Tell us about your Mercedes - whats your favorite/least favorite things about it? - Page 7 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tlbaldwin · #91 03-05-2008, 07:30 AM

I absolutely love my sade. She is a 1991 300E and was a birthday gift from my husband almost 2 years ago. My favorite things about my car is the way she handles on the road and the smooth as butter ride. I feel so much safer being surrounded by all that metal instead of some little newer car made from aluminum foil. Although my car is 11 years older than my husband's jeep grand cherokee, it is the most reliable car we have. Other than having a front bearing seize up on me the first weekend I got her, I have not had any real problems with her. Working on getting her to mint condition. Just have to replace the climate control unit and find a front center armrest to have my list complete. Posts on this site have been a real help when my husband is trying to do any repairs or maintainance since an owner's manual was not part of the purchase. Thanks!

hoborobot69 · #92 03-05-2008, 04:47 PM

i love that its german, works like a clock, is a wagon and smokes oil (it keeps people from tailing me)

tvpierce · #93 03-06-2008, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

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.

All cars up to the early 80s do not stand up well to rust. I don't know of any manufacturer that was using gavanized body panels at that time.

I can't speak to the newer MBs, but the 201 and 124 have better rust protection than any car I've ever seen -- bar none. The only thing I've seen that even comes close -- remarkably -- is my '93 Volvo 945T. Early 80s Volvos are horendous for rust protection, but by the 90s they got it straightened out.

jp

ScottinSoCal · #94 03-06-2008, 12:31 PM

I love that it's 30 years old and still has factory-spec compression readings without ever having had major engine work done. I love that I have no problem jumping in it and driving 5 miles or 500 miles, because I know it'll get me there.

I don't love that it didn't come with Homelink, keyless entry and an auto dimming rear view mirror, but since those things weren't invented 30 years ago....

Besides, if I want them badly enough I can always add them, right? Put a Homelink module into the sun visor and run a power line to it, adapt a keyless entry setup with a solenoid to activate the driver side door lock, and adapt a rear view mirror to fit the 107 mount. Not that hard.

blueeagle289 · #95 03-07-2008, 07:27 AM

The 300CE design is recognized as a classic coupe with great lines. It is also a very nice car from the driver perspective, with the beautiful interior, etc. etc. The other thing I really like about it is that as a straight six it gives you very good mileage at normal speeds, but the special features of the engine provide exceptional on the road performance, especially at highway speeds between fifty and one hundred miles per hour. It accelerates beautifully in those driving patterns and yet is somewhat an "economy" car.

I have had several Mercedes, but the 300CE and the always dependable and steady ML320 that I drive are both great cars to own.

okc329 · #96 03-08-2008, 11:26 AM

A few of my favorite thinggs about it are:

1) Very good gas mileage for a car this heavy and spirited

2) The REST feature for use on those cold days when I'm running errands and making 4-5 stops. Always nice to come back to a car that's warm inside

3) The look of the Brilliant Silver paint after I've cleaned it

imagesinthewind · #97 03-10-2008, 11:02 AM

I'll play.

My car (s):
1978 300SD, W116, 243,000 miles

Others:
81 300SD, W126, 170,000 miles, Greasecar
82 300D, 200,000+ miles, project for the summer

What I like: I love my car. I love how solid it feels on the road. I take 40 mph S curves at 60 and never feel like the car is going to loose the road. When she's happy I get the feeling that she wants to take care of me and make sure I stay safe. She cruises easy and with vigor. I love the look of the car. After 30 years she still shiny and bright. Interior is awesome. I love that everything I need to touch or look at it easy to find and use without searching. I love that people look at her and us and ask questions. I love that I have the choice of fuel to use when fuel gets too expensive.

What I don't like: Wish I had manual sunroof and windows. I like simple and power things are just another thing to break and leave you with open windows in the rain/snow/cold. Ask me how I know.

Future Work: There is a crunch on the drivers quarter panel that an idiot with a truck put there when he backed into me. I stood in the street and cried. Also new motor mounts here soon. Other than those two things she's perfect.

As for the other cars, the 81 needs brake pads (maybe this week-supposed to be nice all week), interior work, and the list for the 82 is long. But I have GoJo and tools. And pony tail holders. I have long auburn hair.

Jordan G · #98 03-10-2008, 11:06 AM

Thought of this driving to work this morning.....I love that I don't need a manual to adjust the clock in my 81 240d for daylight savings time.

Conversely, I hate that I don't have a tach gauge. Hmmm.

irish_flu · #99 03-10-2008, 03:38 PM

I love that I'm going the same speed at the bottom of a hill that I was at the top of the hill. I love the springy seats. I love how you can tell who on the street digs cars, because they turn their head and look at mine.

I hate my gas usage. I hate worrying that if I don't was it quickly enough, rust will appear. I hate that so many of my friends have bought into the idea that they needed to make huge car payments to drive some boring Ford or Toyota (not that all Fords or Toyotas are boring, but you get my point), believing that expensive+new = high quality (not that I think Toyotas are low quality, they're not. You sure don't need a new one to have a good car, though).

bengerman · #**100** 03-11-2008, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBelliveau

The best part? I'm 6'3", and I can stretch my leg out and actually lock my knee while driving! Not bad for a "midsize."

i'm with you there. i'm a little over 6'4", and i can put the seat back far enough to not reach the pedals.
i love the look of it, its really fun to drive, really comfortable.
the trunk is HUUUGE (I popped it during my test-drive, of course, and said to the PO, a coworker of mine, "Jesus! that's a three-body trunk, at least. i have tested this theory, it holds true [live subjects, all willing and let out immediately, rest assured])
i like that i discovered today that i can drift it, and yesterday that she'll still do 110mph without complaining.

i have a love-hate relationship with the climate control.
it works beautifully (good)
its all in german (bad for usage, but bonus points with benz enthusiasts. i pointed it out to a friend of a friend, and he says "oh, i was gonna ask about the euro bumpers, so i guess this is an import huh? sweet!")

now, the not so happy part, hopefully she won't get angry and refuse to start for this....

i don't like the oil mileage (it's seriously almost that bad, that's this weekend's project)

i greatly dislike one of the previous owners. he decided that wiring didn't have to make any sense at all. the security system was extremely poorly installed (never touched or read about them, and i bypassed it in under five minutes...long story)

one word. rheostat.
first i cleaned it really well, like the other posts say to, and replaced my bulbs. it worked when i tested it, but not after i got everything put back together. then i tried "jumping" it. nothing.
this weekend, i'm going to buy a replacement, maybe.

buying parts.
i went to get a key from the benz dealer (mine's the valet key, doesn't work my trunk) handed the guy my title, he takes down my vin, takes my $30, and i go on my merry way, expecting new keys in about 2 weeks.
nope.
being a grey-market, MBUSA doesn't have my key code, so the call up MBDE, who doesn't recognize my VIN. went back in friday, and the parts guy pokes around for my German VIN, so my fingers are crossed. which reminds me, i do like that i haven't seen any other 280se's on the w126 chassis floating around my area. makes me feel special

bengerman · #**101** 03-11-2008, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panzermann

The fan controls. You seem to have 3 choices: High, low and whatever the car feels like. Would much prefer to have a simple selector, say high low medium.

i'm gonna have to give a partial agreement here.
i don't like that "whatever the car feels like" gives me absolutely no indication that it's working when i can't hear the blower, but i like that it usually is keeping the temp just right.

skhagen · #**102** 03-11-2008, 06:50 PM

My 1996 E320 has 160K miles on the clock it has both amenities listed above. I guess they heard ya.

The most liked thing is that the car gets mfg stated MPG, doesnt use any oil between 10000 mile changes and has a timeless body style. The open road performance of the 3.2 litre gas engine is fantastic 21 MPG at 100MPH feels like 70 behind the wheel. This is true touring sport sedan. It has been designed with a balance between performance, comfort, efficiency, cost.

The only used car to buy

Least
The ASR system
The seats get uncomfortable after 6 hours of driving, too hard. Also, I must say the gas pedal is very hard to push and the catalyst shift delay agrivates any driver.

skybound · #**103** 03-13-2008, 02:53 AM

I currently own 2 Mercedes, a 1994 E320 and 1999 SL500.

The E320 Likes:
1. Very solid and great handling car.
2. Very quiet ride.
3. Great power and acceleration.
4. Excellent paint finish, it still looks new even after 14 years.
5. The climate control sytem.
6. The quality of the interior.

The E320 dislikes:
1. The crappy original wiring harness that cost me $860 to replace.
2. The poor design of the head gasket (which I just changed)
3. The crappy plastic tanks on the radiator that break at the water outlet neck (yes I changed the radiator too.)

Now for the 1999 SL500

Likes:
1. Wow, a fun car to drive, like a dream (yes a dream come true for me)
2. A great looking car.
3. Lots of power.
4. Qualitly interior and exterior.
5. The stereo sounds great.
6. The wind blocker when the top is down, almost like you are not in a convertible.
7. More safety features than you can think of.

Dislikes:
1. The rear plastic window that has a small crack.
2. The center console compartment that is tough to open.
3. The crappy (non-xenon) headlights, I think these are the worst headlights I have ever encountered on any car.
Overall though, my SL500 is one great car.

Even though Mercedes is definitely exspensive to maintain, I have done all repairs myself with the help of a good friend who happens to be a mechanic. Even though many prefer the older (pre-chrysler/benz) models I have to say maintenance wise my SL500 has been a really good car with no surprises other than failure of the speakers in the doors. I have a 1998 Ranger with 210K and no major repairs at all (other than brakes, shocks, belts, hoses, and belt tensioner all parts are orignal). Even though reliability wise the Mercedes is not as reliable as my Ford, it in no was compares in comfort, style, interior quality or handling as either of my 2 Benz's, after driving the Ford and gettin in to the either of the Benz's my first thought are always "Wow this feels so much better than my Ford".
I thinks of it like this, anything of quality costs more money than you would prefer to spend and takes money to maintain as well. If you want a low maintenance and low frills buy a Ford Ranger or a Toyota, if you want a truly luxurious machine and that is a true pleasure to drive, buy a Benz.