I live out west and can run wide open a lot of the time. What would you suggest as a maximum cruising speed for my car?

i would seriously advise you making your own rules.

noone knows what your driving skills are capable of. the car is most likely capable of 100mph or so(if my 240 can go 90...) but that is not to say that you yourself are capable of emergency maneuvers(sp) at that speed.

drive a speed you are comfortable driving, dont let us strangers point you toward your own demise.

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all depends on the condition of the car. when it was new prob 90 would not have been a problem. of course everything will wear faster at higher rpm and will use more fuel too. prob if it is a sound car 3000 rpm would be pretty comfy. is that a 2.65 rear end? if so that is what 78 to 82 mph?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I can give you the maximum safe crusing speed for your vehicle if you provide the following information:

---when the next deer or other animal will wander across the road.

--- when some a-hole will drift into your lane, requiring an immediate correction

--- when there will be some rocks or debris in the road

--- when there will be a tire failure at high speed

--- when darkness will fall


After you answer the aforementioned questions, I can easily provide you with the maximum safe cruising speed for that vehicle.

As others have alluded, the primary limitations will be your ability/state of mind, environmental factors and the relative condition of the chassis in your 18 year old car. My S124 has felt sure, steady and eager for more acceleration at 110 mph, but that speed exceeded the ability of my nerves to handle the resulting paranoia. I believe the engine itself is capable of cruising at its maximum speed (125+ mph?) all day assuming the cooling system is in optimal condition and you don't run it out of oil, YMMV.

You know, I was going to post the top speed of the cars (sedan and wagon - it's not clear which the original poster owns). But that would just encourage him to go see if the car can go that fast. So no dice.

Don't forget to consider the economic ramifications of speeding. Governments are very hungry for money these days, and emptying the pockets and piggybanks of irresponsible motorists is an attractive target. Think about it. You're driving 100+MPH, something all "normal" people think is crazy and dangerous. You get caught. Who is going to argue the government shouldn't fine you to the brink of bankruptcy? After all, you're a dangerous person.

On a motorcycle forum in which I occasionally lurk there was a discussion of who had the largest speeding fine. I should point out that modern sportbikes are absurdly fast. Anyways, I was astounded at the number of folks who had racked up more than $2,000 in fines and expenses from a single incident. I think the record was near $5K.

- JimY

Hey tsiero, you should read the Hans is dead post, and ask him if he wished he had been going the max cruise speed.

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This is very true. You are a sitting duck when going 90 mph or above. Here in NY, if you are 25 mph over the limit (say 80 in a 55), you are arrested and brought to jail on a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment. You need and attorney and bail and all the BS that goes along with that.

A $2K fine for a misdemeanor is not all that outrageous. Then you must add attorney fees (probably another $2K).

Take that W124 up to 110 mph and the cost, if caught, might be more than the vehicle is worth.

Ya, Brian knows the answer because he's broken every one of his rules!

...........rules...........what rules??

It is a MB they are built to cover long distances at very high speeds. The W124 itself is capible of 170-180 without problems. With the diesel engine it should be capible of 120+/- and be able to run wot for a very long time.

However it is an old car and the suspension and brakes would have to be perfect at such speeds or you are asking to get hurt.

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I drove many miles on BMW motorcycles. We would drive to Montana so we could open them up to 120-140 MPH with minimal interference. I am 54 years old now and know my survival skills have diminished plus I am running out of luck. This car seems to be happy at 90mph and I know a lot of you don't know what empty roads are. Here in New Mexico during the day on the interstates traffic can run near 85 MPH since the speed limit is 75 MPH. The night time driving is at the posted speeds. Many times the car density is less than one car per mile on a 4 lane interstate. The BMW motor cycles were built for a country with no speed limits and I understood that the Mercedes were designed to be operated at maximum speed and load constantly. That isn't to say we need to go that fast but I was just wondering how these diesels held up. Thanks

I rode my '78 R80/7 on I-10 through AZ,NM and West TX at 100mph for loooong stretches at a time--they really are built for it.

According to Nitske's production book, top speed for a W124 chassis 300TD Turbo is 118. Whereas the top speed for a W124 300TE is 144. Damn that slow burning fuel The faster you rev. a diesel, the poorer your fuel economy. Diesel is a lsow burning fuel. Now of course this begs the question, what is the ideal engine/road speed for a diesel engine?

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We ran that car down to Mexico over Easter. On the way down it got 32 MPG and on the way back 36 mpg. The mexico fuel had more high end hydrocarbons I guess. We drove between 75-85 mph all the way.