This doesn't answer any questions but I will share a story with you. Back in the late 60's I went to an IBM school in Minnesota. The instructor drove a MB diesel. I ask him what problems he had in the winter (I was there in the summer) getting the diesel started. He said, well I keep it in a heated garage and used the block heater. Well, what about during the day while you are at work. Do you have a place to put it inside and plug it in? He said "No, it sits outside with the engine running and the doors locked if the forecast calls for sub 0 temperatures all day." He had been driving MB diesels for several years and hardly noticed the increase in fuel usage. Of course the price of diesel was probably less than $1 per gal.
These are wonderful cars ain't they?

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84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)