I bought a well maintained 89 300ce with 120k miles last month and I’m concerned about transmission. When I put the car in either drive or reverse it noticeably lunges into gear. The car drives fine, there’s no noticeable slipping or wired noises it simply doesn’t go into gear as smoothly as the average car. The guy I bought from told me on the test drive that the hard gear engagement was a characteristic of the 1989 300ce model and is was a sign to transmission was in good shape so I never gave it another though.

Last week I took the car to euro repair shop to get the peace of mind of having my car checkout by a professional. The shop service writer told me the hard gear engagement was a sign the transmission is ready to blow and he would be surprised if my tranny went out in a few days. I asked if new fluid and a filter would help and he strongly recommend against it, saying clean trans fluid would only make things worse. (does this sound strange to anybody other than me?)

I checked the tranny fluid level after I left the shop and the trans fluid was between an 8th and a 1/4 inch above the high point on the dipstick and trans fluid looks old.

I would love to hear your opinions, advice or insights before I take the car to different MB repair shop for second opinion.

1. Does anyone know if 89 300ce notoriously go into gear a little harder than the average car?
2. Could servicing my transmission really hurt the transmission?
3. Should I be looking for a vacuum leak or a faulty relay?


Thank you for your time, Richard

 

can be adjusted in that trans.Shifting hard,was the po selling you a pile of crap.You needed the car inspected first ,not after purchase.
Find a good indie mb shop that can change your trans fluid.It will not harm it.Don't flush it just have it drained and filled with the proper fluid for that model trans.While there hve them check pressure settings.A lower modulation pressure will soften up the shift quality.
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/gro...saxle%20System
carries all the parts for you to perform the fluid drain and fill.
Find a new shop.

 

It’s always a good idea to take a 20 year old car in for an inspection prior to shelling out $3,500. In any case, buying an old used car with or without an inspection and no warrantee is always a gamble.

I bought my 89 300ce because I felt it was a bargain that wasn’t going to be around long and I have had great luck with older German cars in the past plus I like the old ones.

I bought the car from the original owner that had all the service record and half of the work done on the car was at a MB dealership. In the last couple of years the owner spent over 6k on the car – new ABS pump, timing chain, valve seals etc. The seller told me and I believe him that he fixed the car as soon as any issue popped up regardless of the cost and the service records back that up.

I truly appreciate your input OHLORD and I see you have help a lot of other people out on this forum and for that I thank you. I will get my trans serviced and adjusted as you have prescribed but you made one big mistake, my car is not a pile of crap.

 

Hello my 1998 e300td developed a problem similar to this it was the rev sensor inside the gearbox hope this might help derek

 

it wrong.I did not say your car was a pile of crap.I said the story about it shifting hard told to you by the previous owner(PO)was a pile of crap(he was lying through his teeth)
In other words he was giving you a line,he was pulling one over on you,he had you bamboozled,
You get my drift......

 

I had the trans oil and filter changed (no adjustments) and the car shifts smooth like a MB should. I appreciate the advise Ohlord