Top Ten cars I hate being stuck behind in traffic!

[cawimmer430]

you're a sick, sick man.

I love the W123. 

Best Mercedes' ever made - ever. I want one and it doesn't matter if it is a 200D or a 280E.

[GoCougs]

Good topic!

6. Cell phone talker - the weaving, the camping, it's just frustrating as much as it is an impediment
5. Any Diesel rig - I can smell that stench from a 1/4 mile
4. Impatient Ricer - the aggressive tailgater/weaver - it's just an annoyance just to have to watch it
3. Semis - so many of 'em are lumbering in the left and middle lanes that anyone immediately following one is destined to caught up in the insanity of so many people trying to pass
2. Dump trucks - few if any cover their loads, and they're usually the worst of the polluters
1. Road buffalos (RVs) - inevitable combining the very worst - elderly drivers and too-big vehicles - both massively unsafe and an extreme impediment

[Vinsanity]

I love the W123. 

Best Mercedes' ever made - ever. I want one and it doesn't matter if it is a 200D or a 280E.

280CE would be nice.

Just out of morbid curiosity, how much hp does the 200D have? I'd be terrified driving that thing on the no-limit stretches of the autobahn.

[2o6]

280CE would be nice.

Just out of morbid curiosity, how much hp does the 200D have? I'd be terrified driving that thing on the no-limit stretches of the autobahn.

Terrified? The left lane is for passing........

[cawimmer430]

280CE would be nice.

Just out of morbid curiosity, how much hp does the 200D have? I'd be terrified driving that thing on the no-limit stretches of the autobahn.

The 200D had 55-horsepower, took 33.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h and had a top speed of 133 km/h. It was mainly used by taxi fleets but a lot of them also were bought by private buyers.

There was also a 220D which had 60-horsepower, took 29 seconds to reach 100 km/h and could almost reach 140 km/h. The 200D was later upgraded to 60-hp and that was the end for the 220D.

[Vinsanity]

Terrified? The left lane is for passing........

I imagine driving a 55-hp car that tops out at 85 mph on a highway with no speed limit would be a hair-raising experience, but in a very bad way.

The 200D had 55-horsepower, took 33.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h and had a top speed of 133 km/h. It was mainly used by taxi fleets but a lot of them also were bought by private buyers.

There was also a 220D which had 60-horsepower, took 29 seconds to reach 100 km/h and could almost reach 140 km/h. The 200D was later upgraded to 60-hp and that was the end for the 220D.

I can imagine it would make sense in a taxi, but extremely ill-suited for the highway.

[2o6]

I imagine driving a 55-hp car that tops out at 85 mph on a highway with no speed limit would be a hair-raising experience, but in a very bad way.


I can imagine it would make sense in a taxi, but extremely ill-suited for the highway.

From what I gather, the left lane moves at 120-130 km/h.........you just can't pass.

[Morris Minor]

Any late 1990's desert sand/beige colored Camry whose driver is too short to be seen.
Any car whose driver is too short to be seen.

[Vinsanity]

From what I gather, the left lane moves at 120-130 km/h.........you just can't pass.

Topping out your car just so it can keep up with traffic is not my idea of a pleasant drive

[Eye of the Tiger]

1. Buick Rendezvous
2. Buick Park Avenue
3. Buick Century
4. Buick Regal
5. Buick Rendezvous
6. Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
7. Buick Rendezvous
8. Plymouth Reliant K
9. Buick Rendezvous
10. Dump trucks full of loose gravel and/or poop and/or trash

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

1. Buick Rendezvous
2. Buick Park Avenue
3. Buick Century
4. Buick Regal
5. Buick Rendezvous
6. Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
7. Buick Rendezvous
8. Plymouth Reliant K
9. Buick Rendezvous
10. Dump trucks full of loose gravel and/or poop and/or trash

   

[cawimmer430]

I can imagine it would make sense in a taxi, but extremely ill-suited for the highway.

Not really. Most people cruise on the Autobahns at around 120-130 km/h so the 200D would have been right at home at a 120-130 km/h cruising speed. It will probably drive better at 120 km/h since at 133 km/h I imagine it must really be loud.

I've driven the 200D W123 by the way. It's pretty "quick" from 0-80 km/h but from 80-100 km/h it takes awhile. It's also very solid. Feels like a tank. Driving at high speed on the 'Bahn with one isn't a problem. 

[Vinsanity]

Not really. Most people cruise on the Autobahns at around 120-130 km/h so the 200D would have been right at home at a 120-130 km/h cruising speed. It will probably drive better at 120 km/h since at 133 km/h I imagine it must really be loud.

I've driven the 200D W123 by the way. It's pretty "quick" from 0-80 km/h but from 80-100 km/h it takes awhile. It's also very solid. Feels like a tank. Driving at high speed on the 'Bahn with one isn't a problem. 

Still, I maintain that having to Vmax a car to keep up with traffic isn't an ideal situation. I'm sure the rest of the car is well-built for autobahn driving, I would be highly annoyed at a car that "takes awhile" to accelerate from 50 to 62 mph.

Oh, and 120-130 km/h isn't really "high speed" at all. Let me know when you're able to make one of those old Benzes sustain 160 km/h.

[cawimmer430]

Oh, and 120-130 km/h isn't really "high speed" at all. Let me know when you're able to make one of those old Benzes sustain 160 km/h.

Obviously overtaking in a 200D is going to be a bitch, but it's a cruiser at heart anyway and the most economical W123. If you want to reach 160 km/h then you'll need a 300D Turbodiesel, the latter which was only sold here in estate form. The 240D could barely reach 144 km/h and the 300D topped out at 148 / 155 km/h.

Besides, most people drive at 130 km/h. It's a proven speed that is both relatively economical (at that velocity) and not as stressful. I regularly cruise at 130 km/h even if I am on a stretch of Autobahn with no speed limit. Have you ever driven a sustained speed over 160 km/h? It's quite stressful. When I sped home from the 'Ring I was driving between 170-180 and often 210 km/h on the Autobahn A9 Frankfurt - Munich - driving at such speeds requires full concentration and control at all times. At 130-140 (150) km/h you still make good time and can drive relatively relaxed.

[dazzleman]

We don't have good roads like the autobahn in my section of the US, so the fastest I can go with any comfort is around 90 mph, which is around 130-140 km/hr.  On the autobahn, that would be a very comfortable cruising speed, but around here, it's pushing it a bit.

[Vinsanity]

Obviously overtaking in a 200D is going to be a bitch, but it's a cruiser at heart anyway and the most economical W123. If you want to reach 160 km/h then you'll need a 300D Turbodiesel, the latter which was only sold here in estate form. The 240D could barely reach 144 km/h and the 300D topped out at 148 / 155 km/h.

Besides, most people drive at 130 km/h. It's a proven speed that is both relatively economical (at that velocity) and not as stressful. I regularly cruise at 130 km/h even if I am on a stretch of Autobahn with no speed limit. Have you ever driven a sustained speed over 160 km/h? It's quite stressful. When I sped home from the 'Ring I was driving between 170-180 and often 210 km/h on the Autobahn A9 Frankfurt - Munich - driving at such speeds requires full concentration and control at all times. At 130-140 (150) km/h you still make good time and can drive relatively relaxed.

If we had no-limit sections of highway in the U.S. Interstate system, I'd be doing 160 km/h whenever traffic opened up sufficiently to do so. The fastest I've sustained recently on such an occasion was only 140 km/h on the way home from Vegas, but that's because the crosswinds were picking up, and it was dark.

[Northlands]

All cars.

+2000.

Stay out of my way.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

We don't have good roads like the autobahn in my section of the US, so the fastest I can go with any comfort is around 90 mph, which is around 130-140 km/hr.  On the autobahn, that would be a very comfortable cruising speed, but around here, it's pushing it a bit.

What about those "no limit" highways in Montana?

[dazzleman]

What about those "no limit" highways in Montana?

How often do you think I make it to Montana, man? 

I'd love to go there for the driving, but I think they've now imposed speed limits.

I drove home from the airport in Hartford (CT) last night at 1 AM.  It was a great drive.  I was in the 80-90 mph range most of the time.  No traffic = fun driving.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

How often do you think I make it to Montana, man? 

About as often as I make it to the Autobahn! 

[sandertheshark]

What pisses me off is getting stuck behind pussies in genuinely fast cars that have no rightful business cruising at or under the speed limit.

[hotrodalex]

How often do you think I make it to Montana, man? 

I'd love to go there for the driving, but I think they've now imposed speed limits.

Technically, yes. But I don't think they enforce it very much if you are on an empty road and aren't driving dangerously.

[dazzleman]

What pisses me off is getting stuck behind pussies in genuinely fast cars that have no rightful business cruising at or under the speed limit.

Maybe they're just one ticket away from losing their license, and have to be careful.  I've known a lot of people who've been in that situation and have had to slow down temporarily until some of their points dropped off.

Or maybe they are just pussies who have the car for show, and can't handle it.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Maybe they're just one ticket away from losing their license, and have to be careful.  I've known a lot of people who've been in that situation and have had to slow down temporarily until some of their points dropped off.

Or maybe they are just pussies who have the car for show, and can't handle it.

It's mostly Corvette owners.

[cawimmer430]

If we had no-limit sections of highway in the U.S. Interstate system, I'd be doing 160 km/h whenever traffic opened up sufficiently to do so. The fastest I've sustained recently on such an occasion was only 140 km/h on the way home from Vegas, but that's because the crosswinds were picking up, and it was dark.

It gets boring after awhile (driving fast), seriously. Plus you always have to be alert, even more at higher speeds than at lower. After I returned to Munich from the 'Ring and after having hours of high-speed driving behind me I was literally beyond exhausted, physically and mentally. Hence I prefer to cruise at 130 or 140 km/h and drive fast when I really need to get somewhere quickly. 

[dazzleman]

Stop trying to justify your pussy behavior Wimmer...

[Payman]

Pinto in front, Audi 5000 behind. 

[Autobahn]

Stop trying to justify your pussy behavior Wimmer...

Exactly

It really depends on the traffic conditions and the car you are in. I regularly speed over 200 km/h even on longer stretches when in the right car and with not a lot of traffic. In more dense traffic more than 160 km/h gets dangerous as there are always some "blind" people pulling out in front of you at 100-120 km/h. Most of the time you have so many left-lane campers that you go as fast as the ones before you, which is around 120-140 most of the time...

[Onslaught]

1. Volvo
2. Volvo
3. Volvo
4. Volvo
5. Volvo
6. Volvo
7. Volvo
8. Volvo
9. Volvo
10. Volvo

[Eye of the Tiger]

1. Volvo
2. Volvo
3. Volvo
4. Volvo
5. Volvo
6. Volvo
7. Volvo
8. Volvo
9. Volvo
10. Volvo

True dat.