What Not

Gone are the days of driving the SAAB 900 and Jaguar XJ-S. No convertibles or sports cars will grace our driveway for more than a day for the simple reason that my wife and I have three children and they have neighborhood friends. We need something big enough for at lease five and occasionally seven (or eighteen). If you have children, then you know what I mean.

Before you snicker too much, take a look at what I brought home this weekend. It’s a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 Wagon. The E-Class is Mercedes’ mid-size vehicle; a step below the luxurious S-Class but very nice. This particular E-Class has a fold-away third row that allows for a total of seven passengers (2-3-2). The rear-facing extra seat is perfect for two smaller kids.

Now just because I’m a family man, don’t think that I have lost the thrill of driving. I still enjoy performance machines. That’s why I like this wagon. You see, it’s an E500. That means it has Mercedes’ 302 hp 5.0 liter V8. Compare that to the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullit (315 hp) or the 2010 Volvo S80 V8 AWD (311 hp) and you’ll soon realize that this is no slouch when it comes to get-up-and-go.

So, the next time I “have to drive” the family somewhere, we’ll have enough room for all of us and two extras. And … I’m pretty sure we’ll have some fun on the way.

After seeing my first Chevy Corvair, I became a fan of rear-engine vehicles.  There’s just something “different” about having the engine in the rear of your car.  Today, I found out that Mercedes-Benz was doing this long before Chevy.  Mercedes-Benz actually produced several rear-engined production vehicles.  You can read about them on page 18 of the July/August 2010 edition of THE STAR.  They were the 1934 Type 130, 1935 Type 150, and 1936 Type 170H.  Apparently, they were taken out of storage for a recent press event in Irvine, California.

Seeing those cars made me wonder if other brands have done the same.  Can you think of any besides Volkswagen?

Where's my owner's manual?

What happens if you have a question about your car and the owner’s manual is missing? Some people go to the dealership and purchase one for $50-80. Others visit eBay and save a few clams. But what happens if you only want to spend $20? Not going to happen, right? Until today, I would have agreed. Owner’s manuals just don’t grow on trees. But today I found that they can be downloaded free of charge.

• Buick (1993-2009, 2010)
• Mercedes-Benz (2000-2010)
• MINI Cooper (2002-2009)
• SAAB (2000-09)
• Volvo (1965-2011)

Very nice.

Leikin Motor Companies is looking for professional salespeople with upscale sales experience to join their Mercedes-Benz sales team. We offer a small sales force, salary, commission, bonuses, demo, 401k, no Sundays, and healthcare. If you are hard working, computer literate, and dedicated to the customer and the store, you will not be disappointed with this opportunity.

Click here to fill out an application.

I’ve had the privilege of driving some fun cars recently. The first was a Mercedes-Benz SLK280, which is a tiny car with a hard-top convertible. I took I-90 home from work with the top down and the side windows up and the noise wasn’t bad at all. Then today, I took the 2011 Volvo C30 R-Design to the Lake County Captains stadium to pick up our tickets. The parking space was perfect for a quick picture. Both were very nice rides (but probably better for someone without a family).

If you were asked to describe the typical Pontiac, what would you say? From what I remember, every model in the 1990s and early 2000′s had plastic cladding on the wheel wells and bottom of the doors. If you’re drawing a blank, just recall the ubiquitous Grand Am or Aztek. While the company was probably wanting to make their vehicles stand out, it made the cars look cheap (especially when the cars had a few miles on them). Now if the company had a good reason for adding the plastic cladding, it may have caused the public to overlook the strange design. But after 108,449 plastic-clad Azteks made it into production, we’re still waiting.

Now, mind you, it’s a bit of a stretch to compare Pontiac’s plastic cladding to Mercedes-Benz’ ribbed tail lights. But the question remains: Why are they designed that way? The Mercedes-Benz cars of the 1980′s had that distinct ribbing in the tail lights that looked … well … rather odd. And though they’ve been improved over the years, that ribbing is still a part of the current models. Why is that? I would rather see a smooth and beautiful design which is flush with the body. That would make better sense aesthetically. But the truth is that the designers had a good reason for the way they made them.

Think back to this winter when snow covered your car on a morning you were running late. You may have rushed about to clean off the windows but didn’t take the time to clean off your tail lights. That’s not a good idea, but it often happens when people are in a hurry. Mercedes-Benz designed the ribs in the tail light for such a situation. As you travel, the wind follows the contour of your Mercedes-Benz, whipping around the back end and through the ribbed section of your tail lights. The end results are a clean tail light, visible brake lights, and a safer driving experience for those around you. That’s definitely a good idea and one that Mercedes-Benz has improved over the years.

Odd comparison? Maybe. But as I was taking some Mercedes-Benz training, the dimensions of the GLK’s cargo capacity created some curiosity. With the rear seats folded down, it has 54.7 ft³. Whether that’s good compared to other vehicles, I’m not sure. But compared to the Classic SAAB 900, it’s not so good. According to Consumer Guide Automotive, the 900 had more space to the tune of 56.5 ft³. That may not seem like a lot of room, but when you put the two vehicles side by side, which would you think had more room?

Bring back the hatch!

Q: What famous car maker once served as chief engineer for Daimler?
A: Ferdinand Porsche

Why does the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC cost approximately $5k more than a similarly equipped 2010 Volvo S40 T5 AWD R-Design? When you put together a chart comparing the two, that’s exactly what happens.

As I consider the two, it would seem that it comes down to size, looks, and economy.  We don’t currently have an S40 T5 AWD R-Design, so you’ll have to forgive me for using a 2.4i in the pictures below.  In any event, you can see that the S40 seems to be slightly smaller than the C300 Sport.  As to the looks, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  So, you’ll have to judge that for yourself. But I will say that the C300 has more of a luxurious interior than the S40. When it comes to economy, both engines have almost identical power, but the Volvo (19/28 mpg) edges the MB (17/24 mpg).

So, which one is the better car?  That depends on who you ask.  Both have the options you require, so your best bet is to schedule a test drive to see which would work best for you.