Euro vs. American - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

winmutt · #16 08-25-2006, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdave

When you drive A EURO w123 it feels light on the road kind of like a cheap Datsun compared to a tank. The rear end has a teribale habbit of comming to see what the front is doing when cornering. A USA version feels solid and sure footed are EURO was timid cheap feeling maybe because the EURO was a 1985 and are US cars have been 1982 or older. But I am glad my son has sixto's SDL instead of that death trap EURO W123
Dave S.

Says you, my euro w123 handles incredibly well, much better than any 300d i have driven. Was the euro you had a stick or auto? The lack of the turbo and heavy auto makes them much lighter (240D like). Mine was a taxi is is lacking alot of stuff. Either way my car slaloms unlike anything I have driven before.

#17 08-25-2006, 02:46 PM

It was an Automatic transmission I always figured because it did not have the roll cage built in to the frame and doors it was just a lot lighter than our 1982 300d. It sure was quick off the line but that lead to more cases of the rear end coming around to see what the front was doing. You actually had to be careful jumping on it from a red light to make a left turn or you could find your self spun out that is definitely not diesel like. The doors closed like a datum’s not a Mercedes the seats were great the best thing in the car. All in all though it was the least liked Mercedes me and my son have owned. He has a SDL now but still misses a W116 which is by far my favorite car too.
Dave S

winmutt · #18 08-25-2006, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdave

It was an Automatic transmission I always figured because it did not have the roll cage built in to the frame and doors it was just a lot lighter than our 1982 300d. It sure was quick off the line but that lead to more cases of the rear end coming around to see what the front was doing. You actually had to be careful jumping on it from a red light to make a left turn or you could find your self spun out that is definitely not diesel like. The doors closed like a datum’s not a Mercedes the seats were great the best thing in the car. All in all though it was the least liked Mercedes me and my son have owned. He has a SDL now but still misses a W116 which is by far my favorite car too.
Dave S

Roll cage? You got a url with more info on this? I have never heard of reinforcements in the pillars or frame in general.

Hatterasguy · #19 08-25-2006, 04:17 PM

How can the rear end come around on a car with only 120hp on a good day?

Come on these things don't even have posi, you just spin one tire and the rear kicks out a bit.

Something was wrong either with the car, or maybe dare I sudjest the driver.

winmutt · #20 08-25-2006, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

How can the rear end come around on a car with only 120hp on a good day?

Come on these things don't even have posi, you just spin one tire and the rear kicks out a bit.

Something was wrong either with the car, or maybe dare I sudjest the driver.

Mine only makes 80 and I can get a good drift on

Although rain/oil/gravel helps

#21 08-25-2006, 05:30 PM

I dont think ours would make 80 but it was good to 15MPH after that owe well
Dave S

Ara T. · #22 08-25-2006, 07:20 PM

Lightweight = better handling. If the car was that much lighter it would be more responsive to opening the "throttle" and therefore easier to get oversteer. Also maybe the Euro cars had smaller tires.

#23 08-25-2006, 11:48 PM

Go to the DOD site look at importing grey market cars in the 1970 and 1980 it was hit or miss some would require you to remove Euro lights add EGR valves add door piller on the W116 many had to add a steel frame for a better word in the A pillers B pillers along the roof they made it too expensive to import grey market cars other inspectors would have an EGR installed and that was that. The EURO cars we are talking about did not meat crash safty standards and an inspector could require all crash safty equipment installed or he would not singh off on the car that meant 5 MPH bumpers which is a lot more than a bumper change reinforced doors and the dreaded roll over safty pillers if you are serious about some URL it will take a bit to find them that old but the problem continues today and theres lots of info from angry people trying to import cars
Dave S

#24 08-25-2006, 11:54 PM

Most of the time the rear just kicks out a bit which my usa 300 D never did but add a bit of water for the first time in months and twice I slid at least half way around before I recoverd from the shock of what was acureing and recoverd a new driver could spin it no problem because it is a diesel and you floor it always my 82 300d and my many W116 cars were sure footed rock solid glued to the ground at 90 MPH on winding mounting roads the euro if it would go that fast In would have been sweating thru the corners insted of enjoying the ride like in the other cars. Maybe we just got a bumb car
Dave S

t walgamuth · #25 08-26-2006, 12:41 PM

i am not sure what is going on there but the only safety devices the euro cars of the eighties lack is door beams which are easily added and 5 mph bumpers. the roll over protection and the rear and front crush zones are biggies in safety and that is built into the basic cage so you get it in euro or us specs.

you may have had some bald tires bad shocks or bad sway bar links causing your rear end squirrellyness.

my euro 280 handled just like a us spec car but had a lot more acceleration.

tom w