More info on coils

My car started doing the stutter/bucking thing again today at high and lo speeds. I still want to believe that if it is in fact a misfire that the computer would have registered by now and set the CEL. I really don't want to believe that my tranny is going out but I still think a misfire would have been recorded by now. I might just order 6 coil packs and change them all out with the spark plugs and valve cover gaskets. All this before I change the clockspring and hopefully get rid of the code 32 airbag light.
Is there a thorough way to test the coils off the car?
Also, I bought NGK iridium plugs for the car, they have performed wonderfully in every other car I put them in, including my 03 JAg X-type. Picking up the K&N drop in filter for it on Friday as well.
Any advice would be appreciated

The OBD-II system will register and store the detected cylinder misfires, even if they are not over the threshhold to trigger the check engine light. To access this data though requires a higher-end scan tool that is capable of accessing the component parameters.

-Rod