Thanks for your reply Mr. AMG :p

Let me get this straight, the Euro 500SEL starts in first gear but all US 126 cars start in 2nd gear? Why?

Secondly, you said I'm missing a gear. Does this mean that this "early shifting" that kills power will never go away? I mean, even if a transmission starts on 2nd gear, isn't it supposed to drop to first if you floor the accelerator from a stop?

Thirdly, I searched for information on the Bowden cable but all I can find are posts saying "adjust the bowden cable." How exactly do I do it and where is it located? I'll check the Service CDs as well for information on this.

Lastly, you asked me if I wanted to sell my 500SEL transmission. Do you mean the original one that came with the car?

__________________
1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver