Question... Transmission

[Rahulio1989300E]

I just had a question about the transmission on my 89 300E w124

Is it a manu-automatic?

I mean, there is no shift button to depress first before you click it in place!

So could I at a stoplight, click it into 2nd, then manually shift to 3rd while moving, then to D for the final gear?????

When approaching a red light, I should just brake like normal and after stopping put it back into 2nd right?

If you can shift this car manually, I would....

1) Be pissed I did not know this first of all.
2) Grab my keys and have some fun!

If you can't or if this harms the transmission, then please say so!

[Chamorro]

I don't think it'll harm the transmission. I did that myself quite often when I had the auto in my 2.6.

[Rahulio1989300E]

okay, so far so good, anyone else?

[C32AMG]

The only caution is manual down shifts. If you down shift at excessive speeds, you can over rev the engine

[Rahulio1989300E]

Okay, yeah think I know what you mean, like if I am at 4000RPM, then I should wait till like 3000 before getting back into 2nd gear right?

Thanks a lot, people.


Anybody else with precautions or advice?

[AlexTheSeal]

Mercedes trannies are loads of fun to shift manually. With fresh fluid they shift RIGHT NOW when you move the lever. Makes driving in the twisties a lot more fun!

One important trick to know is how to get it into first. Normally a 12-valve 300E like yours starts in second. To get it into first, just shift down into "2" when stopped. Then when you take off from the stop and want to upshift, put it into "3" and IMMEDIATELY back to "2"---if you leave it in "3" it will shift from first to third, but if you do the "2-3-2" trick it will shift from first to second. Then, as you accelerate, go up to third by shifting to "3" and to fourth by shifting to "D" like you'd expect.

Once you're rolling you're not going to want to use first, so then you can just shift among second, third, and fourth as much as you want---provided, like someone else said, you don't downshift above 4000 rpm or so and overrev the engine. Other than that, the tranny is made to take it---that's why Mercedes gives you the nice gate that you can shift by feel! Have fun!