Neglected gassers like yours, sure. Well kept up are no issue. The V8s M116/7 are pretty brainless to keep up with.

They're two different motors so comparing their power at low RPM is not easy due to their combustion cycle. The 617 sure isn't fast by any means, it's a turd if you compare it to even the slow 300SEL or a 380SE. It's just a real nice economy car. If what you have driven is what's in your sig, you really need to see what else is around in terms of performance.

My SDL will pull away from my 300SEL until about 40-5mph, then the SEL pulls from it hard. My SDL has a gutted cat, removed ALDA, cranked full load, etc. My SEL has a well worn head and cats that are loaded full from my oil consumption you get with a 260k mile head.

The motor itself in our 300E seems to be fine....its just all the control systems that seem to fall apart....I'm not complaining because I've got most of it taken care of now.....its just that even an abused diesel will keep going and not stall out in traffic like a certain 300E did....even the most well maintained gasser can have an electrical problem and leave you stranded....all I mean is that they are more sensitive to that stuff.

I know I need to try some higher performance vehicles....but around here your best friend is brakes/steering (to avoid holes in the road!)....not the engine.

I'd be fine with a gasser in addition to my diesel.....but I'd be hard pressed to go all gasser.

Unless you have the money to spend and don't especially care what it costs, the best way to own a Mercedes-Benz (my opinion, of course) is to get a used one in the best condition you can afford, after having it checked out by a pro, and do not depend on it for daily transportation, but only as a nice toy that you use occasionally. That way, you can keep it in near-perfect condition at relatively low cost, and it won't cost you a fortune, and you will enjoy it a lot more. Plus, if it breaks, you can let it sit in the garage in all its pristine but immobile glory, until you can get it fixed. Friends would come over and admire my 420SEL in the garage, never knowing that it would not run! It does now, very well, and I put about 1500 miles a year on it, at almost no cost. If you want to hate a Mercedes-Benz, go buy one, especially an S-Klasse, at a bargain price and try to use it for daily transportation. Daddy Warbucks can drive it happily because he can write the check when it quits and doesn't worry about what it costs too much.
Second-best way: buy a new or certified pre-owned car from a dealer; a car with a warranty; when the warranty expires, goodby.

I agree that the 103 isn't as peppy as even the 420, but a lot of that can be rectified with driving style. The 300SEL really does suffer from the extra weight of the L body, the 300SE seems to be just at the limit of what kind of weight a 103 can pull around without being underpowered.

Driving style in these cars makes all the difference. The 300SE can really boogie, and it's not such a slug off the line if you're willing to really punch the gas and deal with the 2-1 kickdown. Once you get it in the torque band, the motor is actually pretty damn strong. The 300SELs I've driven seem quite a bit slower than the SE, but that could be the state of the cars maintenance.

The thing about the M103 is that in such a heavy car, you will really notice things like bad plugs, bad gas, or anything that is robbing your performance. When you finally get all those things taken care of, the car is surprisingly quick and fun to drive. Also, you have to be willing to not let it hit 4th gear sometimes in town in order to keep your torque.

Higher motor noise and RPMs at speed are a bit of a tradeoff, though. The V8s will be much quieter on the highway. There's something nice about driving a high RPM motor, though. It makes the car feel much more sporty and less like a sedan. It sort of has a BMW feel to it.......

No matter which one you decide to get, just know that you will be spending some considerable money to fix it and sooner rather than later.


-tp

I just don 't believe the maintenance and repair costs of my '99 E300TD diesel are greater than that of a '99 E320 gasoline model. And the fuel costs have to be equalized by the superior mileage the diesel delivers.

I would think an economical MB diesel passenger car to be a superb choice for a recent college graduate. My youngest Brother received our Father's '77 240D at a reduced sale price in 1984, when he was still a college student at LSU in Baton Rouge, LA. He and his new wife owned and drove that car into the mid-1990s.

I may be gifting or selling at a reduced rate, my '99 E300TD to his son when he graduates from college in a couple years. -To start him off right with good economical transportation in his work life career.

Just about every stoplight I downshift to start in first. The car is awful when loaded with 3-4 people, AC on, in the summer. My 300sel is in pretty good shape all things considered, the only oil leak I have still is the front main.

I haven't driven my 300SE yet, can't comment on it. I don't think it's that much less in the weight department.



This thread is about buying an S-class, not an E-class. If he wants a fuel miser Diesel, there are always the 190Ds.........

My uncle just got a lead on a 2002 black on black S430 with 30k miles going for $15k. Supposidly it even has a couple more years of warranty left.

My dentist has had great luck with his 2000 S430, and another RE agent I know has a 2001 which has been good...well except when she hydro locked the motor.:rolleyes: Other than that self induced issue its been a good car.

W220's are not the best S class, but they sure as hell are one of the best driving. Thats a lot of car for $15k.

I would probably go with a 380SE or a 420SEL if I went with a gasser W126....I don't want 12mpg, but I would like the lower highway rpms and extra torque.

If the right deal on a 560 came along though...... :D

The M103 in a W124 is a perfect fit though....its pretty quick!

Yes M103 + W124 is nice, can you believe the 2.6L version was found in the SWB W126 in Europe :eek:

560s aren't that bad on the freeway if you don't go 80mph, I got mid 17s a few times going about 65mph. My econ has been real low as of the last 6-9 months due to a seized fan clutch, I just replaced it last week. 560sel really needed a 2.24:1 rear diff and first gear start for the US.

"Just about every stoplight I downshift to start in first."

Y'know, I used to do that as well, but for some reason after a good tune-up, and some new plugs, the car started not only to do better in a 2nd start, but it also started doing the 2-1 kickdown by itself if I hit the accelerator from a stop and pushed it past half way down. I used to have to either downshift, or hit the accelerator all the way to the kickdown switch but that is no longer the case. What was really interesting is that 2-1 kickdown used to be harsh but since the tune-up it has been very smooth. I have done NOTHING to my transmission other than add a bit of fluid.

"The car is awful when loaded with 3-4 people, AC on, in the summer. My 300sel is in pretty good shape all things considered, the only oil leak I have still is the front main. "

I haven't used my A/C since the full tune-up, but I can totally agree with what you said about the load the A/C puts on the motor. I have converted (dealership) to 134. Are you using 134 or R12? I wonder if that makes a difference in the load the compressor puts on the motor. I have always thought that my A/C robs way more power than it ought to.


-tp

I can tell when the A/C is on in the 300E....but its not too bad.....the car that REALLY suffers from A/C is our Rav4....holy cow....its like dragging an anchor! (it only has 120hp on a good day)

I can't imagine the 2.6 in a W126....thats just scary! I guess if all you're doing is slinking around through villages its ok.....but trying to do anything on the autobahn would be a real let down...

The state of tune is very good on my car, I just prefer to let it roll out and shift at 7mph on the 1-2 then shift the 2-3 and 3-4 on its own. :shrug: This cat in Miami, FL can modify the valve body to start in first gear all the time. Can't wait to do that and toss in a 2.88:1 diff.

R12, works lots better in these cars. The compressor doesn't drag too much power, but when the fan clutch locks up you notice a large drop in power plus lugging around 500-700lb more of people... the car gets pretty slow.