Mercedes seats and W124/M104 mileage

[sanchezc]

Mercedes seats: My wife complains that both of our Mercedes' seats are too hard and uncomfortable. I have been suggesting that tweaking the seat adjustment might help, but it's apparently not... Since I would like to avoid buying another car, as well as buying a pair of Recaro seats (that's the expensive option...), do any of you have other, reasonable suggestions?

W124/M104 mileage: After an initial, promising 28 miles / gallon when driving the car back from Boston (where I bought it), it seems that I am now getting only 20 miles / gallon in mixed driving (which is what I am getting with my older, heavier(?) W126/M103), when I understand I should rather be getting around 25: Can any of you W124/M104 drivers confirm?

[ksing44]

I LOVE MY SEATS, so I can't help you with that one. As for mileage, it sounds like you are getting the exact same kind of mileage that I get in my awesome 1995 E320. I also get a rather dramatic improvement when driving all highway miles.

[kramlavud]

Agree with others. Averaged about 28mpg in my 94 e320 from Dallas to Fairfax, VA; get about 22mpg every week to and from work. Try the usual things: spark plugs, air filter, etc. Use ONLY the Bosch plugs recommended in this message board; a quick scroll down will provide all the info you need about the engines need for the right plug - reject the idea to install platinum plugs..
Seats are near perfect for me; bottoms firm and long enough to provide thigh support nearly to the knees. Only my long gone Volvo 780 has better seats.
regards,
Mark

[Pete Geither]

The E320 wagon has a lower rear end gear ratio which translates to lower overall mileage. I usually average 15 to 16 MPG around town. My SL gets 28 on the road and 18 to 20 around town. The 400 does 25 to 27 on a trip and around 20 around town. Love the seats in all the cars.

[Kestas]

Thumbs-up to my seats. Are you sure your wife wasn't Goldilocks as a child? What is she used to? If she thinks other cars are better, she may be in for a surprise. The days of fully-springed, lotsa-bounce seats like my 71 Cutlass are long gone. New cars use basically a block of foam a few inches thick for cushion.

I get as low as 20 and as high as 26 with my E320, depending on whether it's suburban driving or 80 mph freeway driving.

28 may be doable under the best of conditions, such as 60 mph on the freeway.

[Rahulio1989300E]

How about a sheepskin cover with some extra cushioning on the bottom and back.....

Still kinda expensive though,
I believe fitted ones run up to $200
The more generic fit many models decently are like $100

[suginami]

In the E320 that I used to own, I averaged about 21 mpg in mixed city / highway driving.

In 100% freeway driving with a steady foot, the best I ever got was 25-ish. I got 25.9 mpg going to Las Vegas once.

I have a 2000 E430 now, and I find the W124 seats to be much more comfortable than the W210 seats.

[jlomon]

I get about 20MPG on my 2.8L M104 in my '94 C280, and my driving is probably about 70% city and 30% highway. Best I've ever seen is 27MPG on an long highway trip with the cruise pegged at about 70mph.

I expect that your wife has been accustomed to driving an American vehicle of some sort with some plush seats. Many years ago, Mercedes research determined that firm seats are MUCH less fatiguing on any trip beyond a short hop for a loaf of bread or a half gallon of milk.

MB's design goals are not to build the most comfortable car in the world. Rather their goals are to build a car that provides safe and controllable driving on the Autobahn at 110 or 120 MPH or more.

Having a seat that feels like your favorite recliner where you keep the remote control is TOTALLY the opposite of what MB is trying to do. This is why they were probably the last mfg in the world to include cup holders. In their thinking a car is not to drink coffee in or to lay back and take a nap in. The German driver is taught that driving is all business. It is even against the law in Germany to have a child less than 10 years old in the front seat.

There are many different types of pads and cushions on the market for those who feel that they have to be comfortable enough to take a snooze while driving.

As someone who spent a number of years covering a four state territory I can testify that I never found a car other than an MB that I could get in and drive 6 hours or more, get out and be ready for my meeting with no fatigue. There's no car that I've ever driven that does it better.

Good luck,

[BadBenz94]

As stated above my milage in mixed conditons is about 21-22 and just hiway only about 27 at 70mph. I like my seats but I wish they had more lateral support during cornering.
Chris

[Jerry_Mullen]

My '94 wagon got 24.54mpg on the last tank, 60% highway (70mph) 40% around town. I think you'll find thats in line with what most get,

[ksing44]

Originally Posted by BadBenz94

I like my seats but I wish they had more lateral support during cornering.
Chris

I wish I had the "Sportline" seats, with the big bolsters to hold you securely in place. I guess I could also go get an E500, if I just had to have the seats.

[sanchezc]

Thank you all for your much appreciated input.

Just to clarify regarding the seats, my wife doesn't merely complain about lack of comfort, but more seriously about back pain... But I'll try your suggestions, and hope that we don't need to sell the car: after the money and effort invested to correct all the previous owner's backed up maintenance, it would be a shame...

Regarding the mileage:

* It seems possible then to get better than 20 miles / gallon in mixed driving. Which is what I am still hoping given that, if the W124/M104 Wagon's weight is (to my recent discovery and surprise) in fact comparable to the W126/M103's, its engine is supposed to be more modern and efficient? So I'll double-check all those plugs, wires, etc., thanks.

* Since the car tends to be sluggish going uphill, I thought that the transmission might be slipping and explain the possibly subpar mileage. But a specialist checked it and gave it a clean bill of health. He did however confirm my symptoms, but pointed me instead to some play in the throttle linkages, and maybe engine management tweaks. But I understand that nothing can be tweaked on an M104? He did show me the play in some of the throttle linkages, he just didn't know if they were normal (he is a transmission expert, but doesn't do too many MBs). Additionally the W124's throttle isn't as progressive as the W126's (which is now butter smooth :-) ).

So the question is: Can a W124/M104's throttle be as smooth and play-free as a W126/M103's? I am thinking that it may also help with the downshifting going uphill, the lack of which may explain the current sluggishness?

Looking forward to your further input, this forum is great!

[Kestas]

My commiserations. I too suffer from back problems, plus I'm 6"4". As I mentioned in my earlier post, I find the seats comfortable. Lately, I found that a simple change in the way I sit in a car has helped me tremendously. I now sit more erect -- the seat back is considerably less reclined. Though I haven't driven my E320 cross country, I do in another car (01 Sable) and even with an ongoing back problem I have no discomfort when the seat back is erect.

Though your mechanic pointed out the play in the throttle linkages, did he offer to adjust them? The bowden-design cable is adjustable and this adjustment does affect the way thte transmission shifts. Perhaps a proper adjustment would solve the sluggishness you experience with your car.

No offense, but your wife does'nt have a clue what a good seat is, if she dislikes MB seats.

My old man (as a young man in Germany) apprenticed at MB as an auto upholsterer and did that for a career. I've seen many many many seats torn apart, and believe me they're well made and supportive.

If you want to see a bad seat, rip one apart from any domestic. Holy... what crap.

FYI - Recaro still builds the highest quality from what I've seen. Amazing.