Bklyn

Hi all:

I have tried both comfort mode as well as sport on my 2008 S550 4Matic. I do not feel much difference. Should I?

S70Houston

Can't speak for a 4Matic, as mine is not, but I think you definitely should feel a difference.
Shift pattern changes, suspension drops slightly and the car feels much stiffer.

Bobitza

I have the same car OP, a 2008 S550 4matic.

You're right, there isn't much difference overall (which is a good thing by the way). Where I felt the difference is in the following scenarios at low speeds:

• Accelerating from hard stop or at low speeds - I do feel the car shifting gears faster, not to mention the fact that from hard stop, in S mode, you're starting in 1st gear, not 2nd gear like in C mode. That means a quicker response time.
• Taking curves at low speeds - the suspension is stiffer and I feel some of the boatiness is gone.

At highway speeds I don't feel a difference, but I think that's normal; you won't need to change gears that often plus you're driving mainly in straight line.

By the way, how do you guys drive your S-es?
- C mode forever
- S mode forever
- C for city, S for highway
- S for city, C for highway

S70Houston

I agree with your observations Bobitza.
I drive my S mostly in C on the highway. Depending on city driving, driving conditions/roads and/or my mood, I use either S or C.
Due to the different shift pattern in S, I would imagine that the gas mileage would be worse compared to in C!!!???

lika1

At highway speeds you will not feel a difference in the suspension. From Mercedes - "In order to minimize aerodynamic drag, the system lowers the ride height automatically from a speed of 100 km/h." That translates to ~62mph, so at highway speeds you're essentially in S mode for suspension.

S70Houston

Interesting, was not aware of this.

Bklyn

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

Bklyn

This is great info. I thank you. I will probably always use C mode as I love the feel of that car. BTW, I had no idea it started in second gear in comfort. How interesting.

Bklyn

Wow. Thanks. There is lot to learn on this car. My last one was an 02 E430, RWD and I thought THAT was complicated.

This is a whole now ball game. The potential costs frighten me. I intend to use it as a daily driver but I have short trips on easy roads. Then, Boston winter. Ouch.

Rimola

Was playing with the modes earlier myself. I will def agree with everything said so far. I would not say drastic difference, but def for slower speeds and stop/go travel. Took some twisties with it and in S the car def feels less like a boat and more agile, if that makes sense. You will feel the difference g]if going up and downhill.

EasyPhil

I would check the condition of the heater control valve behind the firewall in the engine compartment, it's made of plastic and if original will fail by either not working or falling apart leaving you open to potential engine overheating.

Bklyn

This is great and thank you. I must try this.

I hear that you have to be in Park to go from C to S. Is that true? Also, will driving in S eat more gas than comfort mode?

S70Houston

You do NOT need to be in Park to move between S and C, this can be done at any time at any speed. (Where do you get this information, where did you "hear" this?)

In regards to gas mileage, I would imagine it to be slightly higher on S, due to the more aggressive shift pattern. I can however not confirm this, as I have never really calculated gas mileage other than on the computer, nor have I ever driven only on S or C on a complete tank of gas to get an accurate measure.

Two additional reasons:
- To me, owning a car of this size and weight with a V8, MPG is by far not as important as FPG. (Fun per Gallon).
- Gas is cheap in the US, but most have not figured this out yet. Check gas prices in Europe, and then get concerned about how much gas your car will eat.

Bklyn

Good info and I thank you.Yes BTW, I did just "hear it." Lots of bad info out there at times.

S70Houston

Very true.

Bklyn

C mode forever. It is so comfortable and easy.

lkchris

Good to clarify the discussion.

there are two sport modes.

on dash is switch for Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which tightens up the shock absorbers in sport mode

on console is C/S switch that when in sport mode causes transmission to start in 1st (rather than 2nd) and raises rpm of shifting

BOTUS

mine has one switch on the COU (command knob and button set) it has multiple changes, they bring:

S = Sport

a) Stupid change in suspension firmness. A joke, that makes it a stilted mess that's more dangerous and slower than using comfort if you can actually drive (but is needed above 90mph in a straight line)
b) Adaptive cruise control set to road rage mode (that you have to drop back to comfort as its offensive - but then it conflicts with the last bit of point a)
c) Drops ride height 10mm
d) Gear change uses first when you slow down or stop
e) Kick down wants to argue with smooth fluid progress in nadgery rally sections. It woefully affects the whole car's balance ending up with a catastrophe as electronic nannies go mad after you got there first

C = Comfort

a) Wallowing, lumbering mess, that you need to use because it at least allows the wheels to move providing some grip sometimes
b) Adaptive cruise control in grandad mode with a stretchy tow rope effect which is annoying, but less annoying that it is in Sport

M = Manual

a) I think is Sport, plus it forgets to change gear (never used it, the buttons on the wheel allow the same effect in either C or S anyway) another pointless waste of time


All of which goes to show they have no idea what they are doing and fit garbage as a marketing ploy / attempts to cover up incompetent / incomplete development by people who can 't drive
Had they spent the time on driving it on normal roads, with normal people we'd have a vastly better car. Instead two glaring defects that ruin the car.

1) they develop power curves to suit angry Germans >130 mph trying to force others off the road. It'd have better power more of the time, lower emissions and better economy if it did something below 4k rpm.
2) the ride comfort and overall safety would not be two separate disastrous compromises. It needs one safe, smooth, enjoyable, homogenous blend with settings that are right and then left well alone !!!



'

Arrie

My car has "S", which actually is called "Standard" and "C" for "Comfort" modes both for suspension and transmission.

For suspension it makes a really big difference between these modes. Changes car handling completely and if we could run the cars at any meaningful speed here in the U.S. the "S" mode would be the one to use. There are some roads though that I have been on that I had to use the "S" because the car would start "dancing" on the road.

For transmission the "S" makes the car a lot stronger from start. I would spin the wheels almost every time without the "ESP" in working. I still get the tire spin warning in the dash though even with the "ESP".

What comes to "angry Germans" I'm very happy they exist because without them I would not be able to get a car made by them, a car that is engineered to go 130+ MPH and actually feeling fine doing it. Go try, you will see, I have.

Mr. BOTUS, this site is for MB Enthusiasts, which for me mean for people who think positively about these vehicles and want to learn about them. Why do you spend so much time to talk so negatively about the cars that are some of the best and safest in the world made for people to drive? I understand there could be a word "Negative enthusiasm" too as type of enthusiasm but still... Just a question.

BOTUS

I thought it was a car enthusiast's site where people aim to get support to fix or improve their cars?

That would be a lot more useful than sycophantically remising over a by gone era, as we all sit back and continue to allow car manufacturers to destroy the planet building more and more designed to die garbage.
Forums are one of the best ways to get issues out to the public. We need this so manufacturers are forced to improve their products (or at least begin to understand we are on to them and slow the rate of decline).
One person doesn't know everything, consensus starts to build the picture. As does clear factual information available on public forums.

You even recognise the very issue I have in point a).

where you said "some roads though that I have been on that I had to use the "S" because the car would start "dancing" on the road".

That is the very point, its a badly conceived way to pretend to make it drive in a sporty manner. Fluid controlled movement allowing the wheels to follow the road, providing consistent grip and good braking is what's needed. And it comes from engineers driving in all manner of conditions and developing the vehicle appropriately. I have no doubt on a very smooth circuit after a lot of practice, using S (sport as its called on page 323 of the owners manual) you could almost lap 0.001 seconds faster than using C. But on public roads 90% of the time its slower, uncomfortable, unpleasant and sometimes dangerous.

With a only a slight increase in wallow at times C avoids many of the pitfalls you get in S and is preferable as many other systems cope better. I know an enthusiast with a AMG v12 w221 who also swears its undrivable in S and vastly improved in C (he's young and like me drives quickly!).

As for driving at speed, I live in Europe and regularly drive in Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands and the UK. I also ride motorbikes and doing 130mph plus is quite normal. Here's a few thoughts:

No motorcycle is made with a distinct step in its power curve where its gutless and lethargic then only comes to life 66% of the way through its rev range. Its a stupid idea, which I have observed in every German built car I've owned in the last 20 years. BMWs 335d, 520, 535, Mercedes w124 320, w211 3.0d, w221 5.5v8 Opel 2.5td, 3.0 petrol. You will also find the kick down is also programmed to fire around 120mph, set like this, its purely to allow arrogant out of control idiots to drive dangerously in road rage attack mode. For any manufacture to build cars like this should be illegal. Clearly its a German thing the EU should curtail.

Sadly much of my driving is in many busy areas where Germany borders FR NL BL and with each country having its own distinctive style you need very good brakes. So many hit the indicator and move the wheel at the same time without a care in the world. This becomes very problematic because they are strange over there, with many unlimited sections of "highway" being only 2 lanes.

Here you might be legally doing 140mph on an empty lane with only two other vehicles on the road. Yourself, someone else at 62 mph, and a heavy good vehicle at 58 mph. A truck in your language. Like all goods vehicles Europe wide they are legally mandated to be limited to 58 mph. So as the person in a car at 62mph gradually approaches the truck, they could check their mirror and decide 98% of the time they can wait for you to pass, without backing off or thinking. But they never do. They just pull out and you get yet another opportunity to see if you can get three interesting elements to come together at once. 1) huge rear end instability, 2) molten front discs and 3) adjusting the alignment of your front bumper (using the back of car driven by the idiot now in front).

Thus often the ability to cover ground effectively on an unlimited road is tempered with the need to allow your brakes to recover as that fun happens about once every 5 minutes on quiet stretches or every 400 yards in busier areas. So if the limiting factor is only ever about not crashing and managing brake temperatures, why do I need a gearbox and an engine that's designed only to work getting me back to 140 mph ASAP ?




,

DaleB

There's a reason I have the guy muted. It's not that I don't want to hear anything less than positive about the Mercedes -- Lord knows there are faults. I just got tired of seeing the constant carping with no useful information.

s550hollywood

Comfort and Sport mode:
The best way to describe it on the 2013 S550, "be careful" due to the G-Force of this BEAST. I only use Sport mode when I am about to enter a freeway of speeding demons because it opens up a can of Torc instantly and puts me anywhere I choose to be within 6 lanes of traffic very quickly without hesitation. When I get off the freeway, I'll usually enter comfort mode again because sport mode through town can be a little too peppy. Not sure why you wouldn't feel the difference on an earlier model but its like night and day on mine. Sport mode on this car reminds me of when my big brother came home from the Navy in 1980 driving a TransAm with a 454 under the hood, one light tap of the gas would pin your *** to the seat. Thats what Sport mode is in the 2013 S550. I commend the engineers who made it possible on my car. I also use sport mode and sport suspension when driving on curvy canyon roads; it really makes a difference.



The day we met, I traded a Lincoln Town Car for it and never looked back.

poptopclk

I would add that the 2012 & 2013 are quite different beasts than the 2007-2011.
The M278 4.6 TT engine is a rocket motor.
When you have it in S and press the gas you launch like a catapult on an aircraft carrier !

BOTUS

my 2007 long wheelbase has 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds, its enough. in most driving conditions you seldom need under 10 seconds, use under 7 seconds once every 3 months, but what you need almost every drive is a fix for the serious lack of grunt to get on with things overtaking after 90mph