The day I see a plastic Prius last 500k miles (and more to the point, thirty years) is the day I'll get a pet elephant to use for "green" transportation.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Amen!

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2015 E250 Bluetec Black/designo Sand
2014 GLK250 Bluetec Iridium Silver/Almond
1999 E320 Sedan Bordeaux Red/ Parchment
1999 E270CDI Estate Black Opal/Black
1983 300SD Champagne/Palomino Leather
1982 300SD Silver Blue/ Pacific Blue Leather

Give it time, they're still pretty new. I don't see many MB's with over 500K miles either though. It's really more of an Ebay myth than reality. What I know is that today 200K miles is nothing special. Back in the days the W123 was produced that was considered exceptional.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Yup. I would say especially the type of fuel makes a big difference. Driving an old MB diesel on B100, even if it smokes a little, might actually be greener than buying and driving a new Prius but in a different way, mostly carbon-wise. Non-carbon pollution would still be less from the Prius.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Are you sure that's accurate, 28.5 mpg @ 80? For how many miles? If that's true, that's impressive. I know the W220 is lighter than the W140 and is more economical. The W140 is literally a tank (over 4500 lbs).

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

I agree with you on the stylish and economical, but surpassed by the prius? no way!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Truthfully, I don't measure, the economy on that car like I do the others, this one just tell me on the dash....It must be accurate though, b/c I get pretty rough fuel economy around town 14-17, the drive is usually about 70+ miles.

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2015 E250 Bluetec Black/designo Sand
2014 GLK250 Bluetec Iridium Silver/Almond
1999 E320 Sedan Bordeaux Red/ Parchment
1999 E270CDI Estate Black Opal/Black
1983 300SD Champagne/Palomino Leather
1982 300SD Silver Blue/ Pacific Blue Leather

So is that 28.5 mpg average highway over many miles or just instantaneous?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

That's the average highway over many miles, that's pretty much what I use that car for, if I were to drive it around town for a long period of time, I would have to travel several miles to obtain this average.

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2015 E250 Bluetec Black/designo Sand
2014 GLK250 Bluetec Iridium Silver/Almond
1999 E320 Sedan Bordeaux Red/ Parchment
1999 E270CDI Estate Black Opal/Black
1983 300SD Champagne/Palomino Leather
1982 300SD Silver Blue/ Pacific Blue Leather

Well again, how many MB's have you seen with over 500K miles? I could count them on my hand. I think I've seen one or two in my life (on Ebay).

The batteries are recyclable and from what I've heard both Toyota and Honda usually replace them free of charge as a good will gesture even if they're out of warranty, though I imagine that will change as more people drive hybrids. I'm not really a fan of hybrids though, but I like to at least try to say things as they are and not kid myself about anything.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Well that's impressive if it's accurate. I think it's always a good idea to verify what the computer is saying though. I'm an ex-owner of a Civic Hybrid and I know the computer would consistently lie about the mileage by 2-3 mpg (on the plus side).

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

If you are burning a Bio fuel then you have a next to 0 carbon emission. because the carbon that is in your bio exhaust is the same carbon that the Corn, or peanut tree, or what ever kind of oil you are burning... its the same carbon that those plants scrubbed out of the air while they were alive.

you are just simply returning that carbon to the air where the tree or what ever found it in the first place.

Us folks running Dino Fuel are add additional carbon to the air because the carbon we are expelling is being released from is captured state underground.

but the way i see it if i plant a few trees, I'm just feeding my trees!

this is why carbon is a stupid measurement. a tree can clean up the carbon. what about the other Ozone gasses that are not easily cleaned up? as i recall gas cars make less carbon, and WAY MORE of these hard to manage gasses.

WooHoo this is my 617th post LOL

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Actually you're still leaving some carbon behind even when burning B100. The loop is about 78% closed. That's because of the use of methanol in the biodiesel process and transportation/harvesting costs.

Do you know how many trees it takes to even recycle the CO2 that you breathe out? About 6. Forget about planting enough trees to offset your transportation and household emissions. You can't do it.

Gas cars emit more CO2 per mile but less per gallon. Please get your facts straight.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

That is incorrect information. The earth is constantly changing, its been far warmer than now and its been far colder than it is now. We are at the end of an iceage, of course its going to get warmer!


The whole USA seems to be biased against Diesels while the rest of the world embraces them. I recall one country was wanting to ban anything but Diesels! (Iceland?)

I concede the point that 500k is unrealistic for Priuses... Pri-ii... Toyota hybrids, as well as unrealistic for Mercedes... but I guess the 30 year figure is actually a better one to judge by. There are lots of Mercs out there that have made it 200k in 30 years and still function. I question whether the plastic bits and computers and bells and whistles in the Prius will still be functioning in 2033 (25 years after new production this year). To say nothing of the batteries giving out. Think that Toyota will still be selling replacement 10 yr batteries in 25 or 30 years?

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL