DslBenz,

You obviously have NOT driven a 203 car and I obviously was not very articulate in what I said.

I was not saying that a 124 car drives like a pickup. I was saying that RELATIVE to a 203 it drives like a pickup.

I have also owned a 210 car that I bought new in '96. It was a great driving car, but only a SLIGHT improvement over a 124. Five years of further development past the 210 car gave us the 203. It is a radical change in many ways from a 210 car.

The fact that the 203 is smaller is something that you can either live with or not. Since 95% or more of my driving is with only me in the car, it doesn't bother me. In fact a car with less Mass makes for a more nimbler handling car.

I agree that we are comparing oranges to apples by comparing an E class car of one period to a C class car of another, but IMHO the C class is head and shoulders above my E Class.

BTW, I do know what a 300E drives like when new, and mine STILL drives that way.

As I said there would be plenty of naysayers, but I expected the naysayers to be saying that the new MB's were no good because they were new MB's, not because they happened to be smaller and less expensive. I guess I wasn't expecting class warfare.

Also, the original poster is talking about a 2001 model that I assume is used. I doubt that it is still setting on a lot unsold. But, I think whether to buy new or used is a persons own choice. I agree that if you do buy used condition is everything. It drives me crazy to see people selecting a used car based on its color.

Lastly, you might want to rethink the use of saying that others statements are "a real joke." This is very disrespectful and alienating.

Have a great day,