FT4WD I love (but I appreciate PT too). Today it was really slick out, you sure can pull any move you want accelerating with an LX...lol. I was gunning it all day, putting that Torsen diff to use.

 

People underestimate how great it is to have full-time four-wheel-drive in rainy conditions

 

can you explain why it's so great over awd and in what kind of 'rainy conditions'?

 

Its the exact same as a 2wd/AWD/4-Hi/4-Lo system but with less ability to choose what you want

 

Taking the 540i up to Utah for a day trip today. I've only driven it around Vegas so far, so this will be fun.

 

Have fun! Report back!

We saw a red R129 today that had to be a ‘93, but that’s not what I’m getting at…it was in okay shape but that bright red was awesome.

It was a 300SL!!

So, remember how cars used to work/be?

……I was explaining to a few people in the car how MB dropped the 6 cylinder version bc nobody bought them and because just, why even have a non V8 SL? And that was FINE. Pay the gas guzzler tax and be done with it. Pay more for the V8 version and be done with it, that’s clearly what consumers did.

That said the SL320 felt better than you’d think pickup wise, I drove one years ago. But still. I-6 had to work way harder so no MPG gain. No reason for that to have existed in the first place.

Tried to get a pic. It was candy apple red with the hardtop on, I can’t even imagine how good it looked new.

Its just sad most engines suck now, it really is.

 

That does sound like fun. Looking forward to your recap.

 

Utah. Jealous, that’s where we want to go. Moab.

All those roads you can haul *** on.

 

noting wrong the 300SL as there were multiple options for engines.. Must keep in mind that it was possible to get the SL in manual 5 speed at that time. Plus, Lexus had the SC300 at the time with the inline 6. I think the V12 version was the best and really distanced Mercedes from Lexus at the time. Same with the V12 in the BMW 8 series. A real shame Lexus has never had a V12

 

My point was MB USA killed it because nobody wanted it and people clearly paid more for the V8. SL320 wasn't fast enough. As opposed to now when any engine over 2.000000000000000 liters is some mortal sin.

Overseas powertrains are different, they had 280SLs over there. The manual SLs, yes that's cool but they are rare as hen's teeth...

6 cylinder GS300 and SC300s of the 90s still sold like hotcakes though, remember this was before the SUV/crossover craze.

Then you could upgrade to the V8 which everyone condoned and wanted, it was a luxury. Now, god forbid.

I remember always looking at the badges back in the day, 300 or 400? 420 or 500?

 

When did they kill it in the USA?

 

Because it was slow, V8 didn't cost THAT much more..and the buyers of these were really rich anyway. It got V8 gas mileage because the car weighs 4200lbs and it only had 218ish hp (give or take) which believe it or not felt decent enough, but that engine had to work hard.

V8 is effortless, you can drive all day under 2000RPM. One can forget that they're driving a luxury car engine underneath the convertible fun. Like I said, the MB V8 might be my favorite V8 out of all of ours. It wafts around with the best of them.

 

Oh it was late 90s when they canned it, I read your statement wrong. I drove one a long time ago. It was still a very nice car, had everything great the R129 has. It still drove like a luxury car even with that less powerful engine.

 

Good ramble my friend Also, the SL had a hard top insert as well as the soft top. And a two seater. Very special.

 

I don't mean to ramble but I am horrible at it lol. I may go get that hardtop this week, it would be my only chance before the holidays.

I'm bad with rambling on voicemails especially lol.