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That's the plan but honestly I don't think there is any SW on the immediate horizon. I'm not accepting this is how the 9G should operate at low-to-moderate speeds. It's just flat out uncomfortable and annoying and I won't accept the hard earned money I'm paying for it....neither should anyone else.
I'm rather cut my losses.
i'm I'm REALLY curious on experiencing this... Is there any other vehicle you've driven in recent memory that compares to what you describe? From the severity of it, it sounds like the closes thing is a John Deere.
That's the plan but honestly I don't think there is any SW on the immediate horizon. I'm not accepting this is how the 9G should operate at low-to-moderate speeds. It's just flat out uncomfortable and annoying and I won't accept the hard earned money I'm paying for it....neither should anyone else.
I'm rather cut my losses.
The signs were there. Over 75% of early reviewers on YouTube mentioned it. I think one even said "this is probably an early car and the transmission will be fixed upon release to market"...
No other owners have reported this bad of transmission jerking. It could very well be a one off thing.
The only jerky behavior it has is when auto start/stop is enabled and you are traveling at low speeds and feather on, off and back on the throttle. The engine will cut off entirely in low speed coasting - which naturally makes you depress the gas pedal further for a response.
Something you can probably adapt/learn or you map auto start/stop to your drive pod and disable it as soon as you get in (there's also a button under the push to start to disable auto start/stop).
The MCT is 100% an upgrade of the outgoing transmission in the W205 C43, or at least the way that one is specifically tuned/mapped.
No other owners have reported this bad of transmission jerking. It could very well be a one off thing.
The only jerky behavior it has is when auto start/stop is enabled and you are traveling at low speeds and feather on, off and back on the throttle. The engine will cut off entirely in low speed coasting - which naturally makes you depress the gas pedal further for a response.
Something you can probably adapt/learn or you map auto start/stop to your drive pod and disable it as soon as you get in (there's also a button under the push to start to disable auto start/stop).
No that is absolutely not what was being reported. Has nothing to do with auto start stop feature at all. That's ridiculous to say.
The signs were there. Over 75% of early reviewers on YouTube mentioned it. I think one even said "this is probably an early car and the transmission will be fixed upon release to market"...
If this is the case then MB released this too soon before SW was available because these issues are what the reviewers last summer mentioned. I assumed everything would be patched up by now....
No that is absolutely not what was being reported. Has nothing to do with auto start stop feature at all. That's ridiculous to say.
I agree @eatmydust . This is nothing to do with Auto Start Stop although I've driven with it both on and disabled and it still performs the same jerky characteristics. There's zero way this was as designed for it to behave.
I agree @eatmydust . This is nothing to do with Auto Start Stop although I've driven with it both on and disabled and it still performs the same jerky characteristics. There's zero way this was as designed for it to behave.
Yes. I'm just concerned a sw update might not be enough considering they've been testing this car for well over a year before release, if you read closely the c43 was street tested for longer then most other current mercs prior to market release. I really wanted to upgrade my w205 I'm a bit worried.
I went and test drove two of them, two different dealers, and at low speed i felt like i was in a tractor at times. Just an odd jerk and thunk feeling. At first i thought it was my driving. Auto stop start off of course, I never keep it on with any mercedes I drive as I hate the feature for other reasons.
Crossing my fingers this is just an easy sw thing.
No that is absolutely not what was being reported. Has nothing to do with auto start stop feature at all. That's ridiculous to say.
Originally Posted by eatmydust
Yes. I'm just concerned a sw update might not be enough considering they've been testing this car for well over a year before release, if you read closely the c43 was street tested for longer then most other current mercs prior to market release. I really wanted to upgrade my w205 I'm a bit worried.
I went and test drove two of them, two different dealers, and at low speed i felt like i was in a tractor at times. Just an odd jerk and thunk feeling. At first i thought it was my driving. Auto stop start off of course, I never keep it on with any mercedes I drive as I hate the feature for other reasons.
Crossing my fingers this is just an easy sw thing.
Agreed. I don't want to have to go down the pursuit of a lease termination by way of CA Lemon Law, but I have every reason to do so already with this car as SW is yet to become available to fix it re-map the throttle.
The way in which you described this is identical to my experience with mine. In fact, I dropped mine off at the dealer already Friday.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by alexasa
I'm going to add some more feedback to my first impressions after a week:
Most of what I said is true. The car is more refined than its predecessor - the 4 cylinder powertrain is smoother than the W205. Power delivery is linear and without pause in between gears. The shifts feel sporty without being artificially heavy with a jolt that bobbles your passengers' head. The car can be comfortable and driven very easily for daily driving - while maintaining the feeling that you've just leashed a beast - it always feels special, it maintains an edge even in these more comfortable settings ( this is something I think only the c63 was successful doing previously). Now, I do have the alcantara wheel, the performance buckets and the 20 inch wheels which help add to the drama. The performance seats are unreal - I would not have spec'd the car any differently and that might be the first time I've ever felt that way about an ordered car (this is the 4th car I've ordered).
Everyone I have shown the car to says it sounds good (it basically cold starts EVERY time you start it so that helps).
Driving at night just adds a completely different experience to the car with the ambient lighting, welcome puddle lights and digital light animations.
Tech:
- The digital lights light up the side of the car when turning the wheel about 15 degrees in one direction. Really cool. The start animation is second to none - a very neat gimmick.
- The drive pods are completely customizable. For instance, I have 1 set up for all my parking assistance, can pull up front, rear, 3D and wheel cameras from one button on the steering wheel drive pods. The other houses my driving alterations like suspension, autostart/stop and traction control. And the drive modes can be rearranged in any order too. One of my favorite things is how much easier it is to move between drive modes and making them more intuitive.
- Standard parking assistance features are amazing. Geomapping your parking locations to automatically pull the cameras up.
- Heated seats on the performance heat quicker and heat more evenly than my W205.
Some minor cons:
- The cooling fans stay on for such A LONG TIME. Kind of annoying TBH but definitely a first world problem. It's like old turbo timer days. I'll have to time it one day after hooning the car, it might be like 10 minutes.
- There is no screen for the tachometer that is perfect for me. I'd like to have the gear very large and the engine temperature data up at the same time and still understand where the rev counter is. So supersport fails to have all the data you might want up at the SAME time. You have to scroll out of the gear being prominent to see engine temperature. Sport does not visually let me know what RPM I'm at - like it's just visually confusing to follow the revs - but does display everything I want. And the rest are a bit too, let's says, understated for me. I'd probably be fine with the more basic ones if you could control the color of them. I like to set it and forget on my drivers display. (The main reason I want to monitor the temperatures: I'm not trying to rev it high before it's warmed up.)
- The car does creak in places - heating and contracting plastics or something? I'll report back after the car is broken in and let y'all know if it's better, worse or the same.
- Some users are having software issues.
Thanks so much for your follow up impressions! It helps us a lot. There were a couple of surprises from your impressions. especially the creaks, I mean the facelift W205 got it better I am surprised the W206 reintroduced similar issues, I guess it is a new model generation though.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; 04-24-2023 at 08:58 AM.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by andyberger87
I don't want to be the "debbie downer" in the group but I'm semi-disappointed in the C43 and here's why. Let's start with pros...
PROS
Interior amenities and quality. It feels like it's $10-15k more expensive than it is and outclasses every other car in it's segment.
AMG-ness. It's a real AMG through and through this time and doesn't feel like the AMG-lite the W205 was. You feel special in it.
Handling. Best in its class and rear axle steering was a really nice addition this generation. You feel it but it also doesn't feel "on rails"
CONS
Transmission. This is the most critical issue for me and it's unacceptable for MB to release such a clunky transmission for this price. The 9-speed MCT is awful and it being wet clutch and not a torque converter makes its very jarring and jerky at low to mid speeds. I've tried driving in all modes, but it's simply unpleasant to drive in local conditions. While I'm sure there is SW coming to support mapping, I don't think MB should have released a car that drives almost where it feels unfinished. I'm even considering pursuing CA lemon law as the car shouldn't behave the way it does when I'm driving in these low-to-moderate speeds. At hwy speed it's great but it feels Jekyll and Hyde. This is still a mid-range AMG C-Class, not a Black Series, and should feel smoother.
Creaks and Hard Plastics in the interior.
"T" on the "Turbo" badges are loosely glued onto the car meaning they may spray off during a car wash.
Gas mileage. For all the electrified tech in it, it's pretty subpar versus an M340i or S4. I'm barely getting 23.
Hope this helps everyone.
Truly sorry to hear about the transmission issues on the W206 C 43, I really hope they can fix it for you with a software update, given the occasional positive reviews from actual USA based owners on this thread on the transmission, I would had thought MB figured it out, hopefully like others said your vehicle was just an update away from being more refined, if it doesn't turn out to be a lemon hopefully MB makes you whole. if for any reason you do end up giving up on this car, what is the next car on your radar?
Last edited by W205C43PFL; 04-24-2023 at 09:18 AM.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by eatmydust
Yes. I'm just concerned a sw update might not be enough considering they've been testing this car for well over a year before release, if you read closely the c43 was street tested for longer then most other current mercs prior to market release. I really wanted to upgrade my w205 I'm a bit worried.
I went and test drove two of them, two different dealers, and at low speed i felt like i was in a tractor at times. Just an odd jerk and thunk feeling. At first i thought it was my driving. Auto stop start off of course, I never keep it on with any mercedes I drive as I hate the feature for other reasons.
Crossing my fingers this is just an easy sw thing.
Interesting insight, I didn't know they tested it for that long, that is a disappointment to be fair given how long and how many delays they had on this car just to fix one thing and one thing only. Really hope they quickly figure something out soon.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by andyberger87
Agreed. I don't want to have to go down the pursuit of a lease termination by way of CA Lemon Law, but I have every reason to do so already with this car as SW is yet to become available to fix it re-map the throttle.
The way in which you described this is identical to my experience with mine. In fact, I dropped mine off at the dealer already Friday.
Best in luck getting this sorted hopefully it was just one software update to be installed in order to refine it properly.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by andyberger87
That's the plan but honestly I don't think there is any SW on the immediate horizon. I'm not accepting this is how the 9G should operate at low-to-moderate speeds. It's just flat out uncomfortable and annoying and I won't accept the hard earned money I'm paying for it....neither should anyone else.
I'm rather cut my losses.
I agree that you shouldn't accept it with the hard earned money you are paying for it, it is shame that this con wasn't outweigh by the pros you mentioned. I wish you luck with your appointment on getting this sorted.
I am a bit worried about the C 63 S E Performance given that car has a even more complicated powertrain, if the transmission is also going to have issues.
If this transmission issue is widespread (It sounds like it is), Canadians are going to have an even harder time pulling the trigger for this vehicle, as there's no "Lemon Law" up here, although there are a few things consumers can do.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by flocons
If this transmission issue is widespread (It sounds like it is), Canadians are going to have an even harder time pulling the trigger for this vehicle, as there's no "Lemon Law" up here, although there are a few things consumers can do.
Well we have the CAMVAP, which is useless.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; 04-24-2023 at 10:20 AM.
2nd place with 512 out of 800 points: Mercedes-AMG C 43 Estate. Puts a lot of value on sportiness, seems too ambitious in everyday life, sporty and tight on the circuit.
1st place with 530 out of 800 points: BMW 340i Touring. Is a finely honed everyday athlete with a charging option that masters the balancing act between cruising and racing.
2nd place with 512 out of 800 points: Mercedes-AMG C 43 Estate. Puts a lot of value on sportiness, seems too ambitious in everyday life, sporty and tight on the circuit.
1st place with 530 out of 800 points: BMW 340i Touring. Is a finely honed everyday athlete with a charging option that masters the balancing act between cruising and racing.
Yeah they also gave it to bmw because of price, fuel consumption and quickness. The bmw beat the mercedes in all acceleration tests and even gained a full second over it in the 0 to 200 kph test. Interesting. Im such a amg fan boy I was hoping we would at least match a previous gen bmw.
PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
Originally Posted by eatmydust
Yeah they also gave it to bmw because of price, fuel consumption and quickness. The bmw beat the mercedes in all acceleration tests and even gained a full second over it in the 0 to 200 kph test. Interesting. Im such a amg fan boy I was hoping we would at least match a previous gen bmw.
We need USA owners (but not just USA journalists) to do a launch and time it for us as without the OPF theoretically the car can(?) "breathe" better resulting in better times.
I initially had a 2023 May Build, which got pushed to September. Just a few weeks ago, they were still saying a 2023?? Yesterday, my dealer said they were informed it is now a 2024.
Here is the 2024 Updates.
I initially had a 2023 May Build, which got pushed to September. Just a few weeks ago, they were still saying a 2023?? Yesterday, my dealer said they were informed it is now a 2024.
Here is the 2024 Updates.
oh nice. Twilight blue is super nice. And graphite magno is an upgrade IMO. Dynamic plus probably means red calipers, etc.