Pinoy. Yup. I've ordered parts for my car. Mura jan e. We have a shop in QC. Banawe and Timog.

So...will I sell or shall I sell? HELP!

When I first got my NA 300D, I was very disapointed in the fuel consumption. I had a friend go to Ontario to pick it up for me to drive it back where I live (Atlantic Canada), and he kept all the fuel receipts for me to pay him back. I was aghast when we figured the car was only getting 24 on a 1700 mile highway trip. I had owned several VW Diesels in the past, which ran at an honest to God 45 MPG, so just 'cause the Benz was Diesel, I was expecting high 30's at least. Then, after thinking about it, the 300D weighs close to double the A2 VW Golf, the engine displacement is about double, it's an automatic trans without overdrive, so it's only natural this big ol' Benz would do well to give me half the MPG that a VW Diesel would. That helped put it in perspective. I guess if MPG is the most important factor, then a 300D is not the car for you. For overall cost of ownership, especially with depreciation factored in, if you can get an old MB Diesel for say $2000, you could drive it for another 10 years with reasonable maintenance, and chances are, it would still be worth $2000. This would not be true for any other car you might be considering based on MPG alone.

If you want ultimate MPG car get a VW TDI or a Civic.

Full size GM cars typically get about 30 on the highway as well thanks to super low overdrive. My dads friend got his wife an 05 Buick last year, it is a pretty big car and will return an honest 29mpg at 75 with the AC on. Thats on regular cheap gas to.

If you want a cool classic car keep the MB, I'd never trade mine for a Buick even if it got 50mpg!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

If it makes you feel any better, I just filled up my 1987 300D ... last tank came out to less than 23 mpg. This car gets 27 in pure city driving during the summer, and often over 32 on the highway. That's winter for you. I have found that even in winter, BP diesel generally gives me better mileage, but it's also usually more expensive (plus no BP in my area here). But the winter fuel is weaker, I idle the car a lot more (adds up) and tend to make a lot of short trips that I might otherwise not take (in the summer I'm happy to walk more).

Bottom line: If I really, really wanted to save money, I would have picked out a nice TDI, or even a gas Civic ... probably not a hybrid because I do a lot of highway driving. I would not choose the cars I have now ... both do well compared to most of their counterparts, but they don't get the BEST mileage by any stretch. But they make me happy. I like the "oomph" that my 124 has, I like the way it handles, I like the way it feels, I like the way it looks. We've had this conversation many times in here, but I think we can all agree that, based on fuel economy alone, a 123 (or 124) MB diesel is not the best of the best. There are much cheaper options. But most of us don't have them for fuel economy alone.

BTW, I've just been wondering ... is there a way to find out cetane ratings on fuel at various stations? I know it isn't posted like it is for gasoline, but is there a way to request and get that information? Or does it vary so much that they can't tell you?

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

I've simply asked. Although you're bound to get the dumb stare or "you mean octane", I've gotten "I'll ask the owner" and actually gotten a call back with "the premium diesel is 44-45"

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

When you consider their physical dimensions, the old Merc diesels are best of the best in regards to fuel economy.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Well lets compare apples vs apples here.

Take the 1987 SDL for example. In 1987 if you wanted a W126 sedan you had three choices 300SDL, 420SEL, 560SEL. Now the 300SDL gets about 24ish in the city and will almost touch 30 on the highway. The 420 gets what 20 on the highway on its best days. The 560 gets mid teens at best.

So comparing apples to apples the diesel looks pretty good. Plus remember diesel used to be cheaper then regular gas and the gas MB's require 91 octane.

Even the Buicks of the day didn't do that good. It really isn't fair comparing mid 70's technoligy to modern 2006 technoligy.

Heck a 500hp Z06 will get high 20's these days!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

don't sell it.. just use and use it.... unless of course you can find a good turbodiesel.

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Mike

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1975 200 - Sold (no pix);
1978 200 - Sold - http://www.pbase.com/hboy/redbaron
1979 300TD - Sold
http://www.pbase.com/hboy/greenwagon
http://www.geocities.com/hboy726/300TD.html
1985 230E - now my daily driver...

come out overall by changing cars to get more economy. the non turbo has a lot less to maintain and will be cheaper to operate in many ways.

if youwant a lot better economy you would have to go to a 190 d with a stick and 2.2 or a rabbit. the rabbit will use less fuel but wont last as long and will require some expensive maintenance such as cam belts.

240ds get really good mileage too but again prob not worth it to change just for that reason.

the automatics seem to kill the mileage on the 240s and non turbo 300s. i had a 74 240 with an auto and had trouble breaking 20 on highway.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My two benzes average 25 mpg with a 50/50 mix city and highway driving....I have gotten 29 on the highway, both have automatics...and I am sure it would have been better with a stick. Even more had an overdrive been availible. Much of it is how well your car is running....part of it is where you drive, Some of it is even HOW you drive.

But nobody has ever accused me of driving like grandma....and I still get these numbers.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

My 81 non turbo 300D could only manage about 24 on the highway, and about 21 in town. With such low power, I found myself really needing to agressively step on the throttle in order to start the momentum. I think thats why the non-turbos had worse mileage than the later turbo models.

On my 87 wagon, there's enough power that I can keep up in city traffic by barely using the throttle and keeping the RPM's below 2300. My last two tankfuls on winter fuel which was 75% highway netted over 29MPG. That was going 65-70mph on the highway, and easy driving in town. My MPG has increased from 27 on those same trips to 29, the only difference being the light throttle technique, a new vaccum pump and tensioner, and I started using Power Service diesel additive.

Show me another 7 passenger car sold today that can beat real world 29mpg and I may consider buying a used one in a few years.

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1970 280SE Cab
1983 300D Euro 4-speed
past MB's:
1971 280SE 3.5 s/r
1981 300D
1985 300TD
1987 300TD

FYI
I have been running on B20 in my 1985 300D thepast few weeks and last night I filled up with 15.7 gallons of more B20. The result was 23.2mpg is that is with some idle time in the morning to warm up in northwest Ohio.

.... YOU ARE A BAD BOY...

How about changing the nozzles? Will they make a difference.