ALEX!!! You rock!!!

I realize this info was out there somewhere, but I got it from you first, so you get the thumbs up

When my 300TE is fully loaded with people...man...you need those inbetween gears. I would shift down to 2, and when I got to rpm...I would shift to 3, and you could feel it shift up two gears. "Drove" me nuts.....hehe. I realize that I could floor it and it would work just fine...but I was not happy with flooring it everytime I wanted to run through the gears.

The only thing I was ever cautioned on about "shifting" an auto tranny...I was told that it is better to leave it in D on a stop light, as opposed to shifting to N while waiting. I dont remember the reason, but have followed the advice.

Also...not 100% sure of this, but I believe that MB have some type of protection. I believe I read that if you shift down at higher revs or speeds...that the tranny will not shift down until the engine or speed is within range for that gearing. Like I said...not 100% sure, but I believe this to be the case.