C Class 220 CDi Tiptronic

philipblair

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I have 2 questions I am looking for advice on please.

1. The 'S' and 'C' button on the tiptronic gear box, which is the most economical setting to be on?

2. Can I switch from 'S' to 'C' and vice versa, while the car is being driven or do I need to have the car stationary and the gearbox in the 'N' position?

Thanks for any help and advice.

Philip
 

gibsones135

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Hi,
The manual tells you only to change when stationary. I keep mine in C a) because it all feels a lot less jerky...the engine changes up sooner so it appears smoother and less 'revvy' if you get my drift? and b) it does seem to be better on fuel. Mr Haynes Manual also agrees with this.
Cheers.
 

Micman

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Hi

In the case of the C class, my manual clearly states don't change between the C and S settings while the car is moving. Change between them when stationery.

S is 'Standard' mode (I think alot of people assume S stands for 'Sport' and therefore use C thinking it will be better on comfort and fuel)

C is 'Comfort' mode (this is for use in slippery conditions, it pulls the car away in 2nd gear to avoid wheelspin, hence the reason it might appear to feel smoother. Use it in dry weather and you will clearly notice the acceleration feels slow compared to S mode)

For me, I keep it in S mode (car is so much nippier and more fun to drive), flip it to C if the roads are particularly wet or slippery.
 
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television

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I have never heard of "you only move it while in N"

There is nothing about moving the button in my book, when the car is moving, and it is the same box, same on the 129.

one benefit of using W in town etc is that the car will not roll back on a hill.

In reverse the S-W switch will give you to different gear ratio's
 

survey

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I have not noticed any difference in fuel consumption between 'C' and 'S' modes. The car does appear sportier in 'S' mode.
 

television

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I have not noticed any difference in fuel consumption between 'C' and 'S' modes. The car does appear sportier in 'S' mode.

I have to agree with you there,,the only thing on my car is that if you are driving a lot in town and the roads are wet, it is better in W as the rear wheels do not spin when taking off say at a left hand turn at traffic lights
 

survey

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Television - I think I would have to really 'boot' the throttle to get a wheel spin in the wet in 'S' mode!
 

*Thumper

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It is Comfort and Standard mode ................ the car pulls away in 1st using both ........ the C mode, really is the standard, as it uses the lower end tourqes ........ whilst the S mode lets the engine rev higher ........ you will use more fuel in S mode

They should really call the Comfort & Sport mode ..............

So to re-iterate ...... use the C mode for normal driving ...... and the S mode, if you wanna put ya foot down

Although, you can tank it in both to be honest ............. still has kick down in both modes !
 

television

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It is Comfort and Standard mode ................ the car pulls away in 1st using both ........ the C mode, really is the standard, as it uses the lower end tourqes ........ whilst the S mode lets the engine rev higher ........ you will use more fuel in S mode

They should really call the Comfort & Sport mode ..............

So to re-iterate ...... use the C mode for normal driving ...... and the S mode, if you wanna put ya foot down

Although, you can tank it in both to be honest ............. still has kick down in both modes !

The E and S was dropped and replaced with C and S that was replaced the W and S unless the newer cars are changing what they are called again

E,C and W have been 2nd gear starts for most
S. standard
E. economy
C. Comfort
W. Winter

The up shifts and down shifts are different in both modes.

I have 3 settings on my V70R S. Sport, N normal and W winter
 

Alex M Grieve

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I have not noticed any difference in fuel consumption between 'C' and 'S' modes. The car does appear sportier in 'S' mode.

Agreed. I have used both and compared them over significant distance. I keep "brim to brim" records and log both fuel consumption, and mpg.

The difference is in the gear in which the car sets off, and in the change up points in the auto gearbox.

Comfort mode starts off in 2nd gear and the change up points are at fewer revs.

Sport (or Standard as *Thumper called it) enables a faster getaway and the change up points are higher, allowing more revs, and more power.

My preference is to use the S setting, and to change up just by easing the throttle when I chose to change up. In this mode you can drive faster in the lower gears if you choose to, without the car changing up when you don't want it to. You can always "kick down" if you are in the C setting, but it takes a moment longer.

So I like S because I can get a wiggle on, or dawdle, all at the twitch of my right foot, and as you have said, the fuel economy is the same for drives at the same speed.
 

survey

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Micman and Thumper - can we agree if in C mode the car moves off in 1st or 2nd?
 

Micman

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Micman and Thumper - can we agree if in C mode the car moves off in 1st or 2nd?

I don't know and to be honest I don't really care! :lol:
All I know is my manual tells me to use 'C' for poor conditions - I assumed it therefore pulled away in 2nd gear to avoid potential wheelspin. The pull away definately feels slower in C mode.

Maybe it does just use lower end torque! Don't know.

If in doubt, do as the manual says - S for standard everyday driving, C for poor conditions, and only change between the two while the car is stationery.
 

*Thumper

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I drive mine in C for normal conditions ( bobbling along) ......... My C class, starts in 1st gear, whatever the set up .............. I use "S", when I want to leg it ........... as the revs range is higher ......... somehow the car feels like a whole new animal in "S" mode ........... puts a smile on my face
 

MB TECH WARRINGTON

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I drive mine in C for normal conditions ( bobbling along) ......... My C class, starts in 1st gear, whatever the set up .............. I use "S", when I want to leg it ........... as the revs range is higher ......... somehow the car feels like a whole new animal in "S" mode ........... puts a smile on my face

C starts off in 2nd gear across the range.

Next time you are driving count the changes.
 

Rory

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C starts off in 2nd gear across the range.

Next time you are driving count the changes.

...and in reverse too.

I drive in S the vast majority of the time - I think the car (C270CDi) is just too slow to pick itself from rest in 2nd and if you boot it, say to pull out of a junction into moving traffic, then it shifts down to first anyway, but with quite a jolt.

I've never seen guidance not to switch modes on the move - I often bonk the C button if I'm on a main road doing 40ish. In S mode it's still in 4th - press C and it'll shift to 5th.
 

television

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...and in reverse too.


I've never seen guidance not to switch modes on the move - I often bonk the C button if I'm on a main road doing 40ish. In S mode it's still in 4th - press C and it'll shift to 5th.

I have never seen that bit either
 

Rory

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think it is probably because as he pressed the c button he moved his foot off accelerator prompting an upchange.

Nope, it's very repeatable - 42/43MPH it won't go into 5th in S mode. Pop it into C and it immediately shifts up.
 

*Thumper

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Been away all weekend .......... so I'll just repeat .......... my C class starts in 1st Gear everytime !! .......... I'm quite sure about this, as I spend a far amount of that time, behind the wheel .... and not locked in the boot !!:rolleyes:


And switching from "C" to "S" mode whilst on the move is fine ................ who and where does it say not too ????
 
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Rory

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Been away all weekend .......... so I'll just repeat .......... my C class starts in 1st Gear everytime !! .......... I'm quite sure about this, as I spend a far amount of that time, behind the wheel .... and not locked in the boot !!:rolleyes:


And switching from "C" to "S" mode whilst on the move is fine ................ who and where does it say not too ????

You should know best, but it is supposed to start in 2nd in C mode (or else how would it cope with slippy weather?). While it doesn't specifically say that, the online handbook does say:
"Drive program S is characterised by the following:
* the vehicle pulling away in first gear"

There's no comment about not changing modes on the move.
 

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