In my opinion: "it all depends"... Maybe this isn't as true with the newer
Benzes.
I like my 83' 300D. (maybe 150K miles on engine, maybe 350K on car?)
I like my 97' Subaru Impreza Outback Sport better. (220K miles)
The seats are nice and firm, supportive and comfortable in my Sube. I find
the ones in the Benz to have every disadvantage of a bench seat. It feels
like I'm riding on a worse/worn out version of the vinyl bench seat in an
80' Dodge truck. Given my springs are probably weak, but I want seats that
are firm, not springy, and with side bolsters for support, not just
"slidy". The only slight advantage here is that the Tex is probably easier
to clean.
Perhaps my Benz' handling is not what it once was, but it doesn't hold a
candle to my Sube. The 300D isn't horrible, but it weighs about 25% more
and has enough of that boaty "ok, I'm gonna make a turn" feeling, that I
feel like racecar man once I'm in the sube.
On a good day, the Benz kinda almost feels near as quick as the Sube, but it
never has the same response, and in reality, it never moves as fast.
The benz seems to be engineered quite well, better than a lot I've seen, but
I'd be hard pressed to find much I considered better than the Sube. On the
Sube, the thermostat is out in the open, 2 bolts and it's replaced. The
Benz has at least 3 and they're wedged in behind the fan(or at least it
feels that way when you're trying to get a wrench on them). The alternator
was a simple 2 bolts right on top in the open in the sube with the nice
adjustable bolt to tighten. The Benz is kinda buried down in there and a
bit of a pain.
I will say I like the brakes on the 300D better than the stock ones on the
Sube. But only for the opposed piston design. Though, these are the stock
brakes on a $17K car. Were I to buy a $30K version of the Sube, I would
have 4 piston opposed brakes, or I could just spend a bit more and drop them
on to my current car as Subaru is nice to make most things modular like
Mercedes seems to have. I still like the bolts on the calipers better than
the pins, and in terms of actual performance, the nod has to go to the Sube
which I upgraded one level to rear discs and slightly larger front calipers,
and down a long hill, the Benz will fade out where the Sube doesn't.
Changing an axle in the Sube doesn't involve opening the diff cover.
(though I admit I didn't care for the roll pin on the front axle. What
happened to the lovely ones on my Isuzu's and Honda's that just had an
internal snap-wring where you just placed a large screw-driver between the
inner joint and the diff and a slight pressure popped the joint out?)
And the Benz continues to confirm what I've found in any other RWD vehicle.
They SUCK if you give them any reason at all not to have traction. If I do
decide to try driving it in the winter, I can almost guarantee I'll be
calling my dad to come pull me out at least a few times. Whereas with the
Sube, I NEVER have to say "oh, the weather's bad, maybe I should stay home"
(note that also includes Blizzaks on the Sube)
Now, the question comes: Why do I drive the Benz and not the Sube (at least
in the summer?)
Well, mainly because I can't throw "liquid trash" into the Suby and drive
it. I'm somewhere around 800 miles on a little more than half a tank of
diesel used, and with the current prices, it's making a pretty big
difference.
I Do like the extra room in the Benz as well. The side room is useful, and
I can haul like 8 5-gallon pails of oil in the trunk as opposed to about 2
in the Sube!
I like the IDEA of the automatic climate control in the Benz, but it only
"kinda" works, and I hate the fact that I can't just select "outside air"
without the fan on. In the Sube, that's where I leave it most all the time
and the air pressure pushes it through while I'm moving just fine and it's
heated if I have the heat selector in that position, and it keeps the
windows more defrosted. Whereas in the Benz it seems the only option is to
select Defrost which means "throw the fan on full and wait till the fuse
melts. I don't care what temperature you want or how much air".
And I will say that the Subaru seems to be rusting faster than the Benz
since it now has a couple of nice patches in the rear fenders. However,
I've seen more than a couple Benz' for sale that were rusted out beyond
safety...
Anyway... Sorry for the length. I like the Benz, it is a great car. But I
can honestly say that if my Subaru could digest vegetables I'd be driving
it. (:
Levi
On 4/26/06, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> That's the kind of info needed when someone says, "I test drove a new MB
> and
> didn't think it was any better than the Ford (or whatever) I also test
> drove""
>
> I try to tell them they have to *live* with a MB for a while - *then*
> they'll understand the difference - but that's hard to convince someone to
> try -
>
> Another good way to understand the difference is to work on a MB after
> working on Fords, Chevs, Dodge, etc - virtually *any* other vehicle will
> come out with shortcomings when compared to a MB. Little things like the
> ways wiring and tubing is secured - but I'm preaching to the choir --
>
> Take care -
>
> Sincerely,
> Larry T ('74 911, '67 MGB, 91 300D Turbo)
> A Blood Test for your oil - www.youroil.net
> For Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil
> Weber Carb Stuff http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs
> http://members.rennlist.com/my_911/Index.htm For my Paint Job Info
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Christopher McCann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 2:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [MBZ] I love my 126
>
>
>
> "It is such a great highway performer and very
> comfortable to drive. I don't think I have ever had a car that I could
> drive 7-8
> hours straight without stopping and stretching and fighting an aching
> back or legs. If I didn't have to stop for gas or nature's call --I
> could drive forever in this car. I now know why so many 126 owners
> rave about these cars."
>
> EXACTLY! My dad asked once, "What's the big deal about this car?" I said
> drive
> it for three hours, then tell me. I used to HATE
> road trips. Now I love them. The longest I ever spent in a
> car b4 my 300SD was 12 hours (driving) and it nearly killed me, I was
> exhausted. A year ago, I drove 17.5 hours striaght,
> with three girls aged 5 and under(!!!) and I too
> could have gone forever.
>
> This is what the 126 is for.
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> Donald Snook <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Back in January/February I bought
> a
> 1990 300SEL. This car has the M103
> engine for which many people have strong opinions (both good and bad).
> Well, I really enjoyed the car, it is roomy and extremely well appointed
> and comfortable. Plus, I just think it is a good looking car. At any
> rate, I was ready for the slow acceleration from the 3.0 six cylinder.
> After all, it doesn't have all that much horsepower and less torque and
> the 126 LWB is a big heavy car.
>
>
>
> I picked the car up in Florida and drove it back to Kansas. I enjoyed
> driving it, but during the 14 hour days of driving I couldn't really
> appreciate it or love it. I just wanted to get home.
>
>
>
> While the 103 motor is not exactly zippy around town, I loved it on the
> highway. I took it on a long trip this past weekend and put about 1000
> miles on it. It is such a great highway performer and very comfortable
> to drive. I don't think I have ever had a car that I could drive 7-8
> hours straight without stopping and stretching and fighting an aching
> back or legs. If I didn't have to stop for gas or nature's call --I
> could drive forever in this car. I now know why so many 126 owners rave
> about these cars. Now if we could just do something about the gas
> mileage. I guess I am going to have to get an SDL.
>
>
>
> Donald H. Snook
>
> 1990 300SEL 126K
>
> _______________________________________
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>
>
> Christopher McCann, Squier Park, Kansas City, Missouri
> -2005 Blue Point Siamese, "Rose"
> -1987 300TD, 152K, "Rotkäppchen"
> -1985 300SD, 213K, "Wulf"
> -1972 Jacobsen 21" Turbo Vent
> -1971 Case 222 Hydrive, 12HP Kohler, 38" deck, Snowcaster, "One Banger"
>
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>
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