2003 200K - auto advice please

[ss2115]

I've now owned my first Merc for 10 months. I love almost everything about it, but I'm dissapointed in the automatic transmission. Compared to all automatic cars I've owned previously, I find the Merc auto to be flarey and sloppy on the downchanges in the lower two gears. Sometimes I think I'm driving a car with fuel surge or turbo lag as coming around a corner and up a hill, the Merc almost seems to stop while it changes down. The kick-down is of no use because by the time it downchages, the "moment" has passed.
I've mentioned it to the dealer, and they cleaned the elec plug to the transmission claiming it wasn't sending all the signals to the ECU and sometimes it was in limp mode. I did notice a slight improvement in roads I was used to, but its still not great.
A European Tuner told me the ECU is programmed delibertly this way to make the changes "soft and comfortable", but I find it really annoying.
Does anyone else have the same experience?
Does anyone have a cure?
I'm thinking to have the ECU upgraded - can anything be done at the same time for the Auto?

 

[jeffhosier]

I've got a 6-year old C250TD, and the auto has always - from new - been a disappointment. It's jerky, slow, and unresponsive, and you can feel every gearchange. I've never known whether it's a characteristic of the diesel, the gearbox, or the combination. I've had no help from the dealer network.

I had a BMW 318 with 80,000 miles on it which was vastly superior.

Not very helpful, I'm afraid, but at least you know that you're not the only one!

 

[ss2115]

Don't get me wrong, I love the car. Its just that having looked forward to owning a merc, I expected the transmission to be better than it is.
My previous car to this was the Volvo V40 20T which had heaps more power (with TME ECU and TME Exhaust system).
But also, its automatic was brilliant - no surges or flares, just a quick click and it was down a gear.
The Merc needs this to make better use of its power for a heavy car.