So... I have the GL for the rest of the week :)
 

My father went on an emergency business trip just in time. my 240D wasn't quite liking this snow we've gotten in the last 24 hours .

i like the fact that i didn't have to use a block heater :)
altho... it did crank then die. twice. like... not right away... but say... w/ in the first 2 seconds

anyone else have these types of issues w/ CDI's?
mother mentioned the same thing... right before i had to try and get her car up the driveway. :/

Maybe give it some throttle as soon as it starts the first time and hold it there for 30 seconds (say 1500 rpms or so) until it gets a little heat in there.

That shouldn't happen, thats a computer controlled motor, it should be automatically adjusting and raising the idle.

Then again we had our c220 Cdi stall after starting it in Germany when it was real cold out....

Diesels just don't like the cold.

My 617 never stalls though....even today at 4F....it idled real low (400-500rpm) for about 10 seconds, but then it came up to the normal 600ish. No stalling.

Mine's supposed to have that ELR thing presumably to help control it, but it definitely dies when you cold start it if it's frigid enough and you didn't glow long enough. Easy situation to avoid but a little accelerator pedal whether it "ought to need it" or not saves a little battery for the next crank, I figure.

I agree using the pedal is a good idea at those temps. Generally when its really cold I will hold the idle around 900-1000 for a minute or two before I get out to brush/scrape the car off, just so it has some heat in it. I also have a massive alternator load upon starting, so it helps make some extra juice for that too. (Afterglow, defrost, etc...)