I have been driving an 85 500 SEL for about 3 years now. "Faded Glory" is showing 257,00 miles on her OD but that quit working right about a year ago. Seems she is only logging 1 mile for about ever 5 or 6 driven. Speedo seems right so it is safe to say the old gal has been around the block...a bunch of times. She is still hauling most of her original equipment but has never really socked it to me at the shop yet. You know what happens when a woman pulls into a shop with a MB! There is too much that does not work (a/c, heat, criuse ect.) to list but I love this car. She is not worth much except as parts so I am not prepared to shoulder a big repair bill. Other than I love it, I drive it because I cannot afford anything else.

Here is the problem. My brother in law and I have been co-driving her the last couple of months. About 2 weeks ago he complained of a severe power loss at low speed. The rpm's shot through the roof almost into the red. Driving the 60 miles back from the airport yesterday, she did it to me. It felt like I was in neutral but I had dropped back to 1st or 2nd gear for no reason. Once on the highway everything seemed fine. This car has never shifted hard, hesitated to backup or move forward from a standstill. Only time it has ever slipped was when it was low on ATF because of the minor leak I have not fixed. That has only happened maybe 5 or 6 times over the last few months. I have been told to change fluid and filter at one place. Told if I did that I might "push her over the edge" at another. Something about "flaking" on the clutch and "drive her till she blows". I wish it could be as simple as the "original" brake booster vacum hose that went and scared the willie's out of me last week. Found the answer to that right here and fixed it myself. Shop probably would have sold me the booster and told me they were throwing in the vacum hose for free! I think if it were a vacum problem it would be all of the time. Fluid level is fine.

Anybody have this problem and if so, tell me it is not big. Otherwise she is going to the barn out back until I win the lottery! She will not bring doodle with a bad tranny anyway.