On my C280, the transmission shifts harshly for the first 10 minutes that I drive it. It seems that when it's cold, it doesn't shift smoothly, even if the coolant temperature has been warmed to above 80. Is this normal?

Also, since the C280 in 1997 had the same engine as my 1995, and it had the 5 gear automatic transmission, 77.2.6, I think. Is it possible for me to put this in my car? It was put into the later models that were the same size, so I was thinking that this would be possible when my transmission fails, how complex would this be? I really like how my s shifts. And I plan on having the C280 until it dies. The S is just my main car and I will trade that in when I am done with it. I started off with the C280 in 1994 becuase my husband wanted me to drive a Mercedes (I used to drive a 1993 740il), though he wanted me to have an S class mercedes or something better than a c (c for cheap he called it), I like the way the c280 looked versus the S. He let me get my C class, but then when it was time to get a new car, i decided i would get the S like he wanted me too, but I loved my c280, it was too cute to just dump like the other cars, so he let me have both. Oh boy, I am sorry, I tend to run on and off the topic I begin with! I am sorry!
And why does my C280 have first gear only up to 30, second to 60, and 3rd to 95, while the 5 gear transmission in my 98 goes in first gear to 45, 2nd gear to like 75, and 3rd gear to over a hundred? I am curious because it seems like the 4 speed would have those taller numbers because of the less number of gears. When I drive over a hundred in my C class, my engine runs are very high, like 4,000 or more on the other gauge. When I took my S to Mammoth with a few girlfriends last month, I would drive 100 and the RPM would only be just over 3,000 or so.
I love flooring the Mercedes, they have a certain sound unlike no other car I have ever driven. They are so fun to drive, they have such wonderful, powerful personalities. Is flooring it bad for my Mercedes? I have always floored my C-class since new, and it has nearly 70 thousand mils on it now and everything seems to be ok, but I want to drive this car forever, as my 2nd car until it will no longer go anywhere. I always have Mercedes change the oil (I tried to change it myself once, but that was a disaster, another story for another time!) and whatever else they do every few months, and they tell me it will be ok if I have all of tuning done to it. But it still concerns me. My word, I am sorry, me rambling again!
Thank you for everyone's help, you are all so kind! Everyone seems to be wonderful people on this Mercedes shop internet forum.

[Edited by petra on 04-18-2001 at 03:05 AM]