I've resently took off my hardtop. Today I drived the car on the highway for the first time without hardtop but with the softtop up. I experienced that the car was shaking/wobbeling at higher speeds. Not shakey in the steeringwheel but the whole car. I've never had a cabriolet before so I don't know what it's supposed to feel like. Can anyone please comment on this?!

Thanks

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Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

My comment is that the car feels solid no matter what the configuration of the roof. Try it with the top down and see what it feels like, and then put the hardtop back on and try it. I've mever heard of a complaint like this before.....Gilly

It is common for a convertible to shake and rattle a little when the top is taken off (especially the first few kilometers after the hard top is removed). The W107 does shake more as the R129, but even the R129 makes more rattling noises after you first take off the hardtop.
Even our SLK rattles and shakes a bit more during topless rides.

greetingz,

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1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

MBenz

Now I feel a little more secure.. However - It feels like the shaking, ratteling is comming from the back of the car. I don't really feel any shaking in the steering wheel (not more than usual). At about 100 km/h + it's not very fun to drive when my cheeks are shaking . It doesn't matter if the softtop is up or down. Is this thing going to stop when the car has "settled"?? Could it be something else that just happend to occur when I removed the hardtop?

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Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

The term for this feeling is COWL shake! Almost all convertibles have a bit of shake due to structure *flex*. The R107's can be severe if they have had body repairs that weren't up-to MB specs! TIRE balance is very important! The E320 (W124) convertible has 60+ lbs of lead in 4 places through-out the car to counter balance this effect!!

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
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190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

That is right, my 300CE conv. has a lot of lead in the trunk behind the wheel wells!!!

It is not something else that occurred after you got the top off...You could compare the car with a shoebox. Try to twist a shoebox with and without a lid and you will see why a convertible *flexes*.

BTW: if you ever get out of the North and start traveling to the South (where the sun can be found), we could meet up! I looked at the pics of your car and it looks great (personally I don't like the steering wheel though). Your car has all the (un)necessary options and looks like it is brand-new. If I remember correctly, it is a 12 valve, right?

greetingz,

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1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Hmm ,, so you don't like wooden steering wheels.. Then you can forget about me meeting up with you! Just kidding,,
Acctually I ran into this steering wheel when I had my car in for repairs. The colour of the wood matched the other wooden details in the car so I bought it..

However. If I take my car to "your world" sometime I promise that I'll let you know so that we, and them, can get together. I think my SL would like that! You right about that it's well equipped for beeing a 300 and that it's well preserved. I'm glad no one found it before I did. You're right about that it's a 12 valve too. If you ask me I think that's positive too. My previous car, 300CE -89, also had the 12 valve engine.

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Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green