Ouch! Almost $60.00 to fill up my 85
 

Darn, but that diesel is flying high. It has been just under $3.60 for quite a while now, while gasoline is sinking a bit. No real bargains at the gas pump either in Central IN. A fellow in my neighborhood has a nice looking 94 E420 for sale. He wants $3650.00 but is willing to look at offers. Car has approximately 170,000 on the speedo. Looks like it might be a good time to leave the diesel and drive something that is quicker, quieter and less costly at the pump. I usually drive my car about 350 miles a week. Anyone in the crowd familiar with those early to mid 90's E models. I see quite a few for sale on Ebay with the 320 V8. I suppose that would give even better mileage.

diesel has dropped from 3.49 to $3.35 in the past week.. I'm happy.. only cost me 65$ ish to fill mine

It is more than just mpg.
 

The price of fuel is only ONE component of running costs.

The overall cost per mile should be determinative for the budget-conscious. That takes into account durability, build quality, frequency of repairs, costs of parts, insurance premiums, and other things, such as interest on car loans and depreciation.

True, the cost of fuel is a wild variable and can't be predicted, and it is likely the trend will only be in one direction (and that is up!) but it is only one factor.

Another is safety. Buying a really safe car, that will protect you in an accident, like a Mercedes Benz or a Volvo, should matter, also.

The cost of medical care, or crippling or fatal injuries that occurred because you were trying to save money on fuel by buying a car that was made of paper mache makes a pretty convincing case to stay with Mercedes Benz, gas or diesel.

But every time the price of fuel rises, the sales of the little sardine can/good mpg vehicles spikes, too. I have rented some of those little tiny cars, and they scare me. In a bad wreck there is no doubt you could get killed, maimed, or paralyzed from being in one of them. Not worth it to me.

I'm willing to pay for my wreck protection... which is why I just swiped my debit card for the $68.90 it took to fill up last time without swallowing too hard.

Not that it doesn't hurt... but I guess we're all getting used to it.

When you're paying £1.10 per litre, then you can complain.

That is completely unfair.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s
vs say
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lB0araA0T_k
and sure its got a busa engine in it but nuff said
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f5S1NAMnYKM

Well Jim B, I am looking at a Benz
 

You must have read that in haste, but i did say a 94 E420, unsaid but implied that it is a Mercedes Benz. I don't think the body is as well built as the 85 W123, though I have never driven one. I plan to drive this one on Saturday. It does have the double air bag system up front of course. We could get along very well with one car, and I am kind of looking to go with a more economical Benz and getting rid of the Diesel and the Lincoln. That Town Car has been wonderful for the past ten years, but not economical for city driving. We use it mostly for long trips in the summer, and then it does OK, at about 21mpg at 70 mph.

I had a 93 400E a couple of years ago. On the highway it would return 26.5 -27 MPG on a very steady basis - it was actually cheaper to fuel than the car that I was using for a 60 mile per day commute. Guess what model Benz that car was??

Yep, a 240D.

You are going to love the E420 but be aware that its at least an order of magnitude more complex than any W123. The M119 engine is really shoe-horned into the engine bay and its a real PITA to work with.

Well If I fill both tanks @ a $3.46 Iam looking @ $96.88.. thats 28 gal.
I hold a total of 34.

We usually only fill the main tank, but on trips we do both.

It will only get worse cost wise as time goes. the environmentalist, oil co.
ceo`s, and politions won`t be happy until we are just like Europe, and
the rest of the world.

So we just gotta make more money,

Charlie

Once you go Diesel, you never go back!!!!
 

I am not sure what an E420 looks like, but I can speak from experience of going form a Diesel to a gasser when I recently purchased my first gasser in close to 3 years.

It is nice at first to drive a 190E, and it is a 5 speed, so it is also fun/ cool, and it has handling that my W123 could only dream of...........BUT

1- The glow light never goes out......(joke)

2- I was driving the 190E for a few weeks straight and then got back in to a 123 for the first time when I had to pull "my sons" 300CD out of the driveway.

I couldn't believe the difference. It was like had been driving a toy car for the last few weeks! The oversized steering wheel, the secure feeling of a true classic MB Diesel, the missed and loving sound of rattle rattle , and even the scent of the old leather and torn up dash made me think "No way I could keep driving a gasser".

3- My 190E 5 speed is for sale..........


...

Another fuel price thread, WOOHOO!

I have been putting $60+ a week into my tank for awhile, fuel is expensive.

But an E420 would be sweet! I love the M119 its such a sweet sexy V8! It sound so awsome on its cams, and really pulls like a frieght train from all speeds.

MB makes some sweet V8's and V12's, the M119 is one of the sweeter types.

In 4.2L form its really, really good.
In 5.0L form its amazing, the 500E is one of the best sports sedans ever made. Well every car the 5L M119 was used in is better, damn its a nice V8.

In super rare 6L AMG form OMFG I need a towl.:D:cool:

I'd like a powerful V8 as well....M119...*drool. BUT, I know that if I had one, I'd certainly not be driving it in a way that got me 26mpg....I'd probably be getting 12. Which is bad. And I'd be broke in no time. :D :eek: Not to mention maintaining the thing would eat me alive too. For now I think I will stick with my good o'l 617. Ample power, and it won't eat me alive in fuel. My last fillup of 14.8 gallons was free anyways. Because of my nifty credit card/gas rewards. :D :D Fuel is down to $3.49 here.....and with all my rebates I end up getting it for about $3.24 or so. Not bad.

I will gladly pay $3.45 a gallon to not have to walk 24 miles.

I keep track of things pretty well, and in the 6,200 miles that I've driven my 300TD I've spent $0.29/mile, including the price of the vehicle. Beats the $0.78/mile over 21k miles in my Trooper, and $1.40/mile over 13k miles in the '00 E320.

I'll keep paying the higher cost for diesel. I don't drive it in the heat of summer because the newer vehicles simply have better AC systems. I can't drive it when I need to tow something either. Other than that, I hop in the wagon when I have a choice.

-Tad