High fuel prices are a good time to sell the diesel? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DieselAddict · #31 01-21-2006, 01:05 AM

About the TDI mileage, I guess I was wrong. I don't have any direct experience with them and I was just looking at the EPA ratings. Interestingly, the EPA rating for the Civic Hybrid which I did own for a year is higher than that for the TDI, but my actual mileage fell short, about 44 mpg average with a mix of city/highway driving (measured at the pump, not by the computer which lied) when I should have been getting at least 46 in the city according to the EPA. Maybe the EPA likes to inflate the gas hybrid mileage while suppressing the mileage of diesels. Conspiracy?

Hatterasguy · #32 01-21-2006, 05:44 PM

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=181664328&dealer_id=56224125&car_year=1997&model=S420&bkms=1137883272446&lang=en&isp=y&start_year=1981&certified=&search_type=used&distance=100&make=MB&min_price=1&address=06460&advanced=&end_year=2006&max_price=15000&cardist=28

Something like this would be a good way to go... If you are gonna burn gas might as well do it in a nice enjoyable V8.

aklim · #33 01-22-2006, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

Maybe the EPA likes to inflate the gas hybrid mileage while suppressing the mileage of diesels. Conspiracy?

Don't think so. My 99 E300 was supposed to get 36 hwy but I have never seen that. 30.5 was the closest I got to it and that was with me babying it all the way on cruise control

aklim · #34 01-22-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I was just thinking that it is usually a wise move to do just the opposite of what the general public views as correct.

For example when fuel was cheap thats a good time to buy a diesel:
1. Fuel is only going to go higher.
2. Demand is low for them so you can get them at a good price.
3. Since fuel is cheap and diesels get better mileage you can enjoy extremly low fuel costs.

But when fuel it high:
1. Everyone wants compact or diesel cars driving their prices up.
2. Diesel seems to be pegged to premium.
3. They sell fast with a high value.

I see a flaw in your plan. You cannot predict when the prices are going to go up enough to make a profit. So, you buy the car cheap today. That is money tied up in inventory. Lets say it takes a year for it to become worth more money. That is money you tied up that could be put say in a CD or savings and earning money less taxes. Now, in the meantime, the car is older and value goes down a little. You also don't know when it will go up enough where when you consider all you have put into it (storage, cleaning it, etc, etc) it would payoff. Even if it does, is it going to be enough to pay for all the trouble and expense of buying it first and holding onto it? If you are doing 1 or 5 cars, it probably won't work. Now if you are doing several hundered of so, you might get rich provided everything goes as planned. If the fuel prices only go up as per normal and not witht he help of Katrina II or whatever, you might be stuck. If I knew those lunchboxes would be that valuable, I would have bought 20 or 30 before Katrina hit and then sold them but that is speculation based on knowing then what I know now.

Hatterasguy · #35 01-22-2006, 05:45 PM

I am not looking at it as a way to make money. More of as a way to rationalize an M119.

greasybenz · #36 01-23-2006, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

About the TDI mileage, I guess I was wrong. I don't have any direct experience with them and I was just looking at the EPA ratings. Interestingly, the EPA rating for the Civic Hybrid which I did own for a year is higher than that for the TDI, but my actual mileage fell short, about 44 mpg average with a mix of city/highway driving (measured at the pump, not by the computer which lied) when I should have been getting at least 46 in the city according to the EPA. Maybe the EPA likes to inflate the gas hybrid mileage while suppressing the mileage of diesels. Conspiracy?

It has to do with the TDI's nature. Most VW TDI's when new get the EPA rating but as they are broken in they get alot more. a 03 jetta TDI is rated at 33/44 but as you put more and more miles on it and break in the engine you get way above the EPA rating, TDI club members that have many miles on their jettas get up to 60mpg highway! My passat is rated at 27/38 But we bought it used so the engine has been broken in pretty well because weve been getting 50mpg highway on it at 70mph.

A mercedes is a little different from what i can see. As aklim said his E300 hasnt gotten anything better then the EPA rating. But i think it has more to do with the difference of direct injection and indirect injection.

Because the new CDI (which is direct injection) has been getting around 50mpg once broken in. And that mile testing mercedes did to prove the quality of the diesel engine they said that it averaged 59mpg which is pretty impressive.

aklim · #37 01-23-2006, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greasybenz

A mercedes is a little different from what i can see. As aklim said his E300 hasnt gotten anything better then the EPA rating. But i think it has more to do with the difference of direct injection and indirect injection.

I'm not being greedy. All I want is the EPA rating of 36 hwy which I can't even seem to get near. Hell, I'll settle for 24 city and 34 hwy

greasybenz · #38 01-23-2006, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I'm not being greedy. All I want is the EPA rating of 36 hwy which I can't even seem to get near. Hell, I'll settle for 24 city and 34 hwy

i know your not being greedy. But may i suggest this to improve your mileage. I know this is for vw tdi's but i think it will help you out since the mercedes is a diesel. assuming it has 5 gears on the tranny this should help you acheive better fuel economy.

here is the link: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=123503

DieselAddict · #39 01-23-2006, 02:38 AM

That's interesting that the mileage increases so much after the engine is broken in. My '96 also falls short on the mileage. The best I ever got was 31 mpg during normal highway driving around 70 mph. I suppose I could get a bit more if I drove 55 mph all day long, but I'm not complaining. For a relatively heavy car like the E300 the mileage is excellent.

aklim · #40 01-23-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

That's interesting that the mileage increases so much after the engine is broken in. My '96 also falls short on the mileage. The best I ever got was 31 mpg during normal highway driving around 70 mph. I suppose I could get a bit more if I drove 55 mph all day long, but I'm not complaining. For a relatively heavy car like the E300 the mileage is excellent.

I think my dad said he got about 1.5mpg more after 50K than when it was new. Not sure of the rating but I get 30.5 as a best cruising at 75 with cruise control at night.IIRC, we use the same 722.6 5 speed tranny.

pawoSD · #41 01-23-2006, 02:49 AM

Seems odd, at 73mph on cruise our 83 has hit 30.32 mpg before on a trip, normally its the upper 28 range though. Mine averages about 25-27 freeway, and 21-23 city....and thats all with a 617, you'd think the 606 would be quite a bit more efficient....?

DslBnz · #42 01-23-2006, 08:45 AM

The US marketed CDI's, with a numerically higher rear-end, get 40 mpg easily, on a regular spirited drive(?). According to those over on mbworld.org.

Funny as it is, because in Europe, with the lower numerical rear-ends and higher quality ULSD, the mileage is "only" in the low 20's to low 30's at best. The Americans are saying their mileage in their 320 CDI's is as good as the C220 CDI in Europe. Its hard to swallow, but,...I don't know anything except what I read.

In the summer, in my 4100 lb actual curb weighted SDL (myself, + full load of fuel), I usually average 28 - 30 mpg. The same used to be true for my 3.5 when it was in service.

aklim · #43 01-23-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Seems odd, at 73mph on cruise our 83 has hit 30.32 mpg before on a trip, normally its the upper 28 range though. Mine averages about 25-27 freeway, and 21-23 city....and thats all with a 617, you'd think the 606 would be quite a bit more efficient....?

Could be the fuel too. Whenever I go to Woodmans and get their diesel, I drop at least 50 miles off my tank and I seem to feel a power loss. Yes, when I fill up, I fill up. I fill it till the pump clicks off and then squeeze in another 3 gals or more. All depends on when the tank is about to overflow onto the floor. No less than 3 gals. Since I do this all the time, the mileage is accurate.

DieselAddict · #44 01-23-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I think my dad said he got about 1.5mpg more after 50K than when it was new. Not sure of the rating but I get 30.5 as a best cruising at 75 with cruise control at night.IIRC, we use the same 722.6 5 speed tranny.

No, the '96 has the older-style 4-speed vacuum controlled transmission. But I'm guessing the top gear is about the same. At 75 mph the engine turns at about 3000 RPM. What about yours?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Yes, when I fill up, I fill up. I fill it till the pump clicks off and then squeeze in another 3 gals or more.

That's weird. I just wait till the pump clicks, and I can see the fuel is near the opening. I don't think I could squeeze in another 3 gallons.

aklim · #45 01-23-2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

No, the '96 has the older-style 4-speed vacuum controlled transmission. But I'm guessing the top gear is about the same. At 75 mph the engine turns at about 3000 RPM. What about yours?

That's weird. I just wait till the pump clicks, and I can see the fuel is near the opening. I don't think I could squeeze in another 3 gallons.

I think less than 3000 but I will confirm later today.

Yes. What you see is the foam. I do that too. When it clicks, I walk back to the car from the C-store, squeeze in the fuel slowly till I see it at the rim. Like they say, "Fill it to the rim with Brim." 3 gals is the MINIMUM I can get in there slowly adding fuel. If I want to, I can even get 3.5 gals on some pumps.