noka

Any news that E550 or upcoming models will use a hand brake instead of a foot brake and put a dead pedal over the carpet? That's one thing I disliked about my C55 and hoped MB would change.

amdeutsch

Don't be caught upside down while driving. (j/k)

lkchris

MB's been doing it that way for decades.

No news they will change.

DWP

I wish the E-Class had a hand brake instead of a foot brake, too. Every time I push the pedal to set the brake and pull the latch to release it I feel like I'm in a Buick instead of a European car. That's why a Benz is a Benz and a BMW is a BMW, I suppose - luxury orientation versus sport sedan orientation.

The dead pedal issue is an easier fix. Last year I got a an aluminum dead pedal with black rubber ribbing here:

http://www.formymercedes.com/mb_resu...luminum+Pedals

The $28 package also includes an aluminum cover for the parking brake pedal, which at least makes it look better even if it doesn't make it a hand brake. The dead pedal cover, which comes in no-logo, AMG and Brabus versions, nicely solves the problem of dirty carpeting on an Ash or Stone dead pedal.

jangy

Mine came with a dead pedal and the aluminum cover over all the pedals. I'm not a huge fan of e brakes anyway, so I don't really care, but I don't see MB changing that any time soon. My guess is it will go electricel soon and just be operated by a button.

Flash Gordon

What MB needs to improve in this area is to have an automatic release of the parking brake, like when you shift out of park, the parking brake is automaticaly released. GM has this feature in the Caddy in the 60's!!!

vraa

I thought the whole point of a parking brake was to have a manual mechanical way to keep the car stationary.

noka

I agree. I just prefer the hand-operated vs. foot-operated and also a factory-installed dead pedal. Sounds like MB is set in their ways regarding this (reminding me of my parent's '56 Plymouth I think).

barrafp

I would have been fine if they would have covered the dead pedal area with something besides fabric (rubber same as the ugly pedals).

newton22

I too like hand brakes better, but it would be awkward in a S-class or something (classy vs sportiness).

What if we need to get crazy and powerslide?

sosh

I have had them both. Each has its advantages. As for a hand brake, the best as so far as usability is the type where the lever is located between the seats, however that eliminates the use of an armrest and the center storage area. The ones that come out of the dash on the left of the wheel are awkward to use. The footbrake ala MB is the easiest to put on in a hurry if necessary but a bit awkward to release its also the easiest to apply more pressure as the leg has more strength than the arm. Quite frankly I like the current foot brake as its rarely used but quite accessable in an emergency. As for parking I rarely use it, just put the vehicle in Park.I never have had any problem doing that.

AndrewAZ

I also prefer MB pedal set up. Not only is it a quick way to put on the brake when parking but I think its safer since you dont have the risk of a stupid passenger reaching over trying to screw with you lol. But a problem I have run in with the hand brake on BMW is the linkage tends to loosen up and about once a year I have to get the parking brake adjusted since it gets to the point to get any parking brake on it you have to pull all the way up.


Also if you want to power slide and what not get some skills you dont need a hand brake.

DWP

The 2007 Infiniti G35 will supposedly have a foot-pedal parking brake on automatic transmission models and a hand parking brake on manual transmission models. That suggests to me that the choice beteen the two is more a matter of image than function. If a foot pedal was really more secure than a hand lever, you would expect every manual transmission car to come with a foot pedal. A manual transmission car can be left parked in gear or in neutral and so needs a good parking brake more than an automatic transmission car, which backs up the parking brake with an enforced transmission lock.

HELL ONA HARLEY

Actually a hand brake is just what you need when starting from a stand still on a steep hill.... Seems to be more of a necessity in a stick shift than looks.
That being said I would much rather have the "hidden" foot brake rather than see the hand brake between the seats.

B.T.W.... has anyone noted how quietly the foot brake releases??? Sure sounds solid to me with absoluty no rattle anywhere on the dash.

DWP

Very true ... I had forgotten about that, seeing as how I live in a flat part of the world. I did just like you say with the hand brake on our manual-transmission BMWs when visiting San Francisco. My manual-transmission Datsun has one of those T-handle parking brakes under the dash and it can sorta kinda be used for starting on a hill, but it doesn't work as well as a pull-up handle.

Double Eagle

Infiniti has the right approach. Having lived in England, it was highly desirable to have a hand brake with your manual transmission cars and trucks. In the 70's there were very few people driving automatics there and you got a restricted license if you took your test with an auto tranny. Most of their cars have the handbrake between the front seats.

As noted by others, the hand brake is best located between the seats for proper use. In England, you are taught to put the car in neutral when you come to a stop at a light. The light will turn yellow before it turns green, and that is your signal to engage the clutch, put the car in first gear and release the handbrake. You are also required to show proper ability to coordinate your clutch and braking talent by making a three point turn on a highly crowned road and starting and stopping on a steep hill. Brits are far better drivers than most in the US and not only drive properly on their Motorways, round abouts and narrow roads, but they are taught how to properly use their clutch and hand brake. You still have to pay a premium to rent an automatic transmission car there from most companies.

I personally prefer the handbrake between the seats even with an automatic but can see why most auto makers have elected to go to the "Parking Brake" on the floor route.

newton22

Haha, too many pedals in the footwell if it were manual and had a footbrake. Accelerator, Brake, Clutch, Handbrake.

AsianML

IMHO, the handbrake just wouldn't look right in a Mercedes as a previous poster noted.

chenry

Gal at work just showed up with a new SLK / her car has a hand-brake Hmmmmmmm

noka

OT: They do this in Germany as well and I really like it. It is such a great idea, I don't see why the US hasn't implemented it (other than the cost of reprgramming the lights, etc). I think it keeps you more alert and helps traffic to flow better.

dacbiet

Now if those Brits could only figure out they're driving on the wrong side of the road, then they'd really be good drivers, just like their neighbors across the North Sea and English Channel.

murman

Yup, R170 and R171 have the hand-brake.

DWP

The SLK has a hand brake with both manual and auto transmission, to judge by the pix on the MBUSA web site ...
http://www.mbusa.com/models/gallery/...delCode=SLK350
... maybe MBUSA didn't think it was cost-effective to have two different handbrake setups on the same car, even though the manual probably accounts for something like 10% of SLK sales. Or, maybe they figured that even auto-transmission SLK buyers would go for the schporty image of the hand brake. Anyone know what kind of a parking brake a manual-transmission C-Class has in the US? That's got to be a rare bird.

Joseph O'Reilly

I think any manny tranny needs to have a hand brake in the center console- we only have two legs after all!!! But wait, I've just peeked into a C200K on the street and it has a manual and no hand brake in the center console!!!

Audi (in their auto A6 at least) has an automated hand brake- a button in the center console. it only operates when the vehicle is in park. The killjoys!