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

Hatterasguy · #1 05-07-2009, 10:32 AM

Chevy
405.1/22.736=17.82 MPG

SDL
405/18=22.5 MPG

18 gallons @ $2.50 is $45
22.736 gallons of 87 @ $2.19 is $50.

So it costs me $5 more a week to drive a fuel sucking truck over the holy grail diesel Mercedes.

My mileage is actualy going up in the truck, I'm going to break 18 this week.

PaulC · #2 05-07-2009, 10:48 AM

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.

pawoSD · #3 05-07-2009, 10:49 AM

Your pricing wouldn't apply here....currently I can get diesel at $2.08 a gallon, regular is $2.29!

(Making the 300E's food supply 2.49!)

So, I filled my car the other day with about 12.08 gallons of diesel for $25.25.....I got 23.4 mpg.

The same distance at 17mpg on regular would have cost $37.99. A difference of $12.74!

That adds up! It all depends on fuel prices. $12.74 a week comes out to $663 a year!

Right now my 300E is usually averaging around 20.5-22.5 mpg.....

So it costs 11 cents per mile to drive the 300E....vs. 9 cents per mile in the SD.....

Hatterasguy · #4 05-07-2009, 10:50 AM

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.

cmbdiesel · #5 05-07-2009, 10:51 AM

True, until the cost of diesel drops to where it is supposed to be. Still jerks my chain that diesel costs more than RUG. Total scam. And that old diesel can run on HHO which is considerably cheaper.

Besides, now that you have a truck, you have to haul stuff in it. Just can't picture you tossing manhole covers and cinder block into the SDL

Hatterasguy · #6 05-07-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

Besides, now that you have a truck, you have to haul stuff in it. Just can't picture you tossing manhole covers and cinder block into the SDL

True, I had 28 sheets of Advantech in the truck the other day, can't do that with the SDL.

Also the truck is a write off, so if fuel costs a bit more thats OK.

PaulC · #7 05-07-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

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

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...

cmbdiesel · #8 05-07-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

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

Hatterasguy · #9 05-07-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

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...

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.

Honus · #10 05-07-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

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

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.

Fulcrum525 · #11 05-07-2009, 11:18 AM

22.5 MPG on the SDL? Dude lay of the go pedal

Brian Carlton · #12 05-07-2009, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

Even Carlton defected to the gas V8 crowd with his 740iL.

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.

Graplr · #13 05-07-2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

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

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.

#14 05-07-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

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.