When I have tho opportunity to sail along at 75-80, it seems the car just smooths out, handles better. This seems to be a "sweet spot". Any others experience this? Other "sweet spots"?

 

When i'm not on the highway, I drive a lot at 48 mph without really trying. It is just a comfortable speed I guess, where you don't need a lot of gas to keep it at that speed.

 

best speed??

around 80..which is in the middle of the speedometer (if i am not mistaken)......

 

i think the best speed is 130ish..... now that's when you feel like you're coasting

 

This is exactly my range as well. I find it's the most natural speed for me in the CCoupe. In fact I have to keep an eye open to maintain speed below that range.

I am on a 2001 Maxima SE rental right now and it sure is inferior to the coupe in term of handling and feel at around 80 MPH. Horse power is not everything - really.

Peace

 

Took a little over $3,000 to modify my Maxima's suspension to get a sports car handling.

Erik

 

i agree 80MPH is just smooth sailing

 

I had my C230 going 100MPH for about an hour steady from MedicineHat to Calgary. It is a flat straight highway. I was following a white BMW M3.. The car felt smooth as ever.

 

limiter at 130?

my uk car would pull 155 befor eit hit the limiter..(downhill)?

 

Yepp, limiter @130. Poeple in the US are not allowed to have fun.

 

I have the exact same feeling -- car really runs smoothly in the 78-83 mph zone.

 

The limiter in the US Coupe is set to 130 because this is the maximum speed rating for the tires that come on the stock 16" rims. Which unfortunately screws those of us on the Z-rated C7 tires. Euro-versions of the Coupe top out at 149 mph.

Cheers, BT

 

Not all C7's are Z rated. My '03 C7 came with W rated (168mph) Continentals. My girlfriend's '02 C7 has Michellin Z rated. Wish I had the Michellins. :-(

Is the speed limiter just a setting in one of the computers? I mean I know it's controlled by a computer but is it just a setting that can be changed or is it more permenant?

Does MB make all of the cars the same then just tell it "You are shipping to the U.S. so here is your assigned speed limit" or is there a seperate computer for each region. U.S. car gets U.S. computer with speed limiter hard coded in it?

 

My guess: the computers are all the same, just the software loaded into it is different.

- BT

 

I do not disagree. :p

 

I've seen quite a few posts from other members of this site that have taken their US spec MBs to the "German standard" 155-mph limit. I had read the Coupe was limited to the 130 mph max because of the tires. Maybe they have more stringent limits on the lower-end models that have nothing do to with tires.

- BT

 

Ha Hah hahhhhhhhh

I do; however, agree with you both

 

it depends on the car classification too. I believe Z06, viper GTS have like 160+mph speed limit.

 

Hey, maybe canadian c230k's don't have speed limiters. Have to go for a spin to see if we do or not.

 

Totally false. The US government puts no limit on the top speed of cars imported into the US. None at all. If a car has a speed limiter on it, its not imposed by the US govt.

(other than as limited by the tires a mfr may choose to put on the car - obviously if they opt for tires with a max speed rating of 124 mph, the car cannot exceed that).

In Germany, the top car manufacturers (Porsche excluded, I believe) for many years had an implicit agreement to limit top speed to 155 mph for all markets, including the German market, in order to avoid a horsepower and top speed war. A "gentlemen's agreement" that is slowly falling out of favor. And, there is now a huge HP war raging, with the top engined BMW, MBs and even VWs now pushing 400-500 hp.

 

There is no "speed tax"! An foreign auto maker can import cars into the US with any top speed, without having to pay anything extra.

You point to any US regulation or law that limits the top speed of cars imported into the US (not including tire laws, etc.), or requires a manufacturer to pay extra money if the car is above a certain speed, and I'll send you $10.

(All of the US laws and regs are available in searchable databases on the Internet for free).

 

mine loves 80 mph. i just wish it wasn't illegal.