Yes, the first generation direct injection machines were inline-6's and I would guess they would fit into the W210 after the hood was lowered, mainly because I am dead certain they kept selling the full range of Diesels in Germany in the W210 bodies without hood bulges.

MBUSA was, for whatever reasons, looking to end the US Diesel market at the time, and they offered that lame excuse. Granted, the new engine/fuel delivery system was new, and would have put lots of spare parts in the inventory for a few model years, but they missed an opportunity to own the high mileage, "C" and "E" class markets with these new Diesels. I wrote them a long letter questioning their strategy and got no response. I sent it to the Star Magazine and got a two paragraph email with nothing but gibberish about the cost for bringing models in to the US with such short life cycles. But the hood line argument was trash from the day it was offered, as I see it. And to imagine where they would be with a W202, 203 and now 204 market for 40 mpg combined cycle Diesels that still get you 0-60 mph in under 9 seconds, followed by E's in the last few bodies that got 35 mpg with the same kinds of acceleration?

Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

If your going to run junk oil get the most used up beat to death example you can find. That should be about right for a WVO car.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My wife likes driving my 97 E300 so much that I had to buy another one. I always enjoy driving my 83, but I love driving the E300.

83 has 39,000 miles on alternative fuels, 8,000 on homebrew BD, 31,000 on WVO/RUG blend, no mods to the car. Owned it since Sept '06

97 (the black one) has 27,000 miles on WVO/RUG blend with occasional treats of BD. No mods to the car. Have to change the spin-on fuel filter after about 35 gallons of blend, consistently. Haven't root-caused that yet. Otherwise car is great. Owned it since Nov '07

97 (the gold one) has 1,000 on homebrew BD. Still in the "break-in" period. Had it one month.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

So what? Its still not good for the engine or car. Just because it hasn't coked up in 30k miles doesn't mean much.

My friends 98 has been running on D2 since 1998 and has 182k miles on it. No fuel issues. Diesel works great, its what the manual calls for.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Barring the conversations about the fuel, some of you guys could really scare someone away from the 96-99 models. I've got a 96 myself, has a bad motor mount too, which I NEED to get fixed, but after reading this, i'm about ready to just hock it off before the motor drops onto the road.

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1996 E300 D
1992 300D
1990 Ford E-350 7.3 Diesel AKA "the Deep Fryer"

C'mon Big lex, the mounts are easy... About 30 min/side once you're set up. I realize you're probably being tongue in cheek but I'm just sayin'...

For the OP, '96-'97 respectable power for a NA car. '96 has a 4 sp tranny, '97 and up get the 5 sp. '99's have a few more airbags and refinements.

I love mine. Or at least I WILL love mine when I fix the glow plug...

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

30k doesn't mean much? How many miles does it take to detemine whether you're hurting your engine? 30k miles on alternative fuels saves me $.15 per mile in real dollars, which is $4500 toward the new engine when/if I need it.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Don't forget to factor in your time. Time is expensive.

With regular diesel I know the engine will last far north of 300k miles, I don't have to hope it lasts long enough so that I can spend $8k on a rebuild and still be ahead.

I write my mileage off as well, with free fuel you better be carefull doing that. Bet the IRS would have something to say, unless you cut the government a check for road tax every 1/4 like your supposed to... I think the write off is 50.5 cents a mile this year. So this year I will write, $6,060 off in car expenses. With these old cars your still FAR ahead at whatever fuel costs.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Your math is flawed. It would be foolish to spend $8k on a rebuild. The whole car didn't cost that.

I destroyed valves on my gasser 4 cyl back in '05 from broken timing belt, decided replacement motor was cheaper than valves and new head. Entire motor replacement cost $470 and one weekend.

Federal mileage rate for 2008 is $.585

I do this to get off foreign oil dependency. The economic benefit is an added bonus. Please don't downplay the economic benefit though, it is very significant.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

As if that is actually possible or would even be a good thing to do.

It's actually possible and would be a good thing to do.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Yes, it would be great if you like very high prices and frequent oil shortages.

The "get off foreign oil" people have no clue how the economy actually works.

Yes we do. It's the millenials that could perhaps benefit from some macroeconomics.

Some basics:
Supply and demand doesn't work with a cartel (by definition).

Cartels should naturally disintegrate (through member disloyalty), but that won't happen when there is mutual terrorist support.

Government intervention through import restriction and embargos is the only way to isolate ourselves from foreign cartels.

Drastically reduced demand would be needed to allow import restrictions and embargos without significant financial pain to the end user.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Thank you for proving my point about how clueless you really are.

My pleasure.

__________________
Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k