Just wanted to make a point consistent with this thread. I just put racing pads on the front of my 500E, added 10 lbs of air to the front tires and with no other modifications (beyond 17" tires) I ran 60 laps of Lime Rock Park at speeds no 4 door should attain (approx. 1'11"/lap, top speed 125ish). Burned up a tank of gas and the aforementioned pads in the process, but that was it. Didn't even bring tools to the track I should mention.

That done, I took the extra 10 lbs of air out of the fronts and toodled home, in luxury.

Try that in a domestic, especially a SHO. Then again, 5 SHOs cost what a 500E did new

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"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

yeah i think you guys have the right idea its just that hes so smug the bastard and i wanna put him in his place

i actually am thinking of putting in a new system only because the becker grand prix sounds like ***** ... anyway...

thanks for the feedback!

dante

(as a side note- the SHO actually has a top speed of 143)

Dantenow-
Yeah, but will it go 143 on a somewhat short track? Heck, given enough road a 500E will get up near 170 MPH

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"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Hey there....... Well I'm the guy with the SHO Dante's been talkin about so much. First of all, Dante and I are good friends. Basically what we do best is yell at each other and then laugh about it.
Dante got his 300E more than a year back, and I have to say it's definitely a sweet car. I haven't gotten to drive it yet, any more than just in a parking lot, but it's definitely fun, and it sounds good at high revs. Some of the best times I've had in a car are riding around with him doing stupid stuff (no run-ins with the law however).
I just got, or my family just got the SHO less than a month ago. Neither of us actually owns our cars....... just thought I should mention it. Anyway, I was really psyched about this car, because it was a really good deal, got it (in mint cond.) for more than $1000 less than book value, plus it's black and thats a rare color. Anyway, it's an MTX. I like the car for its looks (although some people disagree with me on that), for its incredible engine, sweet transmission and its amazing soundtrack. Also, the people who own these cars are just nuts about them, and that has to say something about them. To those who have said its just an appliance, just a Taurus, and a throwaway, well....... You've probably never driven one. I'll admit the brakes need to be bigger and the steering is a bit overboosted... Plus it does suffer from some of the ailments of its lesser Taurus siblings. That's life.
Anyway, Dante is all bent out of shape over the fact that my car is faster than his. I never once said that an SHO could outhandle a 300E (although with about $1800 worth of mods, I know it could outdo a stock 300E)..... lets just say I've proven it to him and he won't give up. Oh well.... Sorry bout how long this is

yeah a 500e but i mean my 300e no kidding a 500e would kick an SHO's ass anyday

SHOs are typically considered sleeper cars. Its not about flash. It's not about huge aftermarket body panels. It's about pulling up to a guy in a Benz or a BMW or a Mustang or some other car and blowing the wheels off them. Stock, the car is a good performer, but it can be a genuine screamer when its modded. The only reason the SHO isn't faster than a Mustang GT stock is that Ford couldnt swallow their pride and install the unadulterated 300hp race motor that Yamaha delivered to them. They had to keep the car below the Mustang GT. That's life, and it's my job to get that number back up there, and get out there and show everyone that the car isn't a throwaway, that it sure as hell isn't a refrigerator with a 3.0L beast in it.
When it comes down to it, comparing the SHO to the 300E is apples to oranges, and I'll be the first to admit it. Still, I'd like to know what you guys think.

Guilty as charged!
I have never driven a SHO but, I've had 3 Ford Tauruses (Tauri ?) that were my company cars. I got so sick of driving a Ford Taurus that I swore I'd never drive another one. To me it was just standard company issue equipment no different than the desk they gave me. It was a tool to do a job. That's why I called it an appliance.
Maybe if they had given me SHO's I'd feel different...I don't know.

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I can definitetly see how that would spoil you on seeing any kind of Taurus as "fun". I'm totally unspoiled, the closest I ever got to driving a non-SHO Taurus was sitting in the back of my friends moms Taurus wagon way back in middle school. I'm looking at a suspension package that will hopefully eliminate all of the bad side-effects of the Taurus production style, and hopefully make my car handle like its on rails. I've hear only good things about it.

Dear Nikotonks. I hate to be a messenger of bad news but you are wasting your time writing in this forum. You are not going to persuade anybody in this forum that a front wheel drive car (ANY front wheel drive car for that matter) is NOT an appliance. Your Ford Taurus is a great front wheel drive, fast and underengineered fun toy for the masses. The goals of its designers where totally different (and in many cases opposite) from those of the designers of any MB vehicle.

I don't know about saying that ANY FWD car is an appliance. The Acura Integra R (and replacement RSX-Type S/R) come to mind. I know of SHOs that, price of modifications included, can (and have) blown away a 2000 M3 coupe, and still cost less. Doens't really sound like a refigerator on wheels to me. That's all for me.

Personally if Iwas going to drive a taurus, the only one would be an SHO.

But personally, I just don't like the taurus or most american cars because they are too rinky dinky feeling. Hell I opted for my benz over a 1995 BMW 325IS with 45k on the odo, and the bmw had the most complete and organized service records I had ever seen. The guy had a binder, with every receipt, estimate, and mileage and oil changes and everything.

To me the benz, with more mileage and no records, was the most solid feeling car. And thats why I chose it, because it felt like a solid rock.

I had a friend who had a taurus SHO, it was fast car, he wrapped it around a light pole at 120 mph, and walked away from the accident without a scratch.

Those of you who still consider it an appliance, it really isn't a bad car, its safe, and pretty fast. The Ford taurus is the mid level American Corporate Sedan. The Taurus SHO is the Creme De La Creme of the mid level American Corporate Sedan.

To each his own, if you love the taurus, then enjoy it, just don't knock a benz, because round these parts, you'll get a whole lotta backtalk.

You wont catch me driving a taurus let alone any ford except maybe a 65-68 mustang.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

Knocking Benzes was never my intention. I was just making sure Dante didn't talk too much smack about my car. I love all cars. In fact I'm obsessed with basically anything with an internal combustion engine.

Gentlemen! Gentlemen! This is sounding more like a Harley Davidson discussion than a Benz one! What next? No one wears seatbelts and disconnects the airbags...coz it ain't cool??
Enjoy your cars! If all I had was a Chevy Chevette Diesel with no a/c....guess what..it will be the greatest car in the world.
Fortunately, I don't!! :-)