Clunking in/out of 1st after Mackies Flush

[Joe2.0E]

In my time with a 3.0 TDI D3, I had Audi Dealers change the ATF and Pan Filter 3 times; 60K, 120K and 180K miles. I changed to a D4 last year and the D3 had nearly 230K miles at that point. The gearbox was as smooth when I got rid as the day I bought it.
Maybe I was just lucky but it was this ability to take high miles that convinced me to buy another A8.
Obviously an S8 would be driven harder and may be put more strain on the gearbox depending on how its been treated.