Back to the original question, Why first Diesel?

Back in 1968 I could buy kerosene for $.15, yes 15 cents, a gallon. So it seemed logical to buy a car that would use it for fuel. I got a '59 180D. It had a 36HP pushrod engine. The only trouble was that I couldn't keep a head gasket in it. So I got a'74 190D that I ran for years.

P E H

It’s a matter of preference, like red or white wine. Gas is stronger, aggressive bouquet and a bit of a bite. Diesel is relatively subtle with a lingering aftertaste.

Given the choice my wife prefers beer burps to diesel burps.

Comparing MB’s to Peugeot’s I think is close. Both make excellent diesels, I believe Peugeot was right on Mercedes heals getting them going. Both cars are very serviceable, Peugeot might have an advantage cause of things like the water pump bolted on the front of the cylinder head, its the first thing you see. Peugeot’s suspension is better. Its quite a bit stronger and their multi valve shocks are better, and can be disasembled for service. Part prices can be bad but I’ve found a couple of places that have supplied parts and sub-parts (like shock pistons and valves) with no problem. You have to remember Peugeot is big everywhere but in US of A, not like Renault. There is a bit of a following stateside but overseas there is a lot of them, just brush up on your French and German. Every foreigner I work with has learned to drive in a Peugeot.

I could go on but I’m trying to cut back on bandwidth. If you have any more questions, let me know and I’ll continue carrying on

Okay, If they decide to give an award for the "Most Entertaining Thread" this one will get my vote. Thanks to all that contributed stories.
and my own;
Bought a 6.2 diesel Suburban used because it was the only thing that could carry 5 people and a large load or 8 people and a fair load and still get 25 mpg. Worked on it a little and was getting 28 mpg on the hwy at 80mph but it was almost as slow on takeoff as the 240d. Bought a 6.5 turbo diesel pickup that would outrun most camaros and got worse mileage than the camaros, gave the suburban to my daughter for college and never had to worry about her safety although she has rounded every corner on the truck and it now rides like a log cart.
Saw the 76 240d w115 on the nc state dui auction and bought it to put the motor in a boat, got the car home and started and enjoyed driving it so much that I put license on it.
The more I work on it and the harder I drive it the better I like it and the better it runs. My new wife (6 months) drove it once and immediately started driving it to work and letting her one year old car sit so now I am looking for another old 220/240 or 300d.

Off the subject: Two years ago two guys in a pickup ran through a red light and never even touched the brakes and hit the 1995 6.5 turbo in the drivers side between the door and the front wheel. It knocked the 6.5 across the intersection sideways and turned their truck on its side but as soon as I could get my foot unwedged from under the dash I walked away with only cuts and bruises. In my mind I am sure the outcome would have been much worse in a lighter vehicle and the diesel trucks and the mercedes diesels all give me a feeling of security for my family and myself.

Once again thanks for the great reading.

by the way, red or white wine is good but it is hard to beat homemade NC suppernong.

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Ncnetman
1959 Chev 3100 Fleetside
1965 Mustang
1968 Torino GT fastback
1969 Ranchero
1974 240d 4-speed -for sale
1976 240d fresh paint- on hold
1978 300cd fresh paint and new rearwindshield rubber
1990 6.2 Suburban 194k-getting a 6.5 turbo
2008 Duramax Silverado
2015 VW Passat TDI

Owned a "78 Rabbit gas purchased new for $5200. My wife brought to the marriage a "71 Plymouth Valiant, metalic green with white vinyl roof. It was a drafty car and I was looking hard for a replacement to get rid of it. One day in "84 I saw a beautiful red Jetta at the local dealership and it happened to be a diesel. I had the salesman drive it to our business and drop the keys on the counter for my wife....That was a great feeling having the car delivered as a gift to her! We drove it cross country both coasts several times and it never had any trouble. I was never a conservative driver and drove it hard around town for several years and it produced rather good mileage 35mpg as I recal. My wife had fond memories of that car.

Sold it reluctantly at (I thought) a very high 85,000 miles and purchased a used good looking red "86 Audi 5000 wagon for growing family. It was great riding car though parts were expensive and I hated the 3 speed transmission "slushbox" especially without a lockup converter.

I traded the Audi after a couple years for a beautiful "84 Cadilac Fleetwood Diesel, Gray/Lt gray interior with real wire wheels at 99,000 miles. Salesman couldn't believe it when I showed him the newer Audi we were trading for it. We drove the Cadilac all over the country and it would travel an impressive 600-700 miles on a tank. Sold 4 years ago with 198,000 miles no problems. Received many double takes and comments on this diesel as the clatter always turned heads.

We also purchase an "83 Olds Custom Cruiser diesel w/119,000mi, beige/woodgrain. Removed the woodgrain and repainted it pearl creme after the Toyota Maxima. It was a beautiful color too with all the gauges. Sold it to my Pastor with 186,000 miles and then it blew a head gasket within couple months....whew! He gased it, yuk.

We purchased a beautiful white/red 1988 Chevy 6.2 diesel conversion van in "91 for our growing family and traveling. We rebuilt the motor last summer @178,000 and added a turbo from a 98 6.5 van instead of a newer van. It is a very unique keeper in great shape no rust and will travel all day on a tank of fuel.

I purchased a 1991 red Jetta diesel 169,000 on Ebay fall "2001 and its been a great reliable car expecially with the extremely high fuel prices.

I eyed a beautiful "84 300d Dk blue/Dk blue over this christmas parked in a small town lot along the highway on way to see relatives. I looked it all over underneath to spot body rust and there wasn't any...you need to look for rust on cars in Iowa. It started right up though the temp was in the teens. I loved the sound right away and made an offer the next weekend on drive through town. He accepted and I found it was originally from Arizona explaining no rust. A banker from my town owned it and traded it for a newer car out of town and there it was on a car lot 80 miles away. My wife doesn't like its looks and is wanting me to sell it. I am offended to someone calling my beautiful mercedes ugly. It's really a beautiful automobile.

I am addicted to the unique smell, familiar rattle, bonus mileage and longivity of the diesel. I am hoping it's many years before the general public comes around to these features and benefits. We have great sleepers!

Thank you all for the great reading and solutions from you on this forum!

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'96 C220 138,000mi, '95 E300D 239,000 mi., '87 300TD 214,000mi '88 6.2 Turbo Diesel Chevy Conversion Van 253,000 mi.

Good to see that this post is attaining such diesel-like longevity.

It seems that almost all of us came upon our affection and familiarity with MB diesels accidentally.

I still drive my diesel despite a career move to a Subaru/Mazda/Mitsubishi dealership, populated by people with body piercing who all drive WRX's. I am The strange old man.

With the recent skyrocketing price in gas prices (and WRX's burn premium) I have had a few of these mutants that I work with come up and ask me to keep my eye open for good used diesels that they can buy as a "Beater" while they park their much-modified Subarus.

Ha Ha! I was right all along, ya green haired human pincushions!

My first diesel was a 1981 VW Rabbit. I had driven one of these across the country as a teen on a backpacking trip in Kings Canyon (Sierra Nevada).

I did not drink any diesel, but must have aquired an addiction somehow.

BTW- Benzene is also a major component of BETX (gasoline) - benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene.

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https://goo.gl/photos/J8ZUVvAYiYqLxbD18

1989 560SL 111Kmi
2007 E550 4Matic 157 Kmi
2000 F250SD 7.3l, 1996 Explorer Ltd 5.0l
1965 VW Beetle Deluxe 115 Kmi
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Previous MB:
1983 240D Euro Manual 144 Kmi
1983 300SD 495 Kmi
1986 190D 2.5 100 Kmi
1986 300SDL 202 Kmi
1991 300D 2.5 Turbo 91 Kmi
1998 E320S4 (4-matic wagon) 140 Kmi

..first diesel was an '82 Rabbit. Hadn't run for a year but had new exhaust, good tires, and a few other extras including a Haynes manual. I'd had some gas rabbits/golfs to tinker with, saw this one for $300. Wouldn't start when I looked at it so I offered $50.00 and he took it. Couple of new glowplugs and a good charge and I drove the little beast for a year and absolutely couldn't kill it. Went through a diesel Jetta and Golf, converted the Golf to run on WVO, decided to upgrade to a Benz to run on WVO and bio-diesel. The '84 300D has gone from project car to daily driver...I believe it will run forever regardless of what I feed it! f