Did you get any solutions to your troubles? I see by the lack of responses to your message that you did not gain satisfaction here, I wonder how you did in the garage? Do you have a huge bill in your pocket? The reason I ask is I just purchased a 560 SEL with 82000 kilometers (I assume they are the same transmission) I have first and second but there seems to be no grab in third. It looks like I am in the later stages of the problem you are describing. I think the clutches in mine are toast, I will be checking with shops tommorrow. I will let you know my miseries so we can commiserate.

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1987 560 SEL
"A study in the Washington Post determined that women were better communicators than men, I just want to say to the authors of that study "Duh""