2008. 320"s" - gear shift on steering column ?

HERBIEMERCMAN

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
Messages
1,407
Reaction score
40
Location
PRESTON, LANCS.
Your Mercedes
97. E300.TD. 7 SEAT.ELEGANCE. EST.TOYOTA SUPRA MK4. RS. VAUX. CORSA.GLS AUTO. SPORT.
my neighbour was showing me his new 320 S, lovely looking big car, superb inside. it's a three litre diesel, good ecconomy and quite quick for such a big heavy car.

the one thing he does not like, to the point of contacting mercedes HQ, is the gear change is located on the right hand side of the steering column and looks just like the turn indicator.

he said he has operated it a few times out of habit and he feels it is actually dangerous ? he said you could select reverse gear whilst moving forward at low speed ? i found this hard to beleive, but he seemed sincere about it.

does anyone out there know if this situation is possible ? herbiemercman.
 

hawk20

Senior Member
Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
4,971
Reaction score
11
Your Mercedes
ML250 BlueTEC Sport
my neighbour was showing me his new 320 S, lovely looking big car, superb inside. it's a three litre diesel, good ecconomy and quite quick for such a big heavy car.

the one thing he does not like, to the point of contacting mercedes HQ, is the gear change is located on the right hand side of the steering column and looks just like the turn indicator.

he said he has operated it a few times out of habit and he feels it is actually dangerous ? he said you could select reverse gear whilst moving forward at low speed ? i found this hard to beleive, but he seemed sincere about it.

does anyone out there know if this situation is possible ? herbiemercman.

Yes, at very low speed just as you can with a floor mounted shift. Since the only job needed is to select drive and then let the box do the work (or use the paddle shift on the steering wheel), I see no problem with having the lever on the steering column and freeing up stowage space in the centre console. Good idea I think. Some of the new E's have it too.
 

jberks

Senior Member
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
11,153
Reaction score
41
Location
M1, Outside lane, somewhere between Leeds and Lond
Your Mercedes
Jaguar XF 3.0 S, LR Freelander 2, Fiat 500 & Fiat Panda
If it's on the RHS, I can't see the problem, given the turn indicator is on the left.
The cruise control is on a stalk and we never hit that accidentally. Possibly it's not positioned well (I doubt I'll ever be fortunate enough to find out) but knowing MB, they're normally really careful with ergonomics.
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Interesting being on the right, when the shift is on the left, you have one to engage D as soon you have started with the left hand. Is there a gate on the selector

Is there any tiptronic now on these cars.

Maybe the shape of things to come is, doing away with the center console and have 3 seats in the front as the yanks in the 60's :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
OP
HERBIEMERCMAN

HERBIEMERCMAN

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
Messages
1,407
Reaction score
40
Location
PRESTON, LANCS.
Your Mercedes
97. E300.TD. 7 SEAT.ELEGANCE. EST.TOYOTA SUPRA MK4. RS. VAUX. CORSA.GLS AUTO. SPORT.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
thanks for info guys, i have not driven the car but i feel i could get used to the situation, however the current owner does not agree.

in his car the usual position for the auto gearshift has been replaced with a large knob for operating the satnav.

so no bench seat possibility, sorry malcolm, when they do get arround to the bench seat as i had in the 60's in my dad's vauxhall cresta, you,ll be able to buy one, circa £47K. herbiemercman.
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
.

so no bench seat possibility, sorry malcolm, when they do get arround to the bench seat as i had in the 60's in my dad's vauxhall cresta, you,ll be able to buy one, circa £47K. herbiemercman.


The people in those cresta's and Zodiac's pictures must have been very skinny
 

Alex M Grieve

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
9,388
Reaction score
60
Location
Broom, Warwickshire
Your Mercedes
B Class d200 Sport Premium Plus (66)
Yes, at very low speed just as you can with a floor mounted shift. Since the only job needed is to select drive and then let the box do the work (or use the paddle shift on the steering wheel), I see no problem with having the lever on the steering column and freeing up stowage space in the centre console. Good idea I think. Some of the new E's have it too.

I am with you on the principle. I only touch the gear lever at the beginning and the end of each journey, and if manoeuvering.

When you think of it, the cruise control lever on the left is adjacent to the indicator stalk. We manipulate the cruise control up, down, towards you and away many times on a motorway journey, without looking at it and without confusion. So I think the odds of getting in a twist over a gear selector to the right of the column are slim.

I also think it would be tricky to engage reverse in an automatic box while going forward, even by accident, so the spectacular upsets seen on manual cars (I think E Types specialized at this) should not happen.
 

Hertfordshire Merx

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
353
Reaction score
0
Your Mercedes
A160
If you try and engage reverse gear while at speed going forwards the gearbox has a safety program to dump the pressure in the solenoids so no damage occurs amongst other safety items built in. All depends if you are brave enough to try it, I'm not!
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
When you think of it, the cruise control lever on the left is adjacent to the indicator stalk. We manipulate the cruise control up, down, towards you and away many times on a motorway journey, without looking at it and without confusion.


Wonderful Distronic again just set it and that the end of it :D
 

WE HAVE NOW MOVED: 8 Hazel Road, Woolston, SO19 7GB
Service, Repairs and remapping service
Any queries, please do not hesitate to contactEmail@mbsofsouthampton.co.ukor alternatively you can phone Colin or Dave on 02380 445820, out of hours numbers are 07787913313 or 07907631681.
Top Bottom