300E 5 speed gas mileage? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

joshhol · #1 03-07-2004, 02:22 PM

I've found one and I'm not going to say where unless I pass on it!

The seller is reporting 20mpg city, 24 highway. I thought they would get better mileage.

Is 30mpg possible?

Thanks

Glen · #2 03-07-2004, 03:25 PM

I owned an '86 300E 5-speed for 5 years and I don't think 30 MPG is possible. It averaged about 22 - 24 combined driving. On the highway, the best I got as a bit over 26 and the worst I got with agressive city driving was about 18.

#3 03-07-2004, 10:00 PM

I have an '88 300E 5 speed manual. It will get about 26 or 27 on the highway and about 22 doing a lot of in town stop and go.

I keep extremely thorough records including mileage and gallons for every fill up and I don't remember EVER seeing 30.

That said, if it's a nice car, think long and hard before you pass just because of fuel mileage. If you like driving a stick, this is a FABULOUS car to drive.

Hope this helps,

deanyel · #4 03-07-2004, 10:40 PM

The EPA rating on the stick was 18 and 25 in 86 and just 17 and 25 in 88. The automatic was 18 and 22 both years. Late 124 automatics were often 19 and 26, so they sticks really weren't that great. I went from a 1990 300SL stick to an 86 300E stick and remember thinking the 300E was substantially more fun to drive. The SL was 3,000 rpms at 60 mph while the 300E is only about 2,000 rpms at 60.

#5 03-08-2004, 08:33 AM

I have here in my hand the ORIGINAL window sticker from my '88 300E 5 Speed. It says 17 and 25.

As I said, I keep thorough records, and on the highway my 300E consistently exceeds 25. The EPA must have driven the car hard for the test.

As to whether or not you will like a stick shift car is up to you. If you are a stick shift lover as I am, you will LOVE one of these cars. Don't go by others tastes and likes, go by your own.

There are very few stick shift lovers in the US today. I've heard every reason in the book for why one should drive an automatic, and I'm sure that those reasons are very valid for those stating them. That's why they make more than one trans type, because we all have our preferences.

Good luck,

joshhol · #6 03-08-2004, 11:51 AM

Thanks everyone,

I should be seeing it tonight, so I'll have to go by fun factor since all other things will be equal.
I also will see a 300 2.6 just before hand so that will make things more interesting.
I hadn't been quite ready to buy just yet but a 300E 5 speed does not come around often.

JimSmith · #7 03-08-2004, 12:10 PM

joshhol,

I bought mine in Salt Lake City, Utah and drove to Connecticut keeping excellent records. The average trip mileage was around 28.5 or so, with the best mileage recorded just under 30 mgg. Around town this car gets closer to 20, and in daily mixed use probably about 22 to 24. About the same as my wife's 1999 C230 Kompressor.

On a long trip of mostly highway miles I still see the 28 mpg figure, but those trips are few and far between for this car. Usually one or two per summer.

If you pass let us know. Also, any data on the condition and mileage. Thanks, Jim

Ferdman · #8 03-08-2004, 05:19 PM

I'd be very interested in acquiring a 5-speed manual transmission 300E ... you're right they are rare indeed. A friend bought one for his daughter ... has MB Tex seats. Does anyone know if any of the 5-speed manual transmission cars came with leather seats? I prefer leather over MB Tex.

Glen · #9 03-08-2004, 05:41 PM

As far as I know, leather is rare in the '86 models. I was extrememly lucky, mine had leather AND seat heaters...extremely rare. Every other manual tranny 300E I've ever seen had MB-Tex.

#10 03-08-2004, 09:51 PM

Mine has premium and electric sunroof. Those are the only extra cost accessories on the window sticker.

I'm sure that leather is just as common on stick car as it is on an automatic.

BTW, The sticker price on my car in 1988 was $44,790.00.

There were a little over 300 5 speeds sold in the US in the '88 model year, and a little over 700 in the '86 model year. Why they skipped a year I'll never know.

Have a great day,

joshhol · #11 03-09-2004, 01:17 PM

Well, I'll first bore you with the details of the 2.6 I saw yesterday.
So, I meet the owner and I we talk briefly about the car. He begins to show me that if you roll down the drivers window all the way it won't come back up unless you turn the car on and then off again, same for the sunroof. He assures me it's just a relay under the rear seat.
Then after some more chit chat, I suggest we go for a ride. Get this, he doesn't offer to let me drive!
To make a long story short and get to the 5 speed, the 2.6 had almost NO oil pressure at idle. Even at part throttle, it still wasn't pegged! He is running 20w50.
Then, the SRS light was on as well. It's no wonder this car has been in the paper forever.
I guess that since I showed up in a T-shirt and jeans and a 28 year old 115, I'm not a serious customer and I shouldn't be offered to drive the prospective piece of junk.
No matter though, the 5 speed is what it's all about.

When I called the guy about the 5 speed, we talked for about 10 minutes before he figured out I had bought my 4.5 from him over a year ago! So now the comfort zone is a lot higher, I know he's telling me the truth at least. The previous owner sued RAB Motors in Marin to cover half the cost of the engine rebuild when the valve stem seals went bad in '94. He says he was a lawyer, and I think he was just having fun with the dealership. The current owner replaced some component of the AC system to the tune of 1500 bucks so I think I set as far as the evap goes. He is even running the correct antifreeze in the car so things are looking good. I'll have to look over the records to make sure.
As far as the car looks, it's not my ideal choice of colors but I could live with it, that 5th gear is great and I really like the way it is geared over all. 70 in 3rd gear is no big deal.

I'm most likely going to go pick it up today.
Joining the club

Duke2.6 · #12 03-09-2004, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Why they skipped a year I'll never know.
[/B]

I ordered a 1987 190E 2.6 five-speed in August 1986 as part of a "group deal" that included a 300E and 260E, and the 260E was also ordered with a five-speed. The orders were taken and placed based on order information made avaliable by MBNA.

About a month later Autoweek ran an article that MBNA had changed their mind and decided NOT to make five-speeds available on '87 six-cylinder models. I called my dealer and asked them what was going on. They were clueless, so I "suggested" they look into it and two days later they confirmed. I cancelled my order. The 260E was converted to an order for an automatic.

A year later MBNA announced that five-speed six cylinder models would be available on a special order basis only, not "allocation" as was the plan for 1986 and 1987

Here's what I think is behind this story. "Allocation" means that dealers HAVE to accept certain models, but dealers didn't like five-speed models because they were not in great demand and often languished in inventory for months.

On the other hand, if MBNA initially offered five speed sixes, then all or at least a major part of emission tuning and certification had been accomplished, so DB would have nothing to show for the resources expended.

IMO the decision to make five speeds sixes available in '88 on a special order basis only was a compromise. Dealers didn't get unwanted cars shoved down their throats and DB got some sales for its engineering effort to certify five-speed models.

You had to be a real manual tranmission enthusiast as a special order took about four months to deliver, which is one reason '88 300E five speeds are rarer than '86s with five-speeds.

Duke

#13 03-09-2004, 07:24 PM

Your skip the '87 with five speeds theory is interesting reading and very plausible.

Thanks,

rstallings · #14 03-10-2004, 01:12 AM

I recently bought an 86 300e 5-speed. It was neglected, and I got it cheap. After repacing the ignition wires, cap and rotor, and plugs, I got it running pretty well.

It has 203k miles. Uses a quart of oil about every 500 miles. I'm pretty sure it's the valve guide seals

Compression test ok. 175 psi all the way down the holes.

With 225 60 vr 15 tires, and a heavy foot, I am getting about 22-25 mpg driving 75-90 mph on the interstates in NM. It is still running a little less than perfectly. After I fix the oil problems, I'm going to run through the fuel injection. I'm expecting fuel mileage to improve a bit then.

This car is a real pleasure to drive. I'm going to rebuild the front end, replace the struts and wheel bearings, get the seats professionaly re-done, and put new brakes in. After this, I will have about $4000 in car and parts

I do all of my own work. I was a professional mechanic untill I graduated with a degree in engineering about 10 years ago. Still have my tools, and now I have a workshop and plenty of money to spend on toys. This is the first Benz I've owned. I'm impressed.

Duke2.6 · #15 03-10-2004, 01:53 AM

Back in the era of the 123/124/126/201 (and before) their advertising motto was "engineered like no other car in the world", and I think they were. Now they have cartoon dragons living in the engine compartment and emphasize snob appeal.

Since the mid-ninties they've become overweight and over-wrought with gratuitous gadgets and advertising fluff.

Duke