more down to earth, But I have seen automatic fail at 50K, it is all in how U drive and maintain our tranny. If you speed racer don't expect more than 100K plus or minus if your conservative, you could go 200K plus.As I said it is all subjective.

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Al Lueb
1999 C280 54K miles
1979 450 SLC 144K miles

I re-built one for a friend about thirteen years ago when the car had 151K on the clock. It didn't have a catastrophic failure, it just lost fourth gear. The car now has 482K on it and it still shifts good. It must have a sticking valve in the valve body though, because if you shift directly from R to D it's a bit harsh. If you shift from R into N for two or three seconds, and then into D it's fine.

as I said it is a very subjective thing. Mercedes builts rock solid automatics. My 79 450SLC, tranny was rebuilt by the previous owner, in 95. When I go the car, I noticed the shift handle was very sloppy and slow to get into gear once shifted say from N to D. Easy fix the rubber bushing was replaced with a metal bushing. Which was a factory recall in 84. It is still a bit slow when the temps are low, below 25F, but once the tranny is warm, which doesn't take very long the selection of gears is fine and the shifting is fine driving. The only I noticed, being a 3 speed, with comes out of low very quickly unless you hold the pedal down, the slightest release of pressure from your foot it will upshift quickly. Downshifts are fine, no problem there. 114K miles on the ODO, and the tranny was rebuilt around 109K. As I said in my other post that was in 95. When I first check the ATF it was slightly discolored. My certified MB mechanic changed the ATF and added a "mercedes" additive, but it is hard to say if th additive was needed as the problem was the bushing, but he is the mechanic/tech so he knows best. I just a guy who likes these cars. The older ones seem to be better then the newer ones IMHO.

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Al Lueb
1999 C280 54K miles
1979 450 SLC 144K miles

Had to put a rebuilt in the TE at around 90K,,, shortly after I bought it. I suspect that was the main reason the PO got rid of it. Who knows what it went through.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I have a 1987 300D with 234K on the original Transmission. At least I think it is the original. Good records up through 2002. Decient ones after that.

It takes a few seconds to go into gear in forward and reverse, clunks when you let off of the accelerator right about the time it is ready to shift, and has loud thunks on the 1-2 & 2-3 shifts when warm. If you drive it hard it does not clunk. I don't know what causes the lift throttle clunk. The other thunks are from vacuum issues that I think I have researched enough. I'll find out this weekend when I try some fixes.

The well worn condition and the complete records up through 2002 is what makes me think it is original. I'm putting about 20,000 miles a year on it now. Mostly in 2-3 hour highway runs. I'm hoping to get a couple of more years out of it.

-Jim

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1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

I'm at 140k on my '95 and the fluid looks as clean as can be. Shifts great, no issues.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

for most of the cars that forum owners drive the"book" says service trans at 60k but this is too long.once every 30k[if drained completely]will keep these trans[722.3]going for at least 3-400k.these units were designed by porsche for mercedes.

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David S Poole
European Performance
Dallas, TX
4696880422

"Fortune favors the prepared mind"
1987 Mercedes Benz 420SEL
1988 Mercedes Benz 300TE (With new evaporator)
2000 Mercedes Benz C280
http://www.w108.org/gallery/albums/A...1159.thumb.jpg

Rebult the 1989 300TE's tranny @ 200k miles.

In my "new" 1991 300CE the tranny was rebuilt @ 116k miles.

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Still on the same transmission at 400K + in my case.
Never had a single problem (touch wood)
Oil change as per the book

160k on the E420. Takes its time going into reverse. Has a slight leak somewhere.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

W124 is at 187,000 mi (300,000 km) still shifts smooth on Mobil 1 synthetic ATF

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ARVY

1999 E430
1999 C230 Kompressor
1992 300E (write-off)
1984 190D 2.2 (sold)

I have 376k on my 87 300TD, 280k on my 87 300SDL, and 200k on my 92 400E, all original trannys, and fluid changed but not that often even, maybe every 50k miles.

I had an 83 300TD that broke the B2(?) piston at 215k, and the clutches were getting weak (long delays from fwd to reverse and back) but it still kept on after piston replacement. They just keep on runnin'

Gerry

I had the B2 piston failure at about 130k. No forward gears, just reverse. Fixed it and have had no other issues.

Have you inspected your flex disks?

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

No, I have not checked them. I guess I'll get that next weekend.

The thunks when I am easy on the accelerator and the engine is warm are almost certainly vacuum related. They did not happen until after I did some work over on the vacuum lines to the ERG valve.

Do you think the quick off the throttle thunk could be related to the flex discs?

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1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.