Very Frustrated! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BenzOnline · #16 10-27-2002, 05:37 PM

what would that gear ratio do Kuan?

#17 10-27-2002, 10:23 PM

Well, you'd be able to pull around 120 in first gear....

Off-the-line power would probably suffer a bit though.

If you want a car that is safe, fairly reliable, and gets decent mileage, and is European, get a Volvo 740 with the non-turbo 2.3 liter 4 and a manual gearbox (4-speed OD--5 gears). It'll get maybe 27 to 28 on the highway, and it's a Volvo, so it'll be safe. Plus, a decent non turbo 740 would be a little over $2000 US. If you sold the 380SEL, you'd probably be able to get easily into one (maybe two??).

If you want a car with all these points except the European aspect, get a front-wheel-drive General Motors car with the 3.8 liter V6 engine and an automatic. 28-30 highway MPG easily, and pretty safe, too. Think Pontiac Bonneville, Buick Lesabre, or Oldsmobile 88 (from the late 1980s or early 1990s). $2500 US will get you a good one, and they'll accelerate at least as well as the 380SEL.

Nice to know I'm not the only accounting major on the site. I go to the U of Washington, in Seattle.

-Sam

BenzOnline · #18 10-27-2002, 10:32 PM

Well...about the Volvo 740.. my grandfather passed away 2 years ago and owned a silver mint condition 1987 740. Since my grandma moved in with my family and shared her money with us she couldnt give us or me the car because the rest of the family would go crazy so had to give the car to someone else in the family so my cousin got it. It is a great car and I remember the gas mileage was decent with it and darn reliable.

Besides the car would have given me too many memories of my beloved grandfather.

BenzOnline · #19 10-27-2002, 10:53 PM

And insurance for a civic is probably cheaper than a C isnt it?

william rogers · #20 10-28-2002, 02:28 AM

maybe you are not getting the MPG that you should for a 380 with that percentage of hiway driving, I have seen post by 560 SEl owners that get 22 MPG hiway and thats a US gallon I get 20 in Euro 420 overall and live in anything but flat country of course you could probably trade it for a 300D or Sd ......
William Rogers.....

BenzOnline · #21 10-28-2002, 10:38 AM

maybe there is something wrong with my car due to the gas consumption? It is running great but maybe the engine is running too rich or something. What could I get checked?

420 · #22 10-28-2002, 01:08 PM

If your looking for a car that returns good MPG, have you considered the VW TDi's? And since your in Canada I believe you also have the option for the old TD as well.

#23 10-28-2002, 01:13 PM

The 380SE has gotten as high as 24 miles per US gallon on an interstate highway at 70-80 mph, over a mountain pass, with two adults riding in it.

With AC on and four people and luggage in the car, gas mileage dropped to 22 mpg highway.

Have you estimated your fuel economy recently, in liters/100 km, or whatever you use to figure it in metric-land?

-Sam

BenzOnline · #24 10-28-2002, 01:53 PM

I just reset the trip odometer and saw how much I did per tank. Its always the same.

pentoman · #25 10-28-2002, 05:29 PM

Get a diesel!! Any will do, but only something of 2.5 or above with a turbo will deliver the punch of your 380.