Better purchase-- 84 300sd Vs. 05 e320cdi - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sloride · #1 05-26-2020, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ah-kay

It doesn't make sense to compare 2 cars 21 years apart. The 2005 CDI is years ahead, literally, in every aspects. However, the CDI is way too complicated for my liking. The car I really prefer is the W124 1987 300D, very contemporary looking and easy to maintain. But I like all my cars, period.

X2, I have not driven a W126 in winter but if anything like a W123 or W124 they suck in 6" or greater snow. I do live in a rural area so the county roads are never plowed before 6am. My guess, but never owned a W211 would be the 2005.

Diseasel300 · #2 05-26-2020, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloride

X2, I have not driven a W126 in winter but if anything like a W123 or W124 they suck in 6" or greater snow. I do live in a rural area so the county roads are never plowed before 6am. My guess, but never owned a W211 would be the 2005.

Forget the snow (it never snows here), but just fog on a cool morning is enough to make my 350SD just about undriveable with its tail-happiness. Everything is fine until that turbo spools, I don't care how carefully you drive it, in wet conditions there's always going to be a "hip wiggle" when making a right turn and merging onto a main road. I'm no fan of "traction control" or "AWD" but that car needs something!

pawoSD · #3 05-28-2020, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

Forget the snow (it never snows here), but just fog on a cool morning is enough to make my 350SD just about undriveable with its tail-happiness. Everything is fine until that turbo spools, I don't care how carefully you drive it, in wet conditions there's always going to be a "hip wiggle" when making a right turn and merging onto a main road. I'm no fan of "traction control" or "AWD" but that car needs something!

Part of that is how firmly the transmission shifts, and the other side of it is the smaller tires than modern cars have, and what quality/type of tires. My 300SD was horrible in the rain until I got better tires (Michelin) then it was MUCH better behaved, it was acceptable in the snow with a full set of snow tires, but if the going got bad with deep snow or icy slush/hill etc you'd be out of commission fast.

Meanwhile my GLK can plod along through a foot of snow effortlessly. I tried to get it stuck last winter with a few experiments and it always managed its way out.