Tell us about your Mercedes - whats your favorite/least favorite things about it? - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cool · #76 03-03-2007, 12:43 PM

fun to drive nice to watch it move and great if you can fix the many problems it brings, 300d (1960), S600 (1997), S500 (1995), 560SEL(1991), E55(2004), SL500(1997)

Larry Delor · #77 03-03-2007, 01:46 PM

71 280SE
Good looks, good ride (less body roll than a 123 or 126), and most importantly, no biodegradable wiring.
Some parts hard to find, or pricey.

83 300D
Decent ride, solid feel, keeps on going when others quit, and most importantly, no biodegradable wiring.
Some parts pricey, some vacuum pods in louy locations.

88 420SEL
Magic carpet ride, lots of room, solid feel, and most importantly no biodegradable wiring.
Some parts a bit pricey, predictable chain guide and cam failures, a bit long for small spaces.

94 E420
Nice firm ride, best seats so far, best handling so far, plenty of get up and go, not too many gadgets/frills.
Biodegradable wiring - this has cost me more money than anything else. If I ever meet the person who knowingly approved the use of such sub-standard materials, I will give him an ear full - and if he turns out to be one of those stereo typical arrogant German engineers, I might even go to jail. The fact that MB has done nothing is an embarrassment and a disgrace to MB and to MB owners. Apparently there is something in the water in Stuttgart that has shrunken not only the testicles, but also the brains of those in charge.

j1b3h0 · #78 12-03-2007, 12:33 AM

About a year ago, I bought a 560SEC (black/black) for $5500. I did all the usual web searches - MB Coupes, etc. Drove numerous w126s, mostly SELs before settling on this one with - now 177,000 miles. I knew from my web search that any owner of an S Class had better be prepared to do whatever it takes to stay on top of the maintanence. So, Ive spent a considerable sum and much time going through the suspension - new accumulators, front shocks and the rubber parts. The steering is perfect.If you're a traditionalist like me, do yourself a favor - hunt down original MB wheels instead of aftermarket - they're not the same (much trouble with wheel bolts). Just a couple more things to fix: Copilots seatbelt extender, I know what's wrong, just haven't devoted the time, and the horn(s). I've never had a car I loved as much as my SEC, it's beautiful, timeless, built like a bank-vault, quiet, powerful and rides like a dream. Furthermore, it's mechanic freindly. Just went to the manufacturers auto show and spent plenty of time around the new Benzes - the S550 is very wonderful. But not IMHO as attractive as my SEC, and, at 90K might be worth it - if one could maintain it in perpetuity like a w126. Just look at how the values of the subsequent S-Class cars have plumeted: you can't give away a w140, let alone maintain it. MB should take good look at the cars on which their reputation was built: the w126, when designing the new models, and make them as repairable. If you can't fix it, you can't sell it.

Zeus · #79 12-03-2007, 09:46 AM

1971 250
Fell in love with my first Benz, a 1971 250 sedan. Loved working on it. Rebuilt the upper engine. I used to love tuning it, adjusting the dual carbs and the points.

1989 300E
This has been my best Benz to date. Absolutely the most reliable car I have owned thus far as well. It lasted 17 Canadian winters with almost no rust, an impressive feat on its own. It ran to over 333,000 Km on the original engine, I didn't even change the valve stem seals or gaskets. Original tranny and catalytic converter as well. It felt solid, handled well. My only gripe would be the rough shifting tranny (compared to the later 722.6) and the second gear start, which made the car seem slower that it actually was. I found the M103 engine to lack some low end grunt, but it really woke up past 3000 RPM.

1998 E430
I love this car's performance. Absolutely fantastic. Tranny shifts smoothly, engine has tons of power, gets good mileage as well for a V8.

I absolutely HATE the idiotic FSS system Benz incorporated into these models, along with the even more idiotic 'lifetime' fill for the tranny fluid and the extended oil change intervals. While I think a Group IV synthetic could possibly go 17,000 Km before requiring changing it, I would not have maintained a car like this. Same with the transmission fluid. I would have changed it at LEAST at 100,000 Km, of not before. Mercedes and their marketing/environmental BS aside.

Other than that, the W210 has its issues like any other model, but overall and thus far, I really enjoy this car and its performance.

Will it last like the 300E did? We'll see.

Dee8go · #80 12-03-2007, 09:50 AM

My current one is my first one. I'm not mechanically-inclined, but I've been able to fix a few things on it, and was impressed with how it was put together. It's solid as a rock. It's twenty-three years old, but I couldn't have been more excited the day I got it, if it was brand new.

nissanzx1 · #81 12-03-2007, 10:25 AM

1991 300E 4Matic w 192K:

I love the fit and finish and the ride quality. Smooth and responsive engine. Decent on gas and the classic styling. I can service the car myself with ease. I love the hood folding all the way open

I don't love the fact that I had to spend $1600 on it this year for a head gasket and radiator. Also, the headlights go off randomly, I'll get that sorted out someday.

1995 E320 w/ 79K:

Again the fit and finish and this car drives very tight. Power is very smooth, and I can service the car myself. This car is smoke silver over tan leather and it's really beautiful. People always think it's much newer than it is.

I don't love the fact that it needs a $900+ wiring harness before I trust it driving anywhere other than around the block

I'll look into that after the first of the year... Also this car is on the original head gasket and I haven't changed throttle actuator or a/c evap--as those items haven't presented a problem as of yet (fingers crossed). As the old saying goes...We'll cross that bridge when we come to it...

Even with the negatives I can't bear the thought of selling them, they are outweighed by the positives--as when I'm with them I always have a smile on my face. Would love to add a R129 SL in the next couple of years... we'll see what the budget allows...

-GH

RichardM98 · #82 12-03-2007, 10:48 AM

No question for me -- the multicontour seats in my 98 wagon. I've had a few back problems in the past; and after about an hour of adjusting, the seat fits like a glove.

Just discovered least favorite -- the gas fill pipe is on
the opposite side of 90% of the cars here.

MarcusPBoldt · #83 12-03-2007, 04:51 PM

1987 260E

Had about a billion miles on it when I bought it for $2000.00 in December of 05' Hadn't been taken care of but due to it's spirit it was still willing to give it's all.

I bought this car for my wife back home as a means to an end, I needed it to last just long enough for me to get back home (I was working on the Gulf coast after the hurricanes of 05') and could take care of her present car and get it back up and running.

Well it did fine the whole time I was away and when I got home I started paying a little more attention to it. This was my first adventure with a Mercedes of any type, and all I knew was that they were exspensive, but as I got to know the car a little better (and found this site) I began to realize what made them so special.
The car wasn't anything like I expected as far as bells and whistles, but what it did have, even after untold years of abuse, was a high likley hood that what ever it was equipped with was still working and that if it didn't work even a moron like myself could get it working again with a little mechanical knowledge and not always a ton of money.

How many other cars can you easily buy brushes for if the altenator goes out? Or pull the speedo cluster out of with a couple of modified coat hangers?
Not to mention easily fix that pesky speedometer.

The cars are built to get you from point A to point B in a very comfortable and safe enviroment. No not a spoiled enviroment with little cup holders everywhere.

And if by chance something does stop working (notice I didn't use the word "Break") 9 times out of 10 it's "field repairible".

The little 260E served this family well until my daughter and two of her friends rolled it in August of 07' and thank God they we're in that car!

I am a volunteer fire fighter out where I live and I know all to well how most american built car's fail as far as roll over protection. (My chief actually worked this wreck and he told me that after things settled down he finally realized that the car was still running, on it top, so he turned it off.

I have since graduated to a 91' 560 SEL and I love it.

waltbald · #84 12-04-2007, 01:39 AM

1996 S320 LWB, Polar White, 127000 mi.

Don't like: the way it doesn't want to upshift when cold so that it can light the cats sooner; the built in antique telephone; the burned out lamp indicator when there are no lights burned out; the lame/dysfunctional radio/phone antenna; the back of the car completely invisible from the driver's seat.

Favorite things: I love the way the car just keeps rolling, magically, effortlessly, like every last bit of friction has been accounted for and eliminated. I love how the car has endured time and miles. After eleven years and 125,000 miles it looks like new, drives like new. That is what makes a Mercedes-Benz special, the ability to treat a hundred thousand miles as something of no consequence. My teenage daughter gets in the back seat, sets up her makeup in the armrest tray, folds down the mirror, and, just for a moment, thinks a nice thought about her old man.

When I feel a need to be objective I remind myself that the seats are the most comfortable I have ever had in a car, that it's safer than any other car I could get for the same price, that the climate control works, the stereo is all you can ask for in a car, the wood is beautiful, the gas mileage is not bad at all, and that, to date, the car has been perfectly reliable.

mb1902.2 · #85 12-04-2007, 11:04 PM

1988 560 SEL

I've had the car for about 10 months.

Like: The car feels great to drive - and the engine just has a fantastic sound to it. Plenty of power for freeway driving.

Dislike: Nothing really to complain about here, but the original color is white, and I'd like to have it painted black. Since a good paint job = $$$ it'll have to wait for now.

letsduthis71 · #86 12-05-2007, 11:48 PM

like: 144k and the smooth pull of the supercharger gives me a boner

dislike: rust forming...wtf?!

99 kompressor

Texholdem · #87 12-05-2007, 11:56 PM

I am happy with my car, which is approaching 100K miles now, except for a few things:

1. square headlights, an eyesore, replaced with european ones.
2. No remote keyless entry.
3. above all the meager 177HP

, every Accord or Camry has more HP than that beautiful MB

btw: how can I obtain the list price of my ride in 1989 (not the used-car price of today)? any info is appreciated!

Hatterasguy · #88 12-06-2007, 12:31 AM

Update:
After living with my SDL and a some other W126's since 2004 here you go:

Dislike:
Ride. They ride way to stiff, and roll way to much. But its a 1979 design so for its day it was good. However if you are used to modern high end cars you will be disapointed. If you are used to cheap cars, you will like it.

Only room for 4 speakers on the early W126's. Since my interior is pretty unique I cannot swap out the front door panals for some later ones with speakers, I am stuck with 4. So I'm not getting bass unless I hack something for a sub, and I am not hacking. Hoping that a new high end head unit, and some better rears with an amp improves this, but still 4 is nothing compared to say a W221 which probably has 20 and enough bass to blow your head off. BOSE is worth its weight in gold.

Headlights suck, Euro headlights are OK at best.

Other than those, can't complain. MB got 97% of the car right, but what can you do nothing is perfect, back in its day no one would have complained. Most of the above is just them showing their age, I guess they have held up to the the test of time so well, that we are surprised when they are showing their age. At least I forget that the W126 is almost a 30 year old design.

My friend was just commenting the other day how my 1987 W126 has memory on both front seats, and his dads 2005 GX470 doesn't.

Amuso · #89 12-08-2007, 09:33 AM

Likes:
Feels solid and well built. Rides pretty well. Quiet ride, and does not roll much in corners. Instrumentcluster. Easy starting. Lots of nice wheel combinations fit the car. Easy to make look good on the outside. The hood star is a nice touch (though my current is missing one). The hood can be opened 90 degrees up. Door handles - when they work properly

Centrallocking - when it also works properly. Seems the cars just work longer than other brands. Resale value - keeps their prices pretty well.

Dislikes:
Foot parking brake (hill starts with manuals are not much fun). The grille is attached to the hood and seems in the way unless you open the hood 90 degrees up. Electrical system (fusebox and most interior buttons that can "disappear" into the center console if you have applied too much force). Seats are ok. Sits sort -of comfy but would not mind better seats and adjustments. Small glove box. Steering wheel cannot be adjusted so I cannot see the rev counter. Headlights. Side mirrors. Left one is just a bit too small, and right one always makes cars behind blind me with their headlamps. Wish the auto stick was in a straight line, instead of the zig-zag, and also had some indication on the dash of which gear you are in. Personally I prefer a separate wiper stalk and not the twist turn signal system. And for some reason I have always had to spend a lot more time fixing on the Benzes I have owned than other cars.

Cannot make up mind about:
Interior in general. 4-door sedans I like less than the wagons. Single-wiper system.

Dee8go · #90 12-08-2007, 10:24 AM

Is it my imagination or do MB's seem to rust faster than other brands of cars? Maybe they just stay on the road longer, thus allowing more time and therefore more opportunity for rust to occur.