A friend of mine just bought an R to replace his mini-van and a W140.

I can't stand the R, its a total POS.


Why in the world would anyone trade in a W140 for that thing, talk about a downgrade.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I know, he needed something to haul around the family, I guess. At least he's no longer a mini-van owner, so there's some hope for him.

He should have bought an ML. Someone I know just bought an ML320CDI, its great! Much nicer than the old ML, very large inside, and it gets 23mpg-24mpg around town!

My next door neighbots love mini vans, they currantly have three! Its a suburban nightmare!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I don't know what he was thinking, he was pretty proud of it and I didn't want to argue about it. Maybe he got a good deal on a '07. Besides, I doubt he could really afford a new $40K+ car anyway.

If transportation was all about saving money, then I'd have a mid 90s Camry that I bought with 100k :-) 30 mpg no muss no fuss. Wish I could put biodiesel in it...

I bought my W123 because I wanted to make/burn biodiesel, learn how to work on cars and to enjoy the awesome long distance feel.

You can blame the NE for peaking diesel prices because of home heating oil production. But dont blame me, I use wood exclusively :-) Theres where you can save some serious $$ if you want...

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

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.

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

My 85 with the stick is alright but i miss the torque of the diesel. My 92 is gawd awful when accelerating onto the freeway. Even with your foot down to the floor it awhile to get to 65mph, my 300D will get to 65 much faster then the 92 190E. the 85 with the 5-speed is quicker but i havent driven it enough to see how much better it is overall on the highway vs the 87 300D.

Im still happier with the diesel then the gasser.

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Current:
05 E320 CDI
07 GL320 CDI
08 Sprinter
05 Dodge Cummins
01 Dodge Cummins

Previous
2004 E55 AMG
2002 C32 AMG (#2)
1995 E300
1978 300D
1987 300D
2002 C32 AMG(blown motor :[
1981 300SD
1983 300SD
1987 300SDL
2002 Jetta TDI
1996 S420
1995 S500
1993 190E 2.6
1992 190E 2.3
1985 190E 2.3 5-Speed

I drive a Mercedes Benz 300D and 240D Because of the ability to use biodiesel! I haven't been to a petrol pump in so long! My Dodge Ram runs great on it too! Most places let me get my waste oil for free and a couple pay me to take it. The one thing i don't get is everyone elses fuel economy claims. My 240D gets 40 MPG and my 300D gets 34 to 35 MPG.

If you paid a few thousand dollars for a 123 and it is a reliable ride and you like it the fuel price is not so relevant. You also don’t to worry every 2 years if you are going to pass the smog inspection. I fuel prices get really bad you have biodiesel and SVO/WVO alternatives that the gassers don’t have.
I have already passed a lot of newer gassers stalled on the side of the road waiting for a tow.
What about those folks who have those big diesel pickup trucks! Their fuel bill must be way higher than mine but their still driving.

I'd check your odometers for accuracy. It has been time and time again proven that those mileage figures are NOT possible on these cars. Realistic is 24-27 for the 300D, and maybe as high as 30 for the 240D. If you truly believe the 240 gets 40mpg, then go on mapquest, set up a 850-860 mile trip, fill the tank and go. I bet you won't make it. Range is about 500-550 miles on these cars.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

yep.

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.

I just got back from a 400mile RT with my "new" 87 190E gasser 5 speed Orlando & back to Boca. I took her to compare a long drive in this VS the 300SD or the 300CD.
It was pretty cool to be able to cut back in front of & pass the As$hole $hitbox SUVs and Oversized Pick ups that were constantly cutting me off along the Turnpike. Something I could never do in either DIesel.

But for comfort and that nostalgic aire of driving an old Mercedes Diesel with a Giant steering wheel, there is nothing to compare.

As far as fuel prices, since I live in the tropics and can run on straight WVO I will take the time, which I enjoy to collect and filter into my drums though my old cut off blue jeans & smell the Tempura coming out of my exhaust while I drive & grin "goin down the road feelin' baad", , save $100. / week, and most of all enjoy sticking it to Dick & Bush every block I drive!!!!!

TW....If I can fix my oil leak on the SD I may consider selling the 5 speed.

AA

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'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

My 300D odometer is starting to act a little wonky, but I took my 240D on a 400 mile trip to Lake Havasu City and back and took some biodiesel with me just in case. After topping up the tank to as much as it would hold, making the trip and refilling it, just a little over 10 gallons. I thought this was kinda high, but bio being a much superior fuel with twice the lubricating capacity as Dino, I still have to wonder. My dodge ram does 26/27 MPG on the stuff too. I do have a performance exhaust on all my cars though, 2 inch, plus ported and polished heads with a scavenger.

Biodiesel has LESS energy in it than Dino Diesel, which makes it impossible to get better mileage, thats defying the laws of energy.

The highest I have e-v-e-r gotten was on a 250 mile drive at 55mph with gentle acceleration and few stops. I got 30.3mpg. Highest I've ever come since was about 29.2 driving once again, mostly at 55mph and coasting to lights as long as I could. Aside from those times (when I was making an exceptional effort to see what I could eek out of it) I have never broken 25mpg. In fact, I usually see about 23-24.5 in the summer, which is mostly highway. And about 19.5-21 in the winter, mostly city driving.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)