[plantchick]

Hiya Greg.
Yup, I've been bitten alright and we have some biiig bugs up (or down, in your case) this way. Thank you for the welcome and info. I'm not quite mechanically illiterate, but I am still learning how to spell.

So would changing the fluid again after driving for a bit would mean that any bits 'n pieces of gunk the first change didn't get rid of or were stirred up of would be flushed out the second time?

I'm hoping the steering won't need to be replaced, but the mechanic doesn't give it much chance. He washed under the engine last week so the leak could be tracked then I took it back in yesterday for him to have a look. He let me under the hoist and it doesn't look good, but I did go for a bit of a drive on Saturday, so maybe fluid has just been spread around. He'll have more of a look tomorrow and I thought I might give changing the pump o-ring a shot, to start, then see if I think I can tackle hoses etc.

*grin* only I'm gonna need a better socket set....

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G'day to you too, Harvey and oh yeah, I'm a very happy chickie. Seriously can't wipe the grin from my face. A number of your posts and bits and pieces you've referenced in other threads have been really helpful, so thank you.

I figure my best chance of keeping her sound, especially when the people that work on her aren't likely to know much about her, is to learn as much as I can and know what to look out for.

How on earth, with all that stuff I put down, did I manage to miss her kms???

184,500km

Yup, she is a bit off on 2nd to 3rd shift (positively pored over the recent thread on this) and the revs do go up, though only slightly. More pronounced is that it's a slow shift and she seems to pull up a bit, more on light acceleration than heavier. Reverse is also slow to engage, 1-1.5 secs, and thunks a bit. 1st to 2nd and 3rd to 4th are smooth and barely noticeable.

I'm a little lost on what of revs are 'normal' yet and haven't been able to find much info. I do know that its a lot higher thanr than my previous car (the only other car I've owned - an '82 230E Benz affectionately known as 'the old girl').

Thank you for the tip on the radiator and the easy for a beginner to understand explanation - I've taken notes!
It sounds like a wounded wallet would go along with the disappointment and I'm already skirting the outer limits of what was meant to be my budget.

Tania.