Finnish taxi driver's tip for long auto-transmission lifetime

[samuli]

Hello All,

There was an article in a Finnish newspaper about a taxi driver who has had two 1000000km Benzes. His tip how to make the auto-transmission last 1000000kms is to use always the sport-setting. Like this the cars starts on first gear and according to him less smooth drive means also less slipping and less wear in the inside parts.

http://www.iltalehti.fi/autot/2011012813075132_au.shtml

One of his transmissions went to Mercedes museum in Stuttgart.

Cheers

[TJ 450]

Yep,, it makes a lot of sense. Slow shifting wears the clutches out indeed.

Tim

[Martin 280s]

Surprisingly enough, I set my W124's g'box to the S setting a couple of days ago and have noticed that the changes are a little smoother. maybe it's been on the E setting for far too long.

[Stork]

I thought that L starts off in first and S starts off in second with higher rev shifts? D is normal rev shift starting in second. Is it different in Euro cars where S starts off in 1st? If so then why would one have L?
Robert

[Big_Richard]

on my 6.9 (3 speed box)

L starts and stays in 1st
S starts and hangs onto 1st for longer than normal, but does up shift to 2nd.

Not sure what the deal is on the 4 speed boxes.

The S mode others are talking about is in regards to i beleive Sports or Summer mode shifting versus Economy shifting on the newer electronic boxes

Having recently done hundreds of kilometers in a bmw with the 5 speed ZF auto, S mode in that revs out the gears properly but locks out overdrive. E mode provides annoyingly short shifts and a lack luster drive. W mode, never tried but that probably starts in second or something silly like that.

[Stork]

In my 280S I did a 0 to 60, started off in L which shifted high rev from 1st to 2nd then I shift to S but I think that in S I cannot sift up past 3 rd to 4 th.
Robert