is it bad to shift around in a 500E?

[hedpe]

Can the shifter be used as a sports shift in a 500E? It has the first, second, third, and then drive. Does it hurt the tranny to shift between them and engine brake?

Also...when you're doing about 60mph+ and you drop it in to third, it takes the car basically off of overdrive right? That way you get better throttle and response correct? What speed or RPMS should you shift back in to drive if you're accellerating, not slowing down.

[yhliem]

the tranny should be beefy enough to deal with manumatic shifting. though i don't recommend that you do it ALL of the time. you might wind up having to service the tranny sooner than necessary. just be judicious about what you do.

if you're shifting manually, how would you shift if the transmission were a manual? the basic principles are still the same.

[hedpe]

I figured, i try not to mess with it other than dropping it in first and back to D for a first gear start But what about the dropping it in third 60mph+?

[300EVIL]

Anytime i downshift in my 300E i usually compinsate with a little extra throttle pressure to get the smoothest shift possible. I believe thats the best way.

[hedpe]

So if i'm about to take off, is it better or worse to downship into 3rd from 60mph?

You should be fine in 3rd at 60 mph, just don't drive that way for 10 miles or so!!

If you are anticipating a race you should be fine, hell ..... you might even slow to 45 mph and drop it into 2nd. The torque will crush your opposition. :p

As far as sport shifting, sometimes you need to do that if you are attacking slow twisties and need to keep it in gear, as with anything in life though, moderation and not daily.

[hedpe]

alright so i'm rolling at like 60mph...a guy wants to race...do i drop it in 3rd and then floor it, or floor it and then drop it in 3rd? And then what RPMS should i shift to D/4th?

[rainmaker]

Just don't exceed the redline on the tach. You should be fine. But remember, the harder you drive the car, the more religious and diligent you have to be with regular maintenance (fluid changes and stuff). You're probably giving up some on longevity too.

If you floor it, the transmission will automatically kick down into the right gear, but you sacrifice a little time, say a quarter second to a half second while the trans is figuring it out.

Drop it into 3rd, wait till he bites and then nail the throttle. Depending on how much fun you are having, right after I nail it I just flick the trans. into D and go from there, the car is much safer than I am when the adrenaline is kicking in.

[ke6dcj]

There are dots on the speedometer between the MPH and KMH lines at various speeds. The number of dots indicate the approximate speed your transmission gear is good for (one dot= 1st gear; two dots= 2nd gear; three dots= 3rd gear; etc.)

Using a 1992 400E speedo, a single dot is at about 49MPH/79KMH; two dots at 85MPH/137KMH; and three dots at 133MPH/217KMH.

Nifty, eh?

I believe a 500E with a 2.82 diff, 3rd gear is good to about 115 MPH. Go for it, but give it gas. These babies like to rev.

:-) neil
1988 360TE AMG
1993 500E

[renyf1]

wow that is soooo cool !!!!

-Ren

[Badinfo]

grrrr.... I hate all of you My first is only good for 40, and my car tops out at around where the third gear dies in that picture....

[hedpe]

so you can take first gear until 49mph? geez. It seems like it'd be more around 30 or so. Though ferrari's can take first until about 65 mph

[hedpe]

so it's just hard for me to understand how it helps throttle being in third doing about 60 when it's between the first and second gear shifting range. And you could hold that gear until the 3 dots.

[Badinfo]

I think that the picture is from a 400E, and that because of its different rear, the 500E would be toping out its 3rd at 115 (as stated earlier) So popping it in 2nd might give you only a 2k rpm range untill you top out, forcing you to shift again, wheras in 3rd you could maximize the cars torque curve for quite some time...