ushawk1

How long has Benz had the collapsible spare tire? I've had several Porsche's starting with a 70's 911 and 924, then on to the 944 and 928, and they all had a different set of bolts and an air compressor to inflate your spare. My '84 Benz had a regular spare. I'm not much of a French liking person, but:

ABS was actually invented first by the French for airplanes, the Germans just put it on a car first. So techincally I guess that is a first.

First somewhat working production retractable hardtop goes back to the 50's Ford Skyliner. I believe Peugeot tried the retracting hardtop in the 30's.

They are probably the first 'luxury' maker to use seat upholstery (the C230 coupe stuff) that looks more fitting for a Dodge Neon, not a Mercedes. Wait, they were the same company not to long ago.......

benzboi3

thats what i meant, whoops

RLE

<<first retractable hardtop convertible (r170 slk)?>>

Nope. 1957-58-59 Ford Skyliner

RLE

<<How long has Benz had the collapsible spare tire? I've had several Porsche's starting with a 70's 911 and 924, then on to the 944 and 928, and they all had a different set of bolts and an air compressor to inflate your spare.>>

This caught me eye since I don't know of any Porsche that used wheel bolts. My own 944 has five stud hubs and it's steel spare wheel with collapsible tire would use the stock aluminum nuts.

Buellwinkle

Double Nope to you buddy, it was in 1935, the Peugeot 402 Eclipse. The French have always been the technology leaders in Europe, Germany just perfects the marketing of it, throws in free car washes and brain washes people into thinking they invented everything. Is this car cool for 1935 or what...

RLE

<<Double Nope to you buddy, it was in 1935, the Peugeot 402 Eclipse. The French have always been the technology leaders in Europe>>

That's one ugly sum*****. I didn't notice much of that technology in those last dogs they tried to market in the US before they retreated back to France.

604 Diesel. Whatta car.

ushawk1

Just about all the German cars I have worked on or owned from 60's-00's Porsche's, BMW, and Mercedes always had bolts. The only German car I ever had with lug nuts was an Opel GT. It is not hard to put studs and lugs on these cars. I had a 924 that I put studs on, as it allowed me to use the type of wheel I wanted to use. Those 924/early 944 owners have to get creative if they want to use aftermarket or newer style wheels. I'll always loveG erman cars, but I wish they would do the one thing you can do on a Jap car-put on some common wheel hardware where you have limitless choices in selection.

Arn560

Now that I think back, Honda CRX European sedan 2 door version was the first with a retractable hardtop. This version never made it to the US.

RLE

<<Just about all the German cars I have worked on or owned from 60's-00's Porsche's, BMW, and Mercedes always had bolts. The only German car I ever had with lug nuts was an Opel GT. It is not hard to put studs and lugs on these cars. I had a 924 that I put studs on, as it allowed me to use the type of wheel I wanted to use. Those 924/early 944 owners have to get creative if they want to use aftermarket or newer style wheels. >>

All 911s from '65 at least up through the 993 use nuts. All 944s from '83 on and 968s use nuts. All 914s use nuts. Nobody converts them to bolts. Quality aftermarket wheel manufacturers such as Fikse build wheels for all these cars.

Changing wheels on a Mercedes with bolts is much more difficult, particularly on the heavier wheels such as my C36 wheels on my C320.

Mono6

Mercedes Benz first to...


getting fined $100 million!?

ushawk1

Well, at least they weren't the first to figure out Chrysler was a sinking ship. How many times have those guys been bailed out?

BMW 3

First to be beaten by BMW

jk guys,