'99 ML 430 transmission meltdown

I have a '99 ML 430 93,000 miles. It has been bulletproof up until now. Without any prior warning or even shifting problems my transmission just had a complete meltdown. My transmission guy who's excellent with Mercedes was even shocked. After doing research he found that the early models had problems with the planetary gears (hopes that's correct) and MB did a complete redesign. Nobody will even re-build an old one. My guy replaced it with a re-manned on that is 2003 or newer. I don't understand why MB doesn't even put a dipstick to check you trans fluid. My service manual doesn't even recommend a 1st change until 100,000 miles. Mine didn't even make it to that point. $5000 to fix. Luckily the torque converter and differential was OK. I'm looking for a newer ML but want to avoid this again. Does anybody else have any info on this or had same problem?

My friend and I also wondered why is there is no dipstick or something and aside from that my friend had difficulty of finding catalytic converter canada (http://www.autopartsonlinecanada.com/category/catalytic-converter.html).

I agree about the dip stick, there is a steel tube coming out on the right side of the engine on my ml320 funny enogh it looks like a good place where the dip stick would be, but no this is designed only to top up the trany fluid, Better yet now to check the level u got to jack the whole car up and unscrew the excess oil bolt.