You hit the nail on the head, the SUV is in the ditch why? Because they were driving too fast.

Why were they driving too fast? Because they had sufficient traction in a straight line to accelerate.

What is the problem? The driver without experience and poor judgement that is driving way to fast and skidding like a fool down the highway.

Your comparison regarding sideways momentum is a bit thwarted. Momentum is a product of mass and velocity. The make or style of a vehicle is meaningless and all that matters is the weight, the speed and available traction. Last I looked, old Merc diesles were not exactly light weight svelt cars nor do they have any special method of reducing momentum, save letting go of the gas pedal and slowing down which I think is a feature common to all vehicles.

Lets save the SUV bashing for the Greenpeace or Sierraclub BB. Go and have some fun in the snow.

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Greg
'73 416 UNIMOG DoKa
'85 300GD G Wagen

If you really want your w123 to go well in the snow you could do what I did. I put my 300Tdt body and engine on a 1984 Nissan King Cab 4x4 truck chassis. Now it does great in the snow.

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Brian Roth, Pollock Pines, CA
1981 300TD turbo diesel on 1984 Nissan 4x4 chassis. A runner.
1973 Porsche 914 with Ford 2.3 turbo. Not a runner yet.

I think the W 126 cars do real well in snow to tell you the truth, I have a 300SD and a 500SEL and haven't had a problem up here in Breckenridge, CO. They have more of a even weight distribution, (close to 50/50) don’t get me wrong they aren’t as good as a 4X4 Subaru but as long as you know what you are doing you can go almost anywhere, I broke the bottom of my bumper off the sd plowing through snow deeper than the front of the car (replaced of course). I think SUV's are false security for people who don’t know how to drive, they hit the 4X4 button (even when I have 4X4 I don’t use it until I really have to!) and continue to drive at posted speeds, well you still have the same friction as a non 4X4 car (IE same braking power) but you can accelerate much easier, then they just go sliding off the road in their big boxes and roll over! What a safe vehicle!! (ya right)

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1983 Mercedes 300SD
1987 Mercedes 300SDL
2001 VW Passat 2.8 AWD
2007 OM642 Jeep WK 4x4

GSamuelson, ultimately it crunches down to driver sensitivity to what the car is doing..... The standard 240D basically operates in continual high-torque, low speed mode.

A true "hammer-down" diesel.... the 240 gets taken through its gears at full throttle most of the time - otherwise its in state of constant velocity forward motion where the engine niether accelerates nor deccelerates drastically.

It's the speeding up /slowing down characteristics of gasoline engines that handicap their snow performance. Add to this - total lack of sensitivity between what the engine is doing and how the car is propelled forward..... and you can see how easier it is for gasoline powered 4x4's to invoke driver error.

Hell, I'm not bashing SUV's.... but they just dont provide sensitivity to road surface and forward motion - whereas the 240 constantly tells the driver exactly what sort of traction he is getting on the road.

For anybody who drives diesels exclusively, gasoline engines seem skittish and incapable of sustaining a constant speed - never mind the fact that gassers cause the driver to lose touch with torque and traction. Hyper acceleration does not equal traction on slippery surfaces.

Probably the greatest Winter car is the old HeckeFlosse 200D, because the enclosed rear axle shafts added weight to rear-end.... and heavy duty kingpin suspension components kept weight distribution ballanced at the 4 corners.

Armed with 4 wheel snow tires - the old finbodies were tough to beat in the snow. James Bond movie featured an excellent Winter car chase with bad guys driving a black HeckeFlosse 220Sb through a ski resort and across a skating rink.

Getting stuck up here can be life threatening, and we shake our heads sometimes at the "courage" some drivers have with their SUV and a cell phone. Has gotten so bad that the interstates have storm gates in the towns, at the on ramps, that are closed when the blizzards hit. Some counties also charge for a rescue when they have to go out in the bad storms.

My best snow/ice vehicle was a 1970 Ford 2WD pickup, 360 with three on the tree, manual steering, non-power four wheel drum brakes, and bias tires. Why? I balanced the weight, took my time, and kept rolling in the snow. A million plus miles of experience, from motorcycles to double and triple semi-trailers, also helps. I've never seen an older MB stuck on ice or in snow, so you (we?) must have it figured out, compared to the rest.

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daBenz - 1970 220D

Gotta say that PaulC has a huge point. Started the season with my Yokohamas and felt like I was on ice almost all the time and my ABS was going nuts. One e-mail to the Tire Rack and $600 later, my Michelin Artic Alpins gobble up the snow and I'm cruising just fine this winter and my ABS rarely activates.

Right tool for the job, works everytime!

if anything is testimony to the 123 in snow, this is. on sunday i drove back from Connecticut in my '85 300TDT through the WHOLE blizzard. I-95 was closed but i still drove on it the whole way back to richmond, va. it was only me and a couple others that i saw on the road. the rest, like SUV's and all sorts of cars were stuck or crushed.

the snow plows of course couldn't keep up with the snow fall. i almost got stuck before going over the delaware bridge. the snowplows did their U-turn before the bridge, so they'd built up a nice big wall of snow blocking the entrance. thankfully a minivan plowed through and made it so i speed up to make it over the hump and made it.

yea i fish tailed a little along the way but never lost control and maintained 40-50 mph the whole way. people say im crazy for driving that night but i HAD to be back that night, there was no other option. ideally i would have waited it out.

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1995 E320 Sportline Wagon "Bernard"
black on black leather

http://i.imgur.com/BdZ7jM3.png

WHY did you do that?!?! There's a 300D here in Atlanta that has been even MORE "monster-truck-ized" than that--HUGE wheels, HUGE suspension, and a Chevy 350...It's for sale on a used car lot, and has been there for a LONG time. I mean no personal offense, but it just seems like a horrible thing to do to a fine car. I don't get it.

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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
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1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
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1985 300TD
270,000 miles
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1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

All my benzes do fine in snow -- in fact, I've been driving the 280 a lot recently since the Volvo refused to start on a 5 F morning and hasn't started since. Even got fancy and put the snow tires I've been hauling around in the trunk for the last six month (on rims, no less) on the car last night.

Even on lousy treadless tires, it does fine. Too much power, but no worse than anything else I've driven. The Volvo was horrible until I replaced the rear tires, made all the difference in the world.

The key to driving in snow and ice is to go slow and keep traction. Don't back downhill on curves to turn around, use your brain and watch the road for changing condition. We had a nasy day last Tuesday -- 20 cars (I counted) off the road in 11 miles, including my ex-bosses BMW, actually watched some idiot spin out on the ice and plow sideways down the median! I was driving the old Chevy box van, rear wheel drive, never had a bit of trouble -- but I was going pretty slow, I know that highway ices up real nasty on that stretch.

The difficulties with the SUVs are driving way to fast for conditions and a very low metacentric height (high center of balance) -- the roll over VERY easily if sliding sideways, and are prone to lifting and inside tire when a skid gets interupted by high traction pavement. They would be MUCH better if the body was 18" lower.....

Keep good tires on the car, take it easy, use your head, and winter driving isn't all that bad. That said, I'm probably going to stay home tonight -- snowing hard, blowing, nad just above freezing -- why risk getting stuck just to go out and be social?

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

My 300CD does good in the snow, I mean I have got it stuck on some ice on a steep hill, but I also got the Blazer stuck at the same place too. I found as long as I stay off of ice on steep hills or lose sand covered by deep snow I am just fine. One time when I was driving through bad blizzard conditions, and the 300CD just kept on going and felt solid, like it's not going anywhere.

I love my MB 123's in the snow. I have snow tires on them and 100lbs in the trunk (sand bags).

I have had the wierdest experience however. My '84 and '83 are both sedans. I put the same new snow tires on both this winter because my young drivers (children) have them. I have the same sand bags in each. Go figure. The '84 is considerably worst and its driving me crazy. Same everything.

The only thing I can figure is that the '84 is much quicker off the line while the '83 wants to run around 90 mph when she gets going.

Anyway, just pulled the '85 D back from Virginia with my brother's Jeep. Got to Michigan and was greeted with snow like usual. That thing was terrible in the snow. Couldn't feel the road for the life of me. Granted, I was pulling a nearly 4000 lb beast, but still. Got to my driveway tired and weary after 700 miles. Was going about 2 mph and she jack-knifed and nearly pushed me through the garage door. That would have been a rotten way to end such a trip.

I'm sticking with weight and rear-wheel drive.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I converted my 300Tdt to a 4x4 mostly because I like to be different. This car was the perfect candidate, IMO, because it was in good enough shape to be worth putting the work into it but it was not so nice that I was troturing a really nice car. I paid $950 for the car in good running condition pulling hard to the right and in need of a really good wash and wax with the tranny shifting a bit funny. I have less than $2K in it now and I drive it almost 100 miles per day. I get about 22 mpg. I don't think there is any 4wd vehicle that was ever offered in the U.S. that gets this fuel economy on diesel and has four doors. The snow I drive in at the 4000' elevation where I live is frequently on steep inclines and there is no way a regular w123 would make it. Best of all is that the car generates a lot of interest. I have to be different and virtually everyone who identifies it as something different really likes and/or appreciates it. I suppose there must be some who don't like it and maybe keep there mouths shut. I have a file I can send you if you want more details.

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Brian Roth, Pollock Pines, CA
1981 300TD turbo diesel on 1984 Nissan 4x4 chassis. A runner.
1973 Porsche 914 with Ford 2.3 turbo. Not a runner yet.

Good for you!

I like your rig and it appears as though you did a very thorough and professional job. I'd rather see a car like yours rather than some of the rusted POS W123's that ought to been sent to the crusher years ago. You obviously take care of your car and have put a heck of a lot of work in it.

Unfortunately or not, no matter what you do you in life you will find poeple who think differently. If you can accept that fact and get on with life, you are a better person.

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Greg
'73 416 UNIMOG DoKa
'85 300GD G Wagen

Rest easy, boys. I'm avenging this appalling act by slapping a Nissan King Cab body on top of a cut-down 280SE 4.5 convertible body. I can tell you that this mod should work out well, as the 280 didn't have one speck of rust anywhere!

what?!!?

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1995 E320 Sportline Wagon "Bernard"
black on black leather

http://i.imgur.com/BdZ7jM3.png