Transmission Question
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e350
Transmission Question
I have been driving my new car for three weeks now and I just don't like the low speed performance. From 30 t0 45 MPH the car is in 7th gear if you lift off the throttle pedal and slowly roll back into the throttle there seems to be no pickup. I have to keep giving more throttle pressure untill the transmission kicks down. It downshifts two gears most of the time in some cases it downshifts three gears. Anyone else experance this. I really like this car but I do most of my driving off the interstates.
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From: Canada
E350 4Matic 2011
I have been driving my new car for three weeks now and I just don't like the low speed performance. From 30 t0 45 MPH the car is in 7th gear if you lift off the throttle pedal and slowly roll back into the throttle there seems to be no pickup. I have to keep giving more throttle pressure untill the transmission kicks down. It downshifts two gears most of the time in some cases it downshifts three gears. Anyone else experance this. I really like this car but I do most of my driving off the interstates.
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
I have been driving my new car for three weeks now and I just don't like the low speed performance. From 30 t0 45 MPH the car is in 7th gear if you lift off the throttle pedal and slowly roll back into the throttle there seems to be no pickup. I have to keep giving more throttle pressure untill the transmission kicks down. It downshifts two gears most of the time in some cases it downshifts three gears. Anyone else experance this. I really like this car but I do most of my driving off the interstates.
To overcome this you can try to put transmission into S mode. In S mode the transmission is more willing to shift into a lower gear. In E mode it tends to hold a higher gear to improve fuel economy but produce slower acceleration. Mercedes also implemented a quick way to put the transmission into the best gear that will give you the most torque. Hold down the left paddle for a second and this will drop the transmission into the gear that will produce you the most torque and power for a quick acceleration.
This is why the Twin Turbo V6 engines are a better choice for the E class; much lower torque curve without needing to bury your right foot when accelerating out of 7th gear.
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
Its the lack of torque at lower RPMs of the V6 engine. The torque really kicks in at 1,800 RPM. If your engine is below this value you need to push the gas pedal harder to force a kick down of gears and have your RPM raised to start moving faster. The naturally aspirated V6 engine is not ideal for the transmission equipped with the car. The transmission keeps going into higher gear to force the engine to run with a lower RPM to improve fuel economy. To start to accelerate faster you need to push harder on the gas pedal to reach the beginning of the torque curve which is pretty high at 1,800 RPM. The E550 with its V8 engine has a much lower torque curve and more pull which gives it a much smoother acceleration curve compared to the E350 with its, somewhat weak, V6 engine. If only the V6 could have a lower torque curve start than 1,800 RPM it would be more effortless.
To overcome this you can try to put transmission into S mode. In S mode the transmission is more willing to shift into a lower gear. In E mode it tends to hold a higher gear to improve fuel economy but produce slower acceleration. Mercedes also implemented a quick way to put the transmission into the best gear that will give you the most torque. Hold down the left paddle for a second and this will drop the transmission into the gear that will produce you the most torque and power for a quick acceleration.
This is why the Twin Turbo V6 engines are a better choice for the E class; much lower torque curve without needing to bury your right foot when accelerating out of 7th gear.
To overcome this you can try to put transmission into S mode. In S mode the transmission is more willing to shift into a lower gear. In E mode it tends to hold a higher gear to improve fuel economy but produce slower acceleration. Mercedes also implemented a quick way to put the transmission into the best gear that will give you the most torque. Hold down the left paddle for a second and this will drop the transmission into the gear that will produce you the most torque and power for a quick acceleration.
This is why the Twin Turbo V6 engines are a better choice for the E class; much lower torque curve without needing to bury your right foot when accelerating out of 7th gear.
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e350
I really thought that was going to be the answer to this question. I never drove the sedan. I drove the coupe found that the financing options were no where close to the sedan and I just could not swing the higher payment. I just got it back from the dealer all the updated and everything is there. I only have 900 miles on the car. I have decided to just run it in 5th gear around town. Thanks for the help
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
Agreed. The new 2012 V6 engines do have more grunt to them but only the V8 is turbo charged at the moment. I haven't driven a 2012 E class but the reviews are quite favorable saying the engine has more power then the 2011 engines. My wife's C300 is actually quite peppy in sport mode around town; or at least it feels like it. Not sure about where the torque curve starts on that engine but its much lower then the E350. I asked for a C350 loner one time to see how much "better" it was then the C300 but I didn't like it at all. Because it has the same engine as my E350 is also has a high torque curve and I had to be a little heavier footer when in higher gears. I prefer the C300s engine over the C350s.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
I really thought that was going to be the answer to this question. I never drove the sedan. I drove the coupe found that the financing options were no where close to the sedan and I just could not swing the higher payment. I just got it back from the dealer all the updated and everything is there. I only have 900 miles on the car. I have decided to just run it in 5th gear around town. Thanks for the help
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From: Suburban Phila., PA
2012 E350 Coupe
Its the lack of torque at lower RPMs of the V6 engine. The torque really kicks in at 1,800 RPM. If your engine is below this value you need to push the gas pedal harder to force a kick down of gears and have your RPM raised to start moving faster. The naturally aspirated V6 engine is not ideal for the transmission equipped with the car. The transmission keeps going into higher gear to force the engine to run with a lower RPM to improve fuel economy. To start to accelerate faster you need to push harder on the gas pedal to reach the beginning of the torque curve which is pretty high at 1,800 RPM......
The engine's improved responsiveness is also helped by the 2012 improvements to the trans. which seems like a better match-up than previously.
My hands-on experience comments refer to the coupe, but I'm sure the improvements will be proportionately noticable in the sedan as well, despite the weight increase and other differences.
I hope you get a chance to drive a '12 and see what you think.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
I think I got somewhat of a "freak" 3.5L this time around, as since I've had the exact same drivetrain in 2 of my previous cars (W211 E350, 2010 E350, and now the 2011 E350), this one is noticeably peppier than either of them, which is mostly notable from the 2010, which is the exact same car, just with the added weight of the Pano (unless the weight was enough to make the difference on its own).
The only time in my 2010 that had me longing for more power was when I was on the highway with 2 other passengers in the car. In my 2011, I've had a total of 5 passengers, and the car didn't feel bogged or weighed down.
All in all, at least in my current car, I can't say that I've ever required more power, and obviously I don't drag race, so having to "beat" another car isn't a playing factor.
Also, I find that I drive this car a bit more "aggressively" than my either of my two previous E's, as the throttle response is more "present" for me. Maybe I just got lucky with a good and snappy transmission, since I find the 7G's can be pretty inconsistent.
The only time in my 2010 that had me longing for more power was when I was on the highway with 2 other passengers in the car. In my 2011, I've had a total of 5 passengers, and the car didn't feel bogged or weighed down.
All in all, at least in my current car, I can't say that I've ever required more power, and obviously I don't drag race, so having to "beat" another car isn't a playing factor.
Also, I find that I drive this car a bit more "aggressively" than my either of my two previous E's, as the throttle response is more "present" for me. Maybe I just got lucky with a good and snappy transmission, since I find the 7G's can be pretty inconsistent.
Last edited by K-A; Oct 14, 2011 at 06:32 PM.
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e350
Well I drove my C300 and my E350 back to back this weekend. Hands down I made a big mistake on the purchase of the E350. If I had drove it before I got it I don't know that I would of picked up on the low speed issue. I really like the car as a whole. It has good power on the highway the handling is good. I went to the dealer and I asked if there were any options on trading it for a coupe or 2012 350. I got the, WELL we would have to book it and see what it's worth ans see if there is any way that we could work with you. But it is only a 33 month lease so you could get out early. So I guess they really dont need my business for the next 15 years or maybe they dont need it. a car with less than 1000 miles BLK on BLK loaded up. Hmmmmmm. Thanks to all for your help
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
Well I drove my C300 and my E350 back to back this weekend. Hands down I made a big mistake on the purchase of the E350. If I had drove it before I got it I don't know that I would of picked up on the low speed issue. I really like the car as a whole. It has good power on the highway the handling is good. I went to the dealer and I asked if there were any options on trading it for a coupe or 2012 350. I got the, WELL we would have to book it and see what it's worth ans see if there is any way that we could work with you. But it is only a 33 month lease so you could get out early. So I guess they really dont need my business for the next 15 years or maybe they dont need it. a car with less than 1000 miles BLK on BLK loaded up. Hmmmmmm. Thanks to all for your help
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
That's pretty interesting to me. Whenever I go from driving a C300 to my E-Class, it feels like I went from a $20K car to a $100K car (pre facelift C-Class at least). The C is just lacking in so, so many ways. Not to mention, the C300 I find to be very noticeably less powered, especially when you need the power quickly. What it does offer over the E is a tighter, firmer, harsher, sportier ride, and better handling.... But that that goes without saying, and frankly, the E would be a terrible car if it outdid the C on all those, as it would sacrifice the very luxury point that is the E-Class.
I guess I just don't get how, if HP and sportiness is enough for you to think that a C300 is superior to your E (i.e, the vast benefits of the E otherwise from that, don't mean enough to you to massively outweigh them), then why you would choose the E in the first place.
The E350 is probably the worst place to spend $50+K on, if you're a performance junkie. Reason being that it's probably the best place to spend $50K on, if you're a luxury-car junkie.
Good luck. Lots of Dealers are hungry right now, and the Used Car Market has cars at record high prices. It's a "Lease and get out early"-ers dream right now. Just shop as many aggressive Dealers as you can, and somebody's gotta bite hopefully. I wasn't even trying to get out of my 2010 E350, but a Dealer convinced me to swap it for a 2011 with a higher MSRP, by (after negotiations and me "putting my foot down") dropping the payments $50 a month on it.
I guess I just don't get how, if HP and sportiness is enough for you to think that a C300 is superior to your E (i.e, the vast benefits of the E otherwise from that, don't mean enough to you to massively outweigh them), then why you would choose the E in the first place.
The E350 is probably the worst place to spend $50+K on, if you're a performance junkie. Reason being that it's probably the best place to spend $50K on, if you're a luxury-car junkie.Good luck. Lots of Dealers are hungry right now, and the Used Car Market has cars at record high prices. It's a "Lease and get out early"-ers dream right now. Just shop as many aggressive Dealers as you can, and somebody's gotta bite hopefully. I wasn't even trying to get out of my 2010 E350, but a Dealer convinced me to swap it for a 2011 with a higher MSRP, by (after negotiations and me "putting my foot down") dropping the payments $50 a month on it.
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e350
Wow I guess I didn't get my point across. I thought I said I liked everything about the E except the low end Between 1200 to 1600 rpm. Don't know about where you drive but here in Tenn. most of the off highway speed limits are 30 to 40 MPH. just saying the rear end gear ratio of the C and the power to wt. ratio makes the C a better low end drive for myself. I will just drive it in 5th gear around town and that seems to fix my issue. MB fixed the issue by adding torque and horsepower in 2012.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
I guess I missed/forgot the initial post. I'll pay attention to how my car responds at around those RPM's, however, I'm constantly pleasantly surprised by the peppiness of my current E. Especially in day to day traffic, it feels "snappier" than either of my last E's. Almost like it has what I perceive a Sprint Booster to provide (maybe you should look into one of those BTW).
I have a feeling a lot of this might be the tranny. The car does make a healthy enough dose of Torque (260) at very low RPM's. It seems these trannies learn a certain form of driving and stick with it.
I have a feeling a lot of this might be the tranny. The car does make a healthy enough dose of Torque (260) at very low RPM's. It seems these trannies learn a certain form of driving and stick with it.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,557
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From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Mine was fussy and bumpy until about 1-2K. I even took it to the Dealer, as being so accustomed to a couple generations of the 7GTronic, I felt I know a bad one when I feel one (i.e, my W211, that was a mess, and needed a Valve Body replacement), and they said to give it time. Eventually, it totally smoothed out, and is great now. I feel the peppiness and "sense of urgency" of my current car is noticeably better than my last two E's.
