Worht buying for fun? 300 CE Coupe

[kheath74]

I cant help but wanting another Merc now after having bought a W220, thats a CDI so I do miss the power of a petrol engine.

I have been looking for something fun for the weekends to blast around in on a sunday and have found a few 300 CE like this one

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ms...category=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200912330780839

What is the power output on this like, it shows on Wiki as around 215HP for the 24V 3 litre, has anyone here owned this model to say whats its like to drive?

I looks fantastic, my girlfriend doesnt get it but I love this classic shape.

 

[discoking]

I cant help but wanting another Merc now after having bought a W220, thats a CDI so I do miss the power of a petrol engine.

I have been looking for something fun for the weekends to blast around in on a sunday and have found a few 300 CE like this one

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ms...category=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200912330780839

What is the power output on this like, it shows on Wiki as around 215HP for the 24V 3 litre, has anyone here owned this model to say whats its like to drive?

I looks fantastic, my girlfriend doesnt get it but I love this classic shape.

I had the pleasure of owning a manual 1991 300-24CE and an auto 1991 300 -24 Ce and loved every minute of them.The manual was way more exciting than an auto version when having fun but a bit more cumbersome when just tootling round and it drank it a lot more juice cos I couldn't help stay in 2nd and 3rd for longer than needed cos they sound wonderfull

But as a car they are faultless and the best looking coupe they've done.

 

[Juddian]

Apart from the ebay SEC grille insert the car looks good.
I'd have preferred to see it on the original 15 hole alloys too (says he with very unstandard 17" on his own 320 coupe....)

The seller makes no mention of condition or history so the car could be a peach or a complete lemon, you'll have to check it over very well.

Maybe its an age thing, if your girlfriend's younger then she won't have been bought up on proper cars like these, more like the cloned eurobubbles that everyone else drives around in now, so its probably old fashioned to her.
Funny thing is in their day they were a real ladies car too like many exclusive MB's, you'd always see nicely dressed girls of all ages who took a pride in themselves (does anyone else remember those wonderful days?) at the helm of one of these.

Tin hat on...incoming...

 

[kheath74]

I agree, I have seen a few wives of older customers who have this car or an SL500 from the mid 90s. Im 50 50 at the moment on whether to spend up to £2K on a CE, it is a modern classic but I am looking for something on the weekend with a bit of punch too.

I would love a SL from late 70s through mid 80s but they tend to fetch £8k or so for a good condition model, the CE is from when I was around 17 and I used to see them on the road and though one day Ill own one of those.

What is the performace like on the CE 300 24V, my S320 CDI is good but not exciting like a 500 would be, I was hoping the CE may raise a smile when I give it the beans.

 

[d215yq]

I have a w124 coupe and love it to bits for the commute/ cruising/ london traffic and love the looks/quality but am looking for a second car for weekends, not because i find it underpowered, but because on B roads I find it quite uninvolving to drive.

Sure the 300-24 will be plenty quick enough in a straight line (0-60 in 8secs, 230bhp i think?), but will probably still be a bit like a big, soft car on the bends IMHO.

 

[Juddian]

I have a w124 coupe and love it to bits for the commute/ cruising/ london traffic and love the looks/quality but am looking for a second car for weekends, not because i find it underpowered, but because on B roads I find it quite uninvolving to drive.

Sure the 300-24 will be plenty quick enough in a straight line (0-60 in 8secs, 230bhp i think?), but will probably still be a bit like a big, soft car on the bends IMHO.

Mine used to be like that, safe handling but roll like a galleon in a storm on the original 15" wheels.

Its now on 8 x 17 wheels with 225 section Toyo's and there's almost no roll at all, amazing the difference it has made and i still can't work out why the roll disappeared so completely just for wheel/tyre change.
The ride isn't as good obviously on Britains farmtrack roads but overall handling improvements have made it a very fast and enjoyable car now.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I would love a SL from late 70s through mid 80s but they tend to fetch £8k or so for a good condition model

For the model you mention here (R107), I doubt if you would get a good one for £8K. These were deemed to be a classic even before their production run ended in 1989. Pre-1985 cars can suffer from rust. Post 1985 cars have been galvanised and tend to fetch good prices (£10K upwards).

The next model SL (R129) does not have the same "classic status", at least not yet, and some feel they never will. They are however a massive step forward on the R107 in every way. Good 320s with provenance, hard and (powered) soft tops and A/C can be had with full MBSH for well less than £10K - I have seen them in good order as low as £6000.

Certainly worth taking one for a spin if you are interested. Plenty of go, reasonable economy (much more so than R107) and sensible maintenance costs - just don't enjoy the "classic status" - so you do get much more car for your money.

 

[d215yq]

Mine used to be like that, safe handling but roll like a galleon in a storm on the original 15" wheels.

Its now on 8 x 17 wheels with 225 section Toyo's and there's almost no roll at all, amazing the difference it has made and i still can't work out why the roll disappeared so completely just for wheel/tyre change.
The ride isn't as good obviously on Britains farmtrack roads but overall handling improvements have made it a very fast and enjoyable car now.

How much were the new wheels/tyres and do you have the std (not sportline) suspension. Have been looking for a 190e cosworth for the weekends but seems hard to find a good one for a sensible price so would be interested to know of any handling improvements for the coupe.

Also are there any 17" wheels that have the same "8 hole" design as the std ones. I'm generally not a big fan of anything that looks "aftermarket".

 

[Juddian]

How much were the new wheels/tyres and do you have the std (not sportline) suspension. Have been looking for a 190e cosworth for the weekends but seems hard to find a good one for a sensible price so would be interested to know of any handling improvements for the coupe.

Also are there any 17" wheels that have the same "8 hole" design as the std ones. I'm generally not a big fan of anything that looks "aftermarket".

Lovely wifey chose the wheels, the car was bought for her but i now use it, she has something a little tougher.

She chose 'Parotech' Phenix wheels, a bit bling for my taste (she's Greek that explains lots) but a good quality spoked design and different to most.
I bought them with Goodyear F1's fitted, somewhere around the £8/900 mark some 5 years ago, still as good as new (except for one kerbing by her hee hee) but i don't use them in the winter.
The Goodyears are not good cold i found and are off, replaced by Toyo T1R's which are very good if a little noisy.

I also have a set of AMG 17" replica's, they probably suit the car better, and i may invest in a set of Vredestein or Nokian winter tyres for them later on.

It doesn't have sportline, but i had a set of new Bilstein dampers all round last week, the others weren't showing signs of obvious wear but i felt the ride quality wasn't getting any better, its now as good as ever.

 

[kheath74]

I think at present the SL is out of the question, but I do like looking! The CE 300 I want for a second car to replace the Missus Tigra, she likes driving my S320 and I think if she had the CE 300 to use I am sure she would like it soon enough!

I see what you mean about the SL from the 80s, I have found them for over 20K now looking in Classic Car magazine, what was it about this car that deemed it such a classic?

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I think at present the SL is out of the question, but I do like looking! The CE 300 I want for a second car to replace the Missus Tigra, she likes driving my S320 and I think if she had the CE 300 to use I am sure she would like it soon enough!

I see what you mean about the SL from the 80s, I have found them for over 20K now looking in Classic Car magazine, what was it about this car that deemed it such a classic?

I quite understand that the SL may not be the car for you at present, but I see it as my duty to point out to you the possible advantages, and the exceptional value that these cars represent in the current market. Now that I have planted the idea in your mind ...............

There are numerous suggestions as to why the R107 was such a classic. It certainly excited market sentiment, which is always very important (contrast it with the SLC - the C107 which never made it in the same way, and represents even better value!).

The 107 was an evolution of the already successful "pagodas", so it was a "well sorted" car. It had technical advances on its predecessor, better handling and more power. It also commanded a premium price (perhaps x3 the contemporary Jaguar car), in spite of which, there was always a waiting list.

Sentiment is, however, a fickle thing and the true answer to your question probably rests in the following quotation:

PJ O'Rourke
There are a number of mechanical devices which increase sexual arousal, particularly in women.
Chief among these is the Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible.

You pays your money, you takes your choice!