Comfort-Matic (1 Viewer)

[bobandjanie]

So when we changed our motorhome for a Mercedes with a Sprint Shift gear box lots of people said..................... Mercedes expensive to repair and Sprint shift gear box nothing but trouble.
Well we had it 4 and a half years and loved it, pulled like a train good on fuel and loved the Sprint shift.

When I worked we had Scania trucks after our first Volvo, and I can remember the same comments, but ERF and Foden were not for me.

So we are thinking about changing our van, it will be another 6 meter panel van, probably buying in Germany as you have more choice and we want LHD.

But what do people think about Comfort-Matic being robotic like the Sprint shift, anyone had any problems as they have been around a few years now, hopefully ironed out any they might have had.

And our van is a 2012 ducato 2.3 with the 130 do we really need the 150 engine at 3500kg ?
Half the time it's a car. Bob.

 

[Larrynwin]

We have a comfortmatic 3500 150 pulls very well even with car on a frame.
There are times of hesitant shift , normally 1st to 2nd for that I prefer an automatic with torque converter but otherwise it works well. Only 3.5k on the clock so early days.

 

[bobandjanie]

We no longer tow Larry, and really don't know about the 150 engine.
I'm a bit concerned not knowing what they did to the engine, because we had the van we have know remapped it was like driving a go cart, and on long steep hills I could make the clutch slip, that was at 6000 miles and had it put back how it was, its now done nearly 45000 and we never had anymore problems, I think had I left it we would have a new clutch many miles ago. Bob.

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[Larrynwin]

I am sure a 130 is fine , must be loads out there. Not sure if an ex factory 150 has an uprated clutch, could be a reason why a remapped one slipped the clutch.

 

[canopus]

get another Merc Bob - you know it makes sense

 

[GWAYGWAY]

7G box is REALLY REALLY good, mine is anyway. knockdown there if you want it.

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[138go]

Enjoy driving ours Laika its got the 150 Engine with Comfortmatic gear box. Done about 4500 miles so far.

 

[TheCaller]

We have the 150bhp engine & Comfortmatic box in a 3.5t 6.4m PVC. We too use it as a car as much as a m/h. Our circumstances & journey types mean that we need & use the m/h facilities on most journeys anyway.

Very happy with the drivability of the gearbox, but I wouldn't want any less bhp. A lot depends where you drive. In SE England, where you are either in slow moving traffic & zero chance of an overtake that doesn't take you straight to the back end of another vehicle, or alternatively you are on a motorway or dual-carriageway, I would think 130bhp is fine. Anywhere where there is still a bit of open road would leave it a bit breathless, I suspect. Probably ok if the only time you drive it you are on holiday & with no time pressures, but otherwise maybe a bit frustrating. Having said that, there are plenty of people with heavier vans who are perfectly happy with 130bhp.

 

[Lenny HB]

Love our Comformatic with the 150hp and once the engine is run in 12000 - 15000 miles its even nicer to drive.
Seen some test reports with the 130 they don't recon it works as well I think it was German mag Promobil.

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[Theonlysue]

Can you test drive One somewhere?
I'm sure you'll notice the difference.

 

[EuroTrotters]

SprintShift was so good, Mercedes never fitted it to 6XX series Sprinters and stopped fitting it from 2006. They handed it down to VW who they built the Crafter for and it was re-branded "Shiftmatic".

Great if you look after it on smaller chassis, rubbish when it starts to go wrong.

 

[Clarky]

In my many, many years of enthusiastic driving I've never been much of a fan of auto's, much prefer the control of a manual box.
That is, until we got our latest van with Comformatic and 150bhp engine. Absolutely love it and wouldn't go back to manual now.

Richard.

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[PeteH]

I asked this question in another Thread recently (or very similar). How long has the Comfortmatic been available?. Is it as I suspect, JUST a robotised manual 6 speed? (or a different "box" entirely?). Having just had the 6sp manual box on mine rebuilt at 37K miles, following failure of the 6th gear, closely followed by the demise of 5th and jambing in reverse, not to mention the gross Judder in both first AND reverse!. I would be reluctant to put my money on pretty much any Fiat product at this time!.

BTW. I have driven the Sprintshift in "White Van" configuration, and was impressed with it`s drive-ability. But of course not long term, which is where it is important (to me!)

 

[Lenny HB]

It is the standard manual box that has been robotised.
Has been avalible from the beginning of the X250 range i.e. 2006, although only avalibale on the smaller engines for about 4 or 5 years.
Been driving X250's since 2008 never had any mechanical problems at all.

 

[Hughman]

We've done 43,000 miles in just over 3 years on a 2013 Possl Roadcruiser (Fiat) with 150 bhp and Comfortmatic - absolutely no problems at all (yet !) and we've very rarely had to use manual mode except on very steep downhills. We've been over Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites - no problems except front tyre and brake wear is quite high. Tyres are doing about 20k miles - combination of weight carried plus up hill and down dale is hard on them with front wheel drive.

I'd always go for more power if it's available - you don't have to use it all the time but it's good to have it there.

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[peterc10]

Another vote here for the Comfort-matic. We have it in a 7.5m A class with the Fiat 3l engine and find it very good. Much more relaxing to drive than the manual version. Ok, it is not exactly racing smooth, but it's a motorhome I am driving not a Ferrari.

 

[Mr Colpot]

We have a 3litre 160 with the Comfortmatic 0n a 3.5 tonne Van Conversion and its by far the best combination out of the units we have had over the years.(IVECO 2.8/Fiat 2.0/2.3/2.8 Peugeot 2.0 pulling a variety from 3 to 4.25 tonne) The only thing I have to watch for is when slowing down at a roundabout and then seeing the way is clear - it can be a little weird if I accelerate just as the box decides to change down to 1st, but other than that I love it - its a pleasure to drive.

 

[bobandjanie]

We have a 3litre 160 with the Comfortmatic 0n a 3.5 tonne Van Conversion and its by far the best combination out of the units we have had over the years.(IVECO 2.8/Fiat 2.0/2.3/2.8 Peugeot 2.0 pulling a variety from 3 to 4.25 tonne) The only thing I have to watch for is when slowing down at a roundabout and then seeing the way is clear - it can be a little weird if I accelerate just as the box decides to change down to 1st, but other than that I love it - its a pleasure to drive.

Yes I remember Janie with the cruise control set to 70, in our 2.7 merc flick it back On coming Off the roundabout and it changing up through the box leaving everything for dust.

Well it seems many like them, time to start shopping around, and looking at registering in Spain. Bob.

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[ABZSteve]

We have 6.5m van with Comfortmatic and 150 BHP. Have done around 6500 miles and very pleased with it. Very steep hills need to be planned i.e. the kick down is not quick enough so best using manual shift (in my experience anyway). I wouldn't consider anything other than an auto box and although it's not a true auto, I have had no issues switching between my Audi Auto the Fiat. Good luck

 

[mikebeaches]

We have a 6.4m pvc with a 130hp engine and comfortmatic gearbox. The van is standard 3,500kg and we run at close to that weight.

So the question is the 130hp sufficient - for us the answer is yes.

Of course folk who have shelled out for 150hp will say that is preferable.

We had 130hp on previous van - manual gearbox - Ducato-based coachbuilt 3,500kg, and it was absolutely fine - up and down the Alps no problem. As expected, performance improved with mileage - really noticed after 10k on the clock.

New van only done 3,000 miles so far - early days. But perfectly happy at the moment, and expect a bit more when it is fully run in. Have not noticed much difference on hills and happy all day at 75mph+ on French autoroutes.

Yes, no doubt a bit more power in the 150hp, but the 130hp perfectly fine.

Oh, and love the comfortmatic - so relaxing to drive.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[bobandjanie]

We will have to see what comes up and what deal we can get, nice to know your happy with the gear box, things are so complicated these days, I remember my first truck without a throttle cable.
Worried to death. Bob.

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