A number of owners have had problems with the transmissions of current shape S Class V8s built late 1998 through 1999. This manifests itself in judder when taking off from standstill and a thump as the box changes from 1st to 2nd (or 2nd to 3rd if it starts in 2nd. This only happens if the car is driven immediately after starting it up. Left foot braking to ease the box into drive does not help with the judder. MB refuses to acknowledged that there is a problem, but appears to have changed components of the box from 2000MY on. Has this been a problem Stateside or anywhere else in the World. Or are these people merely trying to get money out of MB for a problem that isn't one. I have driven an S500 and got it to display the judder, but only when driving the car immediately after starting it which is something that chauffeurs and bank robbers may do but not something many of the rest of us would normally do. Be grateful for any advice. Have also posted the question in my own Backroom chat-room at
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk
Many thanks
HJ