Are there any strong reasons to purchase one over the other? The mileage and price are very similar. Also, what are the typical scheduled break down issues.

Thank you

The Command navigation system came out in 2000, but it can be retrofitted back to 1998 models (E430. E320, E300). It cannot be retrofitted to 1997 models.


1998 E430's have the new engine design, and the crankshaft balancers are bad. They were redesigned in mid-year 2000. The engine in E420's does not have this problem.

The performance of the E430 is a little better - about a half-second quicker 0-60 mph, but we're still talking about a 6 second range 0-60, which is pretty darn fast.

I think '97 E420's and '98-'99 E430's are pretty darn similar - externally and internally they look exactly the same.

The big change is in model year 2000, where there were a number of changes: the instrument cluster and steering wheel were redesigned, front / side curtain airbags and rear door airbags become standard, the front and rear bumpers were redesigned (along with a new front air dam), the hood and grill were also subtely redesigned (which nobody seems to realize). An On-Star-like system became available, which requires a subscription.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Paul,

Can you give us a comparison between your 210 and your old 124 car? Always interesting to hear the different perspectives..maybe in a different thread?

Thanks, Mike

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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

also 'mood' lighting was installed.

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Jonathan
1998 S600
2001 E430
1994 E320
1991 560SEL
1994 Turbo R

I've been planning on writing a post about this very subject. I've had the car for about 3 - 4 weeks now, but haven't put a lot of miles on it, yet, as I fly a lot on my job.

One thing that has been forefront in my thoughts is the quality issue. Everyone talks about the decline in quality with the W210 chassis. We all know that the 210's were the first that Mercedes ever designed to a specific price point, instead of a specific quality level and pricing the car accordingly.

My honest opinion is that the car has as high a level of quality as my W124 300E (3.2) "E320". It feels very different, though.

By different I mean that you can certainly feel the affects of Lexus on the minds of the engineers that desgned the W210 cars. Everything has been softened, damped, and quieted. The braking is more power-assisted. It takes a much lighter touch to stop the car. The accelerator pedal has a lighter spring. The pedal in my W124 car felt overly stiff. The steering is vastly different due to the new rack and pinion in place of the recirculating ball. It feels more like your typical Japanes car. It is also more power-assisted. Again, too much so in my opinion. The interior of the car is quieter. Engine noise and road noise is considerably muffled.

The suspension leaves much to be desired. It wallows like a whale. It is massively under-damped. Going over bumps is like being on a ship in a bad storm. It rocks back and forth so much that it gives me a feeling of seasickness. My W124 with Bilstein HD's was perfect in every respect: firm but not harsh, controlled by not skittish, and rode like a magic carpet on the freeway. Even my wife, she who doesn't even know when she is driving on a flat tire, notices the difference.

Interior-wise, I love the new instrument cluster and center stack housing the radio and HVAC controls. The instrument cluster is modern and very well-lit, and the digital HVAC controls and read-out are very welcome. The push buttons and rotary dial were a relic of the past IMHO, and should've done away with in the mid-seventies. Also, even though the exterior dimensions are with a couple of inches of each other, the back seat space in the W210 is dramatically larger than the W124. I can't describe the difference it is so great. It is like being in an S class car.

Body design is a draw. But if I have to choose one over the other, I'd choose the W124. I like the front-end / hood design of the W210 better, but overall, I prefer the classic lines of the W124. It is holding up well with time like all Mercedes. Time will tell how the W210 looks 10 + years from now.

To summarize, I guess I prefer the W210 over the W124 in many ways, but not all. While I still believe it is a high quality car like the W124, I believe Mercedes has taken a lot of the Mercedes out of the car. It has lost some of its "DNA". The 124's, like 126's, feel unique. There is nothing else that handles and feels quite the same. W210's, on the other hand, feel much like any other luxury car. In fact, one could say the Mercedes has "Lexified" the car.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Paul:

Sounds like you just did. Nice write up.

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'91 300-SEL

Nice write up by Paul. I've owned a couple of 124 chassis and a couple of 210 chassis cars, so permit me to toss in my $.02.

Steering effort on the 210 is lower than the older cars which use recirculating ball steering gear. Initially I was a bit put off by it, somewhat like Paul sounds. However, over time I came to the conclusion that 210 steering is much, much superior to the 124. The 210 system does a marvelous job of communicating road surface and slip angle to the driver. It's light, but sensitive and communicative. A 124 is heavy and dead feeling in comparison.

The 210 chassis has a bit less spring rate than a 124, but much more roll stiffness. It also carries quite a bit more tire than most 124 cars. Overall I find it a much more capable handler as a result. What constitues sufficient damping is a matter of opinion; I've not had issues with the 210 cars being too soft. They still feel distinctly Mercedes, though perhaps with a softer edge than some of the earlier cars.

Oh, and let's not forget the 210 has a powerful air conditioning system! Now that is an improvement.

- JimY