Tonight I drove a section of I-95 N at speeds of 100 mph +. Crazy, maybe stupid, as I risked a healthy drivers license only to spoil it with a costly speeding fine! But I did it, and for about 16 miles.

It was through a region of I-95 through Connecticut and Rhode Island I pressed the pedal to 100 mph. First time I've done that, and found yet another unknown about my car.

Guess what folks, that guy selling junk MB's with a mechanic from East Turkey, selling great tune jobs on an advertised SDL back in January to go 130 mph + may not be untrue!

How many of you have driven these 603's to high speeds, (excluding GSXR) where is he lately anyway?

This is what I found......Strait flat, 3 mile section............@ 100 mph...4100 rpm, foot on pedal very light, about 1/8 th. Inline, (short up hill) foot about a full quarter....down a short decline...up to 110 mph, foot off pedal....coast to off-ramp the last 1/2 mile. Temp never went above 85 or so, C... Oil of course pegged 3 bar.....Summery: Once the momentum was up past 90, it breezed effortessly .....I have little doubt now that it couldn't have achieved the 140 mph limit of the speedometer, maybe I'm wrong!

All the time I was at 100 mph, I thought about the German Autobahn, and realized my car's true potential..........It is true, these car's are not designed for I-95, but rather 100+ autobahn speeds! I now believe that! ......BB

Yep I bring my SDL up to 90 all of the time! I can run it all day at 90-100 with one hand on the wheel. I have had mine up to 110 and 120 may be possible. At 4,100rpm you only have 700 or so to go before the cut off. I think the 300D's top speed is 130ish. I know an SDL will not go faster then 120 stock.

MB's are built for speed, the W124 in highly modified 500E form can do 180 stock, and will probably run to the door of 200 with some mods.

My friend has ran his dad's S600 up to 110, he didn't even realize he was going that fast until he looked at the speedo. That big 12 just pulls and never stops.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I had my 617 to 95mph I think it was a while back, still could have pulled a bit more. Have to be rid of my driveline vib before I dare faster speeds.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I guess I'm not so crazy after all, I think! Just don't know what got in to me tonight, but I let it alllll Hang Out!

I finished replacing my entire emergency brake system (new everything) today and I'm proud that there is no drag from a poorly adjusted emergency brake system. Why it could over heat the rear disc's and warp them, not to mention poor fuel economy. I'm happy! And so I got stupid for 16 Mi!!!

I was driving slow for awhile because my pos winter tires and wheels wouldn't balance. So I need to make up for a winter at 60-65. As soon as I put my summer tires on it felt like walking after sitting for a few hours! I went right to the highway and planted my foot.


I remember when my friend W140 S600 first got his E300D. He was coming back from Uconn averaging about 110! He made insane time and almost got all of the way back to Milford, but on I-91 by exit 12 (I think) he got nailed for a 106 in a 65! But he got a cool cop that liked MB's and only got stuck for an 85 in a 65!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I've done it only once with mine and blew out LOTS of crap from it. I could see exactly where I was going and there was no traffic near me so no one was in any danger but myself.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I've gone a little over 100 with my OM617....... I'm sure a OM603 can do better!

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-Randy Wakefield

1969 220D 4 speed (parts car)
1976 280C
1976 280S
1981 240D 4 speed (parts car)
1982 300D
1983 300TD (Ivory)
1983 300TD (gold)
1985 300TD (gray)
1987 190D 2.5
1970 280SEL (sold)
1977 240D 4 speed (sold)
1974 280 (rusted to death)
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1927 Chevy 4 door sedan
1938 Chevy 2 door sedan
1950 Willys Jeepster
1955 Studebaker President 4 door
1977 Ford F250
1979 Glastron 17'
1948 John Deere A
1960 John Deere 2010
1979 Satoh S650G
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2000 Bichon (Doby)

On our last long trip in the 83 SD we hit around 103-104mph quite easily with the 617 It still had room left to accelerate too, its able to reach and hold 100mph+ way easier than our 3.0liter V6 gasser minivan can, that thing makes a lot of strange noises 90+ and you can tell some not good things are going on under the hood... Kindof a groaning/dying sound. Not to mention you can just about watch the gas gauge fall on it too when you try that, hahaha.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

That's the best way to describe what I experienced. The ride up was effortless and was relaxed without straining or stress. In turn, I felt at ease, relaxed..... except I had my antenni up and alert, a sharp eye on my rear view, Adrenalin flowing, and all tensed up!!! .......BB

personal highs for me:

1978 240D - 93mph downhill with the wind blowin from behind!
1983 300CD - 110mph on I-70
1987 300D - 105mph on I-81 ? to tennessee with 4 people, full drumset, 3 guitars and 3 amps IN the car

2004 S600 BiTurbo - 140mph, but hey, they complained the car had poor acceleration, i HAD to test it out seemed fine to me!

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

On stretches of R283 and I80, I usually go up to around 95mph in my 603 without putting very much on the pedal at all. It feels like may car is happy to have me loosen the reins a bit. I don't get a chance to let it run free too often, and every time I do, I'm wowed by the ease with which it rockets down the highway. Haven't taken it over 100 yet, because I know the one time I do there will be a patrol car waiting for me just over the horizon.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

the fastest i have gone so far in my 79 300D is a touch over 90 mph. i am on the freeway by 5:30 AM so there isn't a whole lot of traffic and what traffic is out there is generally going over 80 mph any way. I was impressed by the get up and go of it. i think i could have hit a buck, but you can really hear the engine at those speeds and that was too much for me that early.

sometimes i feel like there is another gear in there. at 40 when it hits that final gear and the rpm's are soo low - you would think that it would be rolling at 80@ 2500. apparently not the case. i wish my 300D had a tach. =/

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1979 Thistle Green 300D 272,xxx miles
1984 Orient Red 300 D 4 spd Euro Import - 189,xxx miles
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Lofat Productions
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I have run my '87 300D at 90 for a few minutes at a time with brief excursions to 105 on 2 or 3 occasions. The 603 was made to run easily at these speeds, although I feel the time it takes to gain another 10 or 20 MPH indicates the torque curve is flattening out. The aerodynamics of the W124 are the reason it feels so quiet and effortless at these speeds. No speeding tickets (yet) and someday I am going to buy a Valentine One.

When driving fast I always worry about the people in the slow lane, who knows when someone is going to drift into the fast lane, or like I experienced once doing 85 in my '79 300TD (turbo engine) at dusk, I came up on a paint bucket (fortunately empty) in the middle of the lane and struck it. It stuck in the undercarriage and made a hell of a racket as well as tearing the radiator away from its mount and that precipitated a leak near the top of the tank.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

115 or so in the 300SDL.. had some more room to move. 100-105 so far in the E300.. my god does that car pull at highway speeds with it's 250ft/lbs of torque. I have no doubt that car will pull strong to it's limited 140mph cap!

I was going 80mph a few days ago in my 300SE, and to my suprise a 240D came screaming past me. As in, it sounded like it was ready to explode.