A couple of solutions for the second-gear-start issue:
1-At rest, shift down to low and click the lever to the right, then back. When you start, it'll be in first gear for that time only.

2-There was an outfit called Bergwerks that made a kit consisting of a few electrical bits that gives you full-time first gear start; if you wanted you could wire in a switch to cut the system on or off. Unfortunately, they're out of business now. Some guys on the BB have done the same with DIY electronics; search and you should find descriptions of how it's done. My kit sits entirely under the wood of the console next to the shift except for one wire to the CC module under the instrument cluster.

__________________
Craig Bethune

'97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition

'04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's)
'06 Lexus ES330
'89 560SL (sold)


SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes.
(Kudos to whoever said it first)