In the city I like to drive my C230K smoothly and let if shift softly.

But I do it in S mode...the gears are too jerky for city driving as supposed to when I tried driving it in W (winter mode)...it was nice and smoooth...felt like a total different car.

Is it safe to drive the car in W mode in the summer esp with city driving or will this put more wear on the kompressor (I think its used more in this mode) aswell the engine/tranny?

I just like how it drives in this mode.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

Won't put any extra wear on anything. Use W or S, whichever you prefer.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

Your tranny is adaptive and will 'learn' your driving style. It will take a few drive cycles. It could be that the PO or test drivers where you bought it were kooks and the tranny computer expects your foot to be firmly planted.

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'96 C280 (gone)
'97 C36
'05 C230k

It has 600kms (my driving) since. I dont see a problem with it in S mode, I just like the smoothness of the W mode instead.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240

I run mine in W all the time for the same reasons you mention. As far as the "self adaptation" I think the transmission has a pretty short memory, like just the last few trips, so any previous owner should not be an issue. The specifics of how that works were in a post last year so you could search if you are really interested.

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

The diference between the two modes and why it is smoother in W as opposed to S is fairly simple. In W mode the vehicle will start off in 2nd gear instead of 1st. This makes for smoother starts, better in rain, better in snow, no issue driving this way always. As a matter of fact my 190E does this without a switch, mine starts in second unless floored. This was all for smoothness and better starts in inclement weather. On yours with the switch in W if you floor it you will drop all the way to first. IN the newer models the switch has been renamed to S and C for Sport and Comfort. It was never really intended for Winter only, so they relabeled it, most likely due to questions such as yours.

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~Jamie
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2003 Pewter C230K SC C1, C4, C5, C7, heated seats, CD Changer, and 6 Speed. ContiExtremes on the C7's.

1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon.....

gas mileage perhaps worse with W mode on? The revs are lower but you are using more of the low end torque.

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99 C43
98 S420
99 C230K
01 C240