None of us would rather work under jackstands so we buy the good ones instead of the cheapo products sold at Walmart and the chain auto stores like Advanced and Azone. If an MB has solid, no rust jack points a good wide-base set of jackstands can be nearly as safe as a lift.

Using jackstands is much more simple that removing an engine transmission assembly too. I have a set of ramps which are composite material and I much prefer the steel jackstands to that.

I've see people build 4 wooden platforms using house framing lumber to set the car tires on too. If you're concerned about being under a car then you can trust wood to keep it off the ground.

I wouldn't pull an engine just to swap transmissions. There's too many alternates.

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic