Long time lurker, new member here, I've got an 1986 300E with a 5-speed manual transmission that just recently clicked 189K on the odometer! I've had it for the past 6 years and +90K of that total. If I found another one in great condition I'd buy it in a minute. Mine has a slightly different transmission than the 1988 model but the 103 engine and these manual transmissions are just a fantastic driving combination. The engine's power curve seems to be perfectly matched to the tansmission's ratios and the final differential ratio. It allows very smooth driving and changing gears.

The one thing I did do last year was completely rebuild the shifter and that was just icing on the cake! There are some small rubberised bushings where the rubber had deteriorated and separated from the steel outer and inner rings which made the shifter feel sort of "mushy" the new parts have tightened up the shifter and allow completely accurate shifter position now.

Nice to see someone else appreciating and caring for a great driving car!