thanks guys!

i really do love my car!

my 01 ford 7.3 powerstroke is my other baby, i have had it for 10 years and it has 370, 000 miles on the motor - it has had a trans replacement- but i intend to drive it to 500,000 and am positive it will get there

it is an awesome truck

i drive 30,000-40,000 miles a year so these mercedes diesels are perfect for me

my goal is to find a nice 2006 e320 cdi and drive it 80% of the time and the 99 the other 20% as my back up car

i plan to drive both cars and keep them in excellent shape for the next 10-12 years and then hopefully that mercedes diesel/hybrid will be over here and i can get one of those
i am positive i will get 500,000 out of each of them

my first mercedes diesel i got in a trade and it was awesome and had 330,000 on it when i bought it, sold it to a friend and it is still going

i am just thrilled with how these cars are built to be worked on and the fact we can get EVERYTHING for them even at almost 15 years old like my e300 is

i have not seen that with any other car i have owned

and the mercedes parts prices are no more than any other car i have owned



on my mileage, i was only getting 33-34 until i figured out i had a slightly bent wheel and also caught that one of the rear calipers was hanging

once i got those fixed it has bumped me to 35-36

i do "drive" for that, i coast a lot- which this car is excellent at doing after 40mph
i have a 10-12 miles stretch in and out to my house that i run 50-53mph and that really bumps it up

on the highway i usually drive 68-76mph or so instead of 80-85mph

and dont forget i did the egr delete and that helped

in town in tucson and phoenix i can coast a lot and also do 40mph which is perfect for mpg gains
it is flat here or with mild slopes

i never run up to red lights or come out of them fast

if i am not paying so much attention i would probably be around 32-33mpg

the whole time i have had it it has never come in under 33mpg

i also cannot believe it has been almost a year and that i have put so many miles on it this year, i wanted it to not be over 10,000 each year, but other car has been in the shop some

anybody that is researching the e300s i think they are great cars and you cannot go wrong getting one

yes i have fixed some stuff but it is pushing 15 years old, i EXPECT to fix some stuff every year and am happy to do it
i like knowing my cars, what parts have been replaced, etc

and one more shout out to my mechanic at monsoon automotive, he puts up with me driving him crazy about every little thing and always get my car in to be fixed even if it is something small
that has made the whole experience better and less stressful
i think he loves my car almost as much as i do, lol
he really likes the e300s, would probably rather see me get a second one of these than the 06 cdi
but i would like the newer one and i am sure i can get 38-40mpg with it, lol

thanks for all the nice responses and all the help you guys have given me, i spend hours reading on this forum

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Courtney
2006 E320 CDI
2008 ML320 CDI