Hmmmmm....I think Mercedes is selling quite a few....that right there should open some eyes in the domestic auto makers eyes....but they are run by morons.

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1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

http://banners.wunderground.com/weat...Round_Rock.gif

Whats killing them around here with E class diesel sales is lack of 4Matic. E class buyers in New England seem to want AWD more than diesel.


You also have to remember when buying a new Mercedes diesel makes a lot of sense. Its almost a no cost option, with no real downside. Well other than fuel costing $1 a gallon more.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Maybe the domestics are waiting for MB and BMW to make Diesel fashionable [again?], then follow suit. I mean GM could replace the gasser engine of every Malibu now sitting in dealer lots with a tested European Diesel engine and they wouldn't move off the lots any faster.

You have to consider that the constituency of this forum is a rogues gallery of IDI fans. We also need our wrench turning fix. New DIs won't appeal to much of this crowd. If you can't entice a bunch of Diesel-heads, how can you entice anyone else?

I've sworn off new cars. Nothing's been offered so far that I can't wait a few years, heck, 10-15 years to have. I'm sure many in this forum feel the same way. So you have a demographic that doesn't buy new cars and doesn't go to the dealer for service or parts. Why would manufacturers care for this demographic?

Maybe I'll get excited when key fob recognition wakes up the glow relay as I approach the car

Sixto
87 300D

Look at VW, given they have f'ed up the release, but people are still waiting in line for a new TDI. I wanted one, but they pissed me off to the point I said forget it. They are fuel efficient, and just as (if not more) reliable than any American car in the market right now. Many people were paying several thousand over MSRP to get their hands on one quickly.

If American auto producers want to stay alive, they need to try something different. Why not a road worthy diesel that will drive you across the country making 40 or 50+ mpg. The technology is there, and I would buy one any day of the week. I'll bet that many others would as well.

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My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior

Just not a dinky little 4-banger.

If they offered the 2.5L I-5 or 3.0L V6 TDIs, I would seriously consider a VW.

FYI...

In the Carolinas I did some searching around... in Charlotte and Winston-Salem there are a bunch of Jetta TDI's being advertised by the dealers. Probably 10 or so available between them (in stock). I saw an add from a Columbia, SC Mercedes dealer that looked like he had 10-15 new CDI's sitting there as well. Currently RUG is around $2 and diesel is around $3 / gal.

There was a press release a few week ago that Honda is delaying the intro of their diesels to the '10 model year.

It seems as if the fuel cost differential is really hurting the dealers motivation.

I'm just happy that I can fill the tank on my Golf for $20. I havn't done that in 5 years, and its damn nice.


Dropping a C note to fill the SDL hurt this summer.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

They are actually "Americanized" Opels -- Detuned engines, softer suspensions, and bigger wheels

What we need are REAL Opels and Holdens not detuned, smogged,and castrated cars

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"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

Pontiac GTO (now gone) and G6 I believe are both Holdens. I don't think they were detuned... certainly not the GTO. I considered picking one up on the used market. GM screwed up the new GTO's styling, but the manual trans and performance is very appealing. Got good reviews too.

Holden Commodore.

Guess what car this is, its GM and you can't get it like this in this country.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Well, since its 6_buick_parkave_interior.jpg....I'll take a wild stab and say its a Buick Park Ave?

Cheater!

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Iam not sure of this but.....only about 6% of cars are diesel in the states
been drinking but if I read correctly there is a 40cent extra tax on diesel as most users are large semi-trucks and no break for car users ???
all coments welcome

Americans do like their power. CDI's have plenty of that, and get pretty good mileage. It could be better though.

I have given up my VW search for about a month now. I have continued checking the dealers I was looking at before, and they still don't have any available.

That sounds about right, but keep in mind that their are only 2 cars that are available in diesel in the US.

The tax sounds about right too (depending on the state). They do that because semi trucks are going to use it no matter what the tax is, so they might as well make as much as they can off of it. Revenue is what matters, not saving the environment or the future of petrochemical resources.

__________________
My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior