There arn't any fun informative threads on here about racing or anything, so i was just wondering..

What are some good highway races for the 300E 2.8 and 3.2?

Then what are some good highway races for the 500e?

I was just wondering because the W124's arnt too fast 0-60, but a decent bit quicker at speeds above 85.

I know of two good races for a 300E 2.8:

1) 2008 Lexus IS250
Raced one of these before and on the first quick run from 70-100, we were pretty much side by side. Second race (against the same exact is250), we went from 75-115, and he won by about 1 car length.
Only because he had better jump, since he was going faster when we first gunned it.

2) 2004 VW GLI 2.8L V6 (6 Speed manual)
Another great race for the 300E 2.8 or 3.2.
We went from about 50-120, and he smoked me from 50-70 for several reasons.
A) He was the one that did the 3 honks, so he already knew when the 3rd honk was going to be and had faster reactions to it. ( as i had to wait to hear the horn then gun it)
B) He started from 50 in 2nd gear, so his car had quicker responses.

Regardless of his start advantage, i was slowly but surely catching up by the time i was doing 100. Although, in the end he still had me by almost 2 car lengths (only b/c of the jump).
Seeing as the VW GLI 6 cyl has a 0-60 time of 6.8seconds, id say my 300e 2.8L put up a good fight.

Clearly the Lexus IS250 and the GLI had huge advantages over my car..for example:
They both have over 15 HP more than me.
The GLI is 11 years newer, and the IS250 was 15 years newer.
I had a friend in the car during BOTH races, where as the other people i was racing had no one in the car. (150 LBS extra is a lot on an already heavy car).

So anyone know of any other good/fun races for the 300E 2.8L???

 

You race a thoroughbred, not a Belgian Draught horse.

 

Typically street racing or "kill" stories aren't allowed on most forums.
They demonstrate a lack of maturity and judgment due to the fact that the act puts the lives of innocents at risks.

 

When i said "highway races" i just meant races in a straight line starting from higher speeds, because the W124's are kind of slow 0-60. (except the 500E )

 

So, still races on public roads, right? Bad idea kid.
SCCA/drag-strip. If you can't keep yourself under control on the road, you don't belong on it. I know the feeling, I have the itch to race too. I'm also guilty of doing a street race ONCE. No one got hurt thank god, but it very easily could have gone very horribly bad. Take your frustrations out at SCCA meets, the drag strip, or even a video game if you have to. Keep it off the streets. You only have to **** up once to ruin someone's life.

The unfortunate thing is, its rarely the jackasses who do something wrong who end up getting hurt or worse. It is almost always someone who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Consider that when you decide to race on a public road.

 

I figured when i made this thread everyone would complain, and try to say some 'mature' comments.
Yes, i agree, racing on open crouded roads is stupid. Im sure everyone agrees on that.

I race on a smooth, flat feeder road that there is honeslty no one on.
If there are cars on it, i don't go fast..end of story.

Just wrecklessly street racing is very dangerous, but i am smart about it.
I NEVER go fast on roads with any of the following:

Other cars around
Tree's around it (could be deer or any other wild animals)
One or two lane roads (only go fast if there are 3 or more)
Any houses in the area (pets or kids could be around)
Rough/Bumpy roads
Roads were i may have limited vision
Roads that have cross-roads (intersections)
2 way roads (only go fast on 1 way roads)

And yes there are some other things im leaving out, but basically my point is, I make sure that i am not putting anyone else's lives in danger.
In addition, other than my tires, overall the car is pretty safe at speeds over 100mph.
I have 'H' rated tires, which are only rated to 130mph, so the car does shake a little bit at 120+, but only because of the tires (im assuming).

Keep in mind the W124's were engineered to run at constant speeds in the triple digits. And not just on any road, on the autobahn which can get very crowded at times.
And you guys think its dangerous to go fast on roads with no cars on them? If the car was built to handle triple digit speeds on crowded roads, id like to believe it can on quiet, smooth roads.

 

Its a public road. You can't possibly know who or what will be on it at all given times. Fact is, you're taking a HUGE risk by racing in an open and uncontrolled environment.

Its not about people coming in and "appearing" "mature". Fact is, they are more mature than you've just shown yourself to be.

Frankly, I've washed my hands of you just now. I felt bad that people on here gave you a hard time for being so enthusiastic and all over the place but if you're going to defend recklessly taking other lives into your hands then you've just proven yourself to not be worth standing up for.

Seriously man, I hope you learn better and that no one has to get hurt for that lesson.

 

That's ok, then. Go ahead.

 

Zach1.0, what have you done with Zach 2.0?

 

@ Saijin
Yes, Thank you for having my back when i was first new to this thread. It is why i respect you more than a vast majority of people on this thread. I appreciate it, i really do

And i agree that it is not the smartest thing to go in excess of 120mph on public roads, but i am atleast generally smart about it.
All I'm saying is, atleast I'm not that guy that goes 120 on a crowded, dangerous road.

No, the precautions i take do not completely dimish chances of something going wrong, but it does greatly reduce them.
BUT..Not even going to a closed track eliminates chances of something going wrong.

 

You're STILL not getting it, are you? You are taking unnecessary chances with OTHER people's lives on a public road.
They are only driving A to B, NOT racing, and not wanting to be in an environment where the guy coming towards them is driving his car at it's limits, and too fast to react or manuever.
How selfish of you to take chances with their lives!!!

You can rationalise speeding as much as you like, but you can JUSTIFY it if you hit/kill someone.

Think about it when you take life of a small child who will never grow up. Perhaps you'll kill their parents so they'll grow up without a father or mother, All so you can get your kicks. Nice.

On a racetrack, people have consented to a more dangerous driving environment.

 

Dude, if you had asked me just 3 years ago about racing on the street, I would have been like "**** yeah, why not?"

I don't know what specific occurrence changed my viewpoint, but I think I just began to realize that no matter how careful you may be, there can always be something that goes wrong just outside of your control. I know, I know, I hate being talked to like I'm a child as well, but in many regards, I am.

Just trust me on this, no matter how much you plan and take precautions, there is still the chance that something will happen that you did not foresee. As a direct result of this, nothing may happen. Someone may get hurt. Or worst of all, someone may die due to this chance occurrence. I implore you, try to keep it to SCCA (closed-lot) and drag-strip or track events only. Please, please, please. Even here the risk for something awful is still high. In fact, someone got ran over at my school's SCCA meet last year. Combination of the person who got hit not being in the right spot and not watching and the person finishing the lap being a jack-*** and blasting through the check-point.

 

I'm sure everyone here giving the op a hard time about speeding obeys the speed limit at all times.

I don't condone street racing but that doesn't mean I won't have a little fun late at night on an empty road.

 

I don't believe anyone here gave that impression Sherman. However, going over the speedlimit by X amount and racing are two entirely different activities. Both however, can have the same consequences. Both are risky. Both should not be done on public roads.

 

All I'm going to say is be responsible...thats all.

 

I understand what you are saying, Sherman, but...

If someone on here had done something as dangerous/foolish/illegal, as street racing at some time, it would not be ok or right to encourage, or even condone, someone else doing it. Especially, a 16 yo who just got his licence.

If this seems hypocritical to you, think about this:

If you've ever had a few too many drinks and driven home, would you encourage or condone that dangerous behaviour in others? I don't think so.
In fact, if you were the host of the party, you'd be criminally negligible for letting your guest drive like that.

This kid comes on here regularly, begging for attention and approval for his street racing, usually in excess of 100 mph.

I don't know if it's enough to ignore him.Perhaps he likes the attention he gets when we tell him he's a dangerous idiot?

 

/\/\/\. LOL, I mean "criminally negliGENT".

Not able to edit long posts on iPhone !

 

He's a kid in high school living with his parents....
Has a bit less maturity then he should have..
Best to ignore him as he really doesn't listen and always makes no sense..
Let him kill himself and his family...
What do you expect from a sixteen year old ?

 

that's all well and good, but while you are keeping all that in mind, keep in mind also that we are not living in germany, and the people who use our roads do not expect others to drive on them like they are autobahns.
there is NEVER a completely safe place to pull these types of shananigans other than a track of some sort. yes, even that is not 100% safe, but it is a controlled environment with medical personnel on hand.
i'm quite proud of most of the other responses on here, this mature attitude was the most refreshing thing when i migrated over from the other car forums i was on.
and while you are free to hurt yourself or worse, it's the other people on the road that i am worried about, some of whom are myself and my family.
remember, you don't drive some souped-up honda civic, you drive an old mercedes benz, and a basic sedan at that. you are only embarrassing yourself and others of us who drive these cars when you try to race a 15+ year old iron brick down the street. we love these cars, but let's be honest, it's not for the 0-60 times.
slow down so you have a chance of growing up.

 

Haha i have only street raced 2 times, in which both times me and the person i was racing were the only 2 cars on the road.
And both times, they tried to start the race.
I decided to show them what an 18 year old "iron brick" could do.

For how much most of you love your W124's, you show them no respect, kind of odd.

@Zed
If its JUST a "basic sedan", then why do you own it? Its obviously a little bit more than basic if you own, drive, and love it. You know there is something special about it, for some reason you just don't want to admit it.
A basic sedan is like a Honda Accord, or toyota camery. If thats what comes to mind when you think of a W124, sell your car.

There is no difference in my "street racing" and all of your quick speed runs on quiet roads at night.
The only thing is the other driver, but it is there decision to run up to those kinds of speeds; its there decision not mine. With that being said, anyone that has exceeded 115mph is just being a hypocrit.

I understand where you all are coming from, and the only thing that bothers me is, i ask a simple question that didnt have sh** to do with street racing. When i said "keep up with on the highway", i only meant from higher speeds.

If you guys had replied with comments that said for example:
"If i were you i wouldn't street race, because you are putting your life and others at risk.
But anyways, a 300E can keep up with a ford mustang GT (example)"

But instead people have to treat me like a stupid kid, and when people treat me like that, ofcourse im not going to agree with them. I know street racing isn't smart, and i don't intend to ever really do it again.



ANYWAYS LEAVING THAT CONVERSATION BEHIND:
Got a quick question for anyone that has experience with a MAZDA RX8.
My brother is turning 16 in a few months, and he really wants a mazda rx8. I've read some reviews and people say the handling is "Good". But Good compared to what? Good compared to a 5000 Lb SUV? Good compared to a 4 door sedan? Good compared to a top of the line sports car?
So i was just wondering if anyone can make a comparision between a W124 and an RX8?

How does an Rx8 handle compared to a W124?
How is the reliability compared to a W124?
ETC ETC.

Anyone who can answer this question would be a great help =).
Thanks

 

I'd take the RX-7 over the RX-8. Reliability is okay, Wenkel engines are tough to maintain though. One of the oldest engine designs yet we still have not worked out proper seals and lubricants for it. If he thrashes the **** out of the car, expect it to be worked on more than it is driven.

More info on RX-8
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=3052

Comparison RX-7 vs RX-8
http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?...3&postcount=15

Can't find skidpad for the 300e, sorry.

 

Re-read what I wrote. 'Basic sedan' in terms old Mercedes, i.e not a sports car like an sl. We show our cars lots of respect, which should be obvious from just looking at them. I know full well there is something special about these cars, believe me. To me showing my car respect does not mean trying to pit it against any Tom dick or Harry who honks at me 3 times...
drive slow, it gives them more time to witness the glory that is w124
Anyway, glad to hear you are off the racing thing. Leave that to the plebes.
as for the rx8, they have no low end power, probably the reason they get bad fuel mileage, you have to rev the crap out of the to get them going... not the prettiest cars either...

 

Would this be a bad time to say that I keep my bottle armed and ready for any jackass soccer mom that tries to pass me in a mini-van full of nuns and children? :-p

 

Yea, it would be a bad time for that. LOL!

 

Unlike most, I do not pull my punches.

You are a moron.

I have done 130+ before. I am not ashamed of it. The difference is that there was no one else on the road. Literally. It was in the middle of nowhere, Utah, at 3 in the morning. Maybe 2. No other cars on the road. NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. At all. Not even cars going the other way.

However, I do not confess that to boast, as I AM NOT PROUD OF IT EITHER.

I also realised, after about a minute or two at that speed, that the distance covered in a moment at 200km/h was way too far for my pathetic headlights, and didn't give me enough reaction time if a deer stepped on the road at the very edge of my light range.. Even with my headlights on high beams and my fog lights on.

What would you do if you had a tire blowout when going that fast? Had a mechanical problem. A big gust of wind?

Did you even check the condition of your car, your tires, before you did such a silly thing. (I did. And I used to be a mechanic so I know what I am talking about it, what I am checking for.)

There is more to owning a car than cachet, reputation, fame, speed, amenities, whatever.

I love my car b e c a u s e it is basic. It's not a knock.

Grow up.