I have been thinking about taking the big step and selling the 300SD and buying a 400E. I am absolutely fixated on the 400E. As I couldn't leave the diesel alone I was wondering about performance upgrades available for the 400E. What does anyone have or heard of ?

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

WHY -- ? If you want performance in a 124, just go out and spend the money and get a 500E. You'll be much happier and spend much less money overall. Plus you'll have a car that was optimized for high performance in the first place.

There are precious few, if any, MEANINGFUL performance upgrades available for the 400E. For the amount of money that it would take to obtain, say, 50 additional HP in a 400E, you will spend far more than just paying the $20K it takes to get a very nice 500E.

The 400E was just an MB response to Lexus and Infiniti -- putting a V-8 into their mid-class chassis.

My two cents.

Cheers,
Gerry

Well, $10k + for a 500E is a little out of my league right now. That would be the ultimate car for not only perfomance but collectability.

I am talking things like chips or exhaust/intake mods. It looks like a decent 400E can be had for $6-8k.

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Well, let's just say that you spend $7-8K for a pretty decent 400E.

ANY performance (I'm talking horsepower here) mod that is worth it's salt, is going to run $5K at a minimum.

There you are, staring the cost of a $13K "decent" 500E right in the face.

Easier to just bite the bullet and buy the 500E up front. But that's just my opinion. If money is a concern, and you want to do cheap but effective performance mods, you'd do far better with a Honda or Acura. For $2K, you can hop up a Honda motor incredibly. $2K in Mercedes performance circles, is just letting your mechanic and parts supplier that you are (sort of) serious.

Cheers,
Gerry

I didn't think a chip (don't even know if they are available), performance exhaust or any kind of intake mod would cost $5k.

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Compared to an SD, a 400E will feel incredibly fast. I have owned one since 1993. The 500E is a faster car due to a larger engine and shorter gearing. The thing that hampers a 400E is its tall first gear. Mine will hit 50 in first gear meaning that it takes quit a lot of time to hit 30. Beyond that, it is pretty quick.

Original specs indicated a 7 second 0-60 and a 15 second quarter mile. As I said, much time is lost getting to 30 from zero. Above 30, the car is as fast as my old Ferrari which only does a 14.6 quarter mile and hits 60 in 6 seconds.

Probably the best upgrade for a 400E is would be a 5 speed automatic tranny. That would lop off a nearly a second in the 0-60 time. I would leave the engine alone as it is a very good engine.

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Lawrence Coppari

2002 SLK32 AMG
2005 Acura TL
1987 328GTS
1986 944T

I have a modified 400E with the 2.82 --with a chip -with performace exhaust-
Stats --0-60 in 6.2 seconds --1/4 mile best was 14.9 with bad plugs -wires -caps and rotors-- After I replaced them I would guess it was good for a 14.7 or so . Only way to get faster is to toss out more things not needed -I have an aluminum race seat and I have removed the rear seat as well .
The only other modification that I know of besides spending 5k on the engine is to just spend $2000 for a nitros oxide system then you will be in the 5 's to 60 and 13.5 s in the 1/4 mile . As far as costs go just see the picture I have attached. If you can do the work yourself this is a lot of bang for the buck .
I had this car on here a while ago for sale for only $3800 or so and no one was interested and that was with all the modifications!

http://userpages.itis.com/eurocars/FM400.JPG

I think the 400E's can be a bargin- if you get a mint car. Remember V8's have some timing chain/guide service issues.

Beyond that- Stu Ritter claims to have knocked 2.2 s off his 0-60 time. He went the more expensive rear gear change- a 70's model posi rear end- about $2-3 k. The 2.82 for $400 is a bargin, but Stu's route will make your 400E eat any stock 500E's lunch=0)



Michael

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Michael McGuire
83 300d
01 vw A4 TDI
66 Chevy Corsa
68 GMC V6 w/oD
86 300E

400ERACER, I think I e-mailed you a while ago about that car. One of the front fenders was in primer?

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Yes that is the same car.

I guess you still have it?

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R