Diesel cars are a farce in the U.S., and will continue to be so unless gasoline prices are artificially inflated through taxation. Even Carlton defected to the gas V8 crowd with his 740iL.

Look at the new VW Jetta. A gas 2.5 model costs thousands less, and while achieving inferior fuel economy compared to the turbodiesel model, diesel fuel costs 40+ cents more a gallon in my area, which does a nice job of squashing any operating cost benefit. If I had a new diesel Jetta, my only hope for economic salvation would be that a fair number of saps in the used car market would pay a huge premium for such a car when I became disgusted and traded it in on another big SUV.

Thats the problem. Modern diesels also cost more to maintain than a similer gas engine these days.


Like on my tuck what do I have to do? Spend $20 on some spark plugs at 100k miles, not much gas engine specific maintenance is their?

On a CDI you have the piss filters and have to change the fuel filter more often which adds up. Oil changes are also a lot more.

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

At 33,000 miles, my Tahoe has just required oil changes. Even the factory air filter still looks good. The spark plugs are so accessible, I could easily change them myself.

I don't know if I could afford the overall costs of a diesel car...

Yeah....but the smell, the sound, the fairly steady wrenching, those things are priceless

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Especially the sound. Nothing like the sound of a warmed-up OM617. The only problem I have is a short commute. By the time that honker 5-cylinder is warmed up, I am at work.

Isn't that the truth! I am envious - no trouble warming up my 617 in a 37 mile ONE WAY commute.

This is why I drive the 617 and my wife gets the M119.

I'd think that the M119 could match the 617 in highway MPG's......the M103 comes close, and its turning nearly the same RPM's....the M119 would be running a lot lower RPM's....

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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)

I bought mine right when it needed a major service...I think these companies plan it that way.

But still I only did the air filter and oil. I'm going to have a shop flush the transmission and do the rear end soon.

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

Assuming your Tahoe is in the 15k-30k range, it has cost you about 10 times as much as my 84 SD has cost me.

I bought it for $1400 and have put about 2k in it total (all parts and including M1 oil changes) in 50,000 miles.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

Yep, and the 740 gets about 22 mpg versus the SDL's 28.5 mpg. Costs slightly more to fill the 740 but it's not significant............and the 740 has double the horsepower.

The V8 turns at a fuel sipping 2000 rpm at 70 mph in OD lockup. The I-6 turns at 2800 rpm, non-lockup, to get the same task done.

Well, I don't know what to tell you: Here in Detroit, Diesel prices vary from 1.84- 2.19 and gas from 1.94-2.35. My 240D is very happy

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Only a complete idiot would buy a new car strictly to save money. A new car is almost always a depreciating asset and doesn't save any money regardless of its fuel economy. There are much better reasons to buy a new, fuel-efficient vehicle like the diesel Jetta, such as the low-end torque and the low fuel consumption itself, which extends your range and lowers your emissions and petroleum consumption. Right now with all fuels being very cheap (here diesel is even cheaper than regular at about $2.20 a gallon) naturally fuel costs will be low and vary little between models. But wait until gas is $4 again, I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

If gas is $4 again, diesel in my area will be over $5. Same tune, different stanza...

What, you think the future will be just like the past? There are supposedly more diesel refineries online now which has brought diesel back in line with regular unleaded. And even if the situation repeats itself and gas is $4 and diesel is $5, your fuel costs will go up more than mine because any fuel cost differences due to differences in fuel economy become amplified with more expensive fuel. Do the math and see for yourself.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

If the math is so irrefutable, why have most American and Asian auto manufacturers, including those who apparently haven't hit up Uncle Sam for an advance on their allowance, been so sluggish to introduce diesel automobiles into the U.S.? Aside from Mercedes and VW, who is currently selling diesel automobiles in the U.S.? Why are Ford, Nissan, Honda and Toyota currently offering gasoline hybrid passenger cars for U.S. consumption, not diesel-powered vehicles?