The MBUSA dealership network has firmly stated in the past that they want to be a luxury brand in the US. Hence, the fully loaded cars in the dealerships, disdain for cars like the W203 Couple/Hatch and the cold shoulder for the A & B.

You get it.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Okay, live in your reality and I'll live in mine. Stop by 190Rev.net sometime and see what some folks are doing with cars from the 80's and 90's.

The issue with all those "parts" for Honda, VW, Mustang or Vettes . . . after spending the money, it's still a Honda, Mustang or Vette underneath. If you're talking Saleen, Rousch, Calloway, etc . . . then the parts list gets shorter and the prices skyrocket, don't they.

190rev is not representative of a larger population. You go to our site and you think half the U.S. drives w123s. There are enthusiasts, of course, but I'd be willing to bet they are outnumbered by e30s and e36s 50 to 1. Try to find sanctioned w201 spec series for one example...

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I have never seen a tuned 80's or 90's Mercedes run at Limerock. I'd love to but I have seen more BMW's, Mustangs, Corvettes, etc than I can possible count.

I have seen lots of SLS's and SL Gullwings but again, rich old guy cars...

If you want to do weekend track days I can't think of a better car than one of them, their driving clubs at least in CT are very, very active. When you go to the show and shine the MBCA section is about 400ft long, the BMW section takes up half the track. More Porsche, Mini Cooper, and Ferrari guys show up.

Having helped organize events in the past, getting MB owners together is challenging to say the least. Although it must be a state thing because the CA guys put together some amazing shows.

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

Lap Record Laguna Seca for 2.3-16

YouTube search for Mercedes Lime Rock has hits.

At no time have I said that there are more popular cars that folks like to mod, I was responding to the notion that you can't, for reasonable money, mod a Mercedes and have a blast.

You are completely missing the point. The magnitude of the community surrounding performance is nearly nonexistent compared to other makes and models, much of which has to do with good platforms to start (2.3-16 was a good one, but hard to find) and the rest having to do with parts, community and knowledge availability afterwards. Again, I ask -- try to find something like spec e30 series or spec e36 series within the realm of MB. Hell, try modding a w202 with the same budget as an e36 and see how far you get.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Still a MBCA member, but haven't been to an event in a few years. Yawn.

It's much more fun to hit the tuner shows and see the whacky things people create with limited budgets, and lots of times limited taste. Same goes for the muscle/hot rod guys.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

First you need to tell me who will win the Super Bowl and by how much.

Then tell me WHAT kind of perf. mods you are seeking.

Then I will respond to those questions.

Deal?

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

This.

I am convinced that it depends on which section of the club you are in. I see Matt in Ohio posting about events that his section is doing on Facebook every few weeks and there is nothing here in the Philly area.

One of these days I need to check out the mbca events local to me. Seems pretty active compared to other locations I've lived. Still an mbca member, but almost primarily for the parts discount the classic center gives, which was the original reason. The local chapter has more driving events however, like road rally stuff, so could be fun.

Been to a few events back when I first joined in less populated parts of the country, and it was a bit stale. Unfortunately because mostly I only have interest in the older vehicles. However one day ill make the effort to hit up the mbca CT headquarters car show event.

I just don't like the undercurrent of brand pretension that sometimes is a factor at MB stuff. One of the reasons I love the impromptu GTGs often organized by forum members is there is none of that, just people who love their car for whatever reason and are often hopeless tinkerers. However when you go to an officially sanctioned event from mbca, you have this brand undercurrent thing going on.

That may be a bit unfair, as obviously it IS about a brand on some level, but still, there is a definite feel to it, you can sense the difference in the general mindset.

I don't know, maybe its the inherant sense of pretension the mbusa had tried so hard to culivate showing itself through owner attitudes, but it makes mbca events less fun.

I see three distinct groups of MB owners, the owners who drive the old MBs and love them, and those that drive the newer ones and love them, and those that just drive the car period and will never be part of any club. IMO, mbca is trying to appeal to all groups in a general sense, which is hard to do.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I could care less about the Super Bowl.

I thought I was fairly specific when I asked. Let me rephrase:

Any engine performance upgrade under 1 thousand dollars that I can order today, bolt on without the need to weld or fabricate, and will have some meaningful increase in torque/ horsepower.

I'm not interested in shiny rims, hood scoops, or spoilers.

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Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

Check with Cat Cams. Last I heard they have a duplicate of the AMG camshaft, cast not billet, for under $1K. Shifts the power curve to the upper revs.

Only a couple more grand to keep up with an E36!

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

With enough time, effort and money, you could possibly make an elephant competitive in equine steeplechase events...