Fuel burn: Truck vs diesel Mercedes - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

POS · #31 05-07-2009, 08:34 PM

$5 more a week, times $52 weeks is $260 a year. I budget $1000-$1500 a year in repairs for the older MBs, and I budget $0 for repairs for my 2003 GMC and my 2005 GMC. You'd be better off selling the MB and driving the "fuel sucking truck over the holy grail diesel Mercedes", if you want to know the truth.

Eskimo · #32 05-07-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS

You'd be better off selling the MB and driving the "fuel sucking truck over the holy grail diesel Mercedes", if you want to know the truth.

I think Hattie already knows the truth - that's what the thread is about!

He sold his SDL, and he's driving a truck. He's commenting on how little - in direct fuel expenses - that change is costing him.

DslBnz · #33 05-07-2009, 09:19 PM

I drove a 2001 Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 Vortec for a short while...

What engine does Hatt have in his? I was lucky to get 15.

Ara T. · #34 05-07-2009, 09:23 PM

Diesel is actually a bit cheaper than 87 octane gas around here, and has been for a coupla months now. Dunno why, haven't seen that for a good 5 or 6 years.

Hatterasguy · #35 05-08-2009, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS

$5 more a week, times $52 weeks is $260 a year. I budget $1000-$1500 a year in repairs for the older MBs, and I budget $0 for repairs for my 2003 GMC and my 2005 GMC. You'd be better off selling the MB and driving the "fuel sucking truck over the holy grail diesel Mercedes", if you want to know the truth.

Very true, the extra $260 a year is more than offset through other means.

Still the Mercedes are more fun to drive.

derburger · #36 05-08-2009, 01:54 AM

I like my little origami death trap Subaru XT for the low(er) maintenance engine and decent mileage. It gets 26 mpg on the highway at 70+ speeds, my 300cd gets 21 mpg on diesel, no matter highway or city, A/C on or not.

My Subaru is much more fun to drive and my Mercedes sits in the garage even though diesel is cheaper here. I'm sure it would be different if I could source a replacement seat pad for the MB's front seat, which was crushed by a series of obese previous owners.

I'm still working on the diesel's laundry list of maintenance, in the past few days I've adjusted the valves, removed and cleaned fuel sender, replace air cleaner mounts, next is transmission fluid & filter, rebuild vacuum pump.

But so far the MB is winning as the lowest cost car in my maintenance spreadsheet this year vs. my Subaru

Skid Row Joe · #37 05-08-2009, 02:07 AM

When I'm not out travelling in my diesel motorcoach, I'm sticking with the variable 22 - 28 mpg my "holy grail" of an E300TD turns out around town.

DieselAddict · #38 05-08-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

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.

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.

pawoSD · #39 05-08-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DslBnz

I drove a 2001 Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 Vortec for a short while...

What engine does Hatt have in his? I was lucky to get 15.

Its the Vortec 4.3 V6.......not a bad engine for durability/power, but it seems very loud and unrefined especially when you push it much over 2500rpm....I've driven one in a truck just like Hattie's....and in a Blazer....the blazer was geared better and was much quicker. Still don't hold a candle to the 300E though. 1.3 less liters and WAY more speed.

Oh, and the 4.3 is quite thirsty for what it is.

PaulC · #40 05-08-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

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.

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

DieselAddict · #41 05-08-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

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.

Hatterasguy · #42 05-08-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Its the Vortec 4.3 V6.......not a bad engine for durability/power, but it seems very loud and unrefined especially when you push it much over 2500rpm....I've driven one in a truck just like Hattie's....and in a Blazer....the blazer was geared better and was much quicker. Still don't hold a candle to the 300E though. 1.3 less liters and WAY more speed.

Oh, and the 4.3 is quite thirsty for what it is.

Well GM got the power band right so you never really have to push it over 2k, at least I never see the need to. It is a little rough at idle, I'll give it that, but other than that its not a bad motor.

I don't find it thirsty, it gets 2-3 mpg better than my dads F150. Though the F150 has more balls, but they are similer motors.

GM geared my truck perfectly, I have to see what kind of rear it has but its high. I'm turning 1,800 at 70.

Your 300E is a car of course a smaller engine is going to drive it faster.

I'd love to see your 300E carry a Scag mower, 30 sheets of plywood, or 1,200 pounds of shingles.

PaulC · #43 05-08-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

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.

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?

pawoSD · #44 05-08-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Your 300E is a car of course a smaller engine is going to drive it faster.

I'd love to see your 300E carry a Scag mower, 30 sheets of plywood, or 1,200 pounds of shingles.

I can do all those things with my utility trailer attached to my 300SD. In fact just last week I brought nearly 1000lbs of scrap metal to the scrap yard with it.

No pickup required!

The pleasure of driving a diesel MB, with the utility of a pickup!

Hatterasguy · #45 05-08-2009, 11:44 PM

Towing a trailer every single day would get old fast.