Funky shifts and flaring when cold on an MB sitting for some months will be normal, also the puddle of tranny fluid on the ground under the car. The torque convertor leaks down and overfills the tranny, so some fluid will spill out. When it's started up, the torque coverter is only half full, so it "slips" a bunch, plus there is a large amount of air in the tranny that will cause hard shifts (air goes right through the check ball restrictors, unlike tranny fluid), and you will end up a pint or quart low when all the air is out.

If the problem persists, you need to check the adjustment of the linkage and vac systems, with the proviso that some flare and hard shifts cold are normal - the 300D has a special circuit to soften the cold shifts. The 280 SE shifts a little sloppy cold, fine warm.

Rather than using tranny additives, I'd simply switch to Mobil 1 synthetic tranny fluid, it will help a bunch with the cold shifting and keep the tranny running longer.

If you do change the fluid, you need to change the filter, too. Don't bother with the fancy JiffyLube system, unless the engine is running, it won't change the fluid in the torque convertor.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!