El-Debs

Hi guys,

I love sometimes driving the car on Manual Mode and have fun with those paddles. I really can't just drive on Comfort while seeing an M3 or any other car like that a head and not to downshift while passing by them. For this reason, I was just wondering if downshifting is bad for the car in any kind or form. Maybe lets say not too often.

Thanks,
El-Debs

edwardsflight33

The automatic transmission does a good job protecting the car. It won't let you downshift if doing so would take you past the redline. If you're worried about occasionally downshifting I would not recommend getting the V5 tune...that is all I do anymore. Downshift, giggle, lift off the gas around 2500 rpm's, giggle, downshift giggle.

jcfay

The car is going to downshift regardless, you're just talking about downshifting on-demand which of course can be fun as heck as it's at higher RPMs, then you get some engine braking and some fun sounds from the exhaust. Downshifts (regardless of whether or not you do the manually or the car does them automatically) reduce brake load, although the more engine braking you do of course the less use of your braking system occurs. And vice versa. And some say brakes are cheaper than engines, etc., but I'm not so sure this argument is sound.

So the answer is no otherwise you'd be stuck in 7th all of the time. But let the debate train roll. I'm sure there are a gazillion opinions on this one. I would just think that downshifting more aggressively (i.e. at much higher RPMs), could be more wear than you'd want to be routinely introducing. So I'd say go for it, but don't go full-on bezerker.

-Marlin-

I say enjoy it. It's a pretty robust car and AMG put a lot of forethought into protecting the drive train. If they trusted the end users, they would have tossed a manual at us, but they protect us from ourselves.

I don't like tunes because I don't trust anyone outside of AMG to rewrite the controls that make this car function properly.

El-Debs

Yes what I meant is the downshifting from high RPMs to lower ones manually, not automatically breaking till it shift by itself. Thanks for your answers I guess I'll keep rolling, but without pressuring it too much

papashango

I downshift all the time in manual mode and of course if you do it when the car is at a higher speed than it should be for the gear you're shifting it to it makes those funky noises which we all love.

snowmuch

It's bad! Very bad! For gas mileage

I went from 14.5l/100km to 16l/100 after I felt in love with M mode.

CMC-63

After getting my resonator deleted, I refuse to drive anywhere but in manual mode. I manually downshift at every red light, every stop sign, every turn. I know the common saying is brakes are cheaper than an engine, but how many of us are going to be driving the car eight, maybe even ten years from now. I say enjoy every bit of it, this car is a performance car and a AMG at that no need to worry about your engine falling out of your car.

But as snowmuch stated above, god damn does it **** with your mileage, filling it up twice a week with 93 octane has put quite a dent in my wallet.

-Marlin-

I'm so glad I don't use this thing as a daily driver. Weekend duty only and I STILL have to fill up every other weekend...sometimes more.

Not for nothing, I love the burbling pop from the exhaust when downshifting. Holy crap that's bad **** and stock at that!

My favorite production car of all time.

BiturboSF

I don't think I have ever not downshifted on M mode whenever I drive it. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless I was driving those problematic SMG transmissions from the older BMW M's

Razzy

I love downshifting. It is one of the joys of driving this car. I'm not saying beat the **** out of it all the time, but if you are going to drive a C63 like a prius than there really is no point in having one.

m a x i m u s

it depends on what you're doing after the downshift. if you are engine braking, then "maybe" it's bad. but if you are braking for a corner and then getting back on the throttle, I can't imagine it's bad. I wouldn't worry about it.

jcfay

It's funny you mention engine braking, because one thing I've noticed with the C63 is it seems to depend a great deal on engine braking. I know as I roll into a stoplight, for instance, that the car decelerates more quickly (without brakes) than I'd expect if it was just rolling in neutral. It's not, of course, but I know in previous vehicles I'd get more "coast" than I do in the C63. I also have distronic which once you've slapped on the brakes and are close enough will apply some additional braking, but even before that, either the tranny or clutch or whatever it is seems pretty heavily weighted to utilize engine braking, even without driver input. I'm not talking full-on audible, high-rev braking, but at lower speeds. And I'm sure it's not just the rolling resistance of the car too. Anyone else notice this? FYI I drive most of the time in S+ or S, only C for highway, and rarely M if it matters. I just stay away from M cause I'm lazy and am a one handed driver...

BiturboSF

I know what you're talking about, it actually caught me off guard when I was driving the car home for the first time, I thought I had left the parking brake on or something. I remember reading something about it later that night, I believe it had something to do with us having a lock up torque converter. I noticed if I stab the throttle, the car lurches forward immediately with no hesitation vs say a regular automatic there will be a slight lag & hesitation. Maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in? I am just going off memory here .

YICS NZ

I once down shifted on a 5 yrs old volvo cx90 when going a long down hill n its cambely faild....

Since c63 is chain driven, i dont see why we shouldnt. It reduces the wearing on the brakes, encourages the lubrication of the entire engine, gets off any carbon deposits esp when downshifting from a higher rev. Plus it gives so much more fun n noise.

It saves the engine and transmisson than destroys them!

avery.whss

thats it? I'm always mid 20's..sometimes 30's...

i wouldn't worry about breaking anything..you guys worry too much ..have fun, you'll make everyone around you smile, and yourself at the same time

snowmuch

I do about 80% highway with little to no traffic. How about you? 0.0 20-30s sounds crazy!

Ingenieur

You get 30 mpg from this car?
My avg is 15-16
Highway 22-24
Short spurts level cruise control maybe a bit better

LIKE_A_BOSS

cant wait to do mine i bet the sound is nasty with the x pipe

Ingenieur

Depends on how it is done
This is my first auto in over 3/4 mil miles
So I'm learning lol

Not 'bad' per se but increased wear
While using in conjunction with the brakes not really
Using as sole braking possibly
Transition braking to accel depends on technique/smoothness
Limit the lower gear rpm to torque peak 4500-5000 when feeling 'frisky', the higher gear should be 40% or so lower 3000-3500 range depending on gear
For 2-1 worse case 3000 to 5000
The lower the gear the lower the rpm shift point
Normally downshift at the stall point, this car 1500-2000

The smoother the better
Gradual & proportional is better, brakes, throttle, whatever
Use the machine with mechanical sympathy

snowmuch

Wait wait wait. I was using l/100km 16 l/100km is about 15 mpg.

an_DREW

I'm not sure how this would even make sense, but I have about a 100 mi round trip to and from work and what I noticed is that I get better mpg when driving at or around 80mph vs driving between 70-75mph.

My gas needle seems to drop more noticeably when cruising at the latter. Do our cars run richer at certain speeds?

kimeran

My consumption is always above 20l/100km
I only ever drive in M mode and downshift all day long! If anything breaks, its ok since it has motorplan
Do yourself a favour and do the downshifts at 4000rpm and enjoy the backfires

avery.whss

nah around like 9-13mpg it says it uses 20-30L/100km ..theres not many highways where i live...a lot of street lights though so thats probably also why

BRV518

Drive the car like its meant to be driven is my 2 cents here. The car already engine brakes without it even being in "M" mode, so as long as you dont go wild with the revs. it can't hurt it that damn much lol. The car came with paddles so.........