Last night a rare event took place in the southern California desert, we got some rain!

Now since we don't get much of that here at all, I jumped right in the 240 Diesel and took'er out for some wet action. I was on CA HWY 62 which is a long stretch of road, good length and width. I noticed the road was nice and new and very wet, so I MADE SURE NO ONE WAS AROUND and slammed on the brakes at a good 45-50 mph.

I did a nice 180 and just glided on the road. It was nothing but AWESOME and since the road was very wet and how the car glided, I imagine it wasn't that bad on the tires. I did this a few times more.

This morning I told my dad of the little fiasco I had last night, and he gave me a lecture of how "the car is going to break if I keep treating it like that" and blah blah blah. I'm very caring to this car, but I don't drive it like an old lady on sunday either. On occasion, (again, when no one is around) I takes turns very fast and drift. I have fun with this car, and I feel as though this car can handle it no problem.

My question for everyone is: what is some of your worst that you have done to these cars to have fun also? What's y'alls worst? What is ok and what is the limit for these cars? I know first hand these cars are solid tanks, but how much "fun" can these babies handle?

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2007 BMW 328XI

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=27094&highlight=123+handling+characteristics

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This may win the 2008 prize for dumbest post of the year.

No car can "handle it no problem" when the driveline is reversed by suddenly running backwards.

This is fantasyland, la la land. Try jumping your orange Dodge Charger as they appear to do in Dukes of Hazard and you'll soon find that when your car lands it's totaled.

I appreciate the ESP, ABS, etc. on new Mercedes and agree they are great safety features.

I guess these features are also in the way of those seeking the Darwin Award.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

I'd only be concerned about the shock to the driveline. I would think it would test the limits of the flex discs, center bearing and U-joint... but the driveline is quite robust, only time will tell, let us know if you get some vibrations at highway speeds.

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Cheers,
Robert

I've gone 55mph over a set of rail crossings that had a good 2 foot sharp DROP on the other side. I was not aware of it till my car was flying through the air for a couple seconds, then hit the ground, HARD. Nothing damaged, kept driving. It hurt!!!

In general MI roads/winter are harsh, but my car has held up to 5.5 years of them so far just fine.

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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)

Michigan / midwestern winters are hard enough on vehicles, I don't need to throw them into drifts and slides to find out how tough they are. I just try to keep my stuff rolling along in the best condition I can afford, without spending too much money doing so.

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95 E300 Diesel 265k and counting

Well, I hate to say this but you should really "get your kicks" in a different car. Oh I ain't saying not to do it, I ain't your Guardian Angel. I did the same thing when I was a young'n. Trying to find a cars "limits" and a drivers "limits is ingrained into those that have an undescribable itch. Just watch NASCAR. An MB is a good safe car but not really responsive enough to control. Try a 1967 Z/28 or something similar with a good power/weight ratio. OR take a a driving course at one of the road course tracks. Enjoy a Benz and drive safe on the roads.

This post reminds me of when I was working in Houston, Texas back in the early 80's. I was working in the fabrication shop for Ross Hill Controls, and there was a brief 45 minute snow shower. Apparently the first time in 9 years for that area. A buddy of mine from Missouri and I were both fitter\welders there, and there was a crew of Mexicans that worked in the same shop. When someone said it was snowing, they opened up the overhead doors so we could spectate. The mexicans were in awe because they'd never seen snow. They were slowly and cautiously sticking their hands out to see what would happen if it touched them, then jerking their hands back in when it hit them. I don't know why they were so scared, since we couldn't understand a word they said, but we were all having a big laugh just watching them. My buddy, Hub, ran out in the snowfall and then played like he was "hit" by the snow, and started flailing on the ground. The mexicans were horrified! They started looking at us and jabbering something about "Save him!" When he finally got up and started laughing, they were all overjoyed, then finally were all out there in what was a minor snowfall dancing and hopping around like a bunch of kids in the first snowfall of the year. It was then that I remembered what the theory of relativity was all about. That day, even though the snow barely dusted the ground, and Houston is flat as a pancake, there were major traffic accidents and highway closures from those spin-outs and, I suppose, freak-outs.
To this day, when I see the first snow fall, I still remember those grown men, first afraid, then doing a 180 and acting like children discovering snow for the first time. It was something to behold.


That being said, we got a quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet last night. At 11 pm, it dropped from 58* to 48* in minutes, and it was 17* when I woke up. We have a quarter inch of ice everywhere.

My comment about skidding on a rainy roadway?- It's fun to experiment, like the mexicans did back in Houston, but once you've felt that fear that goes along with the spinning out of control and not being able to stop it, you'll say, "Nah! I don't think so!"
I don't mean to sound like a prude, but I've been thrown out of 3 vehicles and got up and walked away all three times, by the grace of God. I think if my son did that, I'd have blistered his butt, regardless of his age. Not because he needed a whipping, but because of the fact that I might not have had a son anymore after an innocent experiment like that. To hell with the car. Your dad was probably thinking of what could have happened to you. I'm glad you didn't lose it and roll the thing, for your sake and your dads'. The moral? Snow is fun, mexicans are funny and tempting the fates is stupid. OK, that's my 2 bits. Sorry for the long yarn.

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"Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do." Goethe

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1951 Chevy 3100

2003 Indian Chief Roadmaster

1983 GMC 1 ton Dually

1982 Chevy 1 ton Dually, service body (sold)

'90 GMC Suburban 6.2 "SS Veg-Burban"
(single tank WVO\diesel conversion) SOLD

'81 300D ~ Mama's car...my job (now my car)(but still my job) SOLD

'83 300sd ~ rescue car SOLD

2005 Ford Taurus (Mama's new car)(NOT my job!)

Did you induce the 180 or do your brakes need work?

I don't know a safe place to do it and I don't think a public highway is the place but folks should practice panic stops in all sorts of weather. Should be part of driver's ed. Unfortunately the only safe way to practice for most is through a $$$ driving skill course.

Sixto
87 300D

Went 80 mph on a train tracks that had a hump lift off aprox 4 feet off the ground and nearly lost control it was fun but then again its scary as hell i did many stunts on my 300SD but the worst is this one...
ps i do take care of my car i make sure its good b4 performing crazy $hi+

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Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

My favorite past time is drifting it in the snow. I have become very skilled at it and have never hit anything. Once I took her through the "hoity-toity" neighborhood in my city and drifted it from one entrance to the other, about 3 miles. It was the most fun I've ha din the car!

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1981 300 SD 213k miles "Stock for now"
1999 Super Duty 7.3L 113k miles
1981 300 SD 180k miles "Heavily modified" SOLD