This is a subject I have thought about many times as of late. Every time I pass a gas station, in fact. I drive 37 miles each way to work in my SD and get probably 26mpg if I granny it. I have a 95 Avalon too that gets consistent 24.5mpg. I don't really like to drive the Avalon since I work for Honda and its an in-law hand me down, however, it is reliable and free. I still drive the SD although with a little guilt as the diesel prices creep up. I figured my fuel cost per mile (because of this thread) and its .122 cents per mile for the Avalon and for the SD its .138. Not a huge difference, I come to find, about 23 dollars a month more if prices stay the same. I still love to drive the Mercedes, though. It has style. It fits me. I like the little quirks of driving it and making it do what it should like getting the heat to blow in a sometimes magical way and knowing it will run and get me home every time. The other day I was pulling out of a shopping area and a family was getting into a 126 Benz, I think it was a 91 SDL or SEL but I couldn't tell. I yelled over and said nice Benz and the mother looked up and said thanks, we love it. I said I have an 82. She said hers has 250 thousand miles and its a wonderful car. I said mine had 302 thousand and I love mine as well. I pulled on and just thought about it for a few minutes. I was driving the wife's CR-V, by the way but I thought about every time I see a fellow Benz owner, its always the same happy comments. I can equate the higher fuel cost to another situation. For years, I ordered food from the right side of the menu. The cost dictated my meal choice. Sure I would like the steak but I guess a burger will do, its 2 bucks cheaper. I finally realized why not just go for the steak. If my bill is 37 dollars instead of 34 then oh well. As far as cost, going out to dinner is a losing proposition. When I fill up, why not just drive the Benz and pay a few more dollars and be happy. Driving my Benz makes me happy. If I really cared about the cost I would live a mile from work and walk there and maybe shed a few pounds of those steaks but I am fortunate enough to live where I choose and I can afford a car (or 3) and choose to take on the cost of a car which is a money pit whichever car you drive. Make sense? Just my take on it.

__________________

1984 300D, 246k, veggie, sold
1982 300SD 301k