# Hymer starline sprintshift gearbox



## l7apk (Mar 6, 2009)

Good evening all, I've been looking at the Hymer starline motorhomes and was wondering how the sprintshift box operates. Am I correct in thinking that when you put it in 'A' it shifts to drive and then you push it to + to go up the box and - to drop down, or when in 'A' it works as an auto box and shifts itself.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

I don't have experience of the Sprintshift as my Starline has a fully automatic box with torque converter. However, my understanding is the A gives you automatic gear selection and +/- allows you to shift gears yourself. It uses an automatic clutch rather than a torque converter.
The Sprintshift was only available for a limited period. It is no longer offered by Mercedes and I believe it was not without its faults - you might like to search for a thread by 'Teemyob' on this subject - a few months back.


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## leseduts (Jun 3, 2008)

We have a Geist on a Mercedes 416 with a sprintshift. I am only 5' tall and struggle reaching pedals so anything without a clutch makes life easier. We have had our vehicle for nearly 4 years and have had no problems with it. You are correct that A is fully automatic, and +/- is in sprintshift mode. It will not start before you have held the brake pedal on and put it in neutral mode. I do not know if this is correct but I drive it similar to a vehicle with a clutch, and ease off the throttle as I am changing gear.
My main nark with it is that the +/- are the opposite directions to the ones on our volvo car tiptronic box, so I always drive the car in automatic, otherwise I am changing down when I mean to go up.


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

I have a Starline 640 with Sprintshift box and confirm everything that others have said.

The only thing for me is that the automatic mode doesn't work very well in hilly or twisty road situations (worse with both!) and I then tend to use it in manual mode.

Otherwise no problems and, as this was our first motorhome with a long trip to Europe in the offing I was glad that I didn't have to think about gear changes as well as driving on the left!

Brian


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

The Merc Sprint shift is not an automatic gear box, It is a manual or Auto select shift, Which is controlled by an Ecu , Its the same system as used in Trucks. It does have a clutch,


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## l7apk (Mar 6, 2009)

Thanks for that guys, seems like best of both worlds, auto for stuck in traffic and mundane driving and manual option for the twisty bits.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

*ZF AUTOMATED GEARBOX*

As has been said the Sprintshift is no longer offered by Mercedes who now offer a 5 speed gearbox with a torque converter. The Sprintshift was a good system but you had to adopt the correct driving style to get the best out of it. Similar comments can be said about the automated ZF gearbox marketed by Iveco under the Agile banner. However a modern genuine "automatic" with a torque converter works under any driving style and with modern torgue converters going to "lock up" in the higher gears they are just as efficient as a manual box.

C.


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