Well, my 124 has all the features I really like and want in a car - sunroof, leather, power windows, AC, etc. the only feature that is missing that I really, really, want is...

...a working fuel gauge.

Bloody fuel gauges. I'm 0/3 on the Benzes that I have owned. I'm convinced they are all haunted past the 1/2 mark. ;)

I'm buying a New Mercedes !
 

Yeah right. Not in a million years. But if I *did* have that kind of wealth...

Must haves,
1)Air Conditioning (NOT CLIMATE CONTROL) I live in Phoenix. Heat is almost comptletely irellevant to me.
2)Leather Seats. Im really tired of having to ground myself on the door frames of cars so I dont get shocked whenever I exit.
3)Good radio and speakers with in-dash (six disk minimum) CD player.
4)Electric windows.
5)Cruise Control.
6)Automatic.
6)Wood. Lots of it. Like in the 126 or the M100 600 Grosser.
7)A propper MERCEDES grille with a substantial frame surrounding a vertical chrome stripe and three or more chrome strips with a three pointed star on top.
8)A return to classical Mercedes styling that results in a car that's instantly recognisable as a Mercedes Benz from a quater mile away rather than only out to about 10 and then only if you can see the star.

I can do without,
1)ASC, ABS, COMMAND, Navigation System,
2)Integrated Phone, Auto Wipers and lights.
3) Pretty much anything not on cars built before the end of the 126 series that does not significantly adveresly impact safety.
4)Heated seats.
5)Cloth or Velour seats. (see no2 under Must haves.)


- Peter.

I didn't realize that it's the leather upholstery that keeps me from getting zapped in the MBs.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Getting Zapped
 

Any car with fabric seats and I get zapped when I exit. I use a Mini maglite on my keychain to ground myself. I just touch the door frame after exiting before I close it. At night you can see a substantial blue spark jumping between the door and the Maglite.
So I HATE fabric seats and remember my 108 and 116's leather seats with fondness.

- Peter.

I forgot this...
 

One thing I really want back is the Oil Pressure Guage! Possibly more than anything else it's absence after the 126 marked a sea change in Mercedes thinking for me.

It indicates a shift in emphasis from longevity to short term cost cutting and it aint good.

- Peter.

Things I can do without...
*Any sort of LCD screen on the center console.
*Sunroof, the top of my head just gets sunburned.
*COMAND systems, electronic integration systems.
*Reclining rear seats, has anyone else noticed that the reclining rear seats on the 560SEL eliminates some of the rear headroom?
*Heated seats.
*Power seats with memory.
*Automatic climate control.
* The 560 SEL has a switch that allows you to honk the horn using only the higher frequency horn??? Never have I seen a more useless POS gadget. What were they thinking, no really I want to know how they intended this to be used.


Things I must have...
*Air conditioning.
*Electronic engine controls and fuel injection
*Automatic Transmision
*Cruise control

Have 300e, w124
 

Its silly to say this in a modern car, but I hate electric windows.

Why are the window controls on the center console? Anything on a center console is a goo collector.

That's my only gripe, really. I like the leather upholstery. The transmission (auto) is smooth as glass. I think the suspension is a great compromise between handling and comfort. Its funny, sometimes I wish it was tighter, more controlled (usually on quick trips in town) while other times I wish it were more luxurious, like when the Mrs and I are out for a pleasure cruise on a mild, sunny autumn day, windows down, sunroof open and allowing trees to morse-code us with speckled shade.

Oh yeah, cup holders. I want cup holders.

Ya know, I never thought I'd admit this...but I really appreciate the electric seats w/ memory in our 124. My wife is 5'5" and I'm 6'0", which makes for a lot of fiddling around when I drive her Passat. It's just one touch of a button to position things on the 300 TD-- I guess I'm lame.

I wish the fool thing didn't have that infernal ACC--give me a manual climate control system and I'll do just fine, thank you very much!!

Ditto on the center console switches representing a lack of forethought. Like the old Saab ignition. Perfect place for spilled coffee and crumbs to collect. Price for being different? Center console switches does seem to be the Euro' thing.

Nothing about my old Benz bothers me. I don't relate to nav systems and keyless ignitions. I've never had a car with A/C except my Exploder-which stopped working after 2 years. Too costly to fix. My Benz needs a charge and I don't care. Heat is necessary at times. I love wood on the inside of cars, I think if its done right it looks elegant, if done badly it looks like a crappy coffee table. I hate cruise control. I never leave it on long enough to make it worth while to turn on. You're either going to fast or too slow, there's traffic, whatever. Must have a CD player. I don't really care about "sound quality". If I can hear it and it sounds like what I want to hear I'm fine. Love the sunroof, especially in Spring/Fall. Like leather or MBTex.

Love the smell of my car. Also love the smell of pre-cat cars, but thats another thread. Very masculine. Whoever is driving it loves dark liquors, cigars, snuff and eschews white wines and front wheel drive. Just kidding. Sort of.

Love the oil pressure gauge, a must have especially on an older car. Love the gently lit dashboard-can't really tell where the light is coming from, it just gently washes over the gauges. Love the huge trunk. I actually like the automatic, too, but its hardly a performance car so I'm not losing anything save a few MPGs.

I only wish the MCS in the ML had more features. Some have been added since the car was made – DVD based NAV system. Other toys would be real time traffic advisory, digital surround sound system, ability to adapt most any phone to the MCS.

Oh, yeah, one thing I could live without are the wiggly outside mirrors. It appears that MB forgot how to make outside rear-view mirrors.....