They aren't that great. My S600 shifts like a dream compared to what my AV6 did, you can't even tell it shifts unless you put the pedal to the floor and the 365 cubic inches of V12 love comes to life and makes that sucker move, although not quite like the late model 600s, but it still scoots. At about 60k miles it shifts better than my AV6 did when it was brand new, although my benz did cost as much buying it at 8 years old as my accord was new. I know 3 people personally(many many more via the web) that have had problems with their 6G AV6 tranny, one of my friends had his replaced twice with under 70k miles on the clock, and is now driving a maxima in the same conditions with 80k miles on it now without a hint of trouble, and MUCH smoother off throttle shifts. If you're doing nothing but highway driving, the AV6 tranny might live well, but under harsh conditions, like a stop and go commute through the hills of San Fran, they aren't the best around. The 7G V6 5 speed auto is a step in the direction, but still nothing like a real luxury or sport oriented tranny. It's a decent median, but they really aren't the best around. Go drive a Camry or Maxima and see the difference.