I was in my 1994 C180 and carrying 3 other people with 2 full golf bags and going uphill and downhill for about 200kms on the weekend. The car felt best at level terrain and speed was good, but on the hilly terrain, I found thay I was forced to use kickdown to get up the hills. The trans only changed down automatically from 4 to 3, kickdown to 2 and sometimes when it was really steep, changed to 1. Is this the correct sequence or should it be some other way like 4 to 3 to 2 and kickdown to 1? I found that the kickdown really helps when I need the extra power to get away at lights to surprise the onlookers in their V6s and V8s which I can race only for the next 50 meters. However, the exhaust seems to be making an unusually loud noise, maybe thats because the 1800cc engine is really labouring. A bigger engine or V should do it more smoothly and quietly. The whole exhaust has been changed 1.5 years ago and is not louder then when it was just installed. So it cannot be the exhaust then. Anyway this engine is not quiet or smooth, it has a diesel like sound and does this slight uneven vibration every few seconds. Anyone about the auto gearchange, the noisy exhaust or the slight vibes felt in the steering wheel and body at standstill in gear and N?