The airbags were invented in the 1940's ( at least the idea). The first car equiped with airbag was a Chevy or a Ford...

here's some backround on that fact

http://www.cars.com/carsapp/wpost/?srv=parser&act=display&tf=/advice/safety/airbags/airbags_main.tmpl

Could you buy one though from Ford or Chevy? No... those were test fleets. Come on, don't tell me you're counting a test fleet of cars as cars for sale. Because if you do, then Volvo has really invented the first car in the world that can drive itself even through the most demanding driving conditions.

I always knew that Ford began research on airbags before just about anyone else. However, Ford's research ran into problems and others overtook Ford in their own research efforts. And where does it say that the idea came from the 1940s? I couldn't find that in the article at the link you provided.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/airbag.htm
<
Air bags have been under development for many years. The attraction of a soft pillow to land against in a crash must be very strong -- the first patent on an inflatable crash-landing device for airplanes was filed during World War II! In the 1980s, the first commercial air bags appeared in automobiles.
>

But i saw a discovery channel episode on cars or safety and ford or chevy did sold a model with an airbag for about a year (they stopped cause they didn't like the design of the steering wheel, or cause it wasn't such demand on the market).

I'm pretty sure that in the mid 70's airbags were a very expensive option on either a Ford model or a Caddy.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Wow, you guys are really going on this! I actually take abuse living in rural Wisconsin and not owning a domestic vehicle. People say, buy american, I say, my Acura was made in Ohio and the new Suburban I bought several yeras ago (gone now) was made in Mexico even though GM's main Suburban/Tahoe plant is in my state. My 16 year old daughter just bought an '86 Volvo rust bucket to boot. I love each of my vehicles - my Jetta is modern diesel, awesome mileage, and fairly sporty to drive with great torque going up hills. Very safe as well for a smaller car - gotta give that to the Europeans. My '79 300D is classic, I love diesels, and despite the lack of new safety features it is a safe car and very innovative (and I can work on it, which I enjoy). It is nice to get in the Acura TL for it's quietness, power, solidity, reliability and luxury (I bought it used, by the way, for an excellent price) I can cruise effortlessly at 90 and it seems like 55. Love the power and smoothness. Point is, all of them have thier good points. Pros and cons to everything. Since I currently cannot afford a new Benz (plus I am warming to the idea of someone else eating the depreciation) I guess I don't have to worry about it. I suppose this thread dashes my hopes of picking up a good used CDI in a few (several) years - hope the boys get it figured out I would like to see more people in this country see the benefits of diesel.

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'85 300D - 206K (sold)
'81 240D - 149K (sold)
'03 Jetta TDI - (sold)
'79 300D - (sold)

Are we going in circles here?
Do you have a link to this Volvo that drives itself?
If it is the one I recall, it can not handle dirt roads.

All us "die hard" Mercedes fans KNEW it was coming...

In 1994 when the new C class did away with the oil pressure gauge the writing was on the wall.

When Daimler purchased Chrysler, the final nail was driven in the coffin.

How is it possible for the quality of the car to be equal when in 1987, the base sticker price of a 300 Turbodiesel was $42,570.00 and in 1999 the base sticker price for my E300 Turbodiesel was $42,400???? These were ostensibly the "same" cars.

12 years passed, and there was NO inflation in the prices??? There obviously was inflation, but even more cutting of corners.

Anyone who's considering a new E class MBZ, do yourself a favor and take a peek under the rear bumper of one of these cars and look at the undercarriage. Is that a PLASTIC FUEL TANK???? It looks like some kind of cheap econobox under there. No my friends, the TRUE Mercedes brand that has been long honored and revered is gone forever.

I test drove a new CDI, and don't get me wrong- it's fast as hell and handles pretty nicely, but for how long? Not very according to some of the posts I've read.

I consider myself lucky with my 1999 E300TD. I've got about 60k miles at this point, and have had very few of the many posted W210 problems. Glow plugs at 49,000 mi (warranty) and rattling/creaking front seat tracks (warranty) and that's it.

I've done it up the way I like it with full factory E55 AMG suspension, body kit, wheels, tires and exhaust and plan to keep it a VERY long time- so long as it doesn't start "taking me to the cleaners."

I'll never buy another new one, that's for certain.

Did mercedes make a diesel wagon in '99, or are you refering to a sedan?
thanks

The 1999 E300TD is a sedan. The last turbodiesel wagon MB ever brought to the US was in 1987.

J.G.

My feeling is that the best bang for the buck on a new car is a VW Diesel..

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79 240D my current toy
42 years a Diesel addict

240D sold
250SE sold
220D sold
280C sold
280S sold
300D (2) sold
300CD sold
300DT sold
300SD sold
380SL sold

The Jensen FF had an early form of anti-lock brakes in the late sixties - factory installed. I believe it was made by dunlap.
Dave

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1986 300SDL

Why doesn't this surprise me. I don't want to say I told you so since you have the misfortune of owning such a POS. MB's are not the cars they were 20 years ago. I've learned a lot about them in the almost 2 years of owning a MB. I've read a lot about the heartaches that owners have had with the newer cars and it appears nothing is improving only worsening. It's like MB is becoming like Cadillac, though it looks like now even Cadillac is making a better product than MB.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

MB used a plastic fuel tank in the W123 240D models in 1982. I don't know about the other years.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

With all due respect, I think you are mistaken D.J.

I know my '79 240D had a 21.1 gallon steel tank.

My 28,000 mile '83 240D has a nice black colored, 17.2 gallon, rounded edged fuel tank. However, unless plastic has magnetic qualities, it definitely AIN'T plastic!! I just went out to the garage and held a heavy duty magnet next to the tank, and had the magnet pulled out of my hand as it grabbed the tank and "clanked."

What is wrong with plastic fuel tanks? In the marine industry they cost just as much if not more then aluminum tanks. I would prefer a plastic fuel tank they are probably very safe in an acident and will never rust.


lietuviai Merc are not the cars they used to be, but that doesn't mean their junk. Compare a 240D to a John Deere their is nothing to break on that car. W211's are much more complex. I still like them, I think they are a step up from the W210. However I have only sat in one I have not yet poped the hood and really looked around. All new cars have their problems thats why you never buy the 1st year of a new model.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200