Do you ever miss driving a gasser? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hip001 · #16 10-07-2009, 03:30 PM

This is one to ponder.......

Recently got a chance to drive my nephews Nissan Titan that has a few mods on it. WOW that was a rush! The sound of the custom exhaust like a Sprint Cup car and the VERY responsive throttle put a instant smile on my face!! It was a absolute blast to drive!

It boils down to there are so many reasons why I drive a Mercedes diesel other than just time from stop light to stop light. Do I wish it performed better? Of course! Duh! Will that alone be enough for me to switch back to a gasser? No!

pawoSD · #17 10-07-2009, 03:35 PM

Seeing my sister's van self destruct at 96k on it since new.....made me vow to never drive anything but a MB. My transmission lasted over 3x as many miles, and was still drivable for many miles once it "was injured".

Gassers are ok.....but diesel is better. The simplicity is well worth it.

That said, the M103 gasser engine is a very nice machine too.....if I had to go gasser, that is the engine I would have.

benhogan · #18 10-07-2009, 03:44 PM

Obviously, there are distinct differences between diesels and gassers. Each one has it's merits. However, it is just nice to drive something different once in a while.

My old diesel feels like an old glove. It just feels right but once in a while I like the feeling of driving a zippy car.

rcounts · #19 10-07-2009, 04:05 PM

What's to miss? I have 3 I can drive any time I want. I choose to drive the Benz...

turbobenz · #20 10-07-2009, 04:08 PM

Ive never owned a gasser

okyoureabeast · #21 10-07-2009, 04:16 PM

Nope I don't miss it.

I got a girl's number because I drive a retro benz

Fulcrum525 · #22 10-07-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Seeing my sister's van self destruct at 96k on it since new.....made me vow to never drive anything but a MB. My transmission lasted over 3x as many miles, and was still drivable for many miles once it "was injured".

Gassers are ok.....but diesel is better. The simplicity is well worth it.

That said, the M103 gasser engine is a very nice machine too.....if I had to go gasser, that is the engine I would have.

To be honest I've never drive an M103 but I am a fan of its predecessor the M110 so I can only imagine how well that engine drives.

oldsinner111 · #23 10-07-2009, 06:28 PM

I'll never go back to gasoline.

#24 10-07-2009, 07:20 PM

Well, I just take my bike for a little ride when I want to burn some gas.

austxjr · #25 10-07-2009, 07:47 PM

Nope, and if I do I just jump on my Moto Guzzi Sport 1100 since it is still a gasser. If I could build or buy as cool a diesel bike (and lawnmower too) I'd completely switch to all compression/ignition!

LarryBible: "There was a time from the very late seventies .... in my automotive life, gas engines were carbureted...During that time, I developed the love of diesel fumes in the morning and the steady pulsating of the steering wheel attached to a car with an idling diesel under the hood."

LarryBible, I know where you are coming from, but I developed a love of the clatter of cold valves and the mechanical noise of my '67 MGB on a cold morning until it warmed up. Once it warmed up and I started the heater and opened the heater vents you got the smells of lubricating oil from the SUs and blowing out the breather and all those soothing mechanical noises as the engine heated up and smoothed out. I would go back to that on weekends if I decided to buy and restore an MG. I AM restoring a BMW 2002 now from a 1976 shell and 1975 wreck, though they never gave the mechanical sensory stimulation of the MGB (however they DO have at least the fun factor). It will be gas too, but I'd love to put one of those twin turbo BMW diesels in instead... hehe.

Although I now drive a 1994 S350 TurboDiesel and a 1995 E300D, my 2006 E320 CDI was a marvel! Couldn't justify keeping a $55K car in this downturn though. Gasoline is a really nasty liquid and as you note it is not as efficient as diesel (or biodiesel, SVO or WVO which are my preferences). I'll probably never go back now that CDI and BlueTec make a diesel as quiet and at least 30% more efficient than gas. Love that torque. My E320 CDI weighed almost 2 tons and got 27pmg in the city and 40+ mpg on the highway. Probably do lots better broken in. No gasser comes close. The E320 CDI is way fast too. M-B had to bump the E320 gasser to E350 because the CDI with 369 ft-lbs of torque was as quick or quicker than the gas E320! As soon as I get the chance I'll upgrade my S350 to a 2005 or 2006 E320 CDI and never look back! I will upgrade it with AMG sport suspension though. EFI is nice, but CDI and turbos have made a complete diesel convert out of me and I'll never go back. Give it a try, everyone who saw the car running couldn't believe it was diesel and when they rode in it or drove it their eyes got the size of pie plates! I'd like to put one of those CDI engines in a Cobra replica with a chip - 2000lbs of roadster with ~300hp and 500 ft-lbs of torque (not to mention 30+ mpg city I bet). That engine would be great in an SL too. Too bad no one makes a cool diesel sports car yet (though VW is threatening with the BlueSport - http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/01/vw-42-mpg-diese/).

scottmcphee · #26 10-07-2009, 09:05 PM

You're too far gone, if driving an Accord makes you long for a gas car. PULL UP!! PULL UP!!

I drive various cars, fleet, rented, borrowed, whatever. Very new Camry V6... for example, I find most modern cars too "hyper" on the touch of the go pedal. They are getting ridiculously over-powered, and I have to be careful not to spin gravel coming up my driveway (a moderate slope). Once you realize you're driving too fast for the situation... it's like "so what else does this car have to offer?" Gassers seem to have an early top end, like premature ej*culation or something, fun for second or two.. Ya, I get a speeding ticket in a slow zone, huh whu, was that worth it? I start thinking of crashes and durability and handling comfort on looong stretches on the highway.... and I just want to drive my Benz when I get back home.

In fact, I'll often drive my car on company business, when highway miles are involved, even if they won't reimburse those miles.

Driving the oil burning Benz, I feel the inertia behind the power pedal... Like a gyroscope spinning up with a solid moving mass feel to it. Doing 120 kmh in the Benz and pressing the pedal down, it feels like it'll do another 120 kmh on top of that. I'm rocketing up mountains passes zipping by those gassers... Turbo? Yes. Eat my smoke. When the family arrives 5 hours later, nobody is tired from sitting in the car, and my wife says to me, let's go further. Everything else I've driven with them, it's 3 hours max and time for a stretch.

Buddy drives an FJ cruiser, and has a Porsche 911. Five minutes into my 1987 and he comments, twice.. "nice ride" and "comfortable". I drove the company's FJ today... what a POS!!! Yes fast, but absolutely cr*p in every other aspect. And it took 1/8 tank of guzzoleen to do *anything* in that truck. Glad I wasn't paying.

pawoSD · #27 10-07-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

To be honest I've never drive an M103 but I am a fan of its predecessor the M110 so I can only imagine how well that engine drives.

Its very similar to the M110 except a bit less torque at the low end IMHO....but it can rev....and it can move. I love having fun in the 300E from time to time.

I randomly alternate cars, but I still like the W126 diesel better than the W124 gasser....it just has a smoother *bigger* ride, and so much low end torque, great around town.

benhogan · #28 10-08-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmcphee

You're too far gone, if driving an Accord makes you long for a gas car. PULL UP!! PULL UP!!

I drive various cars, fleet, rented, borrowed, whatever. Very new Camry V6... for example, I find most modern cars too "hyper" on the touch of the go pedal. They are getting ridiculously over-powered, and I have to be careful not to spin gravel coming up my driveway (a moderate slope). Once you realize you're driving too fast for the situation... it's like "so what else does this car have to offer?" Gassers seem to have an early top end, like premature ej*culation or something, fun for second or two.. Ya, I get a speeding ticket in a slow zone, huh whu, was that worth it? I start thinking of crashes and durability and handling comfort on looong stretches on the highway.... and I just want to drive my Benz when I get back home.

In fact, I'll often drive my car on company business, when highway miles are involved, even if they won't reimburse those miles.

Driving the oil burning Benz, I feel the inertia behind the power pedal... Like a gyroscope spinning up with a solid moving mass feel to it. Doing 120 kmh in the Benz and pressing the pedal down, it feels like it'll do another 120 kmh on top of that. I'm rocketing up mountains passes zipping by those gassers... Turbo? Yes. Eat my smoke. When the family arrives 5 hours later, nobody is tired from sitting in the car, and my wife says to me, let's go further. Everything else I've driven with them, it's 3 hours max and time for a stretch.

Buddy drives an FJ cruiser, and has a Porsche 911. Five minutes into my 1987 and he comments, twice.. "nice ride" and "comfortable". I drove the company's FJ today... what a POS!!! Yes fast, but absolutely cr*p in every other aspect. And it took 1/8 tank of guzzoleen to do *anything* in that truck. Glad I wasn't paying.

well said. i agree with you 100%.

dcotejr · #29 10-08-2009, 03:11 PM

I've had the door apart on my 300SD the last couple of days, and have had to drive my Accord about 400 miles since yesterday AM. I prefer my Benz ANY day of the week. On the highway, it'll outdo the Honda, and I don't get out of the car crippled after a couple of hours on the road...

Sev · #30 10-08-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

Having driven nothing but old Mercedes diesels for over two years, I was impressed by the power of the C350 loaner I had when the '87 was into the dealer for some sunroof work. It got only about 18mpg, though, so my impression didn't last very long.

for the $200+ hourly rate of the stealer's labor, they'd better give you a nice c350 loaner, otherwise it might not be worth it, haha

as a guy who primarily drives gassers, and only drives my 300d-T when i swing bye my dad's house on the weekend, it's the opposite for me--i look forward to my 5-10 mile weekly diesel drive