I have a 84 190D 2.2 auto with rebuilt motor and the best mpgs I have got is 35. I was hoping for at least 40.

I have not heard the TDI's need rings at 300k, and I have no personal knowledge as both of mine were sold in 200's but I would have been surprised if they only made it that far. I have a friend that has 320k on his 03 jetta and it still runs strong. Head over to the TDI club and look around if you want more info. I do know they are very easy to work on, especially the 96-97 version.

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1999 E300 TD 190,000
1996 Passat TDI 225,000-sold
1996 E300 120,000-sold
1998 Jetta TDI 186,000 -sold
1983 Chev Suburban C20 6.2-sold

Get one of the 500+K mile capable ones on eBay. Might get 70 mpg too.

Sixto
87 300D

The best ive gotten on a trip in my 87 is 32, and that was 70 and under the whole time. Now I drive 75 and above and see 27 more often. With your gearing, you should be able to hit 35mpg driving like a granny and putting the ALDA where it should be... The best I ever saw out of my 92 2.5 was 36, and that was with rebuilt injectors and driving 120 miles of 55mph contrsuction. In my opinion your better off just getting the 87 where it needs to be and not spending money on something else...

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1987 300D(Erma)- #14 head, 193k
2003 TDI Beetle sold
1985 300sd sold
1987 300D(Ursala)- #14 head, 157k when sold
1987 300D(Wilbur)- #14head, 356,000+miles, sold after 7 days of owning it.
1992mercedes 300d- totaled and in a junk yard somewhere..
1983 mercedes 300sd- scrapped
1980 mercedes 300sd first mercedes diesel-sold

I may be wrong, but my experience is that the ALDA does not affect MPG. It's your right foot that does.

Also, on the VWs, the auto trans for Jettas, Golfs, Passats from 2000 to 2004 are the ones that are trash. TDIclub says that this tranny must be replaced - it cannot be rebuilt. They say that members there are replacing the auto with 5 -spd: cost in the neighborhood of $3K to do it, according to sources.

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1987 300DT
2002 Ford F-250 7.3 Crew Cab Short Bed

I get 36+ mpg week after week with my 190 d 2,2 auto in summer with ac;
but on a trip to/from Boston on the fwy (about 4 hours one way)@ 75 mph in cruise my mpg dropped a mile or two. The 190d is happiest at 65 or so; above that and the mileage declines. It certainly didnt mind the stress, but it burned fuel.

I had a '83 280zx in high school and it was the tightest squeeze car I ever had. My right knee made constant contact with the steering wheel. I dunno if a 2+2 would have been better. An RX-7 is one car I tried to get into and couldn't. Suzuki X-90 sucked as a passenger

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

I know people say that, and I tend to agree BUT every ALDA I have taken off has resulted in lower mpg's. Which is weird cause I have to like "floor" it to get any smoke from my 300D. Perhaps new injectors would help, it's smokes like a freight train when you first start it in the cold weather... could be a bad glow plug too I guess. Has about 165K miles on it.

And I should have stated earlier that I MUST have a/c in the summer.. so that would be a factor too. Although I don't use it unless it gets really hot and humid.

I'm really liking the Mk3/Mk4 2 door Golf..
Looks like high mileage well worn examples are $3500+
Those darn TDI's hold their value!

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

MUST it be a diesel? My roomies 95 Corolla, that I borrow when it's too hot to drive my non-AC 240d on long trips, gets consistently over 40 mpg. And with front air-bags, you won't have to worry as much about it turning in to an iron maiden in a crash, like an old rabbit or golf. You could pick up a decent one for ~$2000 and still pull out your benz when you're feeling self conscience or wanna smell some soot. A little out of the ball park with the Toyota recommend, I know, but its SO reliable and always runs PERFECT. Might be a bit of a squeeze for a man of your height, though...

No Contest - It is the smart cdi.(and yes, it IS a Mercedes )

Smart CDI wins the MPG Marathon with a 99.24 mpg rating

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

My friend, you need a 1999 - 2003 New Bettle tdi with a five speed. For tall people especially they are awesome. It even made a car talk episode about how great they are for tall people. The best commuter car i have ever been in. The best part besides the 35 - 46 mpg depending on how you drive it is the visibility. I just drove my old one today on a long 100 mile drive in the country and it was beautiful. Tons of glass to see out and really well designed cocpit. The only thing is the shape is not as aerodynamic so its hard to hit 50mpg plus like you can in a Jetta.

Now my conviction that the New beetle tdi 5 speed is the best commuter car comes from a lot of trial and error as i've been a commuter for the past 15 years.
I started with a 1992 A2 Jetta diesel (40 mpg) to commute to college, got my wife an A3 tdi much better -- (53 mpg at 65mph ) , traded the A2 for my first W123 MB 300D (24mpg) and have been on this forum ever since . Then I got a 2002 Jetta tdi automatic (35 - 45 mpg), another W123 1985 (25mpg) , a 1999 New beetle (37 - 45 mpg ) , a W124 2.5T (36 mpg ) and finally my 87 tdt (28 mpg) .

And I can say of all those, the beetle is the best all around commuter. And that is about the only the me and my wife have ever agreed on. Too bad she drove over a curb and busted the oil pan and killed the engine Get a skid plate !!!!

the W124 2.5 T and W124 wagon A4 Jetta are the second best.
And one more thing i could add -- I ran all of those cars on WVO at one point or another and they are all still on the road.

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

dunno if I could bring myself to operate a Toyota
But I know the Corolla's do very well in the mpg department. If I were to go that route then I may as well look for a metro

About a '98 civic would be cool too. Too many ricer wannabes drive the prices up tho.

I am trying to keep the same "fleet" so that I don't have to keep parts for 47 different makes/models of cars. Then there is the information firewall that you have to put in your head as far as maintenance and knowledge go. ..."so was that torque spec for the MB or Toyota or ?"

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

My friend has a gasser New Bettle that I have driven before. His is like a big chunk of broken plastic on the inside... I think his has been abused very badly by the PO.

But I agree that a TDI anything would be the best bet.

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

If the W201 is out of the question then the obvious would be the W124, 300D 2.5 or 300D 5-speed. Familiarity is there with parts, chassis, and repairs.

But of course a parts car might not be the most comfortable ride to be in (depending on how much parts remain).

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

The diesel beetles have the best headroom ,I think a 7 ft person would have no problem in this car.