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  #1  
Old 05-10-2011, 06:42 PM
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124 vs 201

A friend is thinking of replacing an early 300E with a 90s C230. Any comments the major differences in terms of cabin room and general driving experience?

Thanks,
Sixto
87 300D

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  #2  
Old 05-10-2011, 07:05 PM
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I'm 6' 1", 180 lbs. That doesn't seem all that large to me. My 124 is a tad too small. If that helps.
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Old 05-10-2011, 07:14 PM
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My late best friend sold me his 91 190 2.6 to get a new v6 C class around ' 97.I think he only kept it for a couple of years and move up to an E class. I only remember being in it once or twice and naturally it was roomier than the 190. But having owned a 124C for the past 9 years, I think 124 cabin might be a bit roomier than a 201.
FWIW, I wouldn't ditch my '88 coupe (126k) for a 90's C regardless of condition.
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Old 05-10-2011, 07:22 PM
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90's C230 would be a W202.

Are you referring to the W201, 190E 2.3?

Either way the W124 is a far better car overall than the W201/W202. Cheaper to maintain, and more usable interior/cargo space. A late model W124 can get upwards of 26-27mpg highway with everything in perfect tune which is equivalent to the smaller and less powerful C-Class in almost any configuration.
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  #5  
Old 05-10-2011, 08:20 PM
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Yes, I meant 202 but I can't change the subject line.

To clarify, he's 5'8" 150 lb. Occasionally carries 2 adults or 3 mid-teens in the back. Drives within speed limits. 300E is overpowered for his use which is 80% suburban surface streets/20% freeway. Freeway stints are rarely more than 20 miles.

Unless a 202 weighs as much as or more than a 124, and it might, I don't see how an M103/4 without OD gets better fuel mileage than an M111 with OD. Driving style has to be a factor.

Sixto
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  #6  
Old 05-10-2011, 09:41 PM
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My brother has w202 C280, I have a 124 wagon & mom a w201 E180.
Its splitting straws as to the difference between them in terms of the passenger/driver space.
The 202 gives you the feeling of being more boxed in though.
We dont find the economy difference that great. the 202 when driven carefully is very economical. Its a PITA for working on with a straight 6 jammed under the hood.
You could have a party under the hood of the 180, there is that much room.
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  #7  
Old 05-13-2011, 12:56 AM
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I used to drive an '87 300E, traded it for a '00 C230K Sport. Some thoughts:

The 300E was a lot smoother driving than the 202 - the inline six is incredibly refined compared to the four banger, and has a kind of turbine-like feel and sound compared to the more agrarian sounding M111. More of the power is in the upper end of the rev range, so the acceleration kind of builds the faster you go, and highway passing is more satisfying than off the line or around town motoring. (the opposite with the M111, which has a lot more low-end torque than the M103, real snappy around town but a little weak at freeway speeds). The ride in the stock W124 is also a lot smoother than the sport package W202, it took a little while getting used to the firmness of the C230. OTOH, the W202 feels more nimble than the W124, and it's easier to toss around than the 300E.

Cabin-wise, the C230 has a more snug, cockpit like feel. It's definitely cozier than the 124, but not uncomfortably so - I'm 5' 9" and have plenty of headroom / legroom. Controls fall closer to hand in the C230, and the extra technology is convenient to have (one-touch start, remote unlock, remote trunk release). My C230 also comes with folding rear seats, which I find to be really useful. The back seat is smaller than the 300E, mostly in terms of legroom as shoulder room in both is really only comfortable for 2.

From a fuel consumption standpoint, my sense is that the supercharged M111 gets a couple/few mpg more than the M103, but it's noticeably more powerful than the old 6-cylinder was. Pure city probably 18 vs 15, highway 28 vs 22. At least that was my experience. The non-supercharged M111 should be noticeably better than that.

Oh, and in terms of DIY - the M103 is quite a bit easier to work around than the supercharged M111, way more space in the engine bay, but whereas I was constantly tinkering with the 300E, in the last 3 years the only thing under the hood my M111 has needed has been a couple of oil changes and the fan clutch.
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Old 05-13-2011, 06:48 AM
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I like the diesel 124. Plenty of room in the cabin. Plenty of power yet good economy. Only gripe I had with the 124 (we have had 3) was that the seat seemed to have a curve in it like a very heavy, narrow butt person had been sitting in it. When I put my wide butt in the seat, I felt a bit squished. Never driven a 202 so I can't comment on them.
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  #9  
Old 05-13-2011, 03:58 PM
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BobK, your seat pads are worn. You can get replacement pads or restuff your seats with batting. Consider also seats from a 90-up 124 which are more comfortable to begin with and don't wear as quickly. Sportline seats are nicer but IIRC the attachment holes don't line up with the mounting points of a non-sportline floor.

Sixto
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  #10  
Old 05-13-2011, 04:09 PM
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I have a 98 W202 with a 5.4 M113 shoehorned under the hood...


Observations: I prefer the seats in my W202 over my W124. Stock vs Stock. The adjustable lumbar and leg supports allow precision when dialing in the seat settings. The rear seats in the W202 seem to be just as spacious as those in my W124, as do the front seats. It is narrower, but not narrow enough to cause (me) concern. The W202 has quite a few creature comforts that I prefer over the W124. REST, one touch up and down windows, and glass moonroof are just a few of them. I get about 15 city driving and a hair over 25 freeway driving.


My W202 has taken the place of my W124 for DD duties. Same fuel mileage, ice cold AC, and much better performance.
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Old 05-13-2011, 04:27 PM
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Those are Sportline or AMG seats, right? The basic 202 doesn't have adjustable lumbar or leg support AFAIK. Does it have 2- or 3-place seating in the back?

Sixto
87 300D
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  #12  
Old 05-13-2011, 04:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sixto View Post
Those are Sportline or AMG seats, right? The basic 202 doesn't have adjustable lumbar or leg support AFAIK. Does it have 2- or 3-place seating in the back?

Sixto
87 300D
AMG with Sport package.


It has space for 3 in back.
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Old 05-13-2011, 09:59 PM
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Offer him decent advice, then let him pick which one he wants. If you influence him and it turns out he made the wrong choice, you'll be on the hook for it. As a car-guy, I learned this long ago - offer advice, give them their options, then let them decide. Keep out of "helping" too much.
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  #14  
Old 05-13-2011, 10:45 PM
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I would like the W202 a lot more if MB had imported the wagon.
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Old 05-14-2011, 02:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by POS View Post
Offer him decent advice, then let him pick which one he wants. If you influence him and it turns out he made the wrong choice, you'll be on the hook for it. As a car-guy, I learned this long ago - offer advice, give them their options, then let them decide. Keep out of "helping" too much.
Gotcha, but I'm not helping him. I have a bad habit of internalizing car decisions of others Kind of a what would I do given the choice. Another friend is deciding between an Outback and a Forester.

Sixto
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