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W116's are becoming more socially acceptable

Started by Big_Richard, 12 November 2011, 05:14 AM

Big_Richard

Twice I've driven my car this month, and on both occasions I've had people come up to me and talk about it.

Comments such as "they're beautiful looking cars" etc and "what do you do about unleaded fuel?" are common points of discussion.

The 80's, 90's and early 00's would of been the w116's darkest time, while it was considered by most to be a dated looking old peice of sh,,, but now the w116 style, curves and chrome are all very sexy again. The w126 and to a lesser extent the w140 are now experiencing the shame the w116 had to deal with for so long previously...  8)

Funny how the tables turn...

Big_Richard

I always have my 1:18 scale w116 that fits on my desk should i need a quick w116 fix..


MB_Mike

That's great news. Although I have always considered the non-NA spec 116 to be quite timeless. By the way, how do you get any work done with that scale model on your desk? I would dream about driving it and wrenching on it all day.
1987 Home market 560 SEL

Hemersam

I wish that view of the 116's would improve over here. Unhappily, I don't see it yet. One can only hope.
Hemersam
Dallas, Texas

Ilike300sd

Here in the Pac. NW they are very well accepted.  Literally every time I go to the gas station people come and ask me about the car or comment on it.  The diesels in particular get a lot of attention because we have lots of biodiesel stations and biodiesel is the "in" thing to do I guess.  They are considered "cool" here and kids working at autoparts stores etc. say "those are so cool" (happended to me just yesterday as a matter of fact).

koan

I've had plenty of people come up and chat especially after I've given the car a bit of a spruce up. Some are previous owners, some from the fatherland, some wonder what the 6.9 badge is about. The 18 to 24 year old girls just want to be taken for a drive.

koan

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Amen!

calvin streeting

Quote from: koan on 12 November 2011, 12:30 PM
The 18 to 24 year old girls just want to be taken for a drive.
you wish :) lol

Big_Richard

Quote from: koan on 12 November 2011, 12:30 PM
The 18 to 24 year old girls just want to be taken for a drive.


depending on what part of town your driving around in, they don't really care what car your driving  8)

Big_Richard

Quote from: MB_Mike on 12 November 2011, 07:51 AM
That's great news. Although I have always considered the non-NA spec 116 to be quite timeless. By the way, how do you get any work done with that scale model on your desk? I would dream about driving it and wrenching on it all day.

I keep that model in the drawer, mounted on its block and kept in its display box. I unmounted it for the photo  8)

w116 over engineering was unfortunately not extended to this Chinese made model. If it were to be played with too much I'm sure something would break. Its only really meant to be looked at and never touched.

A 1:10 scale radio controlled w116 would be awesome if it were constructed accurately. 8)

1980sdga

I get quite a few compliments on my car. Our diesels are also popular with the WVO (waste vegetable oil) and biodiesel crowd over here so it adds some "hipness" to vibe of the car.  Unfortunately there is also a kind of frugality/eco-friendly undercurrent associated with them as well so the common 116's will never be big $$ collectibles.

The contemporary MB driver. Forgetaboutit...  Most MB drivers here are more concerned with image than engineering.

Big_Richard

what makes me laugh about some "eco-friendly" people is that they're more than happy to purchase hybrid electric/petrol cars that cost more than any normal car in environmental pollution to manufacture and dispose of at end of life. This would be acceptable if their fuel consumption was very minimal, however equivilent modern turbo diesels almost always consume less fuel in larger more usable bodies and are much less of a burden on the environment to manufacture and dispose of.

The only advantage i can see in the hybrid electric/petrol versus turbo diesel debate is that diesel produces slightly more cO2 per liter consumed than petrol/gasoline. If that's all they're concerned about then good luck to them and their cause, but they aren't going to change the world or make any real difference to it ;)


Big_Richard

Also its interesting to note that riding a motorcycle versus driving a car is actually worse for the environment, contrary to popular thinking...

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/06/motorcycles-pol/

it was even proven in a recent episode of myth-busters too  8)

though i doubt that has any relevance to w116's ;)

1980sdga

It has a lot of relevance to 116's (And other MB diesels) in NA.  A lot of the diesels are surviving because of the bio-fuel craze. Kind of a hippy/mechanic phenomenon... This has also supported the prices somewhat.

And yea, running a "recycled" benz on bio makes a LOT more sense than a Prius  ::)

For the record, I'm an old skool mekanik who runs good old fashioned diesel in mein traktor  8)

Big_Richard

the pry-ass owners will never see that point though, even though its a very valid one  8)

I guess it also has a lot to so with the perceived risks involved in relying on a 30+ year old benz too, they just want a car that starts and goes always without any down time. In reality that may be the case with most w116's still to this day but to the uneducated that's not what they believe... It probably also has a lot to do with the "image" both cars have too, the benz will be perceived as a world destroyer and the pry-ass as a world saver but we know that couldn't possibly be any further from the truth..

oscar

MT, when are you and TJ going to do a RHD conversion on that 1:18 6.9?   ;D
Quote from: Major Tom 6.9 on 12 November 2011, 05:14 AM
The 80's, 90's and early 00's would of been the w116's darkest time, while it was considered by most to be a dated looking old peice of sh,,,
I'm not so sure about the W116's darkest time. I always thought during the late 80s it looked current and differed in appointments to most local cars in the early 90s only through lack of a cd player.  Throughout the 90s it went straight to classic, in my honest biased opinion. ;)
1973 350SE, my first & fave