I am looking at a 1991 300E and I am wondering if anyone has any experience with how they handle in the snow.
My current winter car is a 1991 Audi 90 20-valve quattro. Quattro is a full-time AWD system and this particular car has a Torsen center diff and a manually locking rear diff.

My understanding of the 4matic system from this period is that the car is normally in 2wd (100% to the rear) until wheel spin is detected then either a 35/65 or 50/50 torque split is ordered. When it switches to 35/65 or 50/50 how does the car behave? Is the engagement seamless? My primary concern is the car becoming unstable in the middle of a corner if the transfer case suddenly engages the front wheels.

Also, does anyone have any experience with how reliable and/or durable the early 4-matic system is? I have had several cars with the later system but nothing with the earlier system and I am interested in hearing other's view points.

I would keep the quattro but the 90 chassis feels a bit small - I'd like the extra cargo room that the 300E would offer.

I know that I'm not answering your question, but I feel an almost Tourette's-like impulse to say...Subaru Outback!

I looked at those before I bought the Audi and just looked again - but head gaskets scared me away. My tool box still has the dent from where I kicked it when the head gaskets on my VW camper van crapped for the 3rd time in 2 months.
Tell me about the Subaru AWD system, I'm not familiar with it.

I love my 4-matic wagon in the snow. It will plow snow with the front bumper and I don't even bother with snow tires. The engagement of the case is a bit abrupt but I like it that way. Lets me know by feel when I have engagement. I do catch myself encouraging a little slip before cornering to get the 4-M engagement early though. I wouldn't trade it for anything. When my first one was totaled in a hit and run I went out and bought the same car again.

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90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

Thanks - that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. When it engages 4-matic, how long is it engaged for?

I believe it it engaged until slippage is no longer detected.
When operational they are great, verrrry expensive to replace a bad transfer case though.

what year is your wagon?

I forgot - is 4MATIC composed of symmetrical drivetrains (left to right)?

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

As the former owner of a water cooled VW van please let me say.... I feel your pain.

I did get to where I could change out a set of those rubber band head gaskets in only seven hours, but then one day I asked.... Why?

Had (and loved) a 91 300TE 4Matic. Damn near unstoppable in the snow, up to (and occasionally past) the bumpers - on good all season tires.

But - the reason we sold Gretel off: the damn transfer cases are problematic. Keeping the hydraulic fluid and the tranny fluid in the right systems is a problem. Keeping both INSIDE their respective systems is a problem. We had the great good fortune of having her repeated leaks (had the transfer case out & resealed FOUR times - darn good MB savvy independent shop, who went through the case 3 times on his on dime) land right on the muffler. Most impressive smoke clouds I've ever seen this side of a Bond movie.

If we could have had confidence that her transfer case was gonna hold, she'd be in our fleet for eternity. Incredibly versatile, comfortable, and a GREAT winter car.

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

With a group of people i helped push a 300e 4matic out of 10" snow from a parking space; all wheels spinning. It just couldn't get traction even on the flat street (wrong tires) or the snow was too deep. The driver had to repark the car and get a ride in a SUV.
My 2wheel drive Exploder had no problem in the same snow on commercial street truck tires.
So they have their limitations... I was just impressed that all tires were spinning and the car wouldn't go.

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"Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration...
don't Fail Us Now"

W124 4matic on duty - YouTube

If you watch at :07 you can see the 4matic engagement. It looks pretty abrupt.
I've also been reading horror stories about the transfer cases. I'm going to think on this one.