Having recently just given up my '95 E420 for a '99 E430 there is really only one thing I miss, and that is the recirculating ball steering. I found it so much easier and smoother, expecially at low speeds and parking. Please tell me I'll get used to it. Otherwise the only think that irks me about the new car is the fact that some marketing idiot put a cup holder in it. While I'm glad it's covered so I don't have to see it, somehow knowing it is there is bugging me. I'm thinking about ripping it out.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

What's wrong with a cup holder?

Mike

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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

It is a cool cup holder!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Maybe you'll get used to the steering, maybe you won't. I did, and now I like it a whole lot better.

Every time I deploy the cupholder I say "James Bond." It's pretty cool. But if you don't like it, the whole mechanism pops out pretty easily.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I'd like to have a real cupholder, that can disappear when to in use, in my 190.

Tough call on the steering....unless you have exceptionally sensitive hands/wrists, I think you'll get used to it after a while.

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1990 190e 2.6 - The only one I can really call "My Car".

1987 190e 2.3 - The donor car's up and running, only mods are Euros and a Sony headunit. My Dad's runabout now.

1990 300e 2.6 - The parents' ride.

You need a cupholder to hold your beer ..................

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

My cupholder sits in the passenger seat. Her name is Liz.

Those inspector gadget cupholders suck. haven't been in a 210 or 140 car where the cupholder worked properly.

This type of thing is just not what MB does best.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

5 years and 112,000 miles later, mine is still working perfectly.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I leave mine permanently deployed. Too much of a hassle at times to get the cupholder base in place and to lock the door secure.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

My "robotic arm" cup holder works fine at 184K miles....

but I can say that the tape holders in the dash, where there would normally be an empty slot, is simply strange. Sometimes tapes get jammed in there...... i do think its rather handy though instead of having to fumble through tape cases when I want to re-live the 80's by listening to a casette!

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Nate

1995 E420
1992 BMW 525i
1984 300D Turbo sold
1993 Volvo 244 sold
1995 Volvo 944T R.I.P!


"The details are not details. They make the product."
-Charles Eames

www.cbs.nu

I prefer the way the W210's drive around town to my W126. The steering feels nicely ligther and overall I think they are better around town. On the highway it is a draw.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I agree 100% with this post.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

That's what happens when you never use it.

OH, come on, I'm just kidding!

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Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

I've found the ball steering can definately make the car feel unresponsive with not much 'feel' around town, but good old Merc engineering means there's not much in the way of over or understeer, so the car usually goes where you point it. On the motorway the heavier feel is definately a bonus.

You're lucky to have a cup-holder in the newer cars so don't complain! Driving a manual without cup holders is a good skill that should be experienced.
Of course, the Germans would tell you to concentrate on your driving and not your drinking...

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

I am getting used to the steering and enjoying the car a lot. The cup holder is tucked away never to be seen, I am starting to forget it is there. Nobody eats or drinks in my car so I don't need it, but I guess it is one of the cooler cupholders I've ever seen in a car, so I can get over that too.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired