I own a diesel, 300D turbo, and i think they are great. Excellent cure for road rage. No ignition system to worry about, significantly cheaper tuneups, no ignition failures reducing your chances of getting stuck somewhere and real simple once you understand the relatively simple non computer controlled diesel engine. But I must advise the negatives i associate with these diesels:
1. They are not fast from a stop which can be maddening especially when the engines are cold and climbing a hill or merging into traffic and i'm talking 300turbo, not 240D (even worse). You get used to it but it's a negative. The engines are real noisy when cold. sounds like a bunch of pots and pans in the engine, diesels are designed to ping or auto ignite.
2. Diesel is not sold at all gas stations. BTW, don't spill diesel on you (we are self serve in CA) cause it lingers on your hands and clothes.
3. They tend to visibly smoke and stink more than gas engines. Doesn't bother me but pedestrians don't share my enthusiasm. Don't get me wrong, mine is not badly maintained, they just stink more than gas cars.
4. I alwayts get a dirtier when working on a diesel's engine or suspension. I don't know why but the oil and diesel grime is nasty.

I drove a 21st century diesel in euroipe recently. It was amazing, why, because it ran as fast and quiet as a gas car with even better fuel economy to boot. maybe the europeans are leaning toward advanced diesels while US and asia are more hybrid oriented.

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1972 450SL
1982 300D Turbo

It seems to me that the very best idea would be a hybrid diesel that can run on a renewable fuel source, like recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO). It really doesn’t seem that complicated. Many people are already running their diesels with WVO. I truly believe we could free ourselves of the “oil addiction”, if car manufacturers would just get their acts together.

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I just couldn't give up on my 1995 E320.

I think it might be like always going back to that same bad relationship with an ex girlfriend.
You feel you love them too much, or you are just too stupid to know any better.



Flickr slideshow of my 1995 E320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24145497@N06/sets/72157616572140057/

As a matter of fact, I was surprised by this omission in the President's State of the Union Speech. Its seems like a natural. But then, if EVERYONE waqs burning bio diesel, there wouldn't be enough for the home=brewers.

i doubt running all our cars (or a important % of them) on WVO is really feasable. It may just represent a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of crude we consume for cars. If we expand beyond the relatively small quantity of waste oil available and start growing it specifically for engines then we've got many of the same and new problems that come with this kind of farming. Fertiliser uses petrol as a key feedstock, CO2 continues to be emmitted when burning veg oil, etc.

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1972 450SL
1982 300D Turbo