'96 320TE with a four speed auto?

[1001ab]

I got a decent, very cheap 320TE recently but it has a 4 speed auto rather than the (potentially horrible) five speed.
Is there any way that this was the factory fit 'box?
(The VIN is WDB1240922F344543 if anyone can check)

I thought the standard box would have been the five speed?
It's got tons of history but nothing about a gearbox swap.

It seems to drive okay and it's probably more reliable than the five speed but I have a freshly rebuild five speed auto sort of spare.

 

[neilrr]

I think the 5 speed was an option.

Why do you think the 5 spd id potentially horrible? I'd have thought it preferable.

 

[hotrodder]

I can't look up your VIN to see it's spec but the 4 speed box was standard, 5 speed was an optional extra (option code 425?) and 5th gear is more akin to an electrically activated overdrive than anything i.e. the 4-5-4 shift is done electrically and unlike the entirely mechanical/hydraulic 4 speed the 5 speed box has it's own ecu etc. 5 speed cars also got a different final drive ratio... slightly shorter than the 4 speed which makes them a tad more sprightly in the lower gears while still allowing a drop in rpm when cruising in top- 29-3000rpm @ 70 for the 4 speed versus 25 - 2600rpm for the 5 speed IIRC

 

[stwat]

Parameter Value
Ident. number (FIN) WDB1240922F344543
Baumuster 124092
Trade designation E320T
Permalink VIN: ???????? VIN ??????????? Mercedes-Benz | CARInfo
Order number 0 6537 87732
Date of shipment Try to determine their own
LCS 1 702
Salon 265
Engine 104992 22 102330
Transmission 722369 04 236856
Lighting Elements BOSCH
Brushes BOSCH
Retarder 8 960105
Class 1

Code Value
265A SKIN cream beige - CHAMPIGNON
280 Leather. FINISH RUL. WHEELS AND LEVER PEREKL.PEREDACH
291 The front passenger airbag
300 GLOVE. BRANCH PALLET GLOVE COMPARTMENT FRONT
341 ADVANCED winker.
420 4-speed automatic transmission.
461 KONTR.PRIB. With MILE AND INDICATION ANGL.NADPISYAMI
538 AUTOMATIC ANTENNA AND DYNAMICS FRONT - NO
541 DUAL WIPE LUGGAGE AND PAS.SALONA
570 FOLDING armrest
580 CLIMATE SYSTEM / TEMPMATIC
584 4 powered, V124 6 STEKLOPODEMN.
593 TEPLOZ.ZEL.ST.PO PER., OBOG.ZAD.ST. ,1-SL. BEZ.ST.
600 Headlamp cleaning system
613 BLOCK LAMP - asymmetrical. FOR LEVOSTOR.DVIZHENIYA
620 Exhaust emission system
668 PACKAGING A / M TO SEND
702 SKD - A / M - Cancelled DETAILS IN VIETNAM
722 Roof rack Embed
731 Veneer: ROOT OREHOV.DEREVA
833 DOPOLNIT.DETALI A / M FOR UK
880 Lock System with Infrared DIST.UPRAVLENIEM

 

[1001ab]

Cool, thanks for that. At least I don't need to worry that the extensive history has been selectively edited.

Every day's a school day. I thought the five speed was standard on six cylinder cars, maybe I've just been lucky with the others I've had?
@neilrr - I've had to have every five speed I've had rebuilt. Sloppy transfer between forward and reverse and erratic shifting at speed. My coupe is away at the moment having the pistons and a couple of other bits done. They just don't seem to last, in my experience anyway, as well as the four speeds. I do tend to buy quite cheap, quite high mileage cars though.

The bloke who rebuilds them for me reckons they're not quite the same as the four speeds, not as well made.

 

[kingdave]

I've heard it said before that the 5-speeds were not so robust. My 96 E280 came with the standard 4-speed. I've not seen many 5 speeds so I think you did just get 'lucky'.