Properly maintained these cars arent exactly slow. (not sure on the automatics ) As far as hurting the engine if its stock and hasent been tampered with the governor will regulate you on acceleration . It will reach a flat spot where it wont give you anymore. If you need it use it especially merging into traffic . Just for normal driving you will hear the engine and it tells you when to shift . Same as gas just takes practice. You dont need to run the hell out of it especially around town.

Now where you can kill it is if you doing high speed driving and accidentally shift to 2nd or 1st The governor cant regulate the rpms and your on your own. This goes for going down steep grades as well .

Maintenance is the key to all of this. Mine cruises happily at 65 - 70 all day long. Happily not quietly !

__________________


Experience : what you receive 3 seconds after you really needed it !!



86 300SDL 387,000? Motor committed suicide
81 300SD 214,000 "new" 132,000 motor
83 300SD 212,000 parts car
83 300SD 147,000

91 F700 5.9 cummins 5spd eaton 298,000
66 AMC rambler American 2dr auto 108,000
95 Chevy 3/4 ton auto 160,000
03 Toyota 4runner 180,000 wifes