My 1989 260E seems to be very sluggish 'off the mark'.

I have researched this on this site and it seems that an explanation of how the transmission works on this automobile (or a 300 or any 124 from this era) would help me. One thread discussed putting the car into second at a stop light to assure first gear startup and avoiding kickdown. Is this how you do it? What dies this mean? Or is my car misadjusted - or am I?

Any thoughts or pointing me to a thread that can explain how to make my car start up from a stoplight would be helpful.

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1985 300SD
1983 107