I love threads like this one. Jim, I agree with you about your E300TD assessment as I own a 1999 version. It is almost a 'perfect' car. You may have seen me cruising Rt. 95 as I also live in SE CT. We bought it because we never want to buy another sedan again. I think that maybe the tendency to lease vehicles and then get rid of them is the reason why people aren't interested in diesels today. Longevity is not an issue if you lease a new vehicle every two years. Personally I'm in it for the long haul.