Well.... We live in a "consumer based society" right? Get up earlier, drive to get a paper, drive over to Starbucks (through the drive thru) and get your Latte then head over to the park to do some reading. When your all pumped up on coffee... Head to work and "let them have it"!!

The car should be nice and warm by then.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

If you really want to drive a car . . . get a diesel, but . . . to warm it up, just get a block heater!

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82 240D Manual 277K and still rolling!
02 Volvo S60 AWD For Sale

A 603 won't be happy with such short trips. I used to work a mile from my house and mine was never happy. You need to take it on long rides to blow it out or it will run like crap.

The 617 in my SD never cared. I would get a 617 for all around town work.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The block heater will help with the short commute but so will the bicycle and the walk.
I don't know what the weather extremes are in Marietta but walking in the cold or heat are not my idea of great plans.
Nothing, even a gas rig, will appreciate the short trips you are talking about. The advantage with the diesel is the block heater. Most gas rigs don't have that option.

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Darrell

1984 300SD "Ole Girl"
207K

No offense guys, but you forgot that most jobs don't like it when you show up sweaty. Bike makes you sweaty, and wrinkles up your nice dress clothes. Plus you have to mess around locking it. Don't tell me that if you're in shape you don't sweat, you still do.

I vote for walking and using an umbrella. 1.5 miles is NOTHING.

That being said, I used to ride my motorcycle to work .75 miles away. After work I'd usually go riding though.

Now if you want to be cool (like me) get yourself pretty much any $2,000 used motorcycle. Cheap insurance, crazy mileage, warms up by the time you've got your helmet on, and you will enjoy it much more. Honda/Suzuki/Kawasaki 500cc cruiser would fit the bill perfectly.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

That's what a change of clothes are for and honestly in the north east at 7 or 9 am the weather is still relatively cool.

Locking isn't an issue either. Bring the bike inside or lock it up against a light pole. Problem solved.

I'm still going to be a green commie on this one. If it's short enough then bike or walk do it . It's incredibly healthy. If buying a bike is an issue, they have great 5 speed bikes on sale at Kmart for 100$

You're also sweating at your desk right now.

I biked all of this summer to work and I started out of shape. You don't start sweating to the point of a sticky mess until you are exhausted. If that's the case you should probably build some stamina up at a gym.

If you jump on a bike first thing in the morning you will also be rested and not sweat. The ride back home is a different matter, especially in the heat of the afternoon. If it's 5 then never mind, but I had to ride back at 3pm which was an adventure let me tell you!

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Do yourself, your wallet and the planet a favor--get a bike. You can get a fancy new one for less than $1000, there's little or no maintenance, no fuel, repair or insurance cost, you'll lose weight, lower your cholesterol, tone your legs and get plenty of fresh air......win win win

I commute about 50 miles a day on the interstate in my 190d, spend hundreds a month on repair, diesel and insurance (not to mention all of the time I waste sitting in traffic), and daydream of a 1.5 mile commute on a huffy

With either engine type, your commute probably isn't long enough to get your oil up to operating temp, which in my mind is the bigger problem, vs. efficiency. Your engine temp gauge may reach full operating temp, but oil temp will lag behind that somewhat. This means you should ideally change your oil quite frequently, which gets expensive, but generally even more expensive with a diesel (greater capacity). I have the same problem; I'm currently living in an apartment during the week that is barely a mile from my work.

To the suggestions of walking or cycling, I've considered that, but I have to lug my laptop both directions every day, and the heavy vehicle traffic would bother me as a pedestrian or cyclist, from a safety standpoint. There is also no bike rack at the office. Then there's inclement weather, darkness, etc.

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1995 E300 200k
1981 300GD unknown km

I used to work a mile from my house. Problem was, my daycare was 6 or 8 miles :/ . Most of high school, I walked or rode a bike 2.5 miles, carried a bunch of books either way. Unless you're severely malnourished, your body adapts pretty quickly, growing, conditioning and training muscles as required. Nothing is as heavy hard or as far as it seemed in the beginning. Unless you're dealing with rain or snow, weather in the 30's is no fright to bike in, a pair of ski gloves or nice work gloves with thermal liners will help. I think you have an opportunity to be awake, alert, and have a smile when you get to work and get home. Having a bike that fits you and the way you ride is the best way make it a comfortable efficient way to get around.

Heads up, and wear a helmet, trouser clips or just keep the nice ones at work.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Short trips will eat your exhaust as well- you never have a chance to get it hot and blow the condensate out. Buy stainless when you exhaust goes if you do short commutes.

Also consider that you will never have heat, unless you warm it up for longer than your drive will be. If you get a move on, your body is making good heat in just a minute or two.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Oh no, that's the most fun to bike through. An element of challenge. I bike through town as fast as I can, try to never stop. Darkness--lights on the bike. Cold--warm clothing. Rain/snow--protective gear. If you don't want to carry a backpack--bike rack and saddle bags.

Bike it, 1.5 miles is nothing.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

I don`t know why this wasn`t brought up, MOVE farther away, problem solved. engine will be happy, driver will be warm (in winter), A/C will have a chance to cool down the interior (in summer).

Have to think of safety first. bicycles are dangerous to ride, could get runover, MB has lots of sheet metal to protect you.
heat stroke in the summer, and will need shower when getting to work. could catch pnumonia in the winter, getting wet and chilled.




Plus it`s hard to drink your Starbucks and ride a bike, read the paper, shave and other multitasking.



Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

This is correct.

Just take it out for a half hour drive at road speeds once or twice a month and you will be fine. That will burn off the water that has accumulated in the oil.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My Mom had a 1 mile commute for years driving a 1971 Cheyenne pickup with a 350 4 bbl. When I bought the truck from my parents, that low mileage engine was on the end of its life. Maybe synthetic oil would have helped? I fully understand battling vehicles riding a bike - we have coal trucks here. Even though I love my diesels, I would go the pos gasser route.

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Brad
1981 300TD - daily driver
1963 Chevy II
2001 F-250 7.3 Power Stroke

You can't carry a laptop a mile? Maybe it's time to get a netbook! They only weigh a couple pounds!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)