Then from what you're sayin I'm constantly keepin the engine at/near 3800 rpm's, sounds about right to me. I always exceed shift points grabbing gears, anticipating 3mph drop in speed while making the shift. Like I've said, they're 'bottom lines' for next highest gear to me. For example, optimum performance/engine speed is 55 mph in 3rd for me, great for windey country roads, probly 3700-3800 rpms. Can drive in that range all day long. Car's a 4-spd that I've driven like bat outa hell the last 100k miles, now shows 210+ on the clock. Best performance upgrade was switching to synthetic oil when i bought the car for $500 on ebay. Every drive is an Italian tune-up, keeps it running clean. Have beaten n/a 300D's in races that include highways. Drove it from Kentucky to Arizona rarely doing less than 80mph.

Luggin em is worst abuse you can do. Seen this among diesel truck commercial fleet vehicles. Every fleet of identical models has couple of pigs with fouled chambers - and couple of hotrods that run like race horses. Its like grandma's diesel thats never been driven hard will always be a slug. I think individual diesel engines each find their own optimum power band depending on how they've been driven the past 80k miles or so.

And optimum power band is narrow: probly between 3400 and 3900 rpm for mine. Strikes me anything below 3200 is lugging the engine. 60mph in 5th gear (if i had one)?? Hell, that sounds like pitiful 26-2800rpm engine abuse. For me 5th would never see anything south of 75-80, same as the rest of my gears rarely see anything more than 3-5mph below bottom line marks before I drop into lower gear. LOL, in everyday traffic between 32 and 48mph on busy roads that include red lights I'm constantly paddling through gears. Dont even have time to light a cigarette between shifts.

240D 4-spd's are hellacious little cars that work the driver to death if kept within their power band, providing all kinds of special effects. Gotten to the point where I dont want to drive anything else. Owned and sold '77 Euro 280SEL 4-spd land yacht, thinkin the 4-spd 240D provided better sport and more challenge with narrower power band.

Yep, 240D 4-spd is last of its kind before automobiles became idiot-proof point and shoot without taxing the driver to actually operate the car.