I've an '89 190E 2.6 with 60K miles which I got in June, 1999. During the first 6 to 7 months, I'd average about 23 mpg (this is in Colorado at 5000 ft. or higher) with highway up to 27 to 28 mpg and town 20 to 22 mpg. in the following 6 months the mileage has decreased to the point where my average is arount 18 to 20 overall. (I will have lambda and O2 sensor checked soon)

I'm curious as to what mileage you other guys may be getting on a 2.6 or 3.0 M103?

Thanks.

Dave,

I get about the same mileage with my manual transmission 300E. However, sometimes when I drive it harder, the mileage does go down. Are you sure you're not just getting used to the car and driving it a little harder? These cars are fun to drive and it's easy to let the right foot get a little heavy. Just a thought.

Good luck,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

My 93 190 2.6 is in GREAT mechanical shape and I get no better than 21-22 out of it (highway travel). It's been as low as 17 with the town/commute mix.

Then again, I drive like a bat out of hell just about everywhere and haven't spent enough time at 55/60 to see how far it will go. I HAVE noticed that mileage seems to fall off pretty rapidly after 90 or so.

I've heard some claims of 26-27 out of these cars and I'm not buying it - that's diesel territory. Well, MAYBE from a 2.3 (or at 55 on the flats), but we drive a fairly heavy, underpowered (IMO) car that only begins to eagerly respond when your foot is in it at least 3/4 throttle...

I have a 1993 190E 2.6 with 65,000 miles on it. I average about 24 miles per gallon per tank. About 22 for pure city driving, about 26 for highway.

I have never, under any driving conditions gotten worse than 20 miles to a gallon. Keep in mind, that includes driving in 100+ degree temperatures (Dallas) with the AC on high most of the time. I am very happy with the gas mileage.

Well, thanks to all for the info, but I guess I'll take Chocdante's as the "flavor" of the truth I'd like to hear.

Larry's right, I probably drive it a little harder than last year, but not that much and not nearly as hard as my BMW's.

I can attest that last year I did get 27-28 on the highway (in the mountains over the continental divide) and on general trips up and down the front range.

I guess I'd still suspect a possible O2 sensor problem.

Thanks again everyone.

It also could be due to these rotten new, "cleaner" fuels that the FED is forcing
into everones tanks.

I keep records on all my cars including; odometer reading, trip odometer reading (reset at every fillup) and gallons taken to fill. I can support 26 and 27 mpg from my 300E, however A. It's a manual transmission, and B. it's 90% or greater road miles, most with the cruise control set in fifth gear. However, the times I have driven heavily in the city, I've never dropped below 20, and I'll be surprised if a tour through the logbook shows any tank below 22.

People laugh at my record keeping, but it gets my attention when my fuel mileage falls off. I usually can home in on something before it gets worse.

Good luck,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Larry,

Thanks for the info on your 5-speed. Along with Chocdante's info it at least gives me some hope of getting the mileage back up there. I'm assuming that like Chocdante, since you live in TX, that a reasonable portion of this is with the AC on as well?

By the way, I've kept exactly the same kind of log book on every car I've ever owned. (Can you spell a-n-a-l r-e-t-e-n-t-i-v-e? My wife can...) Which is why I know exactly what the mileage has been.

By the way, haven't been getting tired of shifting your 300 yet have you? Cramped left foot? Blisters on your right hand? I can help...

Thanks again everyone.

my 5spd manual 190e2.6 gets about 20mpg in the city and about 26-28mpg on the highway. For daily driving on the highway, i usually drive around 80mph, with the engine at 3000rpm, in fifth gear. For out-of-town driving however, where i get the chance to probe the car's limits (and mine), the mileage i get will not be ideal, but what's a few dollars' worth of gas compared with the adrenaline rush (scanning for cops, that is)?

Like the other guys, i have also been religiously keeping records on odometer-fuel fillup data, and that's how i can back up my claim on city and highway driving mileage (kilomete-age to us canucks). I also keep records on oil consumption, logging odometer readings with the amount of oil added, to be sure i am within the "normal" consumption level quoted by benz.

and the trip meter reading before i reset it at every fillup gives me an idea of how i fared for the last fillup.

the 190e has a drag coefficient of 0.33, which is high by modern standards. At least the 190e has a smaller frontal area than the W124, which makes it generate less drag. Still, from the aerodynamic wind roar it produces at speed, you can appreciate where all the power (and gasoline) is going.

I have a 1987 260E with an automatic transmission and 145,000 miles. I live in Calgary where the driving conditions are similar to Denver, i.e. 3,500 feet elevation, trips to the Rockies, etc. I use mid-grade rather than premium gasoline and I get 20-21 mpg in the city and 26-27 on the highway. The W124 body has a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.3, but the frontal area (A) is slightly larger that the W201's, resulting in identical Cd*A factors for both vehicles. This (final drive ratios aside) should indicate similar fuel consumption at a constant highway speed. In the city the weight of the vehicle comes into play and, given that the 260E is slightly heavier, it would take a little more fuel to accelerate its larger mass. All this seems to be in good agreement with the numbers you guys are getting.
And, BTW, the W201's Cd of 0.33 ain't that bad for an 18 year old design. No SUV comes even close.
AK

Dave,

No, I will NEVER get tired of shifting. I can't imagine the day when I'll want to get rid of my Five Speed 300E.

My love for stick shift cars, makes it difficult in this country to find a car I really like.

The new C Class will be available with a Six Speed. I wish they would make the E Class available with one.

Even if the day comes when I move to a newer Benz, I'll still have the 300E.

Have a great day,

------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles