AN MD-80 CAPT REFUSED AN AIRCRAFT BECAUSE THE MEL DID NOT; IN HIS OPINION; GIVE HIM ENOUGH INFORMATION TO REALISTICALLY APPLY A 15 KT SPEED ADJUSTMENT.

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ZZZ1-ZZZ WROTE DISCREPANCY FOR ALPHA SPD ANNUNCIATION IN LEVEL FLT AT ALT FOLLOWED BY FO'S RPT THAT HE FELT ACFT BUFFET SLIGHTLY DURING APCH. OFFLOAD AUDIT CONDUCTED AT ZZZ WITH NO DISCOVERY OF WHAT CAUSED THE PROB. ZZZ-ZZZ1 ACFT PROB REPEATED/PERSISTED. WROTE UP REPEAT DISCREPANCY AT ZZZ1 BEFORE USING SAME ACFT TO GO TO ZZZ2. MAINT SAID IT WAS WITHIN THE 15 KT LIMIT AND SHOWED ME A COPY OF THE MAINT MANUAL MD80 MAINT MANUAL. AT THIS POINT; I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFO TO MAKE A DECISION HOW TO APPLY THE '15 KT ALLOWANCE.' IF I ADD 15 TO THE 0/RET SPD; DO I ADD IT TO ALL THE OTHER BUG SPDS OR JUST THE TOP BUG. ADDING 15 KTS TO MY FINAL BUG SPD WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF OUR STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA; OF COURSE THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. I TRIED TO CALL THE FLT OFFICE BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. I CALLED MAINT CTL IN SEARCH OF A TEST PLT WITH EXPERIENCE WITH THIS MATTER BUT WAS TOLD MAINT CTL DID NOT HAVE ANY. AS THE WX AND RAIN EXACERBATED THE PROB; I MADE THE DECISION TO PLAY IT SAFE AND NOT ACCEPT THIS ACFT.