Some of you seem confused regarding of manual shifiting a automatic tranny. You arent actually changing the gears manually like a manual tranny, hydraulics is doing all the shifting according to speed. When you put in S or L all you are doing is telling the transmission is to shift a different points or limiting to what gears you are shfting to. The transmissions that are electronically controlled you can actually shift it like a manual tranny, just hit a button and then it acts a like a manual tranny.

I happen to have to test drive a Lexus and a newer sl mercedes that once you the hit the button you could shift it like a manual.

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)