W124 200E Auto gear jerk
 

I am in the market to buy a used W124 200E. I have tested drive 2 200E at the local used car dealer. Both cars have the same rough auto gear change from 1st to 2nd gear. Won't feel the jerk when it was changing to higher gear. Is this normal for a 1992 W124 200E MB?

Is there anything I should look out for on a used W124 200E?

Thanks.

amt

I had a 230E in Jakarta - that was a slow 124 :D

anyway,

Things that went wrong:

The car was hard to start, I think it was a fuel pump/ fuel pump relay problem

The engine was slightly noisy but it's the way it is

Is the shifting really that rough? or is it just noticeable?
I've found that most 124s don't shift quite as smooth as .. say a Lexus.

other than that.. usual 124 stuff..
especially the A/C Evaporator..

http://buying.articles.mbz.org/checklists/124/

good to read.

I have a 1992 300E that does the same thing. In the manuel it states the the delayed shift from 1st to 2ed is intended. The tranny will shift like this until it has reached operating temp, after that has been reached it will shift smoothly.
Also, unreleated to the trans question, check the head gasket for leaks, all the straight six's had a problem with this and it will cost around $1000.00 to fix.
Good luck,
Brian

Re: W124 200E Auto gear jerk
 

AMT, I'm from your hometown too. Why not look for a 93 16V E200. Much better car IMHO. With regards to yr question, it is quite normal when cold but hopefully you can differentiate between "rough" and a "Shift-shock". The latter is bad news.

Re: Re: W124 200E Auto gear jerk
 

Thanks. I guess it is more on shift-shock kind of jerking feeling. Will try to test drive other 200E in cold and warm operating temp.

amt

200E auto gear jerk
 

Everyone says its designed to do it. I personally say thats a crap excuse for a bad design job coverup. Even the worse of the engineering designers couldn't come up with such crappy auto box workings, how can the Germans do it? They are supposed to be the best of the lot. Ideally and technically the gears should be able to be designed to change smoothly and quietly whether cold or hot. And the cats have nothing to do with the auto gearbox. Well other car manufacturers have proven their theory of heating up the cat(thus making the car jerk like hell) is nonsensical. If they were right and it had to be like that why are other cars not doing this jerk-a-jerk and even the newer Mercedes models are no longer jerking? They still have cats in them. Maybe they don't need heating up now?

The shifting on this car is controlled by vacuum rather than a computer. The firmness of shifting can be adjusted assuming that there are no vacuum leaks.

On the side of the transmission is a device called a vacuum modulator. This can be adjusted to soften or firm up shifting. The key is not to overdo it so that the transmission *flares* when it shifts.

Take it to a knowledgeable Mercedes service facility and have it looked at. It CAN be corrected if things are otherwise operating normally.

Bud,
Can the vacuum be adjusted easily or have to sent for MB workshop?

amt