I've broken 60 on the gravel roads around where we live in pretty much every one of our vehicles. I routinely go for high-speed drives on one road in particular in my Fairlane. 70+ speeds are typical, but the really fun part is the courners. It's predictable and drives quite well overall, the steering has surprisingly good feel to it (manual steering) and it's easy to catch when you slide the back end. The KYB shocks on it make for a fairly firm, but not unpleasant ride. Most of our vehicles are fairly close in terms of ride quality. I remember about a week ago driving our van out to a friend's house and then driving his F-250 4x4 over the same strech of road, and it felt like a cement truck comparatively. Oh, and I rebuilt the front end on the Fairlane a couple years ago, the ball joints (don't remember which ones, but at least two of them) were more or less shot, and now the boots on the new lower ball joints are coming apart. Meanwhile, the ball joints and tie rod ends on the 300D (never been replaced to my knowledge) look almost new. Grrrr.

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Once and future king:
'64 Ford Fairlane w/approx 238,000 - looks rough, but amazingly reliable if you know how to look after it; I will soon begin work to totally restore and modernize it.
Family vehicles that I lay some claim to:
'78 300D w/approx 350,000 original, '62 Ford F100 4x4, '90 Ford E150 w/171,000 original

My 300D's lower control arm bushings and tie rod ends were shot when I replaced them at just over 218K miles. I think my lower ball joints might need replacing now as well. I've read replies by other members not too long ago saying the same thing that the front suspension components are usually in need of replacing by 200K miles.

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DJ


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

Not very tight, I would imagine. On the other hand, one of the best things about the Impreza is its structural rigidity. IMHO, Subaru got it right when they came out with the Impreza. It is a really sweet car with a lot of personality.

I've been inside some of those new Subarus and as nice as they are, they don't have much room for those of us 6'-0 tall and up. I could barely fit comfortably with the seat all the way back and I'm 6'-3. I'd have to forget about carrying any kind of passengers in the back seat. I have no problem carrying adult passengers in the back seat of my 300D. They can still sit comfortably since I don't need to put my seat all the way back.

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DJ


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

how about this??

anyway.. my 300TD rides well in rough roads.. i love it.. it seems to just skim above the roughness on the road....

that's not my ride though.. just got it through the net.. hehehe

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Mike

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1975 200 - Sold (no pix);
1978 200 - Sold - http://www.pbase.com/hboy/redbaron
1979 300TD - Sold
http://www.pbase.com/hboy/greenwagon
http://www.geocities.com/hboy726/300TD.html
1985 230E - now my daily driver...

Or adults in the back seat! My buddy (5' 10", 250lbs) has an Impreza wagon and no matter who else sits in the front, it is always a VERY VERY tight ride in the back.

As for my 300D handling rough roads, it does so roughly. I think it may be the Toyo sport tires on it that make road vibration so noticeable. They do seem to handle quite well, though.

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Aaron
'84 300D 267,000 - Running WVO - Rice Bran Oil - Mmmmmm, fishy...
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with HD bilsteins, there is sometimes quite an impact on really big raised bumps in the interstate. But nothing could take them at 75 without bumping up a bit...

I am amazed how composed and together this car is when hitting big road bumps, etc.

JMH

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

With studded snow tires, my 300D rides horribly, but so would anything else.

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DJ


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

I just bought my W123 within the month. . .and it was CHEAP.

I livin in Winter Park, florida (I know the city should be called winter park while in florida but lets keep focused shall we!!) About 6 miles NE from Orlando were recent events have caused the cities to start bricking all the roads arround here. The other car I own is a 2k Chevy Blazer with the factory off road suspension package. In my Benz driving these bricks is like Butter!! Any other car I have ever been in they act like you are driving over road reflectors every two inches. I figured the ride to be similiar to that of a full sized Cadi of the same era (If you could find one). And this ride over these damned bricks is nothign shot of hell in the "off-road" Blazer.

I would like to add that I dont think anyone is doubiting the Subaru line of cars (I may have seen a voice or two but I discounted them as having never "met" one). The thing which i didnt see mentioned in this thread which makes them truely a superior "rally" type car is the AWD, which if I am not mistaken, was introduced in the mid 80's. Comparing this car, to that of a 2WD Vechicle that had such standards in the age they did is like comparing apples and oranges.

I can also tell you that about a decade ago I worked for a dealership that sold Subaru's and Dodges. . . .And the difference in the body were again, apples and oranges. Where any Dodge you could push a door panel in with your pinky. . you could not at all on a Subaru; and where you could sit and swing on the open hinge of a Subaru, you wouldnt be closing the door on a dodge. Although i am just getting into mechanics (my new car mentioned is a big start), and know nothing about the longevity of the Subaru's engine it has always been my opnion that for their time and price they would be the vehicles of their era to survive.

J

I don't think dodge made many good engines lately (unless it was just cost), fortunately Mitsubishi has made the motors for most of their fleet for a while now.

I've rode in smoother cars, but the MB isn't all bad. I ended up complaining to my road commission via email about the worst earth creter in my travel, in the next week or two it was better.

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k