http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/280307-high-mileage-transmission-report.html?highlight=transmission

If you can change your oil from underneath, you can also change your trans fluid.

Rgds,
Chris W.

Check with your local MBUSA club. The one up here in DFW has 6 tech sessions a year. I changed my Trans oil (both cars) at the tech session The 124 was a piece of cake.

Pulled the hex out of the torque converter, pulled the plug on the pan and then dropped the pan. Replaced the filter, put it back together, dumped 4 qts in. Started it up, pt in in gear, ran through all the gears several times. Put 2 more quarts in. Drove home and checked it the level, added 1/2 quart more and all is good.

As for the dealership. I am on very god terms with the shop manager and the senior tech. Never had to bribe them with doughnuts or coffee. I am just nice to them.

The E300 had a valve leak in the trans a while back. The both looked at it (free of charge on the rack with me back there with them). The junior tech said the trans had to be dropped. Jimmy, the senior tech said he was pretty sure he could do it with out dropping it. Sure enough, he fixed it with the trans in the car. IIRC the bill was under $600 (would have been $1,400 if they had to drop it). He replaced the wiring harness on the E300 as well. Took them a week the diagnose the a/c problem was a short in the harness. They did the a/c conversion on my car from R12 to 134. No issues. Blows cold and it's been 4 or 5 years.

I replaced the glow plugs on the E300 and putting stuff back together I thought I had a extra plug left over. I emailed a picture to the Shop manager and he had Jimmy look at it and told me it was an extra plug that was not used on my car.

The list goes on an on with the good things the dealer has done.

Did I mention I have had a loaner car for every service? Even the two week one with the AC diagnostic on the E300.

My dealership charges $169.99 for a transmission service. It includes a new filter, pan gasket, and six liters of ATF( the old stuff). The labor time is 1.2 hours.

This is a deal.

On my sig. car - I paid $115.00 (give or take) at the MBCA pricing level for genuine MB parts/fluids/sales tax, when I DIYed it. However, that included the cost of a new sending unit that was causing a minor trans. fluid leak.

My mechanic recommended a shop locally that does purely transmission work, they fixed the problem in my mother's 300TE (w124 also like yours). It was draining the ATF into some place but there were no leaks to be found. Never found out what the culprit was but I'm glad they got it done. Didn't cost much either because it's an independent shop. Plus my mechanic recommended them.

So recently I went to my mechanic and did transmission service on my w123. Runs great, fluid is just at the right level when I checked yesterday. Drained torque converter first then transmission pan.

There are some things to go to the dealership for, transmission service is not one of them, especially for an older car like the W124.

I'd suggest you find a good local recommended indy shop who can service your car for you. Just grab the slurpee before going there :D

Whats so special about a 124?

Nothing that's the point.