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Nov. 3, 2009 4:14 p.m. Tom Heath Marketing / Club Coordinator

Maybe it's the steady diet of V8s I was raised on, but I'm having trouble calling our new car a Merc. To me, a Merc is like a Ford, but nicer. In the UK, however, a Merc is this. It's a lot nicer than the P71s I was shopping for, but even slower. I guess that makes it a good option for handing down to my #1 son in a few years.

I wasn't sure about getting a fancy euro-car for family duties, but after watching this video I feel a bit better. Super durable and comfy to boot? Yes please. Can't bust 'em.
Nov. 3, 2009 4:21 p.m. mtn SuperDork

Awesome! What year is it (read, what engine?) My dad had a 93 sedan with the 3.2. Best car and engine he's ever owned, he said. My mom agrees. They still kick themselves for ever selling it.
Nov. 3, 2009 5:34 p.m. ronbros Reader

to me a Merc. is a Mercury car made by ford. Why! i owned a 1940 Mercury Conv. and never got beat by any damn Porsche, but only raced one ,once. 1955.

Yeah!Yeah!Yeah! i know ,times change.
Nov. 3, 2009 5:49 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork

Heh, heh...I grew up the only import lovin' boy in my small Southern town. I've been calling them Mercs on purpose since I was 8 years old. Ain't Mercury a planet?
Nov. 3, 2009 5:55 p.m. RexSeven Dork

I'm not a M-B fan but I like that body style. Nice score on the Panzerwagen!
Nov. 3, 2009 5:56 p.m. Appleseed Dork

These are the only things I dare call Mercs.
Nov. 3, 2009 6:40 p.m. benzbaron Reader

Those ones are starting to find themselves into the junkyard so parts shouldn't be too hard to find.

In the UK they probably have never seen a ford mercury so a merc for mercedes makes sense. The only issue about calling the car a merc is the car was made by daimler-benz and the name "mercedes" was only used to make the car sound less teutonic for the masses.
Nov. 3, 2009 6:54 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

yeah, I have trouble with the Merc designation on anything but a tarted up ford.
Nov. 3, 2009 7:03 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork

benzbaron wrote:

Those ones are starting to find themselves into the junkyard so parts shouldn't be too hard to find.

In the UK they probably have never seen a ford mercury so a merc for mercedes makes sense. The only issue about calling the car a merc is the car was made by daimler-benz and the name "mercedes" was only used to make the car sound less teutonic for the masses.

I did some research. "Mercedes" was the daughter of one Emil Jellinek, an Austrian buisnessman who popularized Daimler's cars throughout European high society before the merger with Benz.

http://tinyurl.com/y9xhdcc

From the article:

"Jellinek demanded ever faster and more powerful vehicles from DMG. From 1899, he entered these in race meetings – first and foremost of which was the Nice Week – where he would race under his pseudonym Mercédès - the name of his daughter, ten years old at the time, and a name that was well known in motoring circles. In the early days, the name referred to the team and driver – not to an automotive brand."

I like this guy. He was one of us!
Nov. 3, 2009 7:08 p.m. benzbaron Reader

Neat history lesson.
Nov. 3, 2009 7:20 p.m. ignorant PowerDork

this is a merc. All other vehicles are driven by little girls.
Nov. 3, 2009 7:42 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork

benzbaron wrote:

Neat history lesson.

That's your heritage, bro! (you've still got the SL, right? Be loud, be proud. Your team invented the automobile.
Nov. 3, 2009 7:58 p.m. amg_rx7 Reader

I always called em Benzes

Careful with giving cars that can't handle to sporting lads. I wrecked my parent's 77 Olds a few times b/c I was trying to drive it sportingly. I stopped wrecking once I got my 77 Scirocco. At least it could handle a turn.
Nov. 3, 2009 8:07 p.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

One is pronounced "MURK", the other, "MURSE", even though they're spelled the same.

Or at least in my head, European pronunciations make it easier.
Nov. 3, 2009 8:15 p.m. zoomx2 Reader

14 posts and not one comment about the cute girl?!? There might be hope for this board yet

Cool ride, cool chick, now get some 28"s and DONK it up!!!
Nov. 3, 2009 8:45 p.m. Run_Away New Reader

friedgreencorrado wrote: I did some research. "Mercedes" was the daughter of one Emil Jellinek, an Austrian buisnessman who popularized Daimler's cars throughout European high society before the merger with Benz.
Ironic, given the stereotype nowadays of a girl named "Mercedes"
Nov. 3, 2009 8:50 p.m. JetMech New Reader

ignorant wrote:

Friggin' awesome! I've thought about getting one for a long time, but any Unimog purchase will probably have to wait until I relocate.
Nov. 3, 2009 8:54 p.m. Duke SuperDork

friedgreencorrado wrote:

I've been calling them Mercs on purpose since I was 8 years old.

But calling it a "Merc" implies that the full name is pronounced like "Merkedes Benz". Nobody but Clarkson is that stupid.
Nov. 3, 2009 9:02 p.m. DoctorBlade New Reader

Merc is Mercury. MB is Benz. People who can afford a Mercedes Benz don't call it a Merc, at least here in the US.
Nov. 3, 2009 9:33 p.m. Tom Heath Marketing / Club Coordinator

DoctorBlade wrote:

Merc is Mercury. MB is Benz. People who can afford a Mercedes Benz don't call it a Merc, at least here in the US.

No longer true, although the only M-Bs in my budget are pushing 20 years old.
Nov. 3, 2009 10:06 p.m. Tom Heath Marketing / Club Coordinator

mtn wrote:

Awesome! What year is it (read, what engine?) My dad had a 93 sedan with the 3.2. Best car and engine he's ever owned, he said. My mom agrees. They still kick themselves for ever selling it.

It's a 91 300TE, with a 3.0 liter inline 6. It isn't fast, but it has no trouble keeping up with traffic. Plus, as demonstrated in the video, it's impervious to canons and monster trucks.

I'm told these engines respond well to turbocharging, too.
Nov. 3, 2009 10:28 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

These are Mercs

These I call Silver Arrows.......
Nov. 3, 2009 10:32 p.m. mtn SuperDork

WANT
Nov. 3, 2009 10:55 p.m. neon4891 UltraDork

ignorant wrote:

That is the ONLY M-B I have any interest in. Besides that, if I want german I will take a BMW
Nov. 3, 2009 11:00 p.m. JeepinMatt Reader

I also call Mercurys Mercs. Why? Because it's how you pronounce it. It's a hard sound, like a K. If anything, I would shorten Mercedes to sounding like "Merce"

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