I used to have a diesel Vanagon. 48 horsepower. EVERY 0 to 60 run was a flat out 0 to 60 run, at least if I didn't want to be mowed down while merging onto the freeway.

I used to joke it didn't need a tach because I just floored it until it hit the governor limit, then upshifted...it had a four speed with huge gaps between the ratios, so a shift at anything short of redline tended to drop it out of the power band.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

Amusing posts and philosophical driving paradigms aside, my '74 auto will do 0-70, as indicated on the nearly 40 year speedo, in 30 seconds. If I take control of the shifter and upshift manually, it drops to 25ish. I figure it reads faster that I'm actually going, hence the 0-70 checks.

That being said, I almost always keep my tank full and it has 40-50 pounds of fluids, tools, and the usual Mercedes flotsam rolling around in the trunk.

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1974 240D "Boldie" 170K.- New timing chain/freshly rebuilt IP/replaced valve seals/injectors/upgraded stereo/new Bilsteins with Yokohamas/fresh paint and rocker panels plus lots of welds.

..if petulant,terminally in a hurry,zero attention span led foots get on my butt..I ignore them as I should..and flipping up the rear view really gets them happy..I drive an auto 240 for mileage comfort and safety..my 528e stick is also too slow for most chumps..and I don't know about you..but I don't tolerate or pay attention to chumps..there's a lost art in society today called common courtesy..and I demand it from everybody..I stay to the right when necessary and understand my car is slow..I'm not an idiot about it..but someone in a hurry to get nowhere faster is not my problem...and most of them today can't drive without their pacifier in their hand..another reason to drive a Mercedes..when they ram me..their car is totaled and I drive away...

If you are familiar with Citroens, you know of their 425cc two cylinder called the 2CV. AKA the Duck in German.


Two things you always want for this car:


1. The bumper sticker that says: " This car will do 0-60 KM (37.5 mph) in 47,5 seconds"


AND


2. A speeding ticket. Most people never pay it, they just frame it and wait for the letter about the fine.

One guy took it to court and asked if he could keep the ticket. The judge asked for an explanation, the guy showed the judge a pic of the car, the judge dismissed the fine but required the driver to give him a ride.

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Your speedo reads in Kilometers...

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.

"What should 240D auto 0-60 time be? "

In truth it's eventually if you flog it you'll just beat the engine to death with late up shifts .

Time to buy another Diesel Mercedes....

I have three now, one '82 240D I love and just spent three weeks in Sept./Aug. tooling around the Navajo Nation including some grades steeper than I've ever encountered anywhere, the poor car was in first gear chugging along @ 4 or 5 MPH, I think due to only 200# compression in # 1 cylinder .

Anyways, I love my turbo 300D's too but my NA 300CD's were O.K. ~ if you're into stoplight racing, a 240D IS NOT THE CAR FOR YOU .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

To address the initial question:

Got a calendar?

Dan

Having owned an 240d with auto. I can confidently say i will never own another one. 4 speed is a bit more manageable but a 300d turbo blows both away. The 240d auto is the only car i've owned where you really need to manage your speed, think twice about changing lanes and learn to fear hills.

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1983 300 Turbo-"Nora"
1983 240D Auto "Lucia"-slowest on earth-1st love
1985 300 Turbo-Blue Goose-slowly plucking parts

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...ly15/mbsig.jpg

Something to consider is they almost always have the 300d wheel and tire size.. p195.. Originally they call for p175.. larger wheel/tire combo make them look slower on the speedo (going 70 will actually show as 65 on the speedo with the larger tires)

I love my 240d's though.. my little cousin just got my 83' he REALLY wanted it. it is a slick looking car and I put keyless entry on it.. something about the w123 chassis the steering is tight and firm on the highway.. and i would get 27-30MPG in that 240d.. even with 300k original engine.

I don't mind getting on the freeway it's not bad at all when the engine is operating temp a cold engine however takes forever to get to 60! There's a very large hill going eastbound 80 from where i live and to get up that sucker you want to get the 240 up to about 75 before you hit it and if you're doing 60 by the time you get to the top you done good! hit it going 60 and you're doing 45 by the top hahaha

attached is my (recently sold to little cousin) 240d 300k original engine beauty

It just made it to 301k a day or two before he got it...I have no trouble pushing her up to 75 (correct tire size p175 so correct speedo reading)

...The Devil is in the details ! .

I made a point of putting the correct 175 size radials on my '82 240D because I learned long ago on the 1960's that tire size is critical when dealing with small engines .

I love my pokey old 240D Slushbox, if I had to choose only one M-B Diesel to keep, it'd probably be the 240D Sedan .

I can always ride my Moto if I need to go fast .

Uphill slow .

Downhill FAST ! .

Mileage First, safety last ! .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Hahahaha love it... coincidentally going down that hill on 80 is probably the only time I could hit 85-90 with ease in the 240d!

I mention the tire size because prior to this 240d I've had 2 others, both with the 300d wheels and tire size! figured that could be what makes the 240s seem slow on the highway. I've always like the rear diff ratio on the 240.. they are so peppy around town, I usually pass people, even in the 240d! My 95 e300d with om606 feels like a rocket ship after driving the 240 for a while hahaha

FWIW, I don't often exceed 60 / 65 MPH in it as I never like to over speed any engine .

A few times I put on the Garmin and had at it, way out in the Desert where it was flat and windless .

83 MPH is the absolute fastest this '82 240D Auto will go ~ I'd never try that going down hill .

When fully loaded with five adults and their luggage it eventually reaches 60 and I just cruise it there across the Desert or down to San Diego, R-12 charged AC cranked up to 'icebox' and smile at all the newer cars broken down along the side of the road....

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

"Fear hills".

Quote of the day!

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.