Performance and Handling
 

Time to ask the experts. Which handles and performs better, the W126 or the W124? Advantages of one over the other? Where do the W202/203 fall into the equation?

I own 2 w124 and the w202 Amg.
I owned a w126 and that car is not a handler it's a large relaxed car with soft bushings and old tech rear suspension design.
W202 is nimble and feels light. W124 can be made into a real handler as well but will feel slow to react vs the w202. Thou it can be setup with less under steer than the 202.

If u can fork out for after market suspension the w203 is the one to take
It has a much wider selection of suspension parts. And if u start with a sport chassis w203 year 05 and up ur gonna love it. It also has a quick ratio steering box. And has the rack set up, giving some real road feel of what the front end is doing.

i always thought that the w126 can never be a handler car!, and it can only be high luxury type of cars
until i saw this w126 in local drift show which just blow my mind :eek:, it was ridiculously cool

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1339793917

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1339793948

you dont always see a big merc drive like e30

You can do anything with just about anything if you spend enough time and/or money but the W126 is obscenely big and heavy. Do what Jay says. He knows what he is doing and saying. (Watch his YouTube videos!)
Regards, Eric

There is a guy that has w140 v12 and he mated it to a manual box and made it into a super drifter. But I still say the w203 sport is the best chassis to start with.

DO A GOOGLE SEACH FOR THE PIN STRIP 126 RACE CAR.

I got nothing. Got a link?

You are allowed to own more than one car correct? (Check my sig!)

I currently have five. 82 300SD (parts car), 83 300SD, 09 Accord, 67 VW Bug, 04 Excursion. Looking at replacing the SDs with something that has A/C, Cruise, Shifter Bushings, and does not need a front end rebuild, tires, shocks, springs, wheels...................

I'd ditch the Bug or the Excursion (cause it's not a diesel). That should allow you to free up some space and resources to buy your next Benz without having to lose any of the ones that you already own. If you need the Excursion for hauling/towing, then that seals the Bug's fate.
Regards, Eric

there is a w126 on drift works, but to still call it a w126 is a stretch they gutting the crap out of it, but its still a cool build.

Team LMD w126 V8 Twinturbo

why not think about the w201 if the w124 is an option of yours?
+1 for the c32

havent got a link to the pin stripe 126, i have looked on google and cant fid it...

really though, it is true, there was a couple of 126 sec prepared by AMG, the real amg, before they sold out!!

anyway, these two cars were to run at spa 24 hrs, the article i read, in either mercedes cluk uk magazine or classic mercedes stated that they easliy met the weight limit for the class they were entered in, the photos showed that they kept the electric windows, door cards and dash.

aparenty they were tipped to win, but one broke its manual gearbox adapter plate, and the other toasted the ****ty merc diff...

if my spelink is rong, it dont make what ive siad rong!

The Excursion will get a diesel transplant (12V Cummins) as soon as the engine or trans let go. The bug is already most likely a gonner. Pushing for the C32 or 420E. Did just find a 06 C230 kompressor with sport package. Looks like it is already sold though.

A 12V Cummins powered Excursion would be a sweet rig! We must think an awful lot alike! I have a 94 Ford F700 that came from the factory with a P-pumped 12V Cummins and an Alison trans! The Best of All Worlds!

The W124 is universally known to be the LAST reliable Benz ever built. MB's build quality is supposedly finally getting good again but only on the very recently built cars. Cars that are still too new and hence still too expensive.

Another good thing about the 400E/E420 is the room for improvement. I knocked over a full second off of my 400E's 1/4 mile E/Ts without even trying hard. That's won't be as easy to do in an AMG car that has already been taken close to the max by the factory. Everything on those cars has already been optimized! Same goes for the handling. Most of the handling gain seen on those AMGs can be attributed to the tires and rims. Put those same tires and rims on your 400E and see what happens! My 400E now has 90% of the performance of a same area C36 or 500E/E500 for a fraction of the cost!
Regards, Eric

You do not find that your F700 is underpowered with the 5.9L? Would think you would desire the 8.3L.

I notice you have the 400E and the E420. How do they compare?

An 8.3 would be nice but those P-pump equipped Cummins engines are about the easiest diesels to get stupid amounts of power out of. I generally do just fine with this rig, it's only lacking is it's acceleration from a dead stop when fully loaded. Once moving, it does just fine. I also have a 2000 MY DT466E equipped International 4700 that, despite having more than one hundred more cubes, isn't any quicker on the highway. It only has an advantage from a dead stop. And getting more performance out of that one isn't going to be as easy.

The cost cutting era that was to later nearly destroy MB had already begun by mid-93, that is why we saw the plastic oil tubes and open deck blocks show up at that point in time. So I feel that the early 400E is a better car from a durability stand point. My own personal experience with these two cars is bearing this out. Also, the E420s are governed to only 130 MPH, while the 400Es are governed to 155 MPH. Yes, that is easily dealt with with an ECU swap but it's still another plus in favor of the 400E and I would be remiss if I didn't mention it. (I have a 155 MPH governed 93 4.2 ECU For Sale BTW for only $65 plus shipping.)

HOWEVER, the cabin air filters and better headlights of the later E420s are a big plus in their favor. Pre-94 headlights are useless and getting dust and dirt and fumes blown on you when you want some air is no fun, nor is having to listen to the wife complain about it.

Just about all of these things can be dealt with without too much difficulty, except for the open deck blocks and cabin air filters. Those two items are a little harder to retrofit.

I'll still take either one of them over just about any other car from the 80s, 90s or 00s except for a good 94-95 turbo Volvo 940.
Regards, Eric

Speaking of better headlights, how hard is it to put the 94/95 headlights and grill on the older W124s?

Just put the headlights on. There will be a minor inconsistency in one corner where stuff doesn't fit together perfectly but it's not enough of a big deal to sweat unless you are going for a concourse look and is essentially unnoticeable when the hood is closed. Don't try to change the grill as that will require a hood change too. Then you have to do the paint matching and that is getting too involved for my blood. KISS: Keep It Simple Son!
Regards, Eric

Good call. Will let you all know how things play out once they start to fall into place. Thank you once again.

UPDATE
 

Sorry to have to say, after much research as well as one heck of a lucky find, I ended up with a BMW 545i. Only had 46K miles on her so had to pick her up. What an amazing ride. Thank you all for helping me along the way.