Paddle shifters
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Joined: Sep 2021
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E350 Convertible
I use mine pretty regularly on my corvette C8 because it goes back into automatic automatically. My E350 convertible stays in manual once you use either paddle, so I don’t use that often because I don’t want to do whole trips in manual and it’s annoying to push the button on the center console every time. I haven’t checked how the GLB35 does it because it’s still in the break in period, but probably will be the same answer. If I can play around with the shifters on occasion without having to force it back to automatic I probably will, but if not, I probably won’t use them frequently.
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2021 GLB250 FWD, 2023 GLA250 FWD, 2013 C250, 2015 GLK350, 2005 ML350SE, 2003 E320
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
In my '19 C63 and other performance cars all the time. Pretty much exclusively drive in manual mode on the highway and for any spirited driving. Used to drive manual transmissions for 20 years. Automatic transmissions as good as they are these days still can't read my mind and know what I'm going to do next or see the road ahead. I don't use them in normal cars, though. For the most part they are laggy and unsatisfying. I just came back from a month in Europe where I was driving a new A6 rental for 4000 kms. Despite having a dual clutch transmission, it was like grandma shifting gears, totally numb, so I didn't bother. Just put it in S to get a better response, but left it up to its own devices. Paddles are satisfying and fun if the transmission is crisp, responsive and shifts on cue and uses a clutch instead of a torque converter. Otherwise it's more like a numb video game. First day back in my C63 I was ripping through the gears in manual mode again. It's the only way to get the most out of the car, either short shifting or winding out the gears as needed.
Last edited by superswiss; Jul 22, 2022 at 01:41 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2010
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2014 C63
When I accidently hit one on the GLB250 I hear a whine that sounds like a mosquito coming from the engine. I doesn't do anything for the driving experience. I don't even know why they have them. It's like adding paddle shifters to a lawn mower. Like Superswiss said, on a C63... different story. I love downshift and hearing that roar of the M156. The GLB... not so much.
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2022 GLC 300 4 MATIC
When I accidently hit one on the GLB250 I hear a whine that sounds like a mosquito coming from the engine. I doesn't do anything for the driving experience. I don't even know why they have them. It's like adding paddle shifters to a lawn mower. Like Superswiss said, on a C63... different story. I love downshift and hearing that roar of the M156. The GLB... not so much.
Used them a few times when going down steep hills rather than the brakes.
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 22
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From: SW lower MI
2021 GLB250
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11,469
Likes: 5,357
From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
This surprises me. I have driven a lot of cars with paddles, and generally you either hold the + paddle for a couple seconds, or hold both paddles simultaneously to transition back to drive, but you are saying you can't do either on a MB? I used to use the paddles on my Macan GTS when I wanted to hold a gear, but on my 911 I found the transmission so intuitive that it would hold gears like it was in my head, was eerie honestly. Just surprised MB would not have a simple way of getting out of M as above.
Most regular MBs don't have a permanent manual mode. Some like the C class allow to permanently activate manual mode in the Individual DYNAMIC SELECT profile so then the transmission stays in manual mode as long as I* is active. The SUVs typically have permanent manual mode for towing that can be activated via a button in the center console. To get back to automatic mode you have to press the button again. AMGs have the manual mode button in the center console and now also on the steering wheel with the new AMG Drive Unit and in addition manual mode can also be configured in the Individual profile, which is how I have my C63 set up. So whenever I activate I*, I'm immediately in manual mode.
Last edited by superswiss; Aug 4, 2022 at 04:27 PM.
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2021 GLB250 FWD, 2023 GLA250 FWD, 2013 C250, 2015 GLK350, 2005 ML350SE, 2003 E320
Most Mercedes Benzes will go back to normal driving mode (D) if the UPSHIFT (+) paddle is held for about 5 seconds.
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E350 Convertible
Thanks for that, and to the others. Maybe I just wasn’t waiting long enough, but I got in the habit of hitting the mode selector quickly after using the paddle shifters. I’ll try letting it go longer or the +paddle trick.
I think when I did it I would downshift through a turn or something, but it would stay in the low gear when I accelerated coming out of it. In my C8 it will smoothly transition back into automatic, but the Mercedes’ hangs longer than I thought was appropriate, and the indicator says “M”, so I thought it needed a human intervention to go back to auto.
I think when I did it I would downshift through a turn or something, but it would stay in the low gear when I accelerated coming out of it. In my C8 it will smoothly transition back into automatic, but the Mercedes’ hangs longer than I thought was appropriate, and the indicator says “M”, so I thought it needed a human intervention to go back to auto.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,349
Likes: 694
2021 GLB250 FWD, 2023 GLA250 FWD, 2013 C250, 2015 GLK350, 2005 ML350SE, 2003 E320
Thanks for that, and to the others. Maybe I just wasn’t waiting long enough, but I got in the habit of hitting the mode selector quickly after using the paddle shifters. I’ll try letting it go longer or the +paddle trick.
I think when I did it I would downshift through a turn or something, but it would stay in the low gear when I accelerated coming out of it. In my C8 it will smoothly transition back into automatic, but the Mercedes’ hangs longer than I thought was appropriate, and the indicator says “M”, so I thought it needed a human intervention to go back to auto.
I think when I did it I would downshift through a turn or something, but it would stay in the low gear when I accelerated coming out of it. In my C8 it will smoothly transition back into automatic, but the Mercedes’ hangs longer than I thought was appropriate, and the indicator says “M”, so I thought it needed a human intervention to go back to auto.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 19
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E350 Convertible
Played around on my E350 and it does eventually go back to automatic, but takes way longer than feels appropriate. I could probably get used to it.
will have to do the same with the GLB35 and see what I think.
will have to do the same with the GLB35 and see what I think.
