Disappointed - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JordaanDMC-12 · #1 09-10-2008, 01:00 AM

Hey all, I just returned from a 2 1/2 week trip to Europe, traveling through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy and am sad to say I was disappointed with the amount of old mercs that I saw. During my entire stay there, I saw but one 240D as a Taxi. I was totally expecting them to be everywhere, especially in Germany. But nothing, just a few w124's and a few 97-98 S-class's. Seeing all the Citroens and Peugeots was awesome though!! So perfer those to Japanese cars.... Especially the Citroen C6, it was a beautiful sedan. Also my favriote part was Diesel owns Europe. 70% of cars that I saw were Diesel

.

I was actually surprised by this though, Diesel in Switzerland was around 2.50 per liter and regular was at 1.50 or something, that's a bit much.. As awesome as Europe was though, it's nice to back in the United States

ain't no place like America

and I missed my 240D and 220D very much, and it felt so nice starting them up again. Plus, Europe was really expensive

pawoSD · #2 09-10-2008, 01:57 AM

Its because of all the strict inspection requirements, a lot of cars fail and are scrapped....cars we'd still be driving here. And, Europeans don't hold onto old cars like we do.

Someday the end will come for us too, when there are just too few W123's and W126's left. I fear that day, but it will come.

iq678 · #3 09-10-2008, 04:16 AM

Wow. I went over to basically the exact same countries last year - just add Liechtenstein to the list for my trip.

You're right. "Youngtimers" as the Germans/Swiss would call our cars, are not very common on the roads in these areas of Europe. My gf's father in Switzerland is a big Mercedes fan, and owns two: 1960 190SL, and an early 80's 280SE (w126). But aside from those two cars, I can't really say I saw a whole lot of other older Mercs...

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Europe, and I hope to make another trip out there again next year.

Edit: threads are useless w/o pics:

His 280SE

And his 1960 190SL

pawoSD · #4 09-10-2008, 08:09 AM

Part of it also has to do with fuel efficiency, I didn't think to mention that. The newest MB's etc, are far more fuel efficient than the older W123's and W126's etc....our C220 cdi we rented when there a number of years ago returned nearly 42mpg even with fast driving.

Thats waaay more than a 617 or 603 powered car could pull off.

777funk · #5 09-10-2008, 08:25 AM

Did you go to Southern Germany? I may be building an electric guitar for a guy in the Northern part of the country and he told me they're common throughout Germany but that in the south of Germany near Stuttgart (where they are made) they are everywhere!

iq678 · #6 09-10-2008, 01:11 PM

I'm not sure about the OP, but I spent the majority of my time in Germany in Frankurt, Munich, and the Nürburgring. I never did make it to Stuttgart, nor did I actually drive on the Nürburgring due to time constraints and circumstances

. I am kind of curious if older Mercs are still prevalent in the Stuttgart area...

Maybe I'll find out next year!

winmutt · #7 09-10-2008, 01:17 PM

I highly recommend going to the museum if you go to Stuttgart. You do the hostel or hotel thing?

The reason so few old mercs are on the roads in Germany is the TUV's strict regulations. They all went to Poland.

iq678 · #8 09-10-2008, 01:23 PM

I did the hotel thing in Frankfurt and the Gästehaus (bed and breakfast) thing everywhere else I went to in Germany. The museum (along with driving on the Nürburgring) are high on my list of priorities for my next trip out there.

Mark DiSilvestro · #9 09-10-2008, 01:51 PM

German auto inspections have been very strict for decades.
Maybe better luck finding older W123, etc. in Portugal, Eastrn Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia.
Someone here posted a link to somebody's 300TD safari in Africa, with several photos of taxis in (I think) Morroco. In the taxi-depot photo there must have been 20 or 30 W123 240Ds!

Happy Motoring, Mark

JordaanDMC-12 · #10 09-10-2008, 01:56 PM

In Germany I was in Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin. Munich had the most BMW's and Mercedes, especially seeing on how the BMW factory was down the street. Berlin ehhh a few w124's and some 190E's.

I really wanted to go to Stuttgart and next time I go I'll have to venture there. Haha, when I went to the BMW factory to tour the museum, belive it was on a monday it just happened to be closed. They did have the Hydrogen 7 outside though, which was pretty cool

Hostels crossed my mind many times, due to how expensive it was over there. But ended up just doing the Hotel thing. My favriote one was "Hotel Eden" in Munich. A really good Buffet style breakfast and the rooms were awesome. Although, in Switzerland, I stayed at a boarding school that my sister teaches English at in St. Gallen. Walking outside though and looking around and seeing nothing but European cars was just plain awesome. I think I saw about 8 Japanese cars per two days.

Really wish we had Citroen and all them here -_-. I'll try and upload some pictures of cool cars I saw. iq678 how was Liechtenstein?

JordaanDMC-12 · #11 09-10-2008, 02:18 PM

The Mustang is in Berlin, and man...I would have felt so badass in that

What's the brand of the van? Anyone know?
I just love Citroen

A cool S class
and a w124 with a smart in the back

winmutt · #12 09-10-2008, 02:21 PM

If you are under 35 and single. Hostels are the only way to go. Learning how to say "where is the condom" in 4 different languages? Priceless.

Stevo · #13 09-10-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iq678

I did the hotel thing in Frankfurt and the Gästehaus (bed and breakfast) thing everywhere else I went to in Germany. The museum (along with driving on the Nürburgring) are high on my list of priorities for my next trip out there.

Would think you'd wait till mid winter to get out of Kodiak

Say "Hi" to Peggy, "the marine weather lady", for me.

iq678 · #14 09-10-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

...iq678 how was Liechtenstein?

Quite honestly, all I really did there was eat at some restaurants and do some minor sightseeing. I didn't really see much of a difference in the area compared to the adjacent areas of Switzerland and Austria.

Food was good, people were quite friendly, and were surprisingly accommodating of my inability to say anything complicated in German.

I also made the mistake of trying to check out the BMW museum on a day they were closed. I managed to check out the Frankfurt Auto Show, so that kinda made up for it. Oktoberfest pretty much blew my mind, and finished me off that week. I need to work up my drinking tolerance, lol!

eagle-co94 · #15 09-10-2008, 03:51 PM

The van is a SEAT. I like the SEAT Cordoba and Leon myself.

Hey, what's with the screenname? You looking for something like what's in my sig?