). Hope the MCT transmission in the SL and upcoming E is closer to this.
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Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 556
Likes: 1
2009 C63 Capri Blue
I like the snappy downshifts in S, and I also like that will hold a lower gear much longer than most manumatics when you're driving aggressively. I can be cruising at 70 in 7th, pop the gas for just a second and it will select 4th and hold it for several seconds even if I don't immediately get on the gas.
I hate the sluggish upshifts. Even M and S are way too slow to shift. WOT shifts take over 1k RPM to select the next gear. At those times, I really wish for a manual.
I hate the sluggish upshifts. Even M and S are way too slow to shift. WOT shifts take over 1k RPM to select the next gear. At those times, I really wish for a manual.
Newbie
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 4
Need Faster Shift Response Time
I traded an 07 BMW 335 for this C63. The 335 has the fabulous ZF automatic that locks the torque converter in every gear, just like the C63. The 335 shift response is much faster than the C63's. If you touch the paddle on the 335, the transmission starts to shift immediately. On the other hand, the C63 strangely takes half a second or so to respond. However, in either car, once the shift actually begins, it is quick. On the C63, the speed of the shift is a function of the angle of the accelerator too. Hard acceleration means a fast, hard shift. Light acceleration means a slower, soft shift. Another factor in the speed of the shift response, i.e., the lag time to start the shift, is the heat in the engine. On the C63 the lag is particularly long until the engine warms up beyond the 190 degree level, which takes about 10 minutes of driving from a cold start. But, once it is that warm, to be fair, the response lag is tolerable. Nevertheless, I keep asking myself, how come ZF (which supplies BMW and Jaguar) provides the immediacy of both the shift response and the shift itself, while AMG builds in a lag? By the way, I drove a twin clutch M3 and it has no response lag, super fast shifts, and no smooth, seamless shift engagement. If only Mercedes would develop one.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,634
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From: Houston, Texas - USA
2009 C63 AMG
I think for an auto, its fantastic. The only downside is in manual mode, the shifts don't occur instantly, even my old E55 did it quicker and it was only a 5 speed.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 303
Likes: 166
From: VA
c63 BS; lc500; F-pace SVR; Jaguar P8, c63 p31
I drove both the c63 and and m3 with dual clutch tranny and the bmw is very smooth. I felt a slight delay in the amg (even though not a smuch as it's in my slk) but in the m it just clicked when ever you want. If only I can get that tranny on the C63....
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 869
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From: Pacific NW
AMG GT-R
My biggest gripe about the auto tranny is the tach position. I wish it were dead center along with the shift light. With a manual tranny you feel like you have more control over the rpms, but with the auto tranny I either have to focus on the shift light or shift my eyes over to the right at the tach. Even then I mostly go by ear and end up shifting too early.
