wj100

Hi all,

I picked up a '12 C63 about a week ago. I'm coming from an E90 M3 so I'm currently in the adjustment period getting used to all that the C63 has to offer.

So far I'm in awe of the torque of the C63 but feel a bit let down by the transmission in manual mode. I drove my M3 in manual mode all the time - the M3's DCT affords the driver complete control of the tranny as it holds gears as long as you want without any un-requested up/down shifts.

This has not been my experience so far with the transmission in the C63 which seems to do what is pleases (up/down shifting at will and sometimes not responding to pulls on the paddle shifters). Is this common to all C63's or do I need to have mine looked at?

Sorry if this topic has already been covered as I'm just getting familiar with the forum. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

SaphGreyC63

Can't say I've ever driven an M3 at length to really get a feel for the transmission but....

I'm not the biggest fan of the MCT transmission (even after coming to the C63 from a Toyota Highlander). In M mode it will not upshift till you tell it too but depending on your speed it will downshift which can be annoying sometimes. Also, I completely understand what you mean when you say you pull the the paddle and it doesnt respond. I especially notice this on downshifts when I am coming to a stop and I want to go from say 4th to 2nd quickly, and I pull the first time, it drops to 3rd, rev matches, and THEN I can pull it again for 2nd. Too slow in my opinion to react to driver inputs.

All in all, I believe when it comes to our cars that's the weakest link we have, the transmission. Like you said though, all that torque makes up for some small grievances.

Diabolis

The E90 has a proper DCT, which is essentially a mechanized manual transmission with two concentric clutches that can pre-select the next gear (odd on one spindle, even on the other) and engage/disengage the clutches simultaneously. The C63 MCT on the other hand is still an automatic, but with a single wet clutch instead of a torque converter. It shifts a little quicker than the old autos and the tranny losses are somewhat smaller, but comparing it to a true DCT is not really fair as it is a completely different animal.

2012C63AMG

I am a dissatisfied 2012 C63 owner, I had a previous 2010 C63 so I can easily compare and contrast the transmissions, I also have experience with the DCT in the M3 intact I wish I went with the M3 now over the C63.

In 12 they "upgraded" to the MCT, it was supposed to be an improvement to mercedes 1970's transmission found in the earlier C63's. Instead MCT which is a multi wet clutch pack is nothing more the old technology. Back track in history the older E46 M3 SMG which I had had a single clutch in the pack and was notorious for being rough around town and occasional bucking. After a while you could get used to BMWs SMG transmission and lift slightly while shifting (driving around town not WOT) and it would smooth things out. The MCT in the benz seems to have solved the start off issue somewhat, its just laggy and slow to catch off the line instead of bucking like the SMG could do. Not being an engineer I assume the MCT solved the bucking issue by having multiple clutch packs vs a single clutch in the SMG.

Anyways my point being is Mercedes went backwards with MCT and basically upgraded an old dead technology that BMW threw away and went with dual clutches. I have driven Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, and the SLS AMG which has the geartag (spelling) unit that is in the ferrari. The dual clutch cars all around is much smoother from take off to stopping, the gear changes are instantaneous.

If I could get rid of my 12 amg lease I would jump ship so quick despite the horsepower loss and sound loss to just about any dual clutch car made by Audi, Porsche or BMW. The MCT seems to have a stupid point from 0-10 MPH and its annoying as hell, I dont know who anyone in CA deals with it.

Maybe its my car but it does the following.
1. At times slowing to a stop when it shifts down at below 10mph it gives you a jerk, I have had a few passengers ask if we just got rear ended.
2. At times under WOT it feels as if the gearbox isnt catching for instance say I am switching into 2rd gear at times it feels like the clutch is slipping and not all the power is being delivered (no traction issues or traction control flashing), I change into 3rd gear and bam everything connects I can feel the normal pull of the car.
3. Downshifting, if you have driven a dual clutch transmission you will realize how slow and dumb MCT is, I will add this to upshifting also its quick on MCT but stupid fast on DCT.

Anyways enough with my rant, its sad that AMG is keeping MCT around I really wanted the new E AMG but I will be looking at alternatives, during my AMG driving academy I got the strong impression they were going to drop MCT from talking with the folks. I even had one of them tell me it was a cost issue, my response back is this is a $75k car and if I can buy a dual clutch on an audi S4 and cheaper cars then it can be done on all the AMG's even nissian has it so the argument they cant handle the power doesn't hold up look at the GT-R. Also note the new CLA is dual clutch, thats going to be a game changer.


Sorry you made the change, I had a buddy of mine also switch to the C63AMG, he sold it after 4 months because of the transmission and this was back when I got my 2010, I wish I was able to test drive the 12 MCT but I wanted the first off the truck I wish I went back to BMW and got the DCT, I realize its slower but this is my daily driver. Anyways less than a year left on the lease and off to find the best DCT car I can.

roadtalontsi

do ya'll not test drive cars before you buy them? the 7speed came out in 2004 not 1970 sorry to rain on your parade. dct's arent smoother at low speeds. just because traction control isnt flashing doesnt mean its not active strange how its only sometimes in 2nd gear. the mct is ok, but i prefer torque converter for a daily. I prefer a manual over a dct for fun.

Lizard

I test drove the c63 on three different occasions since 2009 and the transmission was the ONLY reason that I did not purchased the car. There is no way it could be compared to the DCT in term of responsiveness and engagement towards the driver. The best way is to leave it in Normal and use all that torque to make you forget about the gear box.

SROC276

I've heard about the weistec tranny upgrade...improves it but in way will not make it like an m3 tranny....I've found shifting with the stick vs paddles more precise. Not quite sure if it a delay within the wire harness but the shifter works a little better for me.

roadtalontsi

a regular auto matic will never compare to a dual clutch. a dual clutch has 2 input shafts which has the next gear already engaged so all it does is release a clutch and apply the other. the gears are also mechanical gears like manual not gearing made from planetaries and ravenouxs (ya i butchered the spelling) by applying clutches and brake packs. If yall want to complain about the mct go back 10yrs and drive a 5spd car. the manual mode was just to say it has the feature using it was a waste of time.

turbo8765

I just wish it wouldn't downshift to 1st on it's own in manual mode.